Borat - The Movie

[troutman]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2198&p=.htm

Borat invaded the entire nation, tripling its theater count, and remained the top draw for the second weekend in a row.

Fox reported that Borat's 837 holdover theaters were down about 30 percent, which means they accounted for $18.5 million of the movie's $29 million weekend and averaged $22,000 per site. The 1,729 additional theaters contributed $10.5 million, averaging $6,000 per site. In other words, the original theaters on average saw more than three and a half times the business of the new theaters.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=borat.htm

[Flame On]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Yeah, I don't think a lot of people do, and that's a shame for two reasons:
1) people can get the wrong impression of the guy, they see him as a jerk, or worse, an actual hate mongering anti-semite, instead of the self deprecating hilarity factory that he is
2) It is so much funnier when you see him do scenes like "The running of the Jew" when you realize that he is Jewish.

I don't see it as purely self depricating I see him as pointing to anti semitism prejudices in general.

[troutman]

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdail...-things-borat/

We’re calling it Sachamania, and every day this week, we’ll unroll the definitive clips from Sacha Baron Cohen’s video history. Today we document the great American celebrity ritual: visiting the talk shows. It’s possible no one’s ever done it as well as Borat. Check out our top seven picks.

[Cheese]

Romanians now angry at Borat

Nicolae Staicu, leader of the 1,670 Gypsies, or Roma, who eke out a living in one of the most impoverished corners of Romania, said he and other officials would meet with a public ombudsman on Wednesday to map out a legal strategy against Cohen and "Borat" distributor 20th Century Fox.

Seems Sasha will have a few legal loopholes before its all said and done.

[Hack&Lube]

Borat Punched in face on New York Streets:

Haha! Sasha couldn't resist staying in character even off the cameras and when he tried one of his Borat sexual advances on the streets the night after performing on Saturday Night Live, he was attacked by the victim of his prank.

Even better, Borat was saved by his fellow British comedian Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) who had just performed on SNL that night with him.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/...ectid=10410655

[MacDougalbry]

Saw this movie on Sunday and I have to say that I don't get it... Oh, I laughed like crazy, but I don't get how people can say that this shouldn't be offensive to Kazakhs. I think if I was from Kazakhstan, or even just Muslim, I'd be offended as hell. I believe the line of reasoning was that it was "OK" because the movie is REALLY a damning condemnation of Americans, but I really didn't find it that "anti-american." Frankly, of the spoliers I read before the movie, the only that truly lived up to billing was the old fart at the rodeo.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by MacDougalbry

Saw this movie on Sunday and I have to say that I don't get it... Oh, I laughed like crazy, but I don't get how people can say that this shouldn't be offensive to Kazakhs. I think if I was from Kazakhstan, or even just Muslim, I'd be offended as hell. I believe the line of reasoning was that it was "OK" because the movie is REALLY a damning condemnation of Americans, but I really didn't find it that "anti-american." Frankly, of the spoliers I read before the movie, the only that truly lived up to billing was the old fart at the rodeo.

I have to disagree. This movie is a scathing indictment of red-state America. I'll give you some examples beyond the rodeo manager, who was admittedly among the worst. But there was also the gun-shop owner who when asked what the best gun for "killing a Jew" would be, unblinkingly answers "that would be your 9mm." Then there's the car dealer--Borat asks if the Hummer would be damaged if he ran over "a pack of gypsies." The guy pauses and seems to think about it. "That depends on how hard you hit them, I guess," he finally answers

Then there were the frat guys who wish that women were their slaves--and then wistfully comment that America would be better off if slavery were back. Not to mention the genteel southerners who tolerate his bringing a bag of feces to the dinner table but draw the line at an African-American prostitute.

Yeah, I'd say this is about America. I doubt Cohen even knows where Kazakhstan is. The village in the movie is in Romania.

[RougeUnderoos]

I think the whole thing is pretty funny, but it appears that they had some pretty shady filming practices. There can't be much sympathy for those frat boys, but getting them drunk beforehand is very Jerry Springer-ish.

Treating those poor Romanians like that is pretty harsh. They should pony up some of the money they are raking in and I don't know, build that village a school or something.

[troutman]

Today's Calgary Herald:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...f-2f746662f45a

Borat gets best of movie victims

People make jerks of themselves in box office smash

While teaching American humour to a gregarious and absurdly out-of-touch foreign journalist, Pat Haggerty realized something was off -- who WAS this guy?

[MacDougalbry]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I have to disagree. This movie is a scathing indictment of red-state America. I'll give you some examples beyond the rodeo manager, who was admittedly among the worst. But there was also the gun-shop owner who when asked what the best gun for "killing a Jew" would be, unblinkingly answers "that would be your 9mm." Then there's the car dealer--Borat asks if the Hummer would be damaged if he ran over "a pack of gypsies." The guy pauses and seems to think about it. "That depends on how hard you hit them, I guess," he finally answers.

Would someone from Canada answer differently? If some crazy guy with a camera comes into your store and starts spouting off insanity, are you going to confront him? I am sure that you will answer "Yes'... but it is so easy to say exactly how you'd act when placed in a situation you've never actually been placed in. Maybe you're even doubting you're even sure you've heard him correctly? There was about 30 seconds of footage from that particular "skit." Interesting that they did not show how the situation in the gun store actually ended.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I have to disagree. This movie is a scathing indictment of red-state America. I'll give you some examples beyond the rodeo manager, who was admittedly among the worst. But there was also the gun-shop owner who when asked what the best gun for "killing a Jew" would be, unblinkingly answers "that would be your 9mm." Then there's the car dealer--Borat asks if the Hummer would be damaged if he ran over "a pack of gypsies." The guy pauses and seems to think about it. "That depends on how hard you hit them, I guess," he finally answers

Then there were the frat guys who wish that women were their slaves--and then wistfully comment that America would be better off if slavery were back. Not to mention the genteel southerners who tolerate his bringing a bag of feces to the dinner table but draw the line at an African-American prostitute.

Yeah, I'd say this is about America. I doubt Cohen even knows where Kazakhstan is. The village in the movie is in Romania.

Actually, Cohen went to Cambridge. He probably knows a lot about Kazazhstan and that part of the world... thats what makes his humor so attractive. Its horribly lowbrow, and ignorant, yet educated.

As for the scathing indictment of red state America... I dunno about that one. I think if you went to gun shops, car dealerships and frat parties here (or in Liberal Toronto) and asked the same questions about guns, cars and slaves masquerading as an immigrant... you'd probably get similar answers from Canadians. The salespeople were being polite and were clearly uncomfortable with Borat. Frat guys are typically mysogynist simpletons... that would be the same in any state (or province).

As for the genteel Southerners... I think they were shocked by the feces bag... but were generally ignorant of Borat's "ignorance" and were again, trying to be polite. I think bringing any prostitute into the house (and the connotation of that) would have illicited the same shock value... her being black was just the irrelevant icing on the cake. They simply had enough.

Borat is a humorous depiction of the lack of knowledge between the west and third world countries. He's not specifically a critique on the US. He did the same thing in the UK before he caught on here.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by MacDougalbry

Would someone from Canada answer differently? If some crazy guy with a camera comes into your store and starts spouting off insanity, are you going to confront him? I am sure that you will answer "Yes'... but it is so easy to say exactly how you'd act when placed in a situation you've never actually been placed in. Maybe you're even doubting you even sure you've heard him correctly? There was about 30 seconds of footage from that particular "skit." Interesting that they did not show how the situation in the gun story actually ended.

I don't own a gun shop. But if someone asks me what the best gun for "killing a Jew" is, I'm pretty sure the right answer is always "get out of my store."

[MacDougalbry]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I don't own a gun shop. But if someone asks me what the best gun for "killing a Jew" is, I'm pretty sure the right answer is always "get out of my store."

And how do you know that wasn't his ultimate answer?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I don't own a gun shop. But if someone asks me what the best gun for "killing a Jew" is, I'm pretty sure the right answer is always "get out of my store."

The right thing for him to do was to refuse to sell him a gun... and he refused Borat.

People in retail encounter a lot of very strange and offensve people... simply telling him to F.O. would have been a classic sign of ethnic intolerance. Even if he was being offensive to our sensibilities.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

The right thing for him to do was to refuse to sell him a gun... and he refused Borat.

People in retail encounter a lot of very strange and offensve people... simply telling him to F.O. would have been a classic sign of ethnic intolerance. Even if he was being offensive to our sensibilities.

Yeah, he refused to sell him a gun because he's "not American"--and to me he didn't seem that offended, I have to tell you. The car dealer even less so. As for whether we get the whole story, that just substantiates my point. Whether you agree with his tactics or not, the point is Cohen trying to get Americans to paint themselves as intolerant rubes.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Yeah, he refused to sell him a gun because he's "not American"--and to me he didn't seem that offended, I have to tell you. The car dealer even less so. As for whether we get the whole story, that just substantiates my point. Whether you agree with his tactics or not, the point is Cohen trying to get Americans to paint themselves as intolerant rubes.

I think you got it backwards.... I think its more tolerant to a fault. (with the exception of the guy at the rodeo). They tolerate jew bashing, gypsy bashing, feces in a bag, all in the name of being American. "I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

I personally got the feeling they were not comfortable. I guess we saw it differently. Well again, except the Rodeo guy and the Frat boys... but there are morons in every crowd, anywhere.

Like I said, it just pokes fun at cultural differences, and the funny and offensive situations that can arise out of a particularly offensive foreigner wreaking havoc in the west. Conventional wisdom says that Britons are not ignorant rubes... yet Borat did the same thing to them.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Yeah, he refused to sell him a gun because he's "not American"--and to me he didn't seem that offended, I have to tell you. The car dealer even less so. As for whether we get the whole story, that just substantiates my point. Whether you agree with his tactics or not, the point is Cohen trying to get Americans to paint themselves as intolerant rubes.

No he is not as an earlier poster brought up he did the same thing in England before the US when he used to do Borat for Da Ali G show.

[MacDougalbry]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Yeah, he refused to sell him a gun because he's "not American"--and to me he didn't seem that offended, I have to tell you. The car dealer even less so. As for whether we get the whole story, that just substantiates my point. Whether you agree with his tactics or not, the point is Cohen trying to get Americans to paint themselves as intolerant rubes.

I'm not saying that there is no racism exposed in the movie... Just not as severe as I was expecting, given the hype and the fact that he was travelling through the Southern states.

Tell me how it should not be offensive to some Kazaks or muslims...

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by MacDougalbry

Tell me how it should not be offensive to some Kazaks or muslims...

It would be like me being offended at the depiction of the Icelandic National Hockey Team in the "Mighty Ducks" movie. It's so far off base that it's obvious that it has nothing to do with Iceland at all.

Cohen doesn't appear to realize that the main religion of Kazakhstan is Islam--or doesn't care. (Borat claims to worship "The Hawk.") But it may be more important that NOBODY ELSE realizes that he's a fraud, even when it seems obvious. Even a local news organization gets duped--you'd think they'd have some ability to fact-check.

Your point seems to be that he edits his dialogues to make the Americans he portrays look dumber--and I think you're probably right about that. I'm not saying that he goes about it fairly, or even that he's right--I'm just saying that the point of this kind of comedy is not his character but the reactions of other people to his character. I don't think that's really that debatable a point, but as with all things we're both entitled to our opinions.

As for the prostitute, it's pretty clear to me that Cohen's point is that an African American prostitute is less acceptable to his hosts at the dinner table than a bag of feces. Whether you agree with him is up to you--but it seems to me that this is what he's saying.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Have they remodeled/upgraded Eau Claire in the last few years?

The last time I was there was to see U-571. I'm 6'2" , so I had no legroom and the seats weren't very comfortable. I bought a pop and returned it because I couldn't taste what flavour it was. The replacement was just as bad, and they told me that was just the way it was. So I have never been back.

Have they corrected any of those issues?

I went to the Sat night show - it's in the largest theatre (but not the IMAX theatre they took over) that they have and it was 90% full.

The main theatres still have the awful 80's era low back seating. But it's only $9 a ticket and it's better than battling the teeny boppers at Chinook. Parking's $2 at night and weekends.