13.06.2010 - 'The Ghost' by Roman Polanski

Trailer
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Ewan McGregor [a nameless character] is hired as a ghost writer to continue the political memoir of a former British PM after the first writer committed suicide. The story is based loosely on the recent past American and British politics, leading up to the Iraq War. Some may argue RL events are far more shocking than what the film alludes to.

Meeting Log
Gaya Ethaniel: OK let's start.

Gaya Ethaniel: Let me give you a short text about Polanski and the film.

Gaya Ethaniel: Roman Polanski is a multiple award winning director/actor. A French of Polish descent, he began making films in Poland and came into international recognition in 60s with Knife in the Water. Notable works include Chinatown, Tess and The Pianist.

Gaya Ethaniel: Recently he has been in the news about an ongoing sexual assault case in US. This raises an interesting question about relationship between artists and art works, furthermore the role of patrons [us cinema goers in this case].

Gaya Ethaniel: Polanski came to direct The Ghost/The Ghost Writer almost by chance. It is based on Robert Harris' novel, The Ghost, and interestingly Harris is the former admirer and confidant of Tony Blair. Despite his protests, one finds many similarities between the fictional character Adam Lang and Blair.

Gaya Ethaniel: One would say life imitates arts here. While Lang hides in an island with war crime charges, Polanski has been under house arrests, waiting to be extradited to US. One wonders what Polanski must have thought about this coincidence.

Gaya Ethaniel: Has any of you seen the film yet? I'm not a great Polanski fan so didn't have much expectation before I went. What did you think?

Nymf Hathaway: I didn't sorry :(

Gaya Ethaniel: np :) It's not a requirement.

Yakuzza Lethecus: i couldn´t get a hand on it either :)

Alfred Kelberry: i haven't seen the movie, but i don't like polanksi playing with kids

Gaya Ethaniel: Yeah, it's hard to orchestrate with us being in different countries.

Gaya Ethaniel: Alright let's talk about that point Alfred raised.

Gaya Ethaniel: When you see an artwork or film etc. does artist's life, personality, history matter to you?

Gaya Ethaniel: Or do you appreciate works on their own?

Nymf Hathaway: To me, yes most definetly

Alfred Kelberry: although, i like mcgregor, so i'm going to watch it and try to not think about the director

Gaya Ethaniel: Own their own Nymf?

Nymf Hathaway: No, it colors my judgement I am afraid, Gaya

Gaya Ethaniel: ah alright can you say a bit more about that Nymf?

Gaya Ethaniel: Alfred may find it relevant too as he's going to see the film with the knowledge.

Alfred Kelberry: actually, i don't really pay much attention to the directors

Nymf Hathaway: well to me... the filmmaker puts his 'mind' in the movie, his feelings expectations etc... I do not see a difference between the mind of the child molester (in this case) and the mind of the movie maker

Yakuzza Lethecus wonders if we would still think of this if they would have put him in housearrest since it´s already a fact for 30 years, but only came to the public mind recently

Gaya Ethaniel: In general not just film maker, would this be the case for all arts Nymf? /me tries to think of other cases.

Nymf Hathaway: I learned... when you hear about one incident...usually there are more

Gaya Ethaniel: That's right, he had many awards including Oscars back in 2002.

Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Mitsu :)

Nymf Hathaway: Hello Mitsu :)

Mitsu Ishii: oh hi, sorry, I was just logging in to check my messages :)

Gaya Ethaniel: Let me give you a notecard of what we've said so far Mitsu.

Gaya Ethaniel: ah sure np

Alfred Kelberry: now you'll have to stay till the end, mitsu :)

Gaya Ethaniel: I don't know if you saw The Pianist by Polanski Nymf.

Mitsu Ishii: I'll leave my avatar up here and check in on it from moment to moment since you're all here. :)

Gaya Ethaniel: He won Oscars for that film.

Gaya Ethaniel: ok :)

Alfred Kelberry: :)

Gaya Ethaniel: I can tell you that Mitsu didn't like the film btw.

Nymf Hathaway: I believ you Gaya, but Oscars do not say much about ethics :) and no, didn't see

Gaya Ethaniel: No that's not what I meant. Since The Pianist won many awards I wondered if you had a chance to see it.

Nymf Hathaway: No, I didn't, am a big movie fan though

Gaya Ethaniel: Also it means many people judge artworks on their own merits.

Gaya Ethaniel: It's a good one unlike many of his other films.

Gaya Ethaniel: I'd be interested for you to see and tell me of your opinions on some of good works by Polanski Nymf :)

Gaya Ethaniel: Or would you refuse to patronise his works? :)

Nymf Hathaway: I will download a movie from him Gaya, will let you know

Gaya Ethaniel: I recommend Chinatown, Tess or The Pianist :)

Nymf Hathaway: well thank you, making a note

Alfred Kelberry: interestingly, we tend to think of a person as either good or bad, in general

Gaya Ethaniel: Please say more?

Alfred Kelberry: when we first meet a person we form our opinion of him or hers and it's usually in bad or good tones

Alfred Kelberry: shades of grey is too difficult to perceive

Gaya Ethaniel: The impression persists, which I find problematic.

Alfred Kelberry: so we have to make a choice, what we tend to most

Nymf Hathaway: (Must say I didn't hear about the child-thing earlier than since he visited Swiss, at the same time...his movies didn't interest me)

Gaya Ethaniel: Interesting ...

Alfred Kelberry: take william shockley for example. he's a famous physicist, one of the inventors of the transistor, but... he also was a vivid racist

Gaya Ethaniel: Indeed ...

Gaya Ethaniel: I know a well known American actor was exposed in a media as a wife beater. Do we then stop seeing films with him in it? How about even Depp, there were reports of him hitting Ryder when they were in a relationship. Do we keep an open mind or selectively choose? Where to draw a line?

Gaya Ethaniel: Woody Allen yes, how about him?

Gaya Ethaniel: He did marry his former step daughter but still ...

Alfred Kelberry: gaya, a good thing i don't read tabloids :)

Gaya Ethaniel: lol

Alfred Kelberry: otherwise there would be nothing to see :)

Gaya Ethaniel: :)

Alfred Kelberry: i like woody

Yakuzza Lethecus is thinking of ryder as a shoplifter :)

Alfred Kelberry: and depp

Alfred Kelberry: and i choose to deny all the accusations

Gaya Ethaniel: Are there more expectation on directors than actors then?

Ethaniel: Expectation of them being more upright so to speak.

Alfred Kelberry: not really

Alfred Kelberry: they can be both

Gaya Ethaniel: I did struggle with this question in the past quite a lot.

Gaya Ethaniel: To some extent, I don't think we can separate artists from their works.

Gaya Ethaniel: But I also think works need to be appreciated on their own rights.

Alfred Kelberry: you can if you don't know the artist

Alfred Kelberry: yes, gaya, i agree

Gaya Ethaniel: So do you think knowledge of artists' background and history is actually unhelpful in appreciating arts Alfred?

Gaya Ethaniel: Some would argue it's essential to know background information.

Alfred Kelberry: just like i appreciate transistors in my cpu :)

Gaya Ethaniel: :)

Alfred Kelberry: gaya, it depends on each artist and each person

Gaya Ethaniel: That's true. Anyway my verdict of the film is not bad, not great.

Alfred Kelberry: like, take woody, i don't think marrying a stepdaughter is such a big deal, but it is for someone

Alfred Kelberry: it's about social norms and your stance towards them

Gaya Ethaniel: Although I loved how he used location and sets [buildings], some post-production effects annoyed me for being a cllche ...

Nymf Hathaway: Gaya, I am called away, I will download one of the movies you recommended and drop you a note later :) thank you for having me :)

Alfred Kelberry: bye, nimfy :)

Gaya Ethaniel: I'm sure those who saw Shutter Island [in fact any big budget since LOTR] would notice the atmospheric effects.

Yakuzza Lethecus: take care nymf

Gaya Ethaniel: Bye :)

Nymf Hathaway: Bye bye, enjoy :)

Alfred Kelberry: gaya? what do you mean?

Gaya Ethaniel: Do you remember the darkish brooding effects of Shutter Island?

Alfred Kelberry: in shutter island the effects were crap... sorry my french :)

Gaya Ethaniel: That kind of 'tinting' is done at post-production.

Alfred Kelberry: but i do get it might have been due to the dreamy setting

Gaya Ethaniel: This is really becoming too cliche ...

Alfred Kelberry: em, darkish brooding?

Gaya Ethaniel: :)

Alfred Kelberry: it just looked cheap to me

Alfred Kelberry: how they stood against the sky at the cliff for example

Gaya Ethaniel: Yes that colouring, you see very often.

Gaya Ethaniel: Shame you didn't see this film.

Alfred Kelberry: i'm going to see it. i kind of forgot about it.

Gaya Ethaniel: I was hoping for a lively discussion on Polanski ... :)

Gaya Ethaniel: oh great, do let me know what you thought.

Alfred Kelberry: well, it was rather lively with his kids addiction

Gaya Ethaniel: >.<

Alfred Kelberry: :)

Alfred Kelberry: i don't get these japanese emicons :P

Gaya Ethaniel: Well ... I think next month is Greenberg. Do you think you will have a chance to see that one?

Alfred Kelberry: oh, sounds familiar

Gaya Ethaniel: Ben Stiller is in it.

Alfred Kelberry: ah, ben the funny guy

Gaya Ethaniel: I think his character is amazing, in that he's so thoroughly dislikeable.

Alfred Kelberry: ha!

Alfred Kelberry: i like dislikeable people :)

Gaya Ethaniel: It'll be interesting. I'm looking forward to it.

Gaya Ethaniel: Any final thoughts on The Ghost?

Alfred Kelberry: they're often so interesting :)

Yakuzza Lethecus: hehe, we haven´t seen it :)

Gaya Ethaniel: :)

Gaya Ethaniel: Well, time to wrap I think.

Yakuzza Lethecus: if they would be at least already on dvd

Alfred Kelberry: well, my final thought is... i wish i didn't know about the polanski scandal :)

Gaya Ethaniel: Hope you get to see Greenberg.

Gaya Ethaniel: ah yes ... something to think about Alfred.

Gaya Ethaniel: Thanks for joining me.

Alfred Kelberry: mcgregor is a cutie though. 10 minutes in the movie i'm going to forget it all :)

Yakuzza Lethecus: yes, why do we care about those ppl anyway ?

Yakuzza Lethecus: is it sensible to spend our conscious time on ethical issues concerning stars

Yakuzza Lethecus: or is it just important that these ethical debates come up

Yakuzza Lethecus: in order to get more senstitivity towards these issues

Gaya Ethaniel: It's what one makes of it I guess Yakuzza ...

Gaya Ethaniel: Have a good day!

Alfred Kelberry: bye :)

Yakuzza Lethecus: bye