MovieChat Forums > Marathon Man (1976) Discussion > This film is insulting

This film is insulting

posted 16 years ago by Skylab23
162 replies | jump to latest

As someone who is from Uruguay I must say this film is completely disrespectful. I was watching this film and enjoying it up until the part where they show Szell's hideout in Uruguay. I was like: 'WHAT?', because apparently we have jungles here and I didn't even notice. I know most of you people don't even know where Uruguay is and don't care about this, but I ask you: if they depicted your country in a film in a completely wrong way, wouldn't you be pissed off?. Filmmakers should do a little research if they are going to put something in a film they know nothing about.
Luckily this mistake is shown in the goofs section for this movie:
"Errors in geography: Dr. Szell is supposed to be living in Uruguay before going to New York. We see shots of what is supposed to be Uruguay which show people traveling in canoes through the jungle, but in Uruguay there is no jungle."

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EDIT (7 years later): Hey guys, good news: I'm over it now.
Calling the film insulting was too much, I admit; I do remember being pretty irritated when I wrote the message above. Of course, that it inaccurately depicts Uruguay's geography is undeniable.
I would delete this post, but hey, many of your responses are pretty funny!

It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
Indiana Jones, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

[–] ccr1633 16 years ago

You're being ridiculously sensitive. Cities like Vancouver and Toronto are used as stand-ins for New York City all the time (not to mention Hollywood studio sets). Any stickler brimming with excess New York pride could say, "Aha! That building doesn't exist in New York!" and be similarly offended, in analogy with your absurd outlook.

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[–] ccr1633 16 years ago

"This is the geography of a country we're talking about, not some building."
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You describe all of this as "insulting." Considering that the landscape of Uruguay is such an insignificant detail in the film, and that generally one should allow some artistic license to the artist, you really don't have justification for being so mortally offended. Maybe you would if the entire film took place in Uruguay, but it didn't. It's not as if Uruguayans themselves were portrayed as illiterate retards or anything. Just a simple mistake from people who obviously don't know much about South America beyond their brief vacations to Brazil or Peru.

[–] robertrmeiers 9 years ago

Agreed! Film Makers have an obligation to get it right. That is a HUGE oversight on their part.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] dvafp 16 years ago

who cares, its Uruguay.

[–] somekid20170 16 years ago

It was the 70s, and it's not a documentary. I'm not going to watch this movie, then go to Uruguay and be all "WTF? THERE WERE JUNGLES IN MARATHON MAN!" and point out that the people aren't living up to the movie expectations. That jungle setting could've been anywhere, they picked a name out of a hat.

[–] Rockhound6165 16 years ago

Meh, the OP has a point. Sort of like in Jurassic Park when they had a scene that read San Jose, Costa Rica but the scene took place on a beach which is some trick considering Costa Rica is landlocked. However stupid it is I wouldn't consider it an insult.

Dependence leads to servitude. Independence leads to achievement. And achievement leads to rewards.

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[–] michaelboyeandersen 12 years ago

I'm from Jurassic park and it dosen't look like the one in the movie

[–] thoughtful1 16 years ago

Costa Rica is landlocked? LOL. It borders both the Caribbean AND the Pacific. You might want to consult an atlas next time before you post.

[–] moridith 16 years ago

Whoah. Yeah. I'm hoping he was trying to make a statement by being purposefully mistaken in an incredibly ironic way. It's just. Uh.

[–] downandoutdrifter 15 years ago

About the Costa Rica landlocked thing-

Obviously it's not landlocked. I think what the person posting meant is that San Jose is not on the coast of Costa Rica, thus it make no sense to have a scene set in San Jose take place on the beach. I remember that scene- with the actor who played Newman on Seinfeld and it always bothered me too.

[–] nickm2 7 years ago

If it hasn't been already addressed, I think they meant San Jose was landlocked.

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

[–] richard-1461 15 years ago

I know this is an ancient post but I laughed so much ... Costa Rica, literal meaning "Rich Coast", landlocked? You muppet.

[–] dathilacha 14 years ago

costa rica has coasts on both the pacific and the caribbean, sir.

[–] nicko-12 14 years ago

OP - relax, it's Hollywood. They've been doing it for years and still do. Add a landlocked Costa Rica and a Uruguayan rain forest to these old stereotypes:

Australia - huge desert populated by crocodile wrestlers
England - an island in a lake in the middle of mainland Europe. Everyone related to royalty and living in mansions
Scotland - part of England
Germany - mittel-European state, former spies who speak English but pronounce 'th' words with a 'z'
France - a country so small that the Eiffel Tower can be seen from every bedroom window
Slovakia - feral children, psychopathic torturers
Brazil - consists of a long beach where everyone dances in swimwear
Canada - snow & mooses
Italy - sex maniacs & mafiosa

Their grasp of history is no better (don't get me started on WW2 movies)

Café au lait pour vous...

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] khalidamin 10 years ago

France - a country so small that the Eiffel Tower can be seen from every bedroom window .
can't stop laughing man

the more things change the more they stay the same

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Diaeresis 9 years ago

France - a country so small that the Eiffel Tower can be seen from every bedroom window

I just woke everyone up with a bout of raucous laughter.

[–] tomosp1965 9 years ago

Just reading your comment on stereotyping. I live in England, your right about the way we're viewed... PMSL at the thread and especially your comment.

[–] mdash 13 years ago

Look at a map. Costa Rica has coastline on both the Caribbean and the Pacific.

[–] alan118552 12 years ago

Ahh, think you should check your geographical knowledge a little, Costa Rica is far from being landlocked. Perhaps you are thinking of another country.

I drive real f'ing fast so try to keep up!!
Winston Wolfe

[–] dan6pitcher 12 years ago

Costa Rica literally means Rich Coast. Look at a freaking map. It has coasts on both sides!

San Jose is in the central part of the country, but it's a tiny country and only takes 2 hours to get to the coast, so it's feasible that the meeting could take place in San Jose on the same day that Nedry went to the Island...or it could be a different day.

[–] zukesprt33 12 years ago

Costa Rica is not landlocked. In fact, it has more coastline than land borders with Nicaragua and Panama.

[–] jgossen-2 12 years ago

costa rica is landlocked. nice joke.

[–] baran_erik 8 years ago

Costa Rica, or Rich Coast, is landlocked? That must be why they don't have a navy. The things you learn on the Internet.

[–] rzajac 15 years ago

Another way to address the orginal thread's Uruguayan poster is to suggest, for example, that they could have shown the Nazi living in a small Uruguayan town, or perhaps even in Montevideo.

Were Nazi hunters combing about in all the major cities in South America looking for escaped Nazis?

So: There are *no* jungles in Uruguay, like that shown in the movie?

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] mojoenix 14 years ago

lol, stole the words right outta my mouth. Uggh, cranky Urugayans.

[–] robertrmeiers 9 years ago

OUCH! That is the man's country, how about a little respect.

[–] LeaBlacks_Balls 16 years ago

I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day, its only a movie.

OBAMA/BIDEN in '08

[–] elitist 16 years ago

Maybe they meant Paraguay...

[–] horrorshowmovie 16 years ago

I had a similar fit when I realized that the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand and not in Middle Earth.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] bananabutt 15 years ago

"I had a similar fit when I realized that the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand and not in Middle Earth."

WIN!

[–] orinvee 14 years ago

I thought all of the Nazi war criminals went to Argentina...

Ask your doctor if thinking is right for you

[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 13 years ago

Not all. Some went to France, stayed in Germany, went to Russia, and were even given asylum in the United States.

--
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
jonbkennedy.wordpress.com

[–] rzajac 15 years ago

Hephaestion9 sez: "I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day, its only a movie."

I guess I'd invite you to try a thought experiment. Imagine some foreign filmakers making a movie in which a scene takes place in your home city. Wouldn't you feel a little short-sheeted if they completely misrepresented the predominating climate or ecology or urban feel? I'm about 99% sure you would.

How would you feel if you lived in, say, Madison WI and they shot a "Madison" scene in Tucson AR? Or (perhaps a better analogy re Marathon Man) set in San Diego CA but shot in Yellowstone Nat'l Park?

It's interesting because, in a sense, it's understandable why the producers would take a shortcut like this; it's tempting to fall back on people's fantasy preconceptions when doing so makes for lower production costs. But the underlying assumption being addressed by the Uruguayan original poster for this thread is this: Whether the set looks like Uruguay or not doesn't matter because our bottom line isn't going to be much affected by South American sales. In a subtle sense, it's saying that Uruguay, and by extension Uruguayans, don't matter.

Like I say, try that shoe on and see how you feel about it. I know I would be a little bit put off.

[–] Mick-Travis-Bickle 15 years ago

I would only be offended if the people of my country were played stereotypically, however the geography being mispresented wouldn't bother me. And as many people have said, it's very insignificant.

[–] PatrickCurren 15 years ago

>>How would you feel if you lived in, say, Madison WI and they shot a "Madison" scene in Tucson AR? <<

Tucson is not in Arkansas.

[–] Dr_RoButtnik 15 years ago

99% sure? That's pretty sure for something that's dead wrong.

"Weirdness was all he cared about. Weirdness and sex and plenty to drink."

[–] cajayson8301 14 years ago

I guess I'd invite you to try a thought experiment. Imagine some foreign filmakers making a movie in which a scene takes place in your home city. Wouldn't you feel a little short-sheeted if they completely misrepresented the predominating climate or ecology or urban feel? I'm about 99% sure you would.

For crying out loud, it wasn't even located in Uruguay for HALF of the movie! I'd understand an upset if this movie centered plenty of its action in the place in question...but we're likely talking about 5% of the film.

You and the OP need to go get some surgery done to remove that damn stick from you know where.

If mothers ruled the world, there would be no god damn wars in the first place-Sally Field

[–] Syl_Cooper 12 years ago

I'm from the Netherlands and whenever I see Dutch people portrayed in movies they're either stoned or speaking with a german accent. Recent example: The character Dutch in Transformers 3, (I love myself for having seen this and now referencing it... not)... he's supposed to be Dutch as his name suggests, but instead they made him German, because Dutch/Deutsch... no one seems to be able to tell the difference. Should I get butt hurt about it or should I think: "Oh wait, it's a Michael Bay film... this is probably the smallest flaw in this movie..." and then laugh about.

Dale Cooper: How's Annie? How's Annie?

[–] CajunCatfish 12 years ago

Don't use anything made by Michael Bay to show a good representation of people of any kind. He is the ultimate stereotype.

[–] Bucko-2 11 years ago

Real life example, Lancaster PA has The Pennsylvania Dutch, which is Amish/German ancestry with wooden shoes.

[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 13 years ago

I guess I'd invite you to try a thought experiment. Imagine some foreign filmakers making a movie in which a scene takes place in your home city. Wouldn't you feel a little short-sheeted if they completely misrepresented the predominating climate or ecology or urban feel? I'm about 99% sure you would.

I can give two examples for you that apply to me. I live in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the movie Eagle Eye, the address that they are given is a residential area, but it's shown to be a commercial area. It shows that they didn't do their research. In the movie An American Crime, based on a true story, show a neighborhood that looks nothing like the one that they lived in.

Now, keep in mind, I live in Indianapolis, but I didn't find that distracting because it was cheaper to shoot somewhere else. I just found in the former it was funny. For the latter, it was more improtant to tell the story than get the neighborhood right.

--
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
jonbkennedy.wordpress.com

[–] rzajac 13 years ago

Josh,

Thanks for this good info!

-raz

[–] jejozi 12 years ago

Jesus, lighten up, Francis. I'm from Minnesota and I don't pop a cork for every Fargo out there. Ooooooohhhh yaaaaa.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] Nikon11 16 years ago

Nice one. You and horrorshowmovie made me laugh pretty good. Thanks.

[–] dario_van_kuschn 16 years ago

this whole discussion is just hilarious

the OP is offended because they showed a jungle in his country
wow
I'm from Slovakia, and in the movies Hostel and Hostel 2, they make our capital city look like a small town somewhere in the hills, with renegade bands of gypsy children looting and stealing, and a mafia syndicate running a killing club. One character also mentions a war that killed most of the men in the country, so the women are all horny. Nevermind there was no such war and Slovakia is in the EU and NATO and Bush and Putin held a summit here a couple years ago.
So who should be offended?

[–] moridith 16 years ago

Well I for one am very upset.

I live in Sweden and according to Family Guy we have attractive female police officers standing naked in our streets directing traffic. After seeing the episode I ran outside only to find it was all a lie. Damn you Family Guy for getting me all elated and setting me up to be knocked down.

[–] edjavega 16 years ago

Oh, schucks, and I was planning to visit Sweden if only to see those police officers.

Damn Family Guy!

[–] slim816 16 years ago

Uruguay isn't in Africa...I hope you were joking

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] slim816 16 years ago

I wasn't trying to feel superior, I was just hoping you weren't a complete idiot.

Well done for trying to feel superior.

[–] stephan-128 15 years ago

i'm from new jersey. most movies show jersey as nothing but dumb mooks and girls with big hair. actually most of new jersey is jungle.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Dennis_Cooper 15 years ago

Oh relax, he was joking. Now go and eat some frozen dead Rugby players.

*****************************************
Dave's not here.

[–] worldm765 15 years ago

Get over it!

[–] Fitvideo 15 years ago

I agree it is insulting, after all Uruguay is such a major player in world economics and as for it's input into the prevention of global terrorism... how would our troops survive without their support in Afghanistan/Iraq...I shudder to think...

Carpe Discum

[–] Skylab23 15 years ago

Thanks rzajac for at least trying to understand my words.

As for the ridiculous last comment:
1. No, Uruguay isn't a major player in world economics, but it didn't provoke an international financial crisis either
2. No, Uruguay doesn't help your troops in Iraq but then again I don't believe most of its population is interested in encouraging a mindless and stupid war propelled by greed and thirst for power

It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
Indiana Jones, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

[–] Fitvideo 15 years ago

Gotcha! Hook, line and sinker..lol..I knew it would work...

Just what is it about some people that they don't get sarcasm?

regards

Carpe Discum

[–] cajayson8301 14 years ago

As for the ridiculous last comment:
1. No, Uruguay isn't a major player in world economics, but it didn't provoke an international financial crisis either
2. No, Uruguay doesn't help your troops in Iraq but then again I don't believe most of its population is interested in encouraging a mindless and stupid war propelled by greed and thirst for power

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Sarcasm

If mothers ruled the world, there would be no god damn wars in the first place-Sally Field

[–] hayted 15 years ago

I could understand your issues if it was a documentary.

I live in Vancouver,Canada,,and laff at all the movies that poke fun of us Canadians eh.

As other posters have said,they actually use Van as a stand-in for many other Cities/Countries,and when i see our skytrain/buildings/landmarks/beaches/jungles in a U.S. city/foreign etc. in a movie i think..hey cool ;p

The U.S. is well known for making every other country look like buffoons from their own inadequacies and shortcomings.

The movie makers love making fun of all countries,,so dont feel like u r being singled out...u arent that lucky.

When they do a documentary of your country and poorly potray it,,then sure , speak up..but as of a movie made so long ago,or even if it was made now,,relax..thats why they call it fiction ;p

Thats the whole diff between fiction and documentary...so peeps like u dont feel hurt...obviously it failed again tho ;(

P.S. Jungles in Canada?

**I Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning**

[–] Shay121 15 years ago

Get over it. I'm pretty sure the director isn't trying to make a statement that people from Uragway are all primitive jungle people. They messed up the scenery.

[–] 20agg 15 years ago

Just for fun, I'm gonna chip in...

I'm from Iceland and movies like Tomb Raider, Die Another Day, Flags of our Fathers, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Stardust and Batman Begins were shot here (most of them only partially though).

I guess I should be offended that in all those movies (except Die Another Day and Journey to the Center of the Earth) the shot from Iceland were supposed to take place in other countries, like Siberia, China and Russia.

In Die Another Day the story took place in Iceland. But two things: 1. We do not have this Ice Palace located in Iceland. I heard that travel agencies had to tell many tourist that contacted them "No, it's not possible to book a room at the Ice Palace from that James Bond movie because it wasn't real". 2. I laughed my ass off when they were talking about diamond mines in Iceland. No such thing, not by a long shot.

In Journey to the Center of the Earth they get trapped inside a cave after a bolt of lightning hits the mountainside and closes the cave. They then have to move forward through old mines.
1. It is as rare to see lightnings in Iceland as to see snow in Africa. I am 25 years old and have only seen it once, about 17 years ago.
2. There are no mines in Iceland, at least not underground mines like the gold diggers in America made in the cowboy era.

If anyone didn't get it, I'm not at all offended by this, just trying to be sarcastic. It's just fun for Icelanders to see their country in big movies, even if it is playing someone else's country, or if there are some funny errors like with the diamonds and the mines.

[–] egomonster-1 15 years ago

Hey, I'm from Knoxville, TN and I was insulted when the Simpsons said our wig outlet is in the Sunsphere. Actually, it is downtown. There really is an observation booth in the Sunsphere, and it is open three days a week.

Hey moron, I'm kidding. (The wig shop sold all its wigs last summer, and there is a bar in the Sunsphere. Don't be so serious.)

All sarcasm aside, I do appreciate the original poster's statement. It's pretty easy for a film company to look on a map and say "hmm, we need a jungle. Aha, _____(insert country with jungle). Not doing so reflects some pretty lazy writing.

Of course, then again. Who really cares?