>These days human effigies are rarely burned
Ahem, human effigies are regularly burnt, with much invective and insult. Tony Blair is currently a favourite, followed by George Bush and Osama bin Laden. Maggie Thatcher was very popular in her day.
In one place - Lewes in Sussex - they still burn the Pope.
And speaking as a Catholic, Catholics in the 1600s were not just nice, innocent rosary enthusiasts, many of them were fanatics ready to lay down their lives to win back England to Rome - just like Fawkes.
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johnf, it's my understanding that during the Guy Fawkes celebrations in the past, partiers often burned the guy in effigy, but today it rarely happens. I could be wrong, I mean, I live in Illinois, after all.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 5, 2007 02:10 PMI thought V was a great movie, and very timely. Hee hee, I guess the sacbee thinks so, too.
Posted by iamcoyote at November 5, 2007 02:13 PMCoyote, I love that film. I couldn't believe that Natalie Portman shaved off all her locks for it, though. She's one of my favs.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 5, 2007 02:17 PMCurious, I was unable to find the term "water-boarding" in the article by Scott Horton.
Please let me know when this article becomes relevant to the current debate over water-boarding....or when the Rack and being drawn-and-quartered becomes an official method of interrogation.
Posted by Bagley at November 5, 2007 03:14 PMJeff, the whole Star Wars thing could be forgiven with this film, though it's hard to believe such a young talent could be made to look so untalented in a role. I guess that's George Lucas' genius?? And shaving the hair off is nothing. 'Member when Demi Moore did it for that GI Jane movie? One of my fave lines from that one, when she says "Suck my dick," to the asshole DI! (Was it Viggo?)
Posted by iamcoyote at November 5, 2007 03:29 PMYeah, that was Viggo. Great moment in a cool movie.
And yes, apparently if you take someone as brilliant and talented as Natalie, stick her in front of a green screen with a ping pong ball on a stick to act against, and give her some of the shittiest dialog imaginable, even SHE will appear to suck.
(George Lucas raped my childhood)
I'll take Natalie in "Garden State" and V, of course. And so many others, way back to Luc Besson's masterpiece "The Professional".
I think the sacbee guy is legit! Congrats! Ask for money.
About the post, I got to this line:
England is a police state ruled by a fear-mongering, gay-bashing, Islam-hating dictator who strips citizens of their civil rights and religious freedoms in exchange for protection from bioweapons of mass destruction.
And I thought, "Huh. That's true, but I thought Jeff was gonna talk about the movie."
Of course, The Professional! Amazing performance by both actors, and made me a fan of Jean Reno for life, and Luc Besson. 'Course, I'm a major Milla Jovovich fan, too, and we have Luc to thank for her getting some juicy parts. Am I the only one who loved the Joan D'Arc flick, The Messenger?
Posted by iamcoyote at November 5, 2007 04:21 PMCoyote, MV, you two are actually being civil! I feel like Cupid.
I fell in love with Natalie in "Garden State."
Never seen "The Messenger," but weren't Besson and Jovovich married until they finished that film? I think I'm remembering that correctly. Was Milla Joan? So Joan must've been a babe, huh? Cool.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 5, 2007 05:22 PMLast week the trick-or-treater who showed up at my door in a V mask got a LOT of extra candy!
My fav movie evah...
Posted by Sharkbabe at November 5, 2007 05:39 PMCupid, Jeff? More like Loki.
you two are actually being civil
I always said MV would be interesting if he weren't so Libertarian! Besides, film is different from politics. And it's not like we're mortal enemies or anything, right?
Anyhow, I think Besson and Jovovich were tight; didn't he also do Fifth Element? She went on to the Resident Evil franchise, rivaling only Uma Thurman in the "girls who kick total ass" category, IMO.
Posted by iamcoyote at November 5, 2007 06:09 PMTrick or Treaters got nothing from me.
I broke my toe on Halloween, set it myself, turned off all the lights and laid in bed with my foot elevated and iced.
I pretended that all the bell ringing was from a rogue band of Jehovah's Witnesses to avoid guilt feelings.
Posted by TIKI AL at November 5, 2007 06:11 PMno clue what you said here.
echoes of V in my mind.
you seem pissed @ me.
not cool.
see you next time...
Curious, I was unable to find the term "water-boarding" in the article by Scott Horton.
Curious, I was unable to find the term "water-boarding" in the article by Jeff Dinelli.
Posted by Seven of Six at November 5, 2007 07:05 PMtiki al, you crack me up
Posted by Sharkbabe at November 5, 2007 07:58 PMGreat comments for Guy Fawkes Day! We also did a celebratory note for the Day at the blog obrag.org check it out, dudes and dudesses. Listen, the movie V and the whole point of this post was to generate some parallels with today, and not be an enabler for movie critics -- altho- I agreed with most of the comments.
Guy Fawkes has been maligned.
... remember, remember, the fifth of November - John Lennon
Guy Fawkes for attorney general
OB Rag Frank
Posted by frank gormlie at November 5, 2007 08:23 PM"remember, remember, the fifth of November"
You mean when Ron Paul raised $4 million dollars?
Posted by skeptic at November 5, 2007 09:17 PMjeff dinelli
Almost all Nov 5th bonfires, if they're not burning a contemporary figure, burn an effigy of Guido Fawkes. The fire ceremonies pre-date Fawkes, though. They're associated with Christian festivals of death - All Souls and All Saints nights - and in pagan times the great Celtic Fire Festival of Samhain, when cattle not required for breeding were slaughtered and huge wicker figures were burnt in wicker effigies (a la Wicker Man).
My favourite quote is "Guy Fawkes - the only man to enter parliament with honest intentions!"
Posted by johnf at November 5, 2007 11:28 PMI'll give you parallel...
Remember, remember the 11th of September,
The terrorists, treason and plot.
I know of no reason
Why Bush-Cheney treason
Should ever be forgot
And I'm tired of seeing Bush I on TV complaining that everyone blames everything on the chimp.
There's a REASON for it .
Bush I was a mediocre president at best, but Bush II makes him look like a genius.
Free Republic seems to be auto-destructing on the Paul $5m.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/1921154/posts?q=1&;page=101
Good to see that Old Guido can still blow up a few things, including the GOP. And that so much free publicity is being given - even on Free Republic - to an obscure Brighton Anarchist's "V for Vendetta":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLD3Z6sJWA
PS Alan Moore, the writer of V for Vendetta, is probably well acquainted with the annual November 5th celebrations in nearby Lewes, where they still burn the Pope.
Posted by johnf at November 6, 2007 04:48 AMIt's interesting you bring that up, noname, because in the movie "V" the government stages massive distasters that kill 10s of thousands of people. More justification for the police state, curfews and such.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 6, 2007 08:04 AMHow did I miss out on the civility?? I've been off doing Libertarian things, like fucking and doing drugs. 8)
Yes, "The Fifth Element" was also Luc Besson, as was "Nikita". Loved them both, love Jean Reno, loved "The Messenger", by the way. Very underrated film.
If you've never seen "The Big Blue", see if you can find it. Early Besson, and the movie where I was first introduced to Reno. Beautiful movie, beautiful soundtrack.
Luc and Milla got married around the time of "The Fifth Element" and divorced around "The Messenger". I didn't know that, but I just looked it up.
Posted by MaskedVigilante at November 6, 2007 08:57 AMwell bagless bagley, I'm ready to do a little waterboarding on you, then you can decide if it is torture or not
you really should have been a subject in the USSR
Posted by at November 6, 2007 10:48 AMJeff is right, in "V" the fascist British government stages a terrorist attack (viruses) on their own country in order to achieve absolute power.
As for America and our Dear Leader:
"...How did this happen? Whose to blame? Well certainly there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable. But again, if the truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty you need only look into a mirror.
I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense.
Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to...[President Bush]. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent obedient consent...."
V for Vendetta
Noname, I know where you're going with this, my best friend believes in his heart it was an inside job, has thought so from the beginning.
I just cannot make that final step towards believing it. It could be fear, I admit, but I just can't do it.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 6, 2007 11:21 AMbut I just can't do it.
Good thing, too, or I'd lose all respect for ya. And you don't have to answer the noname, since scout is always going to be deleted, thank goodness. The poor thing is a schizophrenic - which pretty much gives him an excuse for his whacked out beliefs. As for the rest of the 911troofers, eh, boredom? Magical thinking? Who knows why they continue to believe stuff that's been debunked over and over again.
Posted by iamcoyote at November 6, 2007 12:21 PM