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2010/02/01 09:40:03
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
Comedian Chris Morris faces new controversy over film about suicide bombers wearing fancy dress to target London Marathon
A new comedy by Brass Eye creator Chris Morris about bumbling Islamic terrorists in Sheffield is set to trigger controversy after it received its first public screening over the weekend. Four Lions is loosely based on the Leeds jihadist cell that killed 52 London commuters on July 7 2005. But the suicide bombers in Morris's film are far from hardline fundamentalists; instead, they are portrayed as hopeless amateurs who stumble into extremism.
Like the 7/7 cell, the film's four would-be jihadists plan a series of suicide attacks in the capital, during the London Marathon. The result is a comedy that is likely to upset many cinemagoers when it is released later this year. As if to substantiate the controversial nature of releasing such a film in 2010, Home Secretary Alan Johnson raised the UK terror alert from 'substantial' to 'severe' on Saturday - the same day that Four Lions premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Morris doesn't just target Islamic extremists though, as the film is also heavily critical of the police, in particular their surveillance techniques. One sequence mocks the series of procedural foul-ups that resulted in the tragic shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes on the London Underground.
So controversial is the subject matter that both Channel 4 and the BBC refused to commission the comedy last year, deeming the material unsuitable for prime-time audiences. It is believed Channel 4 still has first refusal on any subsequent TV broadcast.
Four Lions has received a mixed critical reaction following its Sundance premiere. Critic Kaleem Aftab, writing in The Independent, praised Morris: 'He exposes a myth of terrorist bombers being trained assassins but instead exposes them as being confused young men.' But The Observer's Nick Fraser was less comfortable with making light of homegrown terrorism. 'I wasn't sure how to handle a jihadi who discusses going to heaven with his nine-year-old son,' he wrote. 'And I had a problem with the culminating scenes when the boys, dressed in obese bird costumes against a backdrop of the London Marathon, finally blow themselves up in a series of explosions that look and sound real.'
He is best known for his cult TV show Brass Eye. In 2001, he was slammed over a 'Paedophile Special' episode, which generated 2,000 complaints and resulted in politicians including then-Home Secretary David Blunkett and former Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell condemning Morris. Musician Phil Collins sought legal advice after he was fooled into appearing in the divisive episode, which focused on paedophilia and the hysterical treatment of the issue by the media. Collins was one of a number of celebrities who took part, endorsing two fabricated anti-paedophilia campaigns. In one scene, the former Genesis star was featured wearing a t-shirt with the words Nonce Sense across the front while he warns youngsters what kind of people to be suspicious of. Another of those stung into appearing was comedian Richard Blackwood, who warned viewers of the dangers posed by the internet. He told children paedophiles can make toxic vapours rise from their computer keyboards.
Chris Morris at Sundance
In an earlier 1997 edition of Brass Eye, Morris created a fictional Eastern European drug called Cake. He tricked David Amess, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Basildon, into filming an elaborate video warning against the dangers of the drug before Mr Arness posed a question about the 'issue' in Parliament.
This time Morris is thought to have carried out research to ensure the content of Four Lions is acceptable to the Muslim community. Producer Mark Herbert, from Warp Films, said: 'Chris's research has been meticulous. It is fatwa-proof.' Speaking last September, a Channel 4 spokesman said: 'It was agreed at a very early stage that the project would work best as a film and from this point was developed through Film4.'
Me, I find that clip highly amusing. But then I don't know if he's crossed the mark this time. I can see a pc gak storm a brewing.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2010/02/01 10:20:16
But, like Chris Morris' Brass eye and other creations I will be watching this, if I can.
Has he crossed the line? more so than with his take on media hysteria about paedophiles? Remember he's not making fun of he act more on the media perception which in turn forms our own opinions.
I suppose it comes down to whether you believe you are more or less likely to be blown up this week, than in previous weeks.
2010/02/01 10:14:39
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
Well, I laughed and I found the Brass Eye mock doc about paedophiles funny too.
This might be a British thing but we've always dealt with this kind of issue with black humour.
Post 7/7, somebody set up a website, entitled "youblewmeupyoubastards.com" which invited people to send in a decent photo for use in newspapers if you were killed in an suicide bomb attack. It was rather popular.
At the end of the day, these people want us to live in fear of a one off bomb attack every couple of years or so. This is one country where such a strategy is not going to work because we just make a joke of it when it happens.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 11:10:51
Of course it will offend someone. Part of the traditional role of comedy is to tackle subjects which are offensive and can't be voiced in a different way.
I would be interested to know the reactions of the survivors of the 7/7 attacks. We often get offended on other people's behalf when it isn't necessary.
Anything that reminds people of the incidents of 9/11 and 7/7 is a good thing, lest we forget.
And people have become so used to violence and chaos these days, comedy can do that better than the news a good deal of the time. People are going to be talking about it, and thats a good thing. It seems like horrific events on the news register for a week and then disapear into the ether.
The media are determined to tell everyone that Islam is the religion of peace, im sick of hearing it. They never call Buddhism or Confucianism that despite them having a better track record. No, its "Relgion of Peace, Religion of Peace" Despite the almost endless list of events in New York, London, Madrid, Mumbai and others.
Despite the organised attacks on free speech and democracy, the crazy over reaction to a teacher letting her kids democratically name a Teddy Bear, the cartoons depicting the waaagh happy businessman, the rampant misogyny. No its still the Religion of Peace apparently.
Good effort Mr Morris, i will be watching your new show, after all, if you dont laugh, you cry.
Automatically Appended Next Post: KK, kinda unrelated, but do you remember Jimmy Carr recently told a joke regarding our disabled veterans? It went something like
"Say what you want about the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, but our paralympic team is going to be fething brilliant in a few years!"
Anyway, he got all kinds of gak for it. But i know many wounded veterans, and i was in Kajaki when Ben McBean lost an arm and a leg (he is pretty famous now after doing some charity events) and i dont think any of them were really offended by it.
It seems to me that alot of people get offended on behalf of other people, when the people in question are not actually offended themselves!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 11:32:08
We are arming Syrian rebels who support ISIS, who is fighting Iran, who is fighting Iraq who we also support against ISIS, while fighting Kurds who we support while they are fighting Syrian rebels.
2010/02/01 11:48:32
Subject: Re:Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
I believe said joke was in fact lifted off of a UK military site anyway. And I'm reasonably certain Mr. Carr has done quite a few visits and the like for veterans and so forth.
My only worry about this project is exactly how funny it will be.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2010/02/01 11:49:45
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
I've never heard Islam was the religion of peace. Members of all religions including Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism have found lots of reasons for not operating in a peaceful way when it suited their purposes. Islam can't be singled out.
I remember the Jimmy Carr thing. Typical faux outrage by the press, to sell papers with a shouty headline.
As you are no doubt aware, i most definately do not single out Islam, i just think that it is the worst of a generally bad bunch, i dont think that followers of any organised religion are in the right, and i think the big three mono-theism's have all contributed a fair share into turning the world into one big sink, but i digress..
Ive heard it said very often, as it says on wiki, politicians started harping on about it so often that it started being used by critics of said Religion.
We are arming Syrian rebels who support ISIS, who is fighting Iran, who is fighting Iraq who we also support against ISIS, while fighting Kurds who we support while they are fighting Syrian rebels.
2010/02/01 12:44:38
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
Stupid Daily Mail. It's a comedy, and like all good comedy, is a critique of various behaviours, and the effects they have upon the world.
Note how they have already tied in the raising of the Terrorist Threat Level to the first screening, no doubt ready to lay the blame on Mr Morris for the next attempt.
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The article seems to note the fact that "this time" Chris carried out meticulous research to make sure the content is acceptable to Muslims.
Does this mean his other stuff is Michael Moore type crap?
I don't know anything about this guy, but it seems like they make a deal out of the fact he researched this. Is this because he's out to butt kiss Muslims as opposed to his other subjects or what?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 12:59:57
2010/02/01 13:02:57
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
OH....dude...you have no idea!
Chris Morris is a fantastic satirist. The above picture is in fact Phil Collins, who was so taken in by Morris, he appeared on National Television, on the Brasseye Paedophile Special, literally talking Nonce (a British word for a kiddy fiddler) Sense. Put them together, what do you get....nonsense. Dr Fox, a crap Radio DJ, is also on film declaring that 'although there is no evidence, it is a scientific fact that Paedophiles, genetically, have more in common with a Crab than a Human'
He pisses all over Michael Moore, as he sets out to be silly and outrageous. Go on Youtube and look up 'Cake' for another of his master pieces. Remember, Cake is a made up drug!
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[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
Then watch it. The whole controversy over the whole thing was that it apparently made light of paedophilia. Which it didn't. It showed up the whole media circus for exactly what it was, a complete and utter farce more interested in making money than tackling a social problem. The people who complained loudest had never even watched the bloody thing, and just made his case all the stronger.
As for him discussing things with Muslims, he'd have done this to make it accurate. Look at the attempted and 'successful' bombings in London. They were crap! Seriously, bombing the underground is an excellent plan, and should have caused horrendous numbers of casualties, but it didn't. The guys were clearly amateurs.
Seriously Relapse, go and watch the Paedophile special. At no point does it claim that there is no danger to children, or that the Paedo's themselves are misunderstood. It's all about the overblown reaction in the press actually making children less safe.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 13:24:05
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Relapse wrote:Not saying they are, but from what I read, it seems like he didn't want a death sentence passed on himself for making this.
This is probably The Daily Mails emphasis on his research.
Remember the Daily Mail, who in their quest against violent games are more than happy for their 'researchers and columnists to provide their own children with 18 rated games who then say their children were upset when playing them. Chris Morris targets these media visionaries and the hysteria they cause.
mad dok got there before me. He's right.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 13:28:57
2010/02/01 13:27:32
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
Maybe down the line I will, but right now things are still proceeding with the assault charges. I had to personally track down other people whose kids this guy assaulted and get their story to make sure this loser doesn't get off. Even when they talked to the cops off the record they still didn't want to come forward. Until my wife and myself made a complaint, nobody came forward.
If they had, we wouldn't have trusted this kid and our daughter wouldn't have been attacked.
Automatically Appended Next Post: @Burning,
So the Daily Mail isn't a paragon of impartial journalism? heh
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/02/01 13:29:20
2010/02/01 13:30:44
Subject: Re:Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
What's terrifying about his stuff is at the time things like the graphics were so absurdly OTT and the news reports so over embellished with affects they were ridiculous. And now every news show looks like this.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2010/02/01 13:34:17
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
The Daily Mail is a cesspit of poorly researched, right wing reactionary knee-jerk hyperbole. They seem happy to have conflicting articles in the same issue, and rarely, if ever take any responsibility for the hysteria they cause.
It likes to portray the loss of an England which simply never really existed (Bobbys on the beat, little old Ladies cycling to church etc) and blame whoever they damn well please.
My take on the Paedophile issue in the modern day is that the media focus stems from them not being allowed to be racist, homophobic etc, so they vent their spleen on the criminal. Not saying that Paedophiles don't deserve such treatment (seriously, I am in genuine favour of lopping their nuts off and throwing them in a cage) but just explaining where the media stems from. Like this push for 'Sarah's Law'. It's got nothing to do with protecting kids, it's just they wish to be able to generate further sales by having a list printed every so often to keep their readers scared, paranoid and ultimately stupid!
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Over here, we can access sex criminal id's and addresses over the computer along with the crime they committed. I worked with a couple of these guys and it didn't surprise me much to see their pictures on the list. One of them even bragged later to another person I know about what he did to a 13 year old girl with a leather belt.
This guy weighs about 280.
2010/02/01 13:42:56
Subject: Chris Morris' new comedy about 7/7 bombers. Offensive?
