I'm not an expert on the cinematic pedigree of Geert Wilders. He looks like the unlovable lovechild of David Lynch and Leonardo Di Caprio, although since his day job is leading the rightwing Party of Freedom, in which capacity he is a vociferous critic of immigration and Islam in the Netherlands, Leni Riefenstahl and DW Griffith may be closer to the mark.
Nonetheless, Wilders has succumbed to his multiplex muse, and made a film based on his contention that the Qur'an should be banned because it incites violence and is antithetical to Dutch values...
And, as Jimmy Cricket has it, there's more...
PS: In retrospect, maybe the appearance-related cracks were a mistake. New mugshot, I reckon.
8 comments:
'multiplex muse', what an excellent phrase.
I think it's all about pushing envelopes. Don't ask me to elaborate.
Thank you, P. Wilders is truly a popcorn polymath.
'Pushing envelopes' is doubtless a literal translation of a Dutch phrase that means something absolutely bloody filthy, Dick.
I mean pushing the envelope. I think giving offence has become a reaction to perceived political correctness. So you get people constantly pushing the limits of what's acceptable. It's almost politically correct now to insult other people in the name of freedom of speech. I'm not explaining this very well. There's probably a CIF article in there somewhere but I'm not up to writing it.
Glad it wasn't just me that thought of Leo.
Oh, I sure you're right Dick. And I think Wilders is wrong to push that envelope in such an obnoxious manner. But there's a subtle distinction between saying that he should not do it (tut tut) and that he must not (you're nicked). Maybe it loses something in Dutch though.
Marsha: He does look like young, podgy Leo, rather than older, more angular, turned out to be a decent actor after all Leo.
This film and the rhetoric of the politician who created it, has been deliberately designed to provoke a reaction from Muslims, and the more extreme the better. It is the perversity and cowardice of the right-wing politician that in order to further his own xenophobic, neo-conservative, anti-immigration agenda, he is willing to incite an extreme reaction from an already marginalised community, whilst exploiting deep prejudices against Islam and Muslims within the European media and among the general public. If there is a negative reaction from Muslims, as ever, it will only be among a tiny minority, however it will probably be portrayed by the media as a reaction from 99% of the global Muslim population, thus 'proving' the Dutch politician has a point. The majority of sensible Muslims will of course be too wise to rise to this cowardly posturing.
I agree with most of what you say, Lucy. The question is: should he be allowed to release the film?
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