Vitamin Z vs. Finding Fidel
Many people have been critical of Oliver Stone, and I think rightfully so in many cases. No one can ever really doubt his ability as a director, but sometimes he politizes his subjects, which often are non-fictional.
JFK is an obvious example, as he twisted facts and fiction into a hybrid of truth, shaky evidence and outright storytelling--into a picture that some treated as if it was historical fact.
Stone was under fire recently for a documentary he did about Fidel Castro, called Comandante which was criticized as a glorified fluff piece of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Stone had a response for his critics with a followup, the remarkable Finding Fidel, in which he drops all politeness and drills this horrible horrible man (editorializing on my part) with hard questions regarding human rights, trials of Cubans, and the future of leadership in Cuba.
Why is it remarkable?
Because the director, who according to imdb.com, is a friend and admirer of the dictator, does not dance around. He asks why hijackers were immediatly put to trial, convicted and executed within a matter of weeks in 2003. He asks why Castro hasn't groomed a successor.
He asks the questions anyone would want to ask the Bearded one, but behind bullet-proof glass. Stone does it a mere inches away.
The man has guts.
Then he asks a number of prisoners questions about why they commited crimes--with Fidel watching. Surprisingly, none blame the dictator, but rather difficult economic times brought on by the Americans. Fidel then talks with them and asks them what their punishments should be. None of the prisoners say anything less than 30 years. None got any less than 30 years.
Fidel comes off badly in the interview, for obvious reasons. He claims Cuba belongs to the people, but Stone--and the audience, remain unconvinced.
Powerful and strong, I applaud Stone. This is a film everyone should see. They get into much more than I could get into here, and it is gripping from beginning to end.
Castro looked surprised Stone was so hard on him.
So was I, and I'd thank him for that.
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