Director Oliver Stone, who has built his career on controversial films like JFK, Platoon and W, is staying true to form with his newest project, The Secret History of America, a 10-part documentary mini-series that will air on Showtime. Stone promises to portray the most vilified people in history “in context.” In addition to highlighting the lesser-known aspects of figures like Hitler and Stalin, the mini-series will also tell the stories of underappreciated people and events that shaped the modern world. There’s no premiere date set, as of yet.
Hit the jump for some quotes from Stone and my thoughts on the project:
Stone seems passionate about showing more well-rounded versions of America’s enemies. Of Hitler he says, “We can’t judge people as only ‘bad’ or ‘good.’ Hitler is an easy scapegoat throughout history and it’s been used cheaply. He’s the product of a series of actions.” He goes on to add, “You cannot approach history unless you have empathy for the person you may hate.” Asking non-skinhead Americans to empathize with Hitler is a hefty task as he is generally agreed upon as being the worst person. Ever. But the series’ head writer, Peter Kuznick is quick to point out that empathy is not the same as admiration. He says, “[Stone's] not saying we’re going to come out with a more positive view of Hitler, but we’re going to describe him as a historical phenomenon.”
Oliver Stone is capable of making good movies that have nothing to do with history (see: Natural Born Killers) but the man clearly owes a lot of his fame and money to controversial portrayals of American history. Stone’s politics make him a polarizing figure. People either love him or hate him, but he makes undeniably enthralling films. JFK with all of its inaccuracies and fabricated drama was entertaining despite starring Kevin Costner. Oliver Stone may revel in political controversy, but the man does it extremely well. If anyone has the clout and talent to pull off a more human portrayal of the most evil figure in history, then it’s Stone.
(via THR)
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I guess if Castro's your hero, Hitler ain't that bad.
You know that “History is written by the winner?”
I think his insight would be an interesting view. People have vices and virtues.
I totally agree and would love to see this.
It's not about saying that “Hitler was not that bad”.
Oliver Stone said that he did despise Hitler and the likes. He was not equivocal about that. He does not aim to make heroes out of war criminals and mass murderers, he wants to understand what made them monsters.
He'll explore the environments, causes and effects that led to two world wars. It's important to comprehend the past so that the same mistakes are not repeated again and again.
It's not about saying that “Hitler was not that bad”.
Oliver Stone said that he did despise Hitler and the likes. He was not equivocal about that. He does not aim to make heroes out of war criminals and mass murderers, he wants to understand what made them monsters.
He'll explore the environments, causes and effects that led to two world wars. It's important to comprehend the past so that the same mistakes are not repeated again and again.
Hitler isn't the most evil person in history, Dick Cheney is. America wins again!
If Wilson had *forced* the French to give lighter demands on Germany after WWI, the conditions that set the stage for Hitler's rise would never have come about. Read some alternate history!
Unlike most Americans, Oliver Stone does and has done the research! Who supported Hitler? Who gained the most? If you didn't say wealthy eastern European Jews, then you need to hit the books! If Hitler had never done the things he did then the Balfour agreement would not have come into play, thus creating the Israeli state! In return for America's help, the British gave Palestine to the Jewish people. Read up, learn the truth, and stop looking so stupid!
liberals are such fags
The Holocaust is the only event in world history, that I'm aware of, that will get you imprisoned for merely questioning or investigating any aspect of it.
Anyone with the audacity to do personal investigation into it is considered a “Holocaust denier”. Does anyone in their right mind think that this event was portrayed 100% as historically accurate and as it happened? Or was the historical record based upon the agenda of those who benefited? Time has a tendency to change the perspectives of people about events. By making laws in Germany that are punitive to any researcher that investigates it, essentially locks in and freezes the perspective at a moment in time so that the truth and reality of the event will never ever become more accurate.
If those in the US Government decided to make it illegal to speculate or investigate 9-11 or call those who wished to do so “9-11 deniers”, what would be their motive?
He received a purple heart for serving two tours of duty in Vietnam.
Please have courtesy and the ability the express your point clearly. If you consider yourself a conservative, then you should surely be able to express your opinion clearly!
So, you're suggesting that an entire race of people would willingly risk their lives on such amazing foreplanning! They would foresee Hitler losing, and the Americans even stepping into war. They would foresee Britain not being swallowed up by Germans. Damn sorcerers!
Many jews supported Hitler because they were naive. They wanted a change of government, much like all Germans. Government was in extreme inflation due to the aftermath of WWI's policies. Everyone was affected by poverty, including Jews. They believed that Hitler's writings were a load of populist crap, and that no person would exterminate an entire group of people for little reason. They were wrong.
German Jews wanted to stay in Germany. They were proud Germans. Many Jews weren't even in fully Jewish families. Religion was scarce. Inter-marriage was the norm. Why do you think so few fled Germany before Hitler's rise? They were comfortable. It was mostly British Jews who left for Israel.
In history, the British gave Palestine away to the Jews after many years of terrorist activity (although famously known for notifying attacks in advance). Even then, they never gave it to the Jews. It was promised during the early 1900's to give partial land. Even then it took the UN in 1947 to truly settle the dispute. (which it wasn't settled at all) Israel was to be Israel. Palestine was to be Palestine. Israel declared itself. Palestine did not. The rest is history and current events.
But really. What was your thesis to your comment? That Jews are damned to be killed by Germans and damned to get away from the Germans? That Hitler kissed Jews on his neck even though he made it state policy to exterminate them?
Why did I make this long comment? I don't know. I keep replying to these sort of comments. Would make it a lot easier if I just copy/paste my responces. I would save 20 min of typing and carpel tunnel. No one will read this, anyway. Guess I'm just some crazy arse.
Or I'm just offended. I'm Jewish, and I feel these comments make me question what I am supposed to do or be. Am I a race? A religion? Both? Neither? Am I white? Asian? Latino? Can't be any because I'm Jewish? US citizens obviously don't want me. It was obvious in public school when I was called Jew boy in school just because I went to Hebrew lessons after school. I'm supposed to be part of this rich class when I go to a state college with working-class income parents. I can't go to Israel. I don't belong there, according to the world. Its frustrating. What is it you want me to do? Convert? Hide in some cave? I just want a job and a family.
I'm frustrated in having to defending my own existence just because I was born who I am. I shouldn't have to. I'm me. Me is good. Me is awesome. But the world doesnt think so, and I'm a very sad panda.
((
I hear you. personwiththorns, and I feel for you. It is that old cliche again, color, race. When we all look at ourselves as just people maybe we will start to get along. The world has shrunk and people of all sorts and backgrounds just can’t take it that we all have differences. So what? Respect for our fellow human beings should take preference. Until it does???????????
Because its offensive. I'm personally against any arrest due to free speech. But still…there's so much evidence out there for the holocaust. Who did it benefit? Survivors who came to America and worked in GM factories? I'm sure it boosted their pay grade in bolting together car parts.
True, many survivors have died. But do you doubt the Armenian genocide, which was equally horrible? There's less physical evidence of that. I mean, it was older. Those who survived have mostly died. Turkey doesn't even denounce it. Should you believe in that as well?
Or what about Darfur? Those images could be photoshopped.
Or Sierra Leone. What if 1 million was blown up figure. What if it was just 200k. Is that ok then? Was genocide not worth the trouble if just 200k people were senselessly killed?
I'm OK with blowing up the proportion of numbers if it drives the point to the rest of the world that genocide is horrible. Who cares how many people died!
MEDIA VOTES: Americans stay ignorant.
Do you believe in the North-American genocide, settlers and occupants laying to waste almost an entire continents culture and population inside of what is now proudly called USA?
It’s estimated that the North-American Indian population plummeted from approx. 12 million individuals in 1500 to barely 237,000 in the 1900s.
Supposedly some 6 million jews were killed during WW2 altogether incl. in camps, due to starvation, other executions etc. Well acknowledged as a terrible crime, but where’s the focus on the remaining approx. 6 million civilian non-jewish casualties due to this holocaust now unfortunately largely claimed by the jews.
Oh….dubbing Hitler as “the most evil person in history” is such a typical shortcut to actually thinking for yourself….
I, for one, look forward to seeing this when it is finally released!