MovieChat Forums > 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003) Discussion > As a Romanian this is my oppinion

As a Romanian this is my oppinion

posted 20 years ago by msigarteu
108 replies | jump to latest

Watching movies is one of my hobbies, so, of course I like American movies the most, but there is one thing that I really HATE on American movies!... that is making Europeans look stupid! As for Romanians, I haven't seen yet a movie in which we are shown in a good light, a movie in which the poverty isn't shown, or other bad things from here, or trying not to focus on our problems.
When I started to watch this movie, I was amazed that a Romanian participated in a bank heist... because (as far as I know) there was never a bank robbery... about 2-3 years ago a Greek (Konstantinos Passaris) went into an exchange office in Bucharest and killed 2 people, got away with 150.000$, but was found by the police and sentenced to life in prison,... in Romania, I believe, and it started a huge scandal and everyday on the news everybody was talking about this... that is the most important event with weapons from Romania. I'm trying to say that it is unusual for someone to rob a bank in Romania, as for Emil don'tknowhow, I don't know what was in his mind.
I was very angry when I heard Emil's accent in the movie. Romania is the only LATIN people in Eastern Europe, and of course we were communists, but that has nothing to do with the Russian language. If you (Americans) are making a movie, first investigate, find out how's our language and then do the accent, or leave it! And with Germany we don't have anything in common!
As for other countries from Europe I have seen a lot of movies in which you show only stupidities! Like in the movie "Eurotrip", some students want to go to Germany, and by some mistake they arrive in Slovakia, (beautiful country with a lot more history than the US - any country from Europe has a lot more history than the US) and the country looks like after WW2.
This is the only thing that I hate about Americans: that you think you are so better that any other country, that you are the smartest! You aren’t! You made your economy grow with the two world wars, made the money from the Europeans, and let’s not forget that you hadn't wars on your territory, except the independence war, don't know how many hundred’s years ago, and think about if Germany, for an example, it was devastated after two world wars lost... and they rebuilt their country and it looks great!!! But almost every country in Europe was devastated after the war, and some of them had the power to rebuild and others not, and remained down.
So please be more respectful with the Europeans because we are respecting you, and we are not making fun of your problems like you do, in stupid movies.
And to “CarriePhillips” who wrote “And the driver of the truck that the second robber Emil Matasareanu comandeered, didn't take his keys with him, it was an older truck and he locked the ignition......(not with the key) its a switch. Emil didn't know how to work it. He'd obviously never been in a vehicle like that before” I am sorry “miss you know everything”, but not everyone is expert in stealing cars, like you probably are! So leave it! I’m sure you don’t know a lot of other things that to someone else seem very easy.

[–] macncrab 19 years ago

Sir,

You are, quite clearly, an angry and somewhat disturbed person who has a gigantic chip on his shoulder for some reason. Simply because one of these violent and despicable bank robbers was a Romanian has nothing to do with you, or your heritage. Perhaps the accent of the Romanian character was not quite accurate, but I fail to see how that justifies a five month long argument and tirade against The United States and Americans. I've seen some of your other posts on this subject, and you have said things such as "this sort of robbery could only happen in America" and that we Americans "are all crazy". I wonder if you realize how foolish and stupid you sound when you write things like that. The country in which you live is a somewhat antiquated and corrupt peasant society with no economic base whatsoever. The Soviet Union was carrying Romania on its back for decades. And, we may have George Bush, which is bad enough, but I seem to remember Romania having its own ridiculous dictator not too long ago, Nikolai Ceaucescu. I don't recall anyone in your country doing very much to oust him over the years. I think that you should calm down a bit. You've taken a movie based on a true story and turned it into a diatribe against Americans and The United States. Meanwhile, one of the robbers (and perhaps the more violent of the two) was of your own nationality. In responce to your ramblings, I could easily say that if Emil Matasareanu hadn't been an immigrant to this country to begin with, a lot of people wouldn't have been shot, and a lot banks wouldn't have been robbed. The man was a piece of trash, and the world is a better place without him. I'm sorry he chose America as his place of residence.

And, please: if you're going to discuss American history please check your facts first. Your knowledge of The U.S. and its history is not at all accurate.

[–] msigarteu 19 years ago

First of all: What the *beep* is your problem?
I just have excused myself for what i have said. You are just copying what other users have said. Sir. What the *beep* is with that? Sir.. you are weird! Wacko!
You were saying: "And, please: if you're going to discuss American history please check your facts first. Your knowledge of The U.S. and its history is not at all accurate"
Are you sure that "The Soviet Union was carrying Romania on its back for decades"? You have problems man... If this is true tnah you americans are all crazyyy :)))

You know something? WHATEVERRRR!!!

[–] erinday 19 years ago

Does anyone else but me find it extremely humorous when individuals choose to engage in heated "America Sucks" and other types of political rhetoric on a message board dedicated to a movie? And what movie? "Fahrenheit 911"? No. "Bush's Brain"? No. "44 Minutes in North Hollywood". A movie that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with ANY of this silliness, except that one of the robbers happened to be Romanian.

"Can't we all just get along?"

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] cgheorghe_ro 19 years ago

Man, I am a Romanian too, I have to say one thing: the americans like to change in the movies all the legends, myths, heroes, and turn all of it in a hollywood story, only for commercial reason. I can take some examples: on TV series like HERCULES, XENA, or recent movies like TROY, even some screen or TV versions of adventures classic novels, like from JUles VErne and AC Doyle. I think that if an american kid is watching TROY will have a VERY distorted opinion and knowledge about the Homer's Piece of art. ( for the people who are confused: Homer was an ancient poet, I am not taking about Homer Simpson). As a conclusion, what I want to say, is the following: if the director of 44 minutes thought that the people will like th eRomanian badass to speak a russian based language, he did so. Only for commetrcial movies. This is the ONLY rule of the american recipe, in 99% of the movies.

[–] msigarteu 19 years ago

for cgheorghe_ro: what you are speaeking about is *beep* man! These are MOVIES, not documanetaryes! In a movie you have to "double the action, triple the excitement" like Pablo Francisco said :)), these are made for people to go to the cinema and see a good and entertaining movie, the subject close to the reality, cause i'm sure that you haven't went to a single documentary to the cinema, am i right?

So what you are speaking about is off the subject!
And beacuse YOU know for 2 days who Homer is, and want to play the intellingent one, doesn't mean nobody knows! "The ancient poet, not Homer Simpson" :)))

[–] jane_noneyabusiness 19 years ago

Ok,Msigarteu,that's enough. Can't you see you're going nowhere with these posts? What do you want to prove?
I'm a Romaninan also,I admit I'm frustrated all the times when I hear something about us which is not true.Yes, I'm sick and tired of seing "documentaries" about Romania in which they show only pauverty,but what can I do? What can you do? Besides acting like a crazy nationalist.. Almost anyone of us defends his country so..no one's wrong in here.
For those who did not understand:the subject is not about Emil being Romanian, it is about the way americans put other countries in a bad light in their movies. We shouldn't react that violently, afterall I'm sure we're doing the same thing when it comes to gipsies or arabian lifestyle.
I've had some bad experiences with americans-for example when I told one I'm Romanian he started shouting at me that I'm a Nazi. One asked me if I ever heard of tv and stuff like that. That's because of their sense of superiority above any other nation than themselves.No one can argue with me about that. Personally I can pass al that, but the one thing that is on my mind -and is not related to the subject - is the amount of crimes in America.Every kid can have a gun,shoot its colleagues,parents etc. So many cases in which the murderers, considered before normal people, need psychiatric help.
cgheorghe2 obviously made a point, Msigarteu, no need to get crunky again. Si in caz ca nu te-ai prins, faza cu Homer le era adresata, noi mai invatam cate ceva pe la scoala, you know :P

[–] deanofrpps 19 years ago

most violent crime in us is committed by foreignors,,, they owe us no loyalty and show it ,,, truly a compelling drama

HA Andrews

[–] msigarteu 19 years ago

Do you know about Charles Whitman, deanofrpps? He was American...

[–] deanofrpps 19 years ago

visit a lockup in any major city most detainees are foreign born and on the dole to boot ,,, march them to the water's edge ,,,

HA Andrews

[–] bhuttu 19 years ago

Ok, I understand my post comes too late in here, but I just have to say it.

First, I am a Romanian, but let's just leave this like that. I'm sick of both "undocumented stupid Americans and their movies" issue and of the actual lack of documentation as I would be from too much pepper on my steak.

It is a Romanian writer and historian, Adrian Cioroianu, that said - a while ago - that America(the US) is a far more intelligent nation that the Europeans like to think. This applies to the people, too.

Personally, I always say I don't like Americans, but all the Americans I've known in person proved to be nice people and, even more important, more educated people than I would've expected.

It is a lot of s**t going on with the American politics, but that's kinda normal and there's little anyone can do about it.

The biological race of most Romanian people is "caucazian", and that leads to confusions. Romania has nothing to do with the Caucazian Mountains(between the Former USSR and Turkey).

Nowadays we have the Internet, and we can use it not to throw insults at each pther, but to learn about each other. Just go to Google.com and type "Romania". Or "USA". Or "Italy". Or "Uganda". And there it is, with geography, history, the goods and the bads.

But there is ONE MAJOR FLAW that I'd like to point out in the MOVIE. There is this line in the movie:
"Hey, you're from Romania. You're practically German."

Now, I don't know how the line came up(bad documentation-I guess, actual dialogue between the robbers back then-I doubt, a joke-I hope), but it's absolutely *beep* horrible. The only connection between Romanians and Germans that I can come out with is that there are small German comunities living in Romania since the XIII-th century. I don't think the scriptwriter(s) thought that far.

That's it. I don't want to kill any American, I'm no lesser Romanian and I'm not even mad about that line. It just amused me. I had a good laugh at it.

[–] deanofrpps 19 years ago

And we love foreignors too when they stay where they belong

And of course youre pratically Germans, that's why we needed to have Mother Russia watch you folks after WW II

HA Andrews

[–] bhuttu 19 years ago

I'd wish USA to have Mother Russia watching over it 50 years. It would defenetly help the people understand themselves.

[–] deanofrpps 19 years ago

The thought of the semetry of the world divided at the Elbe River is most appropriate at this time with the huge celebration in Moskva marking defeat of the fascist powers Roumania being among the German allies vanquished. Why, the parade of The Red Army was attended by President George Bush with Red Rose in hand. Indeed with President Bush hand over his heart at the parade of The Red Army with its WWII era banner, Americans ought to Restore `The Spirit of The Elbe.'

Foreignors only commit crime here. Stay it's best we keep them where they belong under proper tutlegdge to curb their excessive streaks of violence that they unleash whenever they come here!

A Cheery Cherio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA Andrews

[–] bhuttu 19 years ago

Dear darling American Citizen,

Although I tried to speak your language(English in fact, you don't have a language of yours) I didn't make myself understood. I'll try again.

America was bulit by foreigners. It's true, they only commited crimes there, but that's how your nation was built. If you're not happy with the nowadays immigrants that you have, well, you still have to take them in. They're the result of the US foreign policy that you're so proud of. Me for one I don't have any intention to settle in the US because I very much like my country.

And now, a little history lesson. Although Romania finished WWII as a vaquished country, Romania joined the Allies at August 23rd, 1944. That meant:
- Russia could break the southern German front(Crimeea and north Black Sea),which was maintained mainly by Romanian troops;
- The German Army was pushed back around 500 miles(the entire Romanian territory) in a single month(August 23rd - October 25th 1944);
- WWII was greatly shortened by Romania's act, Romanian army being the first to march in Budapest(Hungarian capital) and the first to take on the German army in Eastern Czech Republic.

The 50 years of Communism that we had to pass through afterwards were all because of the International interests, and Romania is a too little country to fight that. That's bad luck, not bad people. I have some more stories that I'd like to share with you, but this is not the place. Tell me how curious you are.

I'm sorry that this post of mine had nothing to do with the movie, I hope it was the last time. I'll try to refrain from anymore history in the future.

[–] deanofrpps 19 years ago

Dear Daccian:

And greetings to the land of Trajan: indeed we do stray from the movie into the root causes of america's social problems with immigration.

On language, i understand your language is closer to Roman Latin than modern French or Spanish or even Italian and therefore is no more "native" to its land than Amer-speak a tongue which even Prince Charles dreads to call English. Regretfully few Americans speak any civilized language other than the local patois.

And if we live in days of the sunset on America's fortunes as all Empires even that of the Romans of which your sector of the world is a reminder, eventually fail, be it remembered that in 1945 the Americans did what no Roman Emperor accomplished: crossed the Rhine and civilised the Alegmeini.

Feel free to fill me in on Romananian history. I am by no means as closed minded as it appears or as you might think. B @ l l Breaking is an established American tradition to draw out further information.

A Cheerie Cherio
HA Andrews

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] ana_lizzie 17 years ago

"most violent crime in us is committed by foreignors" (notice the missing plural in that sentence?!)

i know i'm 2 years too late...but i had to say something.
first, i do believe it's 'foreigners' not 'foreignors'.
second, i'll give you a short list of names. i'll explain later (they might not ring a bell):

-ted bundy
-charles manson
-albert fish
-Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols, and too many more...

ring any bells? (if not: www.crimelibrary.com or *beep*
before you say that poor harmless america is overrun by foreign scumbags looking to rob banks and use their WMD(weapons of mass-destrusction)look in america's back yard...i think you'll find that the worst of the worst are, in fact, americans.

every country has it's criminals. EVERY COUNTRY. before you say how many fellons are born outside the US, focus on how many are born there. i mean it's not like you live in freaking wonderland where everyone is so freaking hippie and there's no crime...you have SWAT, FBI, CIA, cops, SEAL, etc. who the hell are they fighting? oh right the 'foreignors' --> some representation you give for americans...you can't even spell...

[–] deanofrpps 17 years ago

You cite the three you know; most crimes particularly in the major cities are commited by foreign born. They need to stay where they belong. With the Roumanians implicated in the 44 minutes caper, a quick trip to a gulug would be all we need to deter them.

HA Andrews

[–] Fisherman82 10 years ago

7 years late but he is right. Two USA soldiers just raped a pregnant Romania girl in Italy. So yes, foreigners (the two soldiers) do most violent crimes.

No Raylan, I'm gonna bet my life on you being the only friend I have left in this world.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Renaldo Matlin 19 years ago

I'm Norwegian (to people outside Europe that means somebody from Norway, in north western Europe). I thought this movie was one of the best based-on-true-events-cop-TV-movies I've seen in a long time. Very intense all the way, and a great tribute to the courage of the LAPD officers who risked their lives on this crazy day (it's always good to be reminded that chicken cops like those who used Rodney King like a pinata, and those clowns who handcuffed that kindergarten kid in Florida does not make out the majority of US police officers).

All though I think the United States has some faults (no country is perfect), so does beautiful countries with a long history like Romania (heck even a perfect country like Norway has it's faults, heh) but I can't wait for the day when I hopefully can visit the US myself, and see great places like the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley (being a John Ford fan and all), or just take in the atmosphere in a metropolis like New York City.

All this said, I need to correct some comments in this thread:

1. The US (Alaska) is closer to Russia than Romania.

2. The industrial revolution began in the UNITED KINGDOM, not the US. This is something you should know from a good history teacher, all though a friend of mine in Kansas (who majors in history in college) claims classes in US 1-12 grades suck when it comes to INTERNATIONAL history, but that's another debate.

All this said, please don't stoop so low in a debate as to attack the grammar of people who don't have English as their native language.

"There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America." - Bill Clinton

[–] apcerdin 19 years ago

*beep* yer gods!*beep* yer religions! *beep* yer nationality! *beep* yer racism! *beep* yer american movies and romanian movies! *beep* you all! go to sleep .... and yes i am a romanian aswell *beep* my spelling! and btw *beep* yours too!

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[–] bootserver333 19 years ago

wow...what a "battle"

maybe i am late but it was nice to see that someone knows about romania..and rusia.....and germany....about europe...

it's hard for americans to realise that 87% of them are foreign or half foreign..or have some european(mexican) background!! i think the point of this post was another one(and i hope that all of you understand this): there are mistakes in the movies..yes, one of the bad guy had a romanian background(but usa citizien)...but why to point this out in the begining of the movie..and to conect with germany.....stupid stupid....MISTAKE well i think that's way AMERICANS ARE HEROES THE BAD GUYS ARE NOT FROM THIS COUNTRY!!!

i think that europe is beautiful and the people are beautiful..and they are not so fat beacuse of mcdonald..try a french restaurant...some italian food....some great european music....

about american history..talk about it in 2000 years..if you will be americans...

PS my english is not so good but i know 5 languages and don't even try to say a word that i don't write well....or my sentences is not good....

for teddiebearbunny "I met a Vietnamese dude once!! He was nice! *smiles* " that is hipocrit argument if i were from vietnam i would be so angry....but..well..this is the american way....

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] msigarteu 18 years ago

Hello... i'm back :)

First... i can't believe it had passed only 1 year since my first comment on this movie. It feels so long because maybe i've changed. Hell... i feel like i've changed a lot, because now, i have read all the posts from the begining to the end, and it is pathetic. My arguements are pathetic. I guess i wanted to hear from an american how stupid he is and how right i am. I don't know what i wanted to prove.

I just wanted to say that i was wrong. It was only a movie and movies are made for entertainment. I'm sure that the most of you are great guys, like i'm sure that many irakis or afghans are good guys. I'm trying to say that when it comes to patriotism everyone defends his country, is that romania, the US, Irak or any other.

I hope i'll get a VISA this year to go to the US to work during the vacation. I'm looking forward to visit USA.

Peace! :)

P.S. teddiebearbunny's joke was very funny :)))))))

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] wackeychan 18 years ago

Msigarteu! It's been so long!

official website: www.wackeychan.com

[–] trigster 17 years ago

Well done msigarteu.

[–] wackeychan 17 years ago

msigarteu, pm me next time you happen upon this thread yeah?

official website: www.wackeychan.com

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] pimpong 18 years ago

I didn't have the time to read all of it ... but it made me feel good that msigarteu had a "1 year late" resolution on the matter ... ;)

I am also a Romanian ... and i gotta say that from all the jerks I know (that's a lot !!) ... 99.99% of them are Romanians ... :))

You might say that's normal ... you're right ...
But I am also right that being ignorant is not something that is always in our power to mend ... If there is only sheit in the newspapers ... the next day sheit is the only thing people will talk about ... and they will not know any better then they're let to find out about the world ...

Know this ... every american - english - german - italian - australian - african - iraqi I've ever met ... changed their opinion on Romania after they visited our country ...

The WORLD is much bigger and more beautiful than we conceive ...
God bless you all ... including America !

[–] inkashui 17 years ago

DIdnt have time to read it all,got bored after first 10 or so posts.I am Romanian also,i like America,their brands,their economy...I also like Europe,in every of its aspects.I hate the way we tend to minimize such great blocks and cultures to colours and egos.Michio Kaku said this century is a big loop in our civilization:we project ourselves into a trully planetarian civilization or go back 1.000 years or more.I think this head2head discussion only take us back,try to enjoy the real life and stop arguing for nothing.

Would smoke some *%^# with any of you,either american or european.And yea,i can speak english with 3 accents also:D

*$^& teh corporate world b1atx!!!!!!1111oneone lol