Harvey Weinstein Redux-Redux
Harvey Weinstein
V-I-C-T-I-M
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The Reviled Hollywood Staple Has a Decision To Make
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MIRAMAX
Per Internet sources:
“Independent era (1979–1993) The [MIRAMAX] company was founded by the brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein in Buffalo, New York in 1979, and was named by combining the first names of their parents Miriam and Max. It was created to distribute independent films deemed commercially unfeasible by the major studios…”
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Hollywoodland
For better or for worse, human nature has likely remained unchanged for the brief tenure of human existence on planet earth. It might have been due to the dearth of technology over the course of those relatively few thousands of years. That we just hadn’t been able to see the notable variations of our nature until their ready, ubiquitous display, which today is aided by the invasive precision that comes with instant communication access that rests in the literal grasp of nearly everyone.
With that said. Certain facts about our nature, though now easy to see are, nonetheless hard to digest.
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One fact being that the oft fast-and-loose lifestyle of so many of the rich and famous that bask in the bright lights of Hollywood; as well as the not-so rich and not-so-famous occupants of the shadow side of both the place and its vaunted culture: live a truly, ‘alternative-lifestyle’. A lifestyle different than that engaged and understood by most of we the balance of American society that is: the great unwashed.
Included within an obsessively heralded, glitzy existence is a universal belief enthusiastically embraced by we, loyal and avid Hollywood-watchers. A belief that: there is a strong encouragement towards quick-and-easy sexual “relationships” by, between and among the general population of that “industry”.
The might of the Hollywood powers-that-be which, is vested either by virtue of personal suasion or raw institutional puissance, is palpable. Often as palpable as is the natural allure of the considerable, physical attributes possessed by the sea of constituents who, for generations have constantly engulfed the place like so many waves of “talent”.
They continuously churn and crash and cascade. These waves. All along the shore of a studio-studded beachhead that has as its backdrop: the Hollywood Hills.
Hollywoodland was once the name of a place now known as “Hollywood”. Whether, the name change was occasioned by a convenient “LAND” lopping of long decaying and faded hillside signage. Or, it was the result of a deliberate effort at “re-branding” what was once a Mount Lee real estate venture. Remains to be seen.
Suffice it to say, however. That “Hollywood”, whether a: place, industry, lifestyle, mindset, or a fantastic concept. Or whatever.
Is the gold standard in a global film fraternity and, as a term, is descriptive of a particular style that is known and respected and imitated the world over. Amen.
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Rome
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When In Rome…
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“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
-Aurelius Ambrosius, Saint Ambrose
(Attributed)
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When In Hollywood…
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Giannini In Hollywood…
According to Internet sources:
Amadeo Pietro Giannini, or A.P. Giannini (May 6, 1870 — June 3, 1949) was an American banker who founded the Bank of America. Giannini is credited as the inventor of many modern banking practices. Most notably, Giannini was one of the first bankers to offer banking services to middle-class Americans, rather than only the upper class. He also pioneered the holding company structure and established one of the first modern trans-national institutions
According to Bank of America sources:
A.P. Giannini loved the movies. His commitment to financing film productions in Hollywood was strong, even during the Great Depression. Starting with The Kid in the 1920s, the bank went on to finance ‘several of Hollywood’s most famous early films including Gone with the Wind, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, It’s a Wonderful Life, and West Side Story. Both Disney’s Snow White and David O. Selznick’s Gone With The Wind were made in the 1930s in the thick of the Great Depression.’ The more expensive movie, Gone With The Wind, had a production budget of $3,900,000. The bank also helped to finance film studios in their formative years.
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Brando In Hollywood…
It is an eminently defendable premise that there have been few greater stars born to the Hollywood studio establishment than the venerable Marlon Brando. His screen recognizability as well as his outspoken political views have made the idol both an adored movie icon as well as a veritable fixture of late 20th Century social opinion.
Marlon Brando was and is a pole star in the brilliant firmament of talent associated with Hollywood. Brando once attempted description of Hollywood. The star was roundly castigated.
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Weinstein In Hollywood…
Harvey Weinstein did things in Hollywood that brought fame and glory to both himself and his company. With that, he burnished the rich patina of Hollywood legend. He seems to have done in Hollywood that which was done in Hollywood culture. Forever.
There is merit due for much of what he accomplished to enhance certain aspects of Hollywood lore. There is no excuse for other manifestations of his behavior in furtherance of certain alternative aspects of that culture, however.
Thus. There is no excuse for a part of Hollywood culture. Or him.
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Harvey and Hollywood
“Years ago my mother used to say to me, she’d say, “In this world, Elwood, you must be” — she always called me Elwood — “In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.”
-Jimmy Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd
Harvey
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Harvey’s ilk created and maintained the culture that became and is still: Hollywood. For a time Harvey Weinstein was the grand marshal of that culture.
Harvey Weinstein was not the first but, followed in the footsteps of some who were less flawed than he and others who were, perhaps, more so. Moreover, his was a place occupied by a long line of similar sinners who had come before and could come after…
Harvey is now gone from the main stage. Gone from the society that he strived to nourish and maintain. His sin. This well-deserved expulsion from the flawed Eden that is Hollywood: means what?
Harvey Weinstein is now a sordid footnote to a tall tale of serial dysfunction on the part of a close-held and generationally elite society. One comprised of some of the most glorified people on the planet. In the end, Harvey Weinstein wasn’t playing a part in some popular, “Tinseltown”, moving picture confection, however.
Harvey wasn’t and isn’t a movie villain per se. An actor who has been pigeonholed as some character player. Harvey Weinstein wasn’t loved or loathed for his celebrated “in-character” portrayals.
Harvey Weinstein was neither near, nor far from the nature of some actor-type whose underlying, true, personal “character” was consistently dampened or diluted by a slew of parts. Parts all scripted. Parts that required differing intonations of an accomplished actor’s practiced professionalism. Most or all of, which were stage images largely detached from the actor’s reality.
Harvey had been the very epitome and representation of an elite upper crust of Hollywood. He was not part of some thrilling script. His tenure or legacy was not defined by the scrivening preference of some screenwriter or director or finicky editor.
Harvey Weinstein the producer. Mr. Hollywood, the man. Was, a “player” but one so far from the professional and true modus operandi of the place.
Harvey’s façade as the avuncular face of a harsh business belied that he could have been a threatening anathema to that, which was the founding essence of Hollywood: the ‘art and science’ that is acting. Harvey Weinstein wasn’t acting in some role, though.
Harvey Weinstein didn’t play a character. Who was written into a scene. Who was destined for happy consumption by avid movie fans. As either a fine presence to be lionized or a villain deservedly cursed. This flawed “character”. This Harvey was another animal altogether.
Harvey was himself. All along. The bad guy after all…
Harvey Weinstein. For him, the quintessence of Hollywood wasn’t acting either. There was no downtime from the questionable “character” that was and is Harvey Weinstein.
Harvey has no ‘next gig’. As might some actor who plays a part: Harvey Weinstein. There is no escape from the public scrutiny destined to visit this seeming rare and hard to find in Hollywood: real person. There should be no ‘exit stage right’ for this Harvey, either.
Harvey Weinstein was and still is, a captive of himself. [And]…‘which is more’: Harvey will have no encore for this “performance”. In the end he was not “pleasant”.
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“And let me be even more frank, just to show you that I’m not a hard-hearted man, that it’s not all dollars and cents. She was beautiful! She was young, she was innocent. She was the greatest piece of ass I’ve ever had, and I’ve had ’em all over the world. And then Johnny Fontaine comes along with his olive oil voice and guinea charm and she runs off.”
- Jack Woltz (from) The Godfather
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Harvey’s Hollywood Dilemma
Harvey Weinstein has a decision to make. The decision is not about things already done, or about legal faits accomplis; or about his future or his reputation.
Harvey Weinstein’s decision is not about the footnote to the annals of history ‘‘moviedom’’. That he has already written for himself and squandered as putative heir to a legitimate legacy and cinematic aura of an era past.
Harvey Weinstein has a decision to make that has to do with his parents. Miriam and Max. Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein must make a decision. That deals with what to do with the names of those who literally gave him life as well as that single great chance to a perfect Life, which would exceed all bated expectation and profound imagination: the names of his parents.
He can erase the names of his parents from the marquee of his company. Yet, the once powerful mogul can never erase the black mark and stigma that has settled upon the once lauded: MIRAMAX company. Named long ago for Miriam and Max.
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“Man, can no better defeat the evil that an indulgent
God has allowed than deflate the good that He has endowed.”
-Julius D. Thomas
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Posted 25th October 2017 by DILULIUS, King of Troy
Posted 5 weeks ago by DILULIUS, King of Troy