I have not seen the film so I cannot comment directly on the scene nor how it is dealt with within the context of the movie. I also suspect that the same may be said about those protesting the film's release. It seems that whenever anything like this comes up, protests sprout up based on what people have heard rather than what they have seen. It is a shame that people are not allowed to make up their own minds rather than having these watchdog groups step in and make the decision for them.
Director Deborah Kampmeier said this in an interview with WENN: "I feel a lot of compassion towards these people that are so angry about the film. Rape is a really tough subject and the film deals with issues that are really painful to look at and I think that a lot of people don't have the support in their life to look at their own lives; to look at their own pain. Instead they're facing their pain and projecting their anger and their fear onto my film. A lot of agendas are being projected off this film that have nothing to do with the film and they're being projected onto it by people who haven't actually seen the film. It's too bad."
For what it's worth, the film does look interesting despite the lukewarm reception from critics, including a two star review from Roger Ebert. While he may not particularly care for the film, he does applaud the performance of young Dakota Fanning: "(she) handles a painful and complex role with such assurance that she reminds me of Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver."
The film also has the support of at least one organization. The women's group NOW believes it is an important film and has urged its supporters to go and see the film for themselves.
Depp + Burton = Mad Hatter
Coming Soon is reporting that the rumors were true. Tim Burton's next film, Alice in Wonderland, will feature Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. Almost seems like a foregone conclusion, right?
A few weeks ago it was being reported that Depp was going to be cast in the film; although, at that point it was nothing more than a rumor. Even though it was a rumor, it seemed a natural fit. Pretty much any time a Burton film is announced, Depp is going to be wedged in there somewhere.
Now, taking a look at the project as a whole, I see something that could definitely be fascinating. Lewis Carroll's tale has a distinctly dark side to it, considerably darker than was seen in the classic Disney animation. With Tim Burton's goth, dark, odd, quirky, pick-your-adjective visions, it seems like a perfect fit between material and director. Of course, it also seems to put a stake into the long brewing American McGee's Alice project that has been rumored for so long (with Sarah Michelle Gellar attached to the title role).
Article comments
1 - Brad Laidman
I love Ebert - he's got some biases that I understand, but he's always got his heart in the right place and he's always eloquent.
Don't ever expect Roger to give a bad review to Spike Lee or Martin Scorcese, but I can live with that.
It's interesting because I live in Cleveland and spent all morning reading about how the Cleveland Plain Dealer took their expert classical music critic off of his beat after 16 years for being too negative toward the Cleveland Orchestra.
2 - Jordan Richardson
Great piece by Ebert. Thanks for providing that, Chris. I'm really enjoying your news bites. Cool stuff!
3 - Chris Beaumont
Thanks Jordan, just trying to expand what little I can offer. Sometimes these things are just great reads (not my comments, the original columns), and I just love Ebert, the guy is above all else a fan of movies. Not many "get it" the way he gets it.