By Jason Apuzzo. I had basically walked away from the whole issue of Stallone’s trashing of the CIA in The Expendables until a Libertas reader (we have great readers) named VW recently pointed out something extraordinary to me in the comments section of this recent post.
When Rambo came out a few years ago, Stallone answered some fans’ questions about the movie over at Aint It Cool News. One of the questions he answered dealt with having to face-down studio pressures associated with making the “the system” or “the CIA” into the villains of that film.
Check out this one particular exchange below [emphasis is mine]:
FAN: Are you having any problems with the studio about editing out some violence in ‘Rambo’ to achieve a lower rating or can you release the balls-out movie you promised with that (now legendary) trailer? You are simply the best and most entertaining movie star of all time. Thanks.
STALLONE: This film [Rambo] has its balls intact. The original premise was met with objections by certain powerful personalities in the studio because of the inherent violence. I told them to water this down to make a sugar free war movie, something that is diluted would be a true disservice to the millions of slaughtered Burmese. Then it was suggested that the tone of the film should be more about corruption within the system. For example, the ubiquitous corrupt CIA official or a film that deals with a “caper”, such as Rambo goes to Burma and finds Americans selling plutonium rods to the enemy or some other viral horse crap. I truly hate “caper” movies. I think if I ever developed a cancer, it’ll be a caper tumor lodged at the back of my brain. So, I said to the studio, “What’s wrong with doing a film about man’s inhumanity to man and sometimes God’s indifference to his loyal followers?” To their credit, they said, “Go for it.”
I will go so far as to say that this exchange constitutes a smoking gun. Let me explain why: Stallone admits here that he knows exactly the type of stereotype he’s peddling in The Expendables (i.e., “the ubiquitous corrupt CIA official”), and yet in the interval between Rambo and his new film he obviously decided to go forward with that type of stereotype anyway. And since he both wrote and directed The Expendables, he can’t claim ignorance.
I would not continue on with this subject, except for the fact that in certain media quarters Stallone continues to be treated as if he’s done America some kind of patriotic service by making The Expendables - as if Stallone had actually served in combat on behalf of his country, rather than having simply been a movie actor who made a so-so action movie.
In reality, Stallone is peddling an ugly stereotype of the CIA at a time when we can least afford it, changing his story about how he feels about such stereotypes, and is not even owning up to what’s in his own film. Some hero.
My thanks to VW for pointing out this interview.
Posted on September 7th, 2010 at 12:54pm.
That’s because Left Wing Hollywood honestly believe they’re patriots by betraying/fighting our system. Our government, institutions and very ideals. It’s their narrative and thought process. Their snake oil elixir and MacGuffin, all rolled into one.
It’s just disappointing to see Stallone cave in to this … while being hailed as a patriot.
This was so obvious — especially to anyone who has seen “Rambo”. There’s just no way a filmmaker can write such a tight script like “Rambo”, and then turn in “The Expendables”.
“Rambo” relies in characterization, imagery, pacing, and it’s all built on a simple story that has something to say. “The Expendables” is nearly the opposite of all of that: It lumbers around in an effort to showcase its cast, it sits on some VERY thin thematic elements, and hinges on a gigantic CIA plot device.
Stallone is capable of so much more, so this all makes perfect sense. It’s just so disappointing.
I agree, Vince. This reason I haven’t been willing to give Stallone a pass on this stuff is that he’s a smart guy – i.e., he knows what he’s doing in these films. The Expendables seems to have been driven by casting decisions, and by cheap plot devices that allowed him to get funding. It’s a pity, because I assume Stallone is capable of much more.
Hey thanks for the props, Jason. I just bought the director’s cut of John Rambo and found it a stronger movie than its theatrical version, having more of the good stuff Vince mentioned. Plus, it reinstated a scene of the pastor saying the prayer of St Francis. Perhaps we can guess why it was cut out when the movie played in theatres.