Decent Hollywood Movies!

[Ehud]

It reminds me of something I came across during my university studies in psychology.  That was back in the early 1980s, when the political correctness bug had not quite infected America.  Studies had shown that people's ethnic prejudices when exposed to those groups tended to diminish with every group except one: Blacks.  In other words, if somebody hated, say, Chinese people, but then interacted with them for a while, their level of resentment against the Chinese became less and less.  But the more one was exposed to Blacks, the more they came to resent them. 

This is really interesting.  I don't doubt the accuracy of that kind of a study.  I really like Chinese Americans for the most part.  They're hard-working, humble, peaceable, intelligent, they have good values for the most part, value education, strong emphasis on respect for family and ancestors and respect for the wisdom of the elderly.  Pretty much everything exactly opposite from black people.  They're like polar opposites.

Chinese of China are notoriously sneaky, treacherous and untruthful though (my dad does lots of business with them), but I'm sure that has a lot to do with the fact that so many of them are so damned poor, they don't really have any other option.  They're still very hardworking and industrious.  Oh yeah and they have a respect for the Jewish people.  Very hard to find a Chinese anti-Semite.  They all wish to learn the secrets of the Jewish businessman.  Some see it as an anti-Semitic steretype but I see it as a sort of naive respect.

[newman]

Oh yeah and they have a respect for the Jewish people.  Very hard to find a Chinese anti-Semite.  They all wish to learn the secrets of the Jewish businessman.  Some see it as an anti-Semitic steretype but I see it as a sort of naive respect.

They're smart.

It's like when the Japanese first industrialised and they wanted a navy.

They copied the Royal Navy in exact detail even down to uniforms, ranks, tactics.....even the IJN officer academy was an exact replica of Sultern in the UK with bricks imported from Britain.

If you're smart, you copy the best.

[MasterWolf1]

I remember my dad taking me to the Keith when I was little.  The lobby was really unbelievable.  Marble stairs going to the 2nd level and chandeliers.  And the ceiling was hand painted.  Was a very beautiful theater and as I said a landmark.  Now its closed down has been for almost 25 years and nothing has taken its place its just now an eye sore all boarded up.

[MasterWolf1]

When you mix human beings with barbarians you end up with unfortunate results.  This is a reason why human beings and savages are to be seperated.

[JewishTeddyBear]

I only used the Chinese as an example.  I could have chosen any other group.  The point I was trying to make is that the more people interact with various groups of people, the less likely they are to be prejudice against those specific groups of people.  The lone exception to this are Blacks.

Looking at this study from my present vantage point, the part that I would question are moslems.  Think of all those people, such as Ali Hirsch and Nonie Darwish, who write about their experiences around moslems.  It seems that the more one is around the islamfascists, the more one realizes just how barbarically savage they truly are.

[Ehud]

I only used the Chinese as an example.  I could have chosen any other group.  The point I was trying to make is that the more people interact with various groups of people, the less likely they are to be prejudice against those specific groups of people.  The lone exception to this are Blacks.

Looking at this study from my present vantage point, the part that I would question are moslems.  Think of all those people, such as Ali Hirsch and Nonie Darwish, who write about their experiences around moslems.  It seems that the more one is around the islamfascists, the more one realizes just how barbarically savage they truly are.

I know. I understood your point, I just decided to talk about Chinese people.   

[JewishTeddyBear]

Speaking of Chinese people, did you know that some people claim that Confucius himself was Jewish?  They say that nobody could be that wise and not be Jewish. 

[Ehud]

Speaking of Chinese people, did you know that some people claim that Confucius himself was Jewish?  They say that nobody could be that wise and not be Jewish. 

Hehe, well that's very flattering, but sort of silly.  There were always very wise Chinese.  It's not entirely impossible that he was Jewish though.  There has been a Jewish community in China going really far back.  I don't remember the particulars but I know that a small group of Jews migrated to China a LONG time ago.

[JewishTeddyBear]

Yes, I heard about that, too.  Apparently, there are literally millions of Chinese Jews that did NOT come over there from Europe during WW2, as my father did.

I also heard that Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were taught by Jewish sages.  From what I have heard about the very brutal nature of Greek society, as compared to the relatively enlightened positions of these three philosophers, I bet that such rumors are true.  For Marcus Aurelius, who was one of the very few truly civilized Roman rulers, this was definitely true: he was taught by the greatest Talmudic sage to have ever lived, Rabbi Akiva.

[Ehud]

Yes, I heard about that, too.  Apparently, there are literally millions of Chinese Jews that did NOT come over there from Europe during WW2, as my father did.

I also heard that Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were taught by Jewish sages.  From what I have heard about the very brutal nature of Greek society, as compared to the relatively enlightened positions of these three philosophers, I bet that such rumors are true.  For Marcus Aurelius, who was one of the very few truly civilized Roman rulers, this was definitely true: he was taught by the greatest Talmudic sage to have ever lived, Rabbi Akiva.

Very funny.

Yeah, I didn't realize Confucius was from that long ago.  Jews supposedly came to China around the 8th century.

http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/Jews.html

[Alexander]

Wow, the RKO Keith's. The last movie I saw there was led Zepplin's The Song Remains the Same. I really feel old now.

That was a great theater. I used to go there quite a lot in the late 70's and early 80's. I remember seeing the Amityville Horror there in 1979. Very spooky atmosphere, especially for a 10 year old.

[Alexander]

Natalie Portman, yes, that is her name.  Very pretty Israeli-born actress, although as I said, she never looked sexier than when I heard her speak Hebrew, which she does flawlessly.

She is certainly very attractive. I know her mainly from her work in the Star Wars movies. I was surprised to find out that she spoke Hebrew. Very impressive. I thought she was just another typical young ditzy American actress.

[JewishTeddyBear]

Yes, that Natalie Portman youTube video of her speaking flawless Hebrew is a good example of how she really is at her sexiest when she speaks Hebrew.

The Ten Commandments is my favorite movie of all time, but I am also well aware of its many flaws.  The most glaring of these faults is probably just the one mentioned above, the love triangle between Moses, Nefretiri, and Pharoah.  In my many decades of Torah study, not once did I ever come across such an absurd idea.  It was a total Hollywood fabrication.

I suppose it is a trade-off.  These days, when Hollywood makes historical movies, they try to depict things as accurately as possible.  Unfortunately, their values are  totally corrupt.   Back in the day of the Ten Commandments movie, they were clearly not conscientious about depicting history as accurately as they can.  On the other hand, Hollywood in those days did have their values intact, and in fact Cecile B DeMille himself lived as a devout Christian.  I say lived, because the truth is, he was a Jew.

[Vito]

The obvious movie to see that does honor vigilante justice is Death Wish (1974, the first one) starring the late great Jewish actor, Charles Bronson.  It is one of the most influential movies I ever saw, as it helped me become a Republican.

Charles Bronson was Jewish? This is what is says about Wikipedia:

He was one of 15 children born to a Lithuanian immigrant father of Lipka Tatar ancestry, and a Lithuanian-American mother. His lithuanian birth name is Karolis Bučinskis

Lipka Tatar is tribe of Muslim ancestry. It says nothing about him being Jewish..

[JewishTeddyBear]

I heard a long time ago that Charles Bronson was in fact Jewish.  Wikipedia is not always such a good source for information, as anybody can write anything on there.

I will admit that there was nothing in Charles Bronson's looks or behavior that was Jewish, so I am open to the possibility that maybe what I had heard is wrong, and that he really was not a Jew after all.

[newman]

I thought Bronson was a polak originally.

[JewishTeddyBear]

By the way, the Wikipedia article on Charles Bronson says that his mother was Lithuanian.  But that does not mean she was not Jewish as well!  Some of the greatest Torah scholars came from there.

[Vito]

By the way, the Wikipedia article on Charles Bronson says that his mother was Lithuanian.  But that does not mean she was not Jewish as well!  Some of the greatest Torah scholars came from there.

I know, and I didn't doubt it when I found out he was Lithuanian, but Wikipedia usually says if a person comes from Jewish ancestry or not.

[kellymaureen]

Rules of Engagement

They would NEVER make a movie like this now...lol...it drew all sorts of ire in 2000 when it was released, now it wouldnt ever make it to release. Here is some of the criticism:

The film drew widespread criticism for its portrayal of Arab characters. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee described it as "probably the most racist film ever made against Arabs by Hollywood".[1] Paul Clinton of the Boston Globe wrote "at its worst, it's blatantly racist, using Arabs as cartoon-cutout bad guys".

Film Critic Mark Freeman writes:

"The Yemeni people are painted in the broadest, most racist terms imaginable. Friedkin lets his camera linger over their angry faces, exaggerating their difference: the robes, the veils, the beards, the bizarre, harsh language, and their keen desire for violence. The omission of key scenes early on only serves to emphasize the horrendous racism of this film when the 'truth' is revealed later. The message of Rules of Engagement is the necessity to kill all those who actively oppose the United States and that the murder of women and children is acceptable in such cases

And we all know that by "Yemeni" and "arab" they mean muslim
Ha ha thats such a stretch isnt it.....angry muslim faces in a crowd...veils...robes...harsh language (death to America, Israel etc)..keen sense for violence....must have been difficult for the director to get people to believe that muslims would ever act that way

[cjd]

I remember my dad taking me to the Keith when I was little.  The lobby was really unbelievable.  Marble stairs going to the 2nd level and chandeliers.  And the ceiling was hand painted.  Was a very beautiful theater and as I said a landmark.  Now its closed down has been for almost 25 years and nothing has taken its place its just now an eye sore all boarded up.

Your memory of the RKO is good MasterWolf. I see the building every day from a distance as drive on the Whitestone Expressway. I guess one day it just won't be there anymore. Before they had made the theater into a duplex making the main level one theater and the balcony level into another the place looked like you were sitting in the middle of a street from the middle ages. The ceiling was painted like the night sky and it actually had small lights that seemed to be stars. Both sides of the theater look like the fronts of houses with balconies. Where the screen was they had a huge stage and I really don't recall but it may have had an organ loft to one side also. I have tried to find pictures of the interior but none seem to exist. Walking up the grand steps to the balcony made you feel really great it was thats special.

[JewishTeddyBear]

Welcome back, Kelly Maureen!  I have not seen you on here for some time now.  But you sure come back with a splash: you have convinced me to see that movie, Rules of Engagement.  I wonder if it was made before or after 9/11?  Either way, it sounds like my kind of movie, because it apparently tells the truth.

[kellymaureen]

It was made in 2000, before the attacks and PC running amuck:P

[newman]

Rules of Engagement

They would NEVER make a movie like this now...lol...it drew all sorts of ire in 2000 when it was released, now it wouldnt ever make it to release. Here is some of the criticism:

The film drew widespread criticism for its portrayal of Arab characters. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee described it as "probably the most racist film ever made against Arabs by Hollywood".[1] Paul Clinton of the Boston Globe wrote "at its worst, it's blatantly racist, using Arabs as cartoon-cutout bad guys".

Film Critic Mark Freeman writes:

"The Yemeni people are painted in the broadest, most racist terms imaginable. Friedkin lets his camera linger over their angry faces, exaggerating their difference: the robes, the veils, the beards, the bizarre, harsh language, and their keen desire for violence. The omission of key scenes early on only serves to emphasize the horrendous racism of this film when the 'truth' is revealed later. The message of Rules of Engagement is the necessity to kill all those who actively oppose the United States and that the murder of women and children is acceptable in such cases

Oh come now,

How dare they portray arab-muslims as phsycotic, ranting, hate-filled nut-jobs?

Whats next?

Next they'll portray Ted Bundy as a raving woman-hating loonie or Ed Gein as a gool!

(sarcasm off)

[JewishTeddyBear]

Thank you, Kelly Maureen! 

[kellymaureen]

Youre welcome, JTB, did I give you the new site I found for movies??  It might be on there, not sure, I just watched a movie that hasnt even come out in theaters yet:P if I havent given you the site let me know and ill send it to you