Bravo, Capt. Picard

[Guest]

March 5, 2004 - Stewart Condemns Hollywood Violence - By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - Filed at 12:00 p.m. ET

LONDON (AP) -- Hollywood is guilty of ``extremely irresponsible'' depictions of violence against women, ``Star Trek'' actor Patrick Stewart said Friday.

Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the television series ``Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and three movies, singled out director Quentin Tarantino for criticism.

``The entertainment industry has been extremely irresponsible in perpetuating and stereotyping the violent attitudes of men to women,'' said Stewart, as he helped launch an Amnesty International campaign to combat violence against women. ``It's a lazy and sensationalist approach. I condemn it entirely.''

The British actor, 63, said he had found Tarantino's ``Kill Bill,'' which stars Uma Thurman as an avenging assassin, ``a deeply offensive film.''

``I condemn utterly films like 'Kill Bill' which we are told are empowering women,'' he said. ``But they are apparently empowering women to kill other women which was the message that I took from the film.''

Stewart, who said he had witnessed his father hitting his mother as a child, said he now regretted some of his own film appearances.

``I don't want to be specific, but I have been involved in sequences both in the theater and in film which, with hindsight, I realize were offensive because they were perpetuating a stereotype,'' Stewart said.

``Violence against women diminishes us all,'' he added. ``If you fail to raise your hand in protest you are part of the problem.''

 

[SnoopDog]

Well Perdita, I guess one should rather complain about violence or stereotypes in Hollywood in general. I mean I don't see a specific 'violence against women' problem. Hollywood may have problems with violence, Hollywood may have problems with discrimination (and I'm talking about racial issues rather than sexes), but I also think Hollywood is improving in those aspects.
I know it took a long way, for example, till women were part of the creative process in Hollywood, but it's happened. And I guess it will become more and more in the future, so I see no need fpr too much complaint.
Snoopy

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Sorry Perdy, I don't get your point!

Or was it just to provoke discussion??

 

[Guest]

Sorry, no point, no discussion desired. I know there are PS fans (I am one) on site so I thought I'd post this. P.

 

[SnoopDog]

I just want to add that I am a PS fan myself. But I haven't really seen any of his 'serious' work. I guess I have to do that, 'cause he's a superb actor. He also does a lot of theater right?
I've heard his roles in 'Moby Dick' or 'Christmas Carol' were very good. Have you seen him in that?
Snoopy

 

[Guest]

I like his Scrooge well anough, though no one compares with Alistair Sim for me.

I have a* video of Antony and Cleopatra with Stewart as Enobarbus, very good; he speaks "the barge she sat in" speech wonderfully. Also a video of a workshop by the RSC on "Speaking Shakespeare" with PS and a full head of hair.

A few years ago he played Othello in WA D.C. as the only white actor, the rest of the cast were Black. I so wish I could have seen that.

Perdita

* I have three different A&C's on video

 

[SnoopDog]

I like his Scrooge well anough, though no one compares with Alistair Sim for me.

I have a* video of Antony and Cleopatra with Stewart as Enobarbus, very good; he speaks "the barge she sat in" speech wonderfully. Also a video of a workshop by the RSC on "Speaking Shakespeare" with PS and a full head of hair.

A few years ago he played Othello in WA D.C. as the only white actor, the rest of the cast were Black. I so wish I could have seen that.

Perdita

* I have three different A&C's on video

Thnx for the info Perdita, but PS with hair? lol, now that's a strange view.
Snoopy

 

[angela146]

I think we need a thread of "What would we do with PS if we had him"

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Angela stop that.

I cannot allow you to talk of such sacrilidge with Captain Picard!!!

Whatevernext?????

 

[Icingsugar]

Picard, shmicard.

I think he is rather stiff in front of a camera. Better than many others, but you really have to see him perform on a stage to get what a formidable actor he is. Was a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company for quite a while, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[pop_54]

Lo darling

Lo Purdy darling, glad you like we mature guys with a few follicles missing. Like PS and I.

Who loves ya Baby

I actually agree with him to a degree, there is too much violence against weaker persons, (not just women), portrayed on screen these days. But then we mustn't insult everyone's intelligence, by claiming a general lack of ability to distinguish 'entertainment' from reality. It's just the weak brained few and young impressionable types who seem to be influenced.

PS was quite manic and brilliant in 'Moby Dick' as Snoop says.

 

[pop_54]

Ha

Picard, shmicard.

I think he is rather stiff in front of a camera. Better than many others, but you really have to see him perform on a stage to get what a formidable actor he is. Was a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company for quite a while, if I'm not mistaken.

The camera has the opposite effect on me Ice man ... never been able to perform on film myself ... not stiff at all

How's that little one progressing by the way, and how's the misses bearing up.??

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Violence against women is prevelent not only on the silver screen, but on the small screen and in the music industry as well.

It has become endemic and as such it is now all but unmentioned and so acepted it dosen't even reaise eyebrows anymore. It's good to hear an actor say something about it. Thats not politic, but it is refreshing.

-Colly

 

[gauchecritic]

I have only one thing to say about Patrick Stewart. He's Yorkshire. With reference to a recent post in another thread: so is Judy Dench.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

Re. Stewarts's perceived 'stiffness', particularly in character as Picard, I'd attribute it to the fact that he rarely had a fellow actor to match his talent; he did well with what Hollywood provided him. However, there was one episode with Wendy Hughes (a fine Aussie actress) as a possible love interest; the two of them lit up my TV screen. BTW: even at the time, Hughes would not have been called starlet-like; she has brains and character.

Otherwise, now that Gauche has spoken up, perhaps it's being Yorkshire that stiffens the bloke's persona.

Perdita

 

[Liar]

Violence against women is prevelent not only on the silver screen, but on the small screen and in the music industry as well.

It has become endemic and as such it is now all but unmentioned and so acepted it dosen't even reaise eyebrows anymore. It's good to hear an actor say something about it. Thats not politic, but it is refreshing.

-Colly

I agree with you about the music industry where lots of archaic gender roles and sexploitation of women is obvious. This often includes downright violence.

But on the screens? Sure, violence against women does occur, but is it portrayed as something admireable, something positive? Most of the time, with a few tasteless exceptions, nope. There is violence against women in real life. As a sad part of real life, why shouldn't this be allowed to be portrayed?

Maybe I'm just watching the wrong movies - i.e good ones?

#L

ps. PS

 

[SnoopDog]

I agree with you about the music industry where lots of archaic gender roles and sexploitation of women is obvious. This often includes downright violence.

But on the screens? Sure, violence against women does occur, but is it portrayed as something admireable, something positive? Most of the time, with a few tasteless exceptions, nope. There is violence against women in real life. As a sad part of real life, why shouldn't this be allowed to be portrayed?

Maybe I'm just watching the wrong movies - i.e good ones?

#L

ps. PS

Some true words by a liar
Snoopy

 

[Guest]

... Sure, violence against women does occur, but is it portrayed as something admireable, something positive? Most of the time, with a few tasteless exceptions, nope. There is violence against women in real life. As a sad part of real life, why shouldn't this be allowed to be portrayed?

It may not be portrayed as "admirable" or "positive", but I think 95% of the time it is gratuitous, and that in itself perpetuates the culture of violence against women.

Yeah, there's violence in real life but is that a reason to make it graphic and saleable for profit w/no redeeming feature, let alone marking each new generation with its acceptance, even subliminally?

Your last sentence appears somewhat gratuitous. Take a moment to think of all the violence in the world and weigh how much of it you've seen in films or on TV compared to that which features women.

Perdita

 

[sanchopanza]

Patrick Stewart is a Yorkshireman? Good God . . . no wait I have family in Yorkshire and visited Yorkshire on Monday. Carry on.

I think it is amusing when people in the public eye condemn things such as screen violence. I condemn screen violence they intone, but I'll do nothing outside this condemning - so, as you were before it happens.

So it goes.

 

[Liar]

Originally posted by perdita
It may not be portrayed as "admirable" or "positive", but I think 95% of the time it is gratuitous, and that in itself perpetuates the culture of violence against women.

Sorry, but no, it doesn't. Inclusion of violence generally in movies may sometimes be redundant, although I don't agree with your estimated number, but less so when real lifelike violence towards women is concerned. If we silence a major media from putting light on a problem, how could that be a good thing to do? To shut up about it, that perpetuates the situation more than anything.

Or am I misunderstanding what it is you're talking about? Are we aiming at two entirely polarising things here?

Yeah, there's violence in real life but is that a reason to make it graphic and saleable for profit w/no redeeming feature, let alone marking each new generation with its acceptance, even subliminally?

No. I never said that. If you are talking about the latest Jackie Chan joke as silver screen violence, and Chalies Angels as violence against women, then I'll kindly ask to start my argument from scratch.

There are many serious quality films made - in Hollywood even - where portaying violence indeed has redeeming, justifying values, where audiences walks out of the theathe with insights into the reasons behind bad things, instead of an urge to go out and beat people.

What affects and marks new generations or not is a discussion that I'll try to stay out of. I have no PhD in sociology or behaviour science, so I'd be just guessing. But it is my firm belief that every change in culture has a good and a bad side, and that most people are learning, through films, literature, and other outlets, more about all sides of human nature than generations before us actually helps more than it hurts on a large scale.

Your last sentence appears somewhat gratuitous. Take a moment to think of all the violence in the world and weigh how much of it you've seen in films or on TV compared to that which features women.

...and when I do that, I can only conclude that, if we look at the broad spectre of films being made, there is alot more violence against women in real life than what is being filmed. But in reality it's hidden, tragic and ugly and to fairly portray that doesn't make for box office success.

#L

 

[kellycummings]

While I agree that the movies can sometimes contain gratuitous violence against women, men and children, I don't find it offensive, just dumb. To be offended by it seems to be a little thin-skinned in my opinion. Sure, there are cases where it can be offensive but I don't believe there are very many of them.
I also don't see his problem with Kill Bill. I feel like he missed the point. I like Patrick Stewart, although I'm not a New Generation fan (give me Cpt. Kirk any day) but I'm wondering if he's trying to sound more important than he is.

 

[Liar]

By the way, I haven't seen Kill Bill yet. I was under the impression that, the entire movie was a long tongue-in-cheek action ballet of Uma Thurman kicking all kinds of ass, mostly male, because some guy named Bill messed with her fiancee, or something like that.

Beside the obvious cartoonish glorification of violence, possibly damaging to young kids, I don't see what there is to protest about.

#L

ps. PS is still a cool bloke.

 

[kellycummings]

By the way, I haven't seen Kill Bill yet. I was under the impression that, the entire movie was a long tongue-in-cheek action ballet of Uma Thurman kicking all kinds of ass, mostly male, because some guy named Bill messed with her fiancee, or something like that.

Beside the obvious cartoonish glorification of violence, possibly damaging to young kids, I don't see what there is to protest about.
.

That's what I'm thinking. There were a lot of women killed but I really don't see how anyone could take it seriously. As you said, it is very tongue-in-cheek. I can see how the violence would turn people away from it, but to be offended? I don't want to get in a Kill Bill debate here, just think he was barking up the wrong tree.

 

[gauchecritic]

Originally posted by kellycummings[/i]I feel like he missed the point...but I'm wondering if he's trying to sound more important than he is.

Well someone has.

But they are apparently empowering women to kill other women which was the message that I took from the film.<>said Stewart, as he helped launch an Amnesty International campaign to combat violence against women.

"Violence against women diminishes us all,"

Violence is acceptable pornography. If you pay money to watch it you sanction its acceptance. A vanishingly small percentage of cinema-goers have the capacity to 'take a point' from a movie. Hollywood plays for money not Palms D'or.

How much further can your decadence take you?

Gauche

 

[kellycummings]

Re: Re: Bravo, Capt. Picard

Violence is acceptable pornography. If you pay money to watch it you sanction its acceptance. A vanishingly small percentage of cinema-goers have the capacity to 'take a point' from a movie. Hollywood plays for money not Palms D'or.

How much further can your decadence take you?

Gauche [/B]

I have to disagree. Sure, it can be taken as such by some people but you seem to be saying that all movie violence is like that and we are wrong for paying to see movies like Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Goodfellas and countless other films that are very violent. Only the simple-minded watch them just for the death and destruction. Sam Peckinpah could make a very violent scene almost beautiful. He wasn't doing it for shock, he was making art.