MovieChat Forums > The Beast (1988) Discussion > IF This Film were Made Today, how it wou...

IF This Film were Made Today, how it would be...?

posted 18 years ago by don_juan
17 replies | jump to latest

This movie was made back in the 80's when russia was basically USA's enemy #1.
Hence, The Afghan resistance fighters r shown as honourable, vengeful yet merciful heroes (as indeed they were).

HOWEVER...If this movie were made today by hollywood (considering USA's current war campaigns)..... how would those fighhters have been portrayed??

My guess is... dirty, unshaven, 2-foot long beard, with hook-noses, and dark circles under their eyes......saying things like "dirka dirka mohammed jihad".
and most likely...they wouldve been speaking in Arabic not Pashtu.... since hollywood doesnt bothering researching anymore (Watch "Homeland Security"), coz they r all the same dirty towel-heads right?
Probably even add in a touch of wife-beating or slapping around an innocent western girl.

[–] highroller48 18 years ago

My guess is that today's Hollywood, with their decided dislike of the Iraq war, would probably paint the Mujahideen the same way as in the original - Average people having their own morality and values challenged by the rage that comes from a foreign attack on their homes.

However, the description of this movie by different sources would likely be very amusing:

Fox News: "A group of radical, psychotic terrorists pursues an heroic Tank troop after they are forced to defend themselves against barbaric, hostile Muslims."

Michael Moore: "Brave Flint, Michigan citizens, whose children Bush has personally beaten, chase a Haliburton tank through the desert"

National Enquirer: "Nomads pursue Alien monstrosity, capture Extra-Terrestrial 'Storm Troopers'!"

[–] JerryCantrell 18 years ago

Very clever Highroller48 :)

[–] protazek 18 years ago

:-) good. And european state owned tv station: "American mercenaries hired by Israelis run with stolen oil from european supported natives" or whatever they have got out there, maybe camel manure.

Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

[–] bobbyp1966 18 years ago

Not necessarily; Indeed they sound like the 'dirka-dirka mohammed jihad" in the body of the film (Very interesting language they speak...I won't tell the South Park boyz you used a phrase from "Christmas in Afghanistan", LOL), but, much like today, we are all completely naive of Muslim culture...in both general and specific aspects.

A good movie to watch is "Osama", a fact-based fiction movie based on the Taliban occupation of Afghanistan and a little girl's struggle to keep her family fed.

[–] don_juan 18 years ago

it's from "team america: world police"...i guess u guys had a different title. :) well u know to someone that doesnt know english...the english language probably sounds like "dirka dirka" too.

"osama"...that movie is utter BS. i've talked to afghans that were in afghanistan during the taliban occupation, first hand....(the ones who opposed the taliban)...and even they agree that the film is so full of it. all those women's protests and firing upon civilian crowds and all that stuff never even happened. a good movie would be one made on the stuff that is happening in afghanistan at the moment, with the current government.

Just look at the title of the movie "Osama" (PS:not even an afghan name).... it's obvious it was made just to cash in on unknowing/curious audiences, wanting to watch a movie with something to do with 9-11

[–] PTRD_Gunner 18 years ago

I don't think the movie would be changed much at all.

The tank crew was a cross section of the entire Russian army in Afghanistan. The brutal leadership, the soldier that reviles in state sanctioned death and destruction, the frightened "green" soldier than never even heard of the country he is invading till he was drafted, the local who joins the invaders because he thinks they offer a better way of life, and finally the soldier that disagrees with the war itself.

And then there were the Afghans. The poor innocent villagers were armed with WWII, WWI, and US civil war era technology. Meanwhile the Bandit thug brother and his men were armed with much better and modern weapons.

Too much is known today about the dirty laundry and backroom dealings of both sides in the Soviet-Afghan war to try and make it into a cliche "Good guys vs Bad guys" story.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] wrathofachilles 18 years ago

If the movie were made now, it would probably be about an Israeli tank lost in Lebanon (it would be way too contraversial to make a movie like this about Iraq, at least now), and the Hezbollah guerillas replacing the mujaheddin would be portrayed SLIGHTLY more negatively.

[–] pressina 16 years ago

LOL, I agree with don juan.

[–] don_juan 16 years ago

thanks pressina :)

[–] pressina 16 years ago

You're welcome! I've read your other posts about this film and I like them; you know what you're talking about...

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Xcalat3 16 years ago

the same but with Americans in Iraq

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...