Big Screen Bullies

The coming attraction at multiplexes worldwide? American bad guys, from torturing soldiers to evil Army doctors.

AUGUST 16, 2011

Valley of the Wolves: Iraq (2006)

TURKEY

Valley of the Wolves follows a fictional Kurdish intelligence agent's journey to restore the honor of 11 Turkish officers who were arrested by U.S. soldiers, a real-life incident that occurred in Iraq in 2003. The film features a bloodthirsty American officer and a Jewish doctor who steals the organs of inmates, selling them to rich New Yorkers. Bulent Arinc, Turkey's parliamentary speaker, called the film "absolutely magnificent," while the National Review's Michael Rubin described it as "deeply anti-American and anti-Semitic." The movie remains one of the most expensive Turkish films every created, as well as one of the the most-watched. The cast includes Hollywood B-List actors Billy Zane and Gary Busey, playing American villains.

 SUBJECTS: CULTURE
 

RRAFAY

6:16 PM ET

August 16, 2011

Pathetic

This list has one valid film and then simply list fillers.

The Host was not Anti-American, not even close to being anti-American.

Khuda Kay Liye is about Pakistan's own demons it has nothing anti-American about it, the backdrop is merely 9/11

My Name is Khan is not anti-American either, it is about the dangers of stereotyping in a very nuanced way.

Russians have been mocked for decades by American films, what do you want from them?

Pathetic.

 

XTIANGODLOKI

9:13 AM ET

August 17, 2011

The host, seriously??

The Host is basically a modern remake of Godzilla done right. The original Godzilla has more anti-America overtones but most of the audience won't even notice it.

 

OSALEM

12:40 PM ET

August 17, 2011

What About Hollywood

Although I agree with the fact that these movies do have some anti-American, anti-Israeli and generally racist themes, I think examining these movies in the given context is disingenuous, at best. What about the slew of Hollywood movies that portray Pakistanis, Arabs, Turks and Russians as terrorists? I'm sure there are plenty of terrorists within those groups--I should say: people we would view as terrorists, but who may perhaps be considered heroes back home. In the same way, Turks and Arabs might view Americans as terrorists but-- regardless of how exaggeratedly they're portrayed in the Valley of the Wolves or the other movies-- we view our troops as all being heroes as well. These types of movies, American and foreign, are simply entertainment with antagonists that are meant to evoke a sense of fear in the audience. For us in America, the "bad guy" is the terrorist, the Arab, the Iranian, the Pakistani, the Russian. For those people, the "bad guys," are the soldiers with limitless power and no regard for civilian life, American and Israeli Soldiers. The portrayal of all "bad guys" is usually rooted in some sweeping generalizations about a certain race, culture or creed; the six movies listed above are just foreign counterparts to the much longer list of American movies that are just as racist and just as wrong. Maybe your next list can be of all the American movies that portray outsiders as evil and heartless. I think the list would definitely be longer than six :)

 

MADCLIVE

12:22 PM ET

September 15, 2011

Bullies

A good movie article. Some good really good points made above about Big Screen Bullies, I enjoyed readingit. Thanks for the article. Kindest regards, Mad DJ Clive

 

PETERBEXLEY

12:20 PM ET

September 17, 2011

Good job

Just read the article. I found it very informative and agree with posts and points made above. Peter.