Political Complacency
- Share via
Regarding “The Filmmakers vs. the Crusaders,” by Terry Pristin (Dec. 29):
By far the most common form of political correctness applied to films comes not from liberals or anyone else in the viewing public but from the industry itself. I’m speaking of the taboo against “controversial” political ideas.
How many Hollywood films have seriously questioned the harmful nature of our capitalist economic system? Or the morality of our government killing countless innocent people in Iraq, Panama or the other places we’ve invaded in the last 40 years?
Any screenwriter knows that he or she must engage in a great deal of political self-censorship to have any hope of even getting to first base in this city. I recently sent around a script in which the main character, for her own very good political reasons, refuses to try to help save the President’s life. “Unpatriotic,” “too political,” “impossible to believe that any American would act that way” are a few of the comments that accompanied the rejections.
I hadn’t censored myself enough.
WILLIAM BLUM
Los Angeles
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
