Blood Diamond - Hollywood & World Events

[raggedyanne]

In the past couple years Hollywood has started making movies that directors say "hope to bring attention and aid to crisis situations". Do you think it will have any affect? Will it do more harm than good? Or is it just some overpaid anorexics trying to show they aren't as shallow as you think? I personally admire Anjelina Jolie and Sir Elton John for their charity work, but doubt the whole Bono thing.

[Nevan]

*apology in advance for writing nonsense - my head is splitting in two and I'm kind of just passing time till my doctor's appointment*

I think of it as bit of a paradox here - One the one hand, if Hollywood is sincerely trying to 'bring attention and aid to crisis...' as they say by making these movies, to what or whose avail? Where do the proceeds for these mega-million dollar movies go?

I don't really follow entertainment industry news (mainly because I feel it's all so... superficial), so pardon me if I'm in the dark with this, but I don't know of instances where a Hollywood film company donated any profits made from a real-life tragedy film to alleviate the very situation which they spur others on to support? PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

I think it's more of a 'feeding of the emotions' of people - it's a winning recipe - take something that has really happened - been on international news, is bound to stir emotions and brand it with a celeb's face. Yeah. After you've seen the movie you may be angry, cry a bit, think a bit - then what? Someone on the other side of the film reel is already on his way to the bank to cash in.

(Oh - just had to say this - regarding Blood Diamond - I thought it was a good movie, but Leonardo's 'South African accent' just didn't cut it.)

[raggedyanne]

Your right about the hypocracy. And I too love the movie, but my South African friends thought his accent sucked.

[CptSternn]

At least its a step in the right direction.

[raggedyanne]

True. If people are pointed in the direction of reliable charities that are helping people who need it, than a bit of publicity is a good thing.

[MaguMan]

Originally Posted by Nevan

Yeah. After you've seen the movie you may be angry, cry a bit, think a bit - then what? Someone on the other side of the film reel is already on his way to the bank to cash in.

Exactly. S'why I don't really support the preachy overtones of otherwise good movies like, "Blood Diamond." While it is nice that they bring it to the attention of the average Joe that this went on, movie producers are essentially doing the same thing these diamond firms were; capitalizing off of the conflict.

Don't even get me started on the interviews with the cast about how this is such a grave problem, people will do anything for money, and it's nice that it's being brought to light. The follow-up question to those responses should have been, "And how much did you get paid for this movie and the promotion of it?"

[d.Nox]

I don't buy it, for two reasons:

(1) No major Hollywood movie has ever caused the kind of social change needed for these causes to succeed. If the producers et al. really cared about injustices in the world, they'd skip making movies and go directly to the source of the problem.

(2) The kind of problem that gets Hollywood attention are always the photogenic ones, with oppressed people being sensationally abused. This, to me, says that Hollywood is more interested in playing peoples' emotions for a buck than changing the world.

If you want to get the word out, it doesn't take a slick, star-studded production to do it. Look at "An Inconvenient Truth." It's gotten more attention for its cause than any tear-jerking blockbuster, and it was made on a shoestring.