"Blood Diamonds," Mandela and De Beers
HE's who-gives-a-shit? scanner is officially switched on this afternoon regarding Ed Zwick's Blood Diamond (Warner Bros., probably Nov./Dec.). It feels to me like an on-the-nose moral outrage piece...a sticky-wicket neg-head thing.
Do you want to see a dramatically grandiose Ed Zwick melodrama about a mercenary (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a fisherman (Djimon Hounsou) mucking about during the Sierra Leone civil wars of the '90s? An era when rebels seized mines to sell "blood diamonds" to buy arms as they murdered and mutilated thousands of innocent men, women and children? (You do?) I'm not following the thread but somehow the resistance levels are even higher with this report from L.A. Times reporter Elizabeth Snead that Sitrick and Company, L.A.s highest-profile damage-control publicists, have been hired by De Beers, a bigtime South African supplier of rough diamonds, to counterspin the negative image of their industry delivered by Zwick's film, and that Sittrick, in turn, will be using former South Africa president and anti-apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela as a spokesperson. “Mandela is going to say that all that stuff seen in the film is in the past, that there are no more conflict diamonds in circulation and that the diamond industry is economically good for South Africa,†a source has told Snead. “And who in their right mind is going to argue with Nelson Mandela?"
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 21, 2006 at 4:31 PM
comment #1
Nicol D says ...
DiCaprio as a merc!
Damn...that sounds like one fine comedy to me!
The sight of baby-boy with a gun always puts a big smile on my face.
Has his voice broke yet?
Is he old enough to see the Scorsese films he has ruined?
Posted by Nicol D at June 21, 2006 5:04 PM
comment #2
Chris says ...
This script -- at least the draft I read -- was fantastic. Definitely have hopes for this one.
Posted by Chris at June 21, 2006 5:25 PM
comment #3
Chris says ...
And Dicaprio doesn't play a Merc.
Posted by Chris at June 21, 2006 5:26 PM
comment #4
Dave at Garfield Ridge says ...
Jeffrey, De Beers was never in the driver's seat when it came to conflict diamonds, most of which were mined within the countries afflicted by violence, such as Angola and Sierra Leone (the latter, BTW, being nowhere near South Africa-- roughly the same distance apart as New York to Paris both geographically and culturally).
In fact, De Beers has been pretty active against conflict diamonds for some time. Why? Because it makes them more lucre to be seen as a "clean" alternative to the messy diamonds to their north.
Here's a brief overview-- a few years old, but it hits the high points:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/bow/report.aspx?aid=152
Anyway, if I'm South Africa, I'm going to protect my natural resources from spurious scandal. It's like blaming Ford if Fiats catch fire-- they're both cars, but the similarities end there.
Cheers,
Dave
Posted by Dave at Garfield Ridge at June 21, 2006 5:27 PM
comment #5
oddDuck says ...
I freely admit most of Zwick's work is grandiose melodramatic horseshit, but he usually gets good performances and the production is always top notch and lavish in quality. So hell, I'm probably going to see and enjoy this one too. And I hate to say it, and it may be my laptop's 10.6" screen, but I did not recognize Leo in that picture at all -- thought it was Ron Eldard or even a young Micheal Douglas. Anyway, at least he's starting to look like a grownup.
but I'm a sucker for it. I'll probably understand and respect all the reasons why people will hate and make fun of this movie for, but will still have a good time watching
Posted by oddDuck at June 21, 2006 7:17 PM
comment #6
Daniel Zelter says ...
Jeff: If they can make a movie about the Rwanda genocide, I don't see why they can't make a movie about DeBeers' human rights abuses. Weren't you just complaining about blacks not being represented in the industry? (Of course, I remember an episode of The Saint(the Roger Moore version) which took place in S. Africa, but only had white people...)Anyway, there are enough sell-outs nowadays that it'd be really sad if Mandela joined their ranks.
Dave: http://www.commondreams.org/views/061200-102.htm And Ford can be blamed for Pintos and SUVs catching fire.
Posted by Daniel Zelter at June 21, 2006 7:32 PM
comment #7
BL says ...
Who gives a shit?
Let me put it this way - I think mercenary and corporate shennanigans in Iraq are almost certainly one of the BIG untold stories going on right now - but as yet (gee, and I wonder why) the regular media has failed to really paint a big overall picture of what the hell is REALLY happening. What for example - is the ratio of mercenary soldiers to regular army soldiers right now? This information should be easily obtainable but its NOT.
Being that the Mercenary question is all ONE BIG MYSTERY - I can only hope Zwiek is using this historical incident to comment upon what is going on today.
To put it another way - ANY story about mercenaries would be relevant. A movie about the HESSIANS from the Revolutionary War could touch upon things that are going on right now.
Posted by BL at June 21, 2006 10:01 PM
comment #8
Holland S. says ...
Not a particularly big or even small fan of Zwick, but Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon are all class actors in my book so I;m looking forward to this film. And I'm not sure why the film's storyline brings this negative reaction from you Jeff. The diamond industry is so scared and worried about this flick coming out, and I'm pretty interested in how the film will handle the story history behind this issue.
Posted by Holland S. at June 21, 2006 10:13 PM
comment #9
Nick says ...
Typical Ed Zwick: make a movie about the first black regiment of the civil war with Matthew Brodrick in the lead, make a movie about samuri culture with Tom Cruise, make a film about african blood diamonds with Leo Dicaprio. Has there ever been a filmmaker this well intentioned and yet this completely stupid?
Posted by Nick at June 21, 2006 10:57 PM
comment #10
Mark Grasinski says ...
All I know for sure is that if this same project had Michael Mann's name on it Jeff would be saying "sounds fantastic!"
Posted by Mark Grasinski at June 21, 2006 11:18 PM
comment #11
Michael Mann says ...
Well if it did have my name on it, it would be fantastic.
Posted by Michael Mann at June 22, 2006 3:20 AM
comment #12
Jake says ...
I'm stoked for this movie. I like Zwick...mock me if you will, but I can clearly remember when some buddies and I went to see 'Legends of the Fall' in high school. When the credits rolled we stared at each other in disbelief at how good it was. i think I saw it four times in the theater...now that I'm older, my love for 'Legends of the Fall' is a little embarassing, but I still rank it as one of the all-time guilty pleasures. And I enjoyed 'Last Samurai' too.
Posted by Jake at June 22, 2006 5:00 AM
comment #13
Colin says ...
Nick, and then there's The Siege, which I at least think had good intentions, but managed to offend a bunch of people.
Posted by Colin at June 22, 2006 5:05 AM
comment #14
Dave Poland's Gut says ...
The Siege was for pussies. It tried to hold a middle ground when there is no middle ground in fighting terror. I'd rather have Willis in charge than Denzel.
Posted by Dave Poland's Gut at June 22, 2006 5:47 AM
comment #15
Alexander says ...
Ed Zwick is better than some directors, worse than most.
I have middling hopes for this one--this might be the role where we actually have to admit, "Hey, Leo might become an adult one day after all..." (as oddDuck pointed out...). Scorsese clearly can't get him to grow up, haha.
With Matt Damon in The Departed *and* The Good Shepherd, and with Leo DiCaprio in The Departed *and* Blood Diamond, I guess both guys are pretty much forfeiting any shot with Oscar noms for Departed and going with these films? (Jack Nicholson will probably get most of the critical love for The Departed with an Oscar nom.)
Posted by Alexander at June 22, 2006 8:03 AM
comment #16
Kanye says ...
"I thought my Jesus pice was so harmless, 'till i saw a picture of a shortie armless ..."
Posted by Kanye at June 22, 2006 8:54 AM
comment #17
Nick says ...
yeah, i forgot about The Seige, I remember hoping Denzel would turn out to be the leader of the terrorist group in that flick, that might've actually worked if handled properly, but not with Zwick at the helm.
Its been a decade since I've seen it, but maybe Legends of the Fall was actually cast decently, but all i remember from that flick is the cinematography.
Posted by Nick at June 22, 2006 10:02 AM
comment #18
DB says ...
Although I'm not Zwick's biggest fan (Siege, Legend and Samurai were kinda lame (not equally though)) I'm interested in seeing this film, not least since it will be stirring some controversy. Heard good things about the script and the cast is relatively solid. Also, if you look at the movies which are coming out next fall this could very well be one of the fall's biggest movies (along with the 'Good' pictures (year, german and shepard)).
Posted by DB at June 22, 2006 10:04 AM
comment #19
Mark says ...
That's not a young Michael Douglas. Maybe a young Kurt Russell though.
Posted by Mark at June 22, 2006 1:02 PM
comment #20
rochelle rose says ...
Jeffrey, How are ya? When are you going to review Prairie Home Companion. I such a Dakota gal. Hope all is well, Rochelle
Posted by rochelle rose at June 24, 2006 10:05 PM