MovieChat Forums > The Eiger Sanction (1975) Discussion > Why can't they make movies like this any...

Why can't they make movies like this anymore?

posted 18 years ago by asingleton06
24 replies | jump to latest

I really respect the Eiger Sanction, especially when it is compared to the politcally correct, PG-13 rubbish that studios continue to put out today. If the Eiger Sanction were scheduled for release in 2006, the NOW would protest it for its chauvinism and misogyny. GLAAD would call the film homophobic. By 2006 standards, this movie is probably even racist. Throw in Hemlock's statments to Dragon, and you can find some albinos that would be offended. The Eiger Sanction is a great movie because it came out in an era where filmmakers did not have to worry about offending an oversensitive population fixated on conforming with political correctness.

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

Well, I see your point, but here are a couple of notes to consider:

By 2006 standards, this movie is probably even racist.

I don't think that the movie could be considered racist, even today. Back then, the interracial romance/sex between Hemlock and Jemima was actually pretty radical, and while there are a few humorous lines about race in the movie, they're clearly intended for satirical effect. Of course, you're right in the sense that these days, they may be considered "politcally incorrect" and thus dropped from the film.

the NOW would protest it for its chauvinism and misogyny

I don't see these charges as having much substance to them, either. Sure, Hemlock is a stud who beds multiple women, and a couple of the ladies could be described as femme fatales, but those conventions are pretty archetypal. Indeed, compared to some of the James Bond movies out at that time (the 1970s), The Eiger Sacntion's portrayal of women is almost feminist-oriented. Just compare the intelligence, eloquence, and autonomy of Jemima Brown (Vonetta McGee) and the athleticism of George (Brenda Venus) to the vapidly decorative status of such Bond girls as Solitaire (Jane Seymour) in Live and Let Die (Guy Hamilton, 1973) and Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland) in The Man With the Golden Gun (Hamilton, 1974). The women of The Eiger Sanction are quite the opposite of those plastic portrayals. However, I again see your point that certain aspects of their characters could be deemed a product of chauvinism and misogyny.

The main reason why we don't still see films such as The Eiger Sanction, however, is because few contemporary filmmakers tell a story with Eastwood's meditative elegance and patient pacing, and few share his courage in actually shooting everything on location, regardless of how dangerous it might have been. The bottom line is that all the CGI effects in the world could never duplicate The Eiger Sanction's rugged authenticity.

[–] asingleton06 18 years ago

You make a great point about the value of shooting on locations. I can't stand watching movies that are, for the most part, computer generated. The growing trend to make the special effects the "star" of the movie has never sat well with me. As for the Eiger Sanction, there are a couple of lines that would not make it into the film for being too misogynistic. For example, when George Kennedy is looking through the telescope at the climbers, a woman approaches him to ask him what's going on. He replies, "why don't you get yourself screwed, lady." I erupt into bellybusting laughter every time I hear that line.

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

Yeah, that line is more a reflection of the character's attitude than the film's, but you're right. Such an edge is usually missing from today's movies.

And just imagine Peter Jackson re-making The Eiger Sanction ...

[–] aeminn 18 years ago

I recommend you read the other novels by Trevanian: The Loo Sanction, Shibumi, The Main, etc.

[–] Thomasco 18 years ago

Maybe it's the company you keep. Misogyny, homophobic, chauvinism... who sits around and talks about these or even uses terms like these? I don't know anyone who talks like that. Maybe you should watch more movies from the 1970's, you might learn something. I saw this film back when it came out, and I honestly don't think there is anything controversial about it. Or are you saying YOU find the film offensive?
Well it is a great film, very entertaining, and I can recommend it wholeheartedly. The camera work is great and they shot on location in Monument Valley and I forget the name of the village near the Eiger, but it begins with a "G", if memory serves correct. I have seen this film in both English and German, and it is great in both. In the dubbed version four of the actors dub their own voice! (your guess as to which)

[–] pbl1 18 years ago

OK Clement, you have officially embarrased yourself on 3 different threads for this movie. You can give it a rest now. No one is offended by this film, they are just lamenting today's PC nonsense.

and this is NOT a great film. Eastwood gutted a great book (as only he can), and, while the Monument Valley stuff is nicely shot, the film, as a whole, blows.

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

Eastwood gutted a great book (as only he can)

Eastwood didn't write the screenplay ...

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[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

Actually, the film offers some striking commentary about geopolitics and espionage, virtually deconstructing the celebratory James Bond myth.

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[–] Thomasco 18 years ago

Jemima was a good-looking woman who also appeared in "Repo Man". I recognized her instantly and she still looked good.

[–] ezsny 8 years ago

You're probably thinking of Grendelwald, which was seen in the distant background once or twice, but the "village" where the shooting occurred and was set is Kleine Scheidegg, which is a train station and the location of a hotel and some restaurants. I was hiking there yesterday.

[–] pbl1 18 years ago

I like Trevanian, but Shibumi sucked. Really lazy writing and mind-numbing spleunking accounts.

[–] Thomasco 18 years ago

Well, I liked the film, but I know the deal when people read a book and expect to get a carbon-copy of it when the film is released. Since I didn't read the book, I couldn't be let down. But I still think the film is great and it is one of my favorite films of all time.

[–] silverballs80 17 years ago

Interesting, you listed the only three I've read. I loved Shibumi,and have gone back several times to re-read it. Hopefully no-one will ever turn it into a movie, the book as it is seems unfilmable, and it would lose too much in its transition to screen. I liked The Main, though I've only read it the once, but I thought the Loo Sanction was very disappointing indeed. I read it twice, concerned that I'd missed something the first time, as I didn't feel it was up to the author's usual standard, but I was disappointed.

Which did you like the most?

your heartbeat is a countdown.

smile.

[–] Ivarq 18 years ago

There are a few of my favorite lines like the one where Ben Bowman said to the annoying lady: "Lady you go get yourself screwed."

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[–] rckendall 18 years ago

The reason why they don make movies like this anymore is because no one can touch another Trevanian novel. They are scared becasue his books (especially Shibumi and The Eiger Sanction) would be considered very racist, sexist, and somewhat anti-american (Shibumi). Right now is the perfect time to make a movie of Shibumi, because of Bush doing all these deals in the middle east and our dependance on foreign oil. But, if hollywood made a movie a Shibumi or remade the Eiger Sanction, they would screw it up. It's best to be content with the books until a true fan of Trevanian's (pen name) works sought to make a movie.

[–] tanner3212001 18 years ago

Kudos ! Great point I concur! The feminist and every other intolerate PC nut would be squaking.God forbid a man acts like a real man in a movie.I miss movies when men were men and women were women !I`m sick of feminized men on the silverscreen and women acting like men.Its disturbing.Really like a 110 lb woman in real life can beat up 200 lb man and do the same physical things as a man on the same level is ludicrous.How many women do you see competing in the NFL.... NBA..... MLB.....On the battlefield....The real battlefield front lines? None because in the real world they CANT !Newsflash feminist men have testosterone and women have estrogen ! LOL The spineless men in hollywood are all emasculated by the penis envy women in hollyweird.We as a society must suspend reality and live in a fantasy world so the poor girls dont feel inferior to males.Lets show women fighting and doing guy things. It`s soooooo annoying!And Ladies dont send me a bunch of nasty messages.Save your liberal bilge for the emasculated males because this male still has his balls ! Bottom line if you have a problem with being a woman and a man acting like a real man dont get mad with me talk to GOD he created you! LOL BTW... before you send me the usual feminist retoric about how a woman can do anything a man can do rubbish and how I`m a woman hater Let it be known I love and respect women.We arent the same ! Both genders have their own unique qualities.Try this on for size.Would you women out there wanna see men in movies acting like women??? HUH.... HUH....? Yeah... I didnt think so! Guess what Us real men wanna puke everytime we see women acting like men on TV and in movies!ITS UNNATURAL!!! ITS A TURN OFF MAN LOL

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

The feminist and every other intolerate PC nut would be squaking.God forbid a man acts like a real man in a movie.I miss movies when men were men and women were women !I`m sick of feminized men on the silverscreen and women acting like men.Its disturbing.Really like a 110 lb woman in real life can beat up 200 lb man and do the same physical things as a man on the same level is ludicrous.

I largely agree, and I think that the real problem is not feminism itself, but men's ideas of feminism. Hollywood executives think that feminism should be about female action-cartoon acharacters kicking @ss. That said, I do think that something like Million Dollar Baby is both realistic and legitimate.

(By the way, I am a man.)

[–] tanner3212001 18 years ago

Thanks for your comments.

[–] 18 years ago

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