Tonight's Movies
First, there's Lost Highway; I haven't seen it yet, and it looked interesting, although I might not have rented it had I read the review I linked on IMDB. Next, we have (gulp) Uncle Saddam. I have no defense save pure, morbid curiosity. From reading the case, it looks to be a Juvenalian satirical representation of Saddam Hussein's personal life. We'll see if I'm able to watch the whole thing.
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Despite my recent worries over my lack of political involvement.
I've no desire to go there. Gross. Frankly, I spent much of this morning's class crossing and uncrossing my legs, trying not to vomit, repulsively discomfitted after a brutal scene read so I just can't do this brutal current stuff.
Movies? I saw The Stepford Wives today. Very funny.
Uncle Saddam
That movie was quite disappointing. It has a few funny scenes about Saddam's personal life, but then it goes into a confusing description of Saddam's family for an hour. After that, while you're waiting for something to tie the movie together, it ends.
Re: Uncle Saddam
Yeah, I watched the first 10 minutes the other day as I was getting ready to go out, and it disgusted me--not so much the movie as Saddam Hussein's behavior. I have been questioning the translations, wondering if they're really accurate. If they are...oh. It's disturbing. In one scene, they show a demonstration march; the U.S. has threatened to attack Iraq (not this latest war, to be clear), and the people are chanting. The subtitles read, "With our blood!--with our souls!--we shall defend Saddam!"
It made me think of a distinction my dad pointed out to me when I was a child and first learning about the Holocaust and the Nazi regime. He told me that in free countries, we pledge our allegiance to principles and values, but in dictatorships, the citizens must pledge allegiance to a person.
I know it sounds unsophisticated, but keep in mind I was a child, and it was a good, but abstract, explanation. Seeing that footage, though, reminded me of the implications of that difference and what a horrible, twisted thing my dad was trying to help me understand. As if all those Iraqis' lives are worth losing in order to defend that cruel man.
The movie also shows Hussein throwing grenades into the water. The voiceover, if it is to be believed, explains that he fishes that way, and someone goes out and gets the fish for him after the explosion.