Tonight at 9pm on 18 Doughty Street I will be interviewing the director of the film TAKING LIBERTIES which is now on show at cinemas all over the country. Chris Atkins's film is a powerful documentary about how our liberties have been taken away over the last decade. It's not party political - it's not left wing or right wing, it just tells it how it is. I am told that non-political people have emerged from cinemas in a state of outrage. In preparation for the interview I am watching TAKING LIBERTIES as I type this. I'm only fifteen minutes in and 'outraged' is a good description of my state of mind. It's a powerful polemic but in a kind of understated way. It doesn't have the ranting, leftist claptrap of a Michael Moore film. It states its case and lets the viewers make up their own minds.UPDATE: You can see the programme HERE. It was, er, rather lively...
19 comments:
Now read Hamer Shawcross on said film.
David, I was going to post that exact link. Well worth reading. By the way, who is Hamer Shawcross?
Or rather than listen to the ramblings of a Labour lackey check out respected critic's reviews from across the political spectrum.
'Shocking, extraordinary - pure dynamite!' - The Times
'Four stars' Time Out
'Watch it and get angry!' Mirror
'Cheerful, polemical and exhilerating' - The Guardian
'If you have any interest in politics whatsoever, it's a film you shouldn't miss.' Eye for Film
'Enthralling and cheeky, it will make you laugh and chatter long after you've left the cinema' - Metro '
'Five stars' Real Movie News
'Bold, fearless and blackly funny, this vital film should be compulsory viewing' Dazed and Confused
'Fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining - an excellent piece of film-making'- The Scotsman
'One of the most important films of the year - Daily Mirror
'Powerful - two thumbs up'- Sky Movies
'Five stars' - BBC movies
'A fascinating, provocactive movie - 8/10' - Daily Express
'A powerful, riveting, moving film' - Mail on Sunday
'This film is pure genius' - Film Exposed magazine
'Boothroyd got owned' Praguetory
For those who can't be bothered to read HS' tirade I'll sum it up:
Philosophers cannot agree on what "freedom" is so therefore it is perfectly acceptable for the government to do exactly what it wants.
I thought it was crap frankly – not a patch on Fahrenheit 9/11. I’m hoping to work up an article on this for Lib Dem Voice.
. . . also check out last night’s Culture Clash for some less than glowing appraisals.
It's all very well getting angry about the reduction in civil liberties; many of us have been doing that for years. However do any of the opposition parties propose to reinstate those rights which have been taken away? This should be made more of an issue imho.
Hamer Shawcross is the hero of Howard Spring's 1943 novel "Fame is the Spur" about a working class boy who eventually joins a Labour cabinet but loses his socialist beliefs. It was filmed in 1947 by the Boulting brothers but by then the 'Shawcross' surname was too heavily associated with Sir Hartley, the Attorney-General, and the character's surname was changed. Also it's the name adopted by one of today's best bloggers who is a Labour MP's researcher.
Stop dissing my right to free speech!
Signed,
A Labour Lackey
"Philosophers cannot agree on what "freedom" is so therefore it is perfectly acceptable for the government to do exactly what it wants"
Nah. But that post is a bit long I'll admit.
I'm not quite ready to take lessons in civil liberty protection from the Tories who spent their last period in government busily restricting the rights of those they did not agree with. The broadcasting ban and section 28 spring to mind. Yes, this Labour government has an authoritarian streak a mile wide. I think there are lots of reasons for this, not least that 'tough on the causes of crime' has imprisoned their freedom to act liberally where necessary.
Mr. Dale and fellow bloggers,
For eleven-and-a-half-years, I have warned people about the fascist nature of Tony Blair and his cronies, yet it has only been until now that the rest of humanity has realised that I was right along.
For years and years, I was labelled a crank, an idiot and a liar for calling Blair a nazi, yet it was they that were all living in denial (some still are like Jo Salmon, Antonia Bance, Bob Piper, Don Paskini and of course the infamous Terry Kelly).
I feel validated by this film and I hope that finally the people will rise up with me to overthrow this evil, satanic regime that hates Jews, Arabs, Christians, Libertarian, small businessman, English patriots, Princess Diana, Dr David Kelly and the middle class.
I hope Blair and his crew get put on trial for corruption, murder, abuse of power and crimes against humanity, that they be found guilty and Blair is hung from some gallows on Parliament Square with some cable cords. That man of blood is on a par with Hitler himself.
Great film, I went to see it on Saturday.
It should be required viewing for all students in 'citizenship classes'.
I hope that finally the people will rise up with me to overthrow this evil, satanic regime that hates Jews, Arabs, Christians, Libertarian, small businessman, English patriots, Princess Diana, Dr David Kelly and the middle class.
For years and years, I was labelled a crank, an idiot and a liar.
I wonder why?
I wonder why?
Perhaps it is because I am a visionary, a seer like Nostradamus and maybe it is just because I'm Straight Edge?
I don't drink alcohol, take drugs or have intercourse, which all means that I'm better than you.
Ha! Another "liberal" (socialist) outwitted. You've never looked up Straight Edge (sXe) on Wikipedia, have you?
Well it’s not very difficult to outwit me. And to be honest, having read the article, I’m still feeling fairly outwitted. By the way, I don’t mind you generally abusing me, but please do not call me a socialist.
The discussion last night on 18 Doghty Street was excellent - combative for sure, but it sometimes goes that way when people express their deep feelings. Why doesn't Newsnight do anything so good ? It must be that you have enough airtime to go into things properly, that you don't try to package up everything into a 'story', and that (for the moment) you're not seen as important enough to manipulate. I have seen the future, and it's better than the past.
I agree with you steve-roberts, last night's scarp was riveting viewing, let's hope Iain that you don't sanitise the presentation of your conversations a la BBC, as 18DSt gets bigger.
Your media comment man really had a point to make (his losing his mic might be seen as divine intervention to shut him up!) and you put the discussion back on track skilfully. I'll go to watch the film after seeing your interview last night.
Post a Comment