'Commandante' Che Guevara storms into Cannes

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

CANNES, France (AFP) - Revolutionary idol Ernesto "Che" Guevara stormed into Cannes in a marathon epic by Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh that dissects the rise and fall of the world's most celebrated guerrilla leader.

"He had one of the most fascinating lives of the last century," the US filmmaker said Thursday. "I'm compelled by the fact he twice gave up everything to put his life on the line for someone else."

"He even gave up his family," he told a press conference. "That was fascinating to me."

Read entire story here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080522/ennew_afp/entertainmentfilmfestivalcannes_080522140121).

[El Comandante]

That's it dammit. I'm suing these people for pirating my likeness and life's story. Damn capitalist pigs. Who is this Soderbergh anyway? And who is this Puerto Rican they have playing me. This is an outrage!

but seriously folks....

I expect this movie will simply build on the glossy modern day romantic iconography that Che has become. Che was a totalitarian who favored a hard line soviet style government in Cuba over a democratic socialist model that many of his fellow revolutionaries and supporters favored. In the end, he presided over Cuba's Revolutionary firing squads that killed thousands. He founded a labor camp system that imprisoned gays, intellectuals, dissidents, Catholics, and political opponents. Executions of children as young as 14 years old have been documented. He was known to whip out his pistol and summarily kill those who questioned the revolution or it's direction.

“To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate. We must create the pedagogy of the The Wall!

He glorified revolutionary martyrdom and inspired revolutions that set back the cause of Latin American democracy for 100 years. The modern day Che worship (t-shirt/bumper stickers/movies) obscures the truth about the past and eclipses the present. Many dissidents have languished in Cuban jails for over 30 years. I bet the movie won't mention them and Che will be glorified ala Motorcycle Diaries. Che, of course, died like a dog. Captured in the Bolivian jungle trying to organize a revolution that did not attract a single peasant. Fidel was said to be pleased at his death. Che was the only one who could threaten his absolute power.

I haven't seen the movie, of course, so I will give it a chance. It's 4 1/2 hours long and it supposedly has a documentary style so I hope it will contain some factual information. I don't expect much of the truth to come out though...the romantic Che sells much better that the cold blooded one. He is a testament to how style (one photograph taken by Alberto Korda in 1960 and reprinted by Andy Warhol years later) overshadows substance.

[Excrement_Cranium]

It surprises you that people worship him?


Come on, they worship Tony Montana from scarface.

Because, yeah - I wanna be a friendless paranoid coked up psychopath.

The only redeeming quality he had is when he popped the Columbian because he refused to kill women or children.

[barbanza]

That's it dammit. I'm suing these people for pirating my likeness and life's story. Damn capitalist pigs. Who is this Soderbergh anyway? And who is this Puerto Rican they have playing me. This is an outrage!

but seriously folks....

I expect this movie will simply build on the glossy modern day romantic iconography that Che has become. Che was a totalitarian who favored a hard line soviet style government in Cuba over a democratic socialist model that many of his fellow revolutionaries and supporters favored. In the end, he presided over Cuba's Revolutionary firing squads that killed thousands. He founded a labor camp system that imprisoned gays, intellectuals, dissidents, Catholics, and political opponents. Executions of children as young as 14 years old have been documented. He was known to whip out his pistol and summarily kill those who questioned the revolution or it's direction.

“To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate. We must create the pedagogy of the The Wall!

He glorified revolutionary martyrdom and inspired revolutions that set back the cause of Latin American democracy for 100 years. The modern day Che worship (t-shirt/bumper stickers/movies) obscures the truth about the past and eclipses the present. Many dissidents have languished in Cuban jails for over 30 years. I bet the movie won't mention them and Che will be glorified ala Motorcycle Diaries. Che, of course, died like a dog. Captured in the Bolivian jungle trying to organize a revolution that did not attract a single peasant. Fidel was said to be pleased at his death. Che was the only one who could threaten his absolute power.

I haven't seen the movie, of course, so I will give it a chance. It's 4 1/2 hours long and it supposedly has a documentary style so I hope it will contain some factual information. I don't expect much of the truth to come out though...the romantic Che sells much better that the cold blooded one. He is a testament to how style (one photograph taken by Alberto Korda in 1960 and reprinted by Andy Warhol years later) overshadows substance.

I bow to you sir, I didn't know you knew so much about the Che, the rumor is that Fidel sent to kill him.
Question? Why do you call yourself el comandante as the Che? Just a question

[El Comandante]

It surprises you that people worship him?


Come on, they worship Tony Montana from scarface.

Because, yeah - I wanna be a friendless paranoid coked up psychopath.

The only redeeming quality he had is when he popped the Columbian because he refused to kill women or children.

It doesn't surprise me. If you look at the Korda Picture and you associate a simplistic romantic idea (rebellion, sacrifice, struggle, resolve..ect)...... its pure Madison Avenue. I think it's a very compelling picture. It's James Dean in a jacket. Gunslinger Clint Eastwood with a stubby cigar between his lips.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd252/salamooch/Korda2.jpg

In the actual full picture he looks like he's dressed in a Star Trek outfit.


People are fascinated by gangsters and outlaws. Scarface is the same thing. Interestingly enough, most Cubans despise Scarface. Gangster rappers, on the other hand, idolize the character. I can't imagine why.

@barbie: parody, cartoon, mockery.... There are no liberators... get it? Don't bow... you might hurt your back.

[Excrement_Cranium]

Awesome, this thread has popped up Che google ads on ZP.

[HelenaP]

Wow. I'm still logged in...

[El Comandante]

Just finished Part 1 thanks to the pirates in p2p land. It is almost entirely in Spanish.

It is a long and tediously accurate movie when it comes to battles and speeches. It lacks depth and drama though and predictably idealizes Che and paints him in a very favorable light.

In all fairness to Benicio Del Toro, he did a very convincing job. The films shortcomings seem to come from Steven Soderbergh's script. The film also has a matter of fact voice over narrative for gringos as well as hard subtitles.

[Mels_Smileys45]

Che Tee shirts, movies,avatars and bumper stickers! Just what his life was all about!

[Hath]

Yeah, I just watched the first part thanks to a DVD Screener. It does portray him in almost hero worshiping way, although it was very good in terms of historical accurateness, and it was made all the better because Benicio Del Toro, one of my favorite actors, played him. The one thing about this movie that bothers me, is the inablitly to tell how much time has passed between each scene. I dunno, others might not have the problem.

[Mucci Man]

Del Toro walks out of interview when pressed by press on myth of Che Guevara

"I'm getting uncomfortable," Benicio del Toro said after fielding a question about his new movie's portrayal of the Bolivian and Cuban revolutions. "I'm done. I'm done, I hope you write whatever you want. I don't give a damn."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/27/del-toro-walks-away-from-questions-on-che/

[Mels_Smileys45]

I think the part went to his head or he really knows how to pull a publicity stunt with style, old school!

[El Comandante]

Del Toro walks out of interview when pressed by press on myth of Che Guevara



http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/27/del-toro-walks-away-from-questions-on-che/

I thought that was amusing since he dedicated his award at the Cannes Film Festival to Che himself. Sounds like another ignorant actor doing what it takes to make that money.... but knowing nothing about the material he is working on.

He was uncomfortable because the movie is disingenuous. Che was a stone cold killer, a Stalinist.... he presided over death camps where hundreds were killed (some by his own hand). You don't see that in the movie.

Del Toro was happy and proud when he was surrounded by all those celebrity ass kissers who are rabidly anti-American. Now he doesn't care to explain himself or the interpretation the movie makes..... It's too bad. He's a great actor but he's also a idiot... Why not just say "I did not write the script" or "many things were omitted"...