Ben Affleck won big with “Argo” taking home top prizes at the Oscars. Best Picture, Best Adapted Screen Play, and Best Film Editing, but some people aren’t too happy with him. Particularly New Zealanders and Iranians who think that references to their countries involvement in the film were false or unfair. Though the movie has done well in New Zealand, grossing over 1 Million dollars to date, some New Zealanders have taken offense to one quote in reference to their help or lack thereof to save the group of americans in Iran. In the scene a CIA agent is asking his superior what happend to a group of Americans when the US embassy was attacked in Iran, to which his superior replied, “The six of them went out a back exit, Brits turned them away. Kiwis turned them away. Canadians took them in.” Though it has been documented that New Zealanders did indeed help in the situation the movie was written with a dramatic effect. Even the thrilling tarmac chase scene at the end is a jazzed up version of the actual events, and the Iranians are upset at their depiction in the film. It is however important that we remember, though this is based on a true story, it is still cinema and should be judged only as such. It is not a literal account of events, but a Multi Million dollar grossing movie, and it wasn’t the only one of 2012’s biggest movies that used artistic liberties to make movies more thrilling for viewers. Hit the jump for more.
PaulDaPro
Ben Affleck made a statement to reporters last month saying “Let me just start by saying I Love New Zealand, and New Zealanders!” I’m sure he meant no harm.
