NEW: TRUJILLO GOOD or BAD 4 DR?

[miguel]

Let's see!

That "Butterflies" crap, er, movie with Selma Hayek, is one of the worse movie that I have ever seen in my life!.

I really do not know what her intentions was but that, almost 2 hours movie, was 1 hour and 55 minutes too long.

The "greatest" scene was when the Mirabal sisters where in prison. Boy, I have never seen so many dominicans that looked EXACTLY LIKE MEXICANS!.

 

[AnnaC]

The "greatest" scene was when the Mirabal sisters where in prison. Boy, I have never seen so many dominicans that looked EXACTLY LIKE MEXICANS!.

They were looking for Dominican actors but they couldn't get visas to get to Hollywood.


Since it was my first time I enjoyed the movie.

Ok I'm leaving. Good nite.

 

[doriaflowerz]

Dominican Historical Documentaries?

Chiri, you beat me to the punch, I was just about to post the same thing. It has alot of dominican actors.

Why is the STAR of movies from the Trujillo era not Dominican?

Any Dominican production companies out there willing to produce a documentary on the Trujillo era?

I'd like to see that kind of "no frills" production on television or on DVD (e.g. Biography channel, PBS etc.). If there are any out there already I'd love to know about them.

 

[Chirimoya]

doriaflowerz, Dominican film-maker Rene Fortunato has produced a series of documentaries about Trujillo, Balaguer, the April revolution and more. They are so well publicised I'd be surprised if you hadn't already heard of them, given your interest in the subject.

 

[Chirimoya]

Why is the STAR of movies from the Trujillo era not Dominican?

For the usual reason that a Hollywood film needs a big name actor in the starring role to pull in the punters.

 

[doriaflowerz]

For the usual reason that a Hollywood film needs a big name actor in the starring role to pull in the punters.

The films by Ren? Fortunato have been on Biography channel or PBS?

In addition, the recent movie on Trujillo was filmed in DR. No visas required there. For projects in the USA there are many Dominicans living in america. Also, no visas required there.

I agree with you, Chirimoya. The television and motion pucture industry is an investment and return on investment issue.

In my opinion, ultimately it comes down to profit... books, turning into cinematic features, turning into saleable DVD's with a potential rental long term value. Whatever viewpoint sells, is what will be produced.

Our Dominican history, people and culture are for sale to any viable media market that demands it. Create a good vs evil themed feature film and you've got an audience who can relate and who are interested enought to buy.

It's a sad reality, but it's the truth.

 

[Chirimoya]

The films by Ren? Fortunato have been on Biography channel or PBS?

Well-publicised in the DR and in Dominican circles in other countries like the US.

In addition, the recent movie on Trujillo was filmed in DR. No visas required there. For projects in the USA there are many Dominicans living in america. Also, no visas required there.

I agree with you, Chirimoya. The television and motion pucture industry is an investment and return on investment issue.

In my opinion, ultimately it comes down to profit... books, turning into cinematic features, turning into saleable DVD's with a potential rental long term value. Whatever viewpoint sells, is what will be produced.

Our Dominican history, people and culture are for sale to any viable media market that demands it. Create a good vs evil themed feature film and you've got an audience who can relate and who are interested enought to buy.

It's a sad reality, but it's the truth

These movies were made because marketing people believed there was a strong enough universal appeal to make these books into films. Not because of any particular interest in the DR. If anything, the obscure nature of the DR (to most people) has to be counterbalanced by big names like the Hayeks and the Rosselinis.

I don't think it's such a bad thing. If the lead roles were given to Dominican actors it is far more likely to remain a niche movie, appealing only to Dominicans and people interested in the DR. If there is a star in the leading role, there is more chance of the movie becoming a mass-market success which might result in more people becoming interested in and learning about the country. Plus, a minor or supporting role in a hit movie will do more for an unknown actor's career than a starring role in a minority interest movie.

Did you know that they are now making a film about Rubirosa, starring Antonio Banderas?

http://www.eldiariony.com/noticias/digoyo.aspx?section=28&Txtid=987687

 

[miguel]

Actually!

They were looking for Dominican actors but they couldn't get visas to get to Hollywood.

I don't believe that was the case. I was talking about the "extras", the ones with no speaking parts, in prison. ANY hispanic could have been an extra posing as a dominican, but a mexican, don't think so. We do not have the same features,, face wise, at least not the mexicans they used.

I am reading a book about Trujillo right now that it's the best of all the books that I hve read about him. More details about the book when I get home.

 

[Chirimoya]

It's not out yet. I don't know the release date but it should be in the next few months.

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

As far as people complaining that Dominican actors are not being cast as the stars of certain DR themed films, I think that it is really petty. British films, French films, Spanish films produce films all the time set in other countries and use actors that are not of that particular ethnic back ground. Are Spanish production companies only allowed to make films about Russia that feature mostly Russian actors? It's called acting.

Must you always cast an Italian actor to play Mussolini? There was an American tv series about Il Duce that starred George C. Scott as the dictator, Raoul Julia played his son-in-law and Foreign minister Count Ciano. Julia was from Puerto Rico. So what?

If people in the DR are so "offended" by having foreign actors play the roles of ethnic Dominicans, boycott the films and raise enough money to make your own. It doesn't really cost 100 million dollars to make a film. "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" starring Selma Hayek and Antonio Banderas was shot on digital video. I own a digital video camera myself, so can you. The original "Desperado" by the same director I believe only cost 20 or 30 thousand dollars, if even that much. A documentary is all about interviews and old footage. It can cost almost nothing to make one of those.

I saw the play "Feast of the Goat" in New York City. The play was in Spanish, and the main role of Urania was played by a Mexican soap opera actress. Trujillo was played by a Cuban. The other main roles were by people from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and other Latin American countries. I believe only one actor, the guy who played Balaguer was from the DR. Did this detract from the play? Absolutely not. The play was fantastic. Innovative, fresh, well worth seeing.

Doria, I suspect you biggest complaint is that the films are not Pro-Trujillo.(Or perhaps not what you considered "balanced".) You complain about the "good vs evil" aspect of the productions. Well, when you make a film about Trujillo, that is pretty much what it boils down to. If a Spanish director made a Pro-Trujillo film with Spanish actors, somehow I think Trujillistas in the DR would find it in their hearts to forgive him. :tired:


I wasn't thrilled with the Film "Time of the Butterflies", but it was a small cable television(Showtime)film that had heart. It was a project that was important to The actress involved. Granted, it had only a limited number of black faces in in it, but they were there. ( And I think that was more budgetary than anything else)

Chiri's right, Hollywood is profit driven, not a charity. Films are made to make money.

When I hear people complain about the issue of certain ethnic groups not being cast in certain roles it makes me cringe. Directors should have the freedom to cast whomever they want in their films. Look at Al Pacino, he has often been cast as a Hispanic in films like "Scar Face" and "Carlito's Way". Pacino made those films worth it for me. Who should they have cast in "Carlito's Way"? Erik Estrada?

 

[Pib]

If people in the DR are so "offended" by having foreign actors play the roles of ethnic Dominicans,

"Offended"? You gotta be kidding. This is the first time anyone raises the issue, and I think there is an agenda behind her protestations.

Now, Erik Estrada, that would have been offensive!

 

[Porfio_Rubirosa]

Two Thumbs Down

They were looking for Dominican actors but they couldn't get visas to get to Hollywood

The dreadful movie was actually filmed in Veracruz, Mexico. I don't doubt for a second that production costs were MUCH lower there.

Interestingly, Veracruz, located on the Gulf coast and long associated culturally with the Caribbean, has old barrios with people of trigueno heritage who could easily have passed for Dominicans. That the producers were too lazy to look into it was the least of that movie's problems.

 

[Dolores1]

The possible agenda

"Offended"? You gotta be kidding. This is the first time anyone raises the issue, and I think there is an agenda behind her protestations.

Now, Erik Estrada, that would have been offensive!

Coinciding with this thread on DR1, this email exchange went on that could have something to do with the posts?

At the beginning of April at dr1 we received an email announcing that Giselle Trujillo, a heir to the Trujillo fortune, was making her way as a fashion designer in NY and would like to ?dispel the myths about the Trujillo era then and the Trujillo family today.?

The deal is that ?Giselle Trujillo, heir to Trujillo fortune, will be launching a fashion line in major department stores across the country this Summer 05 catering specfically towards the hispanic community.?

Eric Bang of 1 Am Group requested our ?show of support prior to when the media campaign would begin.? He also wrote:

?Giselle Trujillo, an heiress to the Trujillo legacy, former presidents of the Dominican Republic, would like to promote latin entrepreneurship as the key to helping the latin economy outside of the USA.

Ms. Trujillo is a New York (USA) resident running a fashion company in New York and New Jersey. She thinks we need more entrepreneurial role models in the hispanic community to encourage others to succeed in a practical way.

Business entrepreneurship may be a path to success for the latin community.

Giselle Trujillo, will be engaging on a media tour of all Latin media around the country to do in-depth interviews about the Trujillo legacy, the hispanic economy and hispanic entrepreneurship.?

I don?t know what kind of money would be enough to dispel the negative image of Trujillo. I think this money could be put to better use.

I wrote back referring them to the very well read Julia Alvarez book on the Mirabal sisters and giving them my opinion that the "Trujillo legacy" was not one to choose to support a public relations campaign for a new fashion designer. I may have suggested they gather opinions on the DR Debates section, so they not just take my word for this. I did mention the Dominicans Abroad section of DR1 where we frequently highlight the successes of Dominicans abroad. I felt this would be a place to give the designer a mention if she made it to the big leagues in NY.

If Giselle Trujillo has shown to have talents to be accepted in the NY fashion world, then let it be on her own merits. I don?t see how the deadwood of what they are referring to as the ?Trujillo legacy,? can in any way help her career, outside of raising curiosity. If she has the money and the talent to pursue her career, let her do so on her own right and forget her ties to the past that many, I would say most, Dominicans would like to be kept as one experience we would not like to repeat.

May I note that when I searched on Google I could not find any mention of a designer called Giselle Trujillo on the Internet, nor any information on the 1 Am Group. I also requested that they send me links or more information on the budding designer but have not received this, either.

 

[Pib]

May I suggest that maybe Mrs. Giselle Trujillo caught a bad case of "the delussions". Or perhaps she thinks we have really short memories. Either case I don't see why anyone would like to be linked to the "Trujillo Legacy". :tired:

 

[Pib]

These movies were made because marketing people believed there was a strong enough universal appeal to make these books into films. Not because of any particular interest in the DR. If anything, the obscure nature of the DR (to most people) has to be counterbalanced by big names like the Hayeks and the Rosselinis.

Maybe because Trujillo is the quintessencial Latin American dictator, to the point of almost been a caricature? In contrast Pinochet and Somoza are considerably boring.

 

[Chirimoya]

May I suggest that maybe Mrs. Giselle Trujillo caught a bad case of "the delussions". Or perhaps she thinks we have really short memories. Either case I don't see why anyone would like to be linked to the "Trujillo Legacy". :tired:

Sounds like it could have been some sort of hoax. If I were Dolores I'd have passed them on to one of the Trujillo apologists who grace these threads.

Maybe because Trujillo is the quintessencial Latin American dictator, to the point of almost been a caricature? In contrast Pinochet and Somoza are considerably boring.

Like 'General Alcazar' in Tintin!

Mainly because they are good stories with universal appeal.

 

[RevenueCanada]

Small world! I met a Rafael Trujillo from the DR about 10 months ago in Miami (I hear Son of the dictator). One of the greatest guy I have met! This guy was full of life! Very energetic! I was meeting with a new DR airline that is about to operate in Santo Domingo (May-June 2005) and he dropped by. Gave me his biz card...I would not rule him out yet...

 

[ricktoronto]

Small world! I met a Rafael Trujillo from the DR about 10 months ago in Miami (I hear Son of the dictator). One of the greatest guy I have met! This guy was full of life! Very energetic! I was meeting with a new DR airline that is about to operate in Santo Domingo (May-June 2005) and he dropped by. Gave me his biz card...I would not rule him out yet...

The airline you can though.

 

[Jon S.]

Damn right. Rafael Trujillo already tried something with APA but American ran his a$$ into the ground......

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

Release date for "Feast of the Goat" in the DR: september 23, 2005. That will be the world premier. It opens in Spain on September 30th.