Reviews

Since when does this money-grubbing, talentless manager have a thick Jewish accent? In addition to all the other reasons Hanks' pathetic performance has been almost universally panned, this is the most perplexing. As someone who grew up in the South listening to Elvis in the 50's, I was appalled by this profoundly shallow film, but I was also disturbed by Hanks' perplexing performance.

All you have to do is listen to the real Colonel Tom Parker (FOR EX WATCH ONE OF THE YOUTUBE VIDEOS, SUCH AS HIS INTERVIEW WITH TED KOPPEL ON ABC'S NIGHTLINE,) to realize that the real Parker didn't sound or look-ugh, that hooked nose--Jewish at all.

Perhaps it's because, unlike others like Lanzmann, Resnais, Spielberg, et al., Ken Burns and his crew of expert documentarians come to the subject with all their finely-tuned skills in presenting important historical events, this is, for me, the most powerful, and upsetting rendering of the subject I have ever seen. Although the subject is, ostensibly, the role the United States played--or did not play--in dealing with the murder of millions of innocent civilians merely because they were Jewish, what I found most impressive was the focus on the transformation of ordinary, often happy lives throughout Europe into a brutal, horrifying nightmare. As one of the interviewees puts it, the emphasis on the death-camps, while certainly justified, tends to overlook the everyday brutality of innocent men, women and, equally, children being routinely and heartlessly ostracized by their "friends," humiliated, beaten, thrown from the rooftops of building, burnt, and, if lucky, merely shot.

It's very hard to talk about this film, but one must acknowledge the great achievement of these filmmakers.

My eyes popped out when I watched JFK say: "What is it to be an American today? Prosperous, powerful, privileged. Certainly." He said nothing of the kind, despite one fact-checking website's (Snopes) saying the speech was "largely accurate." Any American would know that, politically, such an elitist notion was completely inconsistent with the family's famous liberalism, whatever they did or thought privately aside. I guess that's what happens when the Brits write about American culture.

But, that aside, a fantastic episode. Claire Foy is truly amazing! And it's such a relief after the previous very boring episode about Margaret's marriage.

Let me start by saying I am something of a fan of this talented director. I loved The Witch, although I found the Lighthouse unbearable. I am sure there are connections to be made between those films and this (e.g. The director's obsession with floating), but that is not my concern here. (Nor is a more technical critique: e.g. The cast is splendid with the exception of the usually wonderful Anya Taylor-Joy, doesn't show the right sensibility--Nicole Kidman btw very definitely does.)

My problem is that the film cannot help but remind of the rise of amoral, violent white-supremacists whose values--or lack thereof--are mirrored in this film. Indeed, the 1/6 rioters, and the equally moronic "Oath-Keepers," would certainly love this film's celebration of an irrational "warrior cult." Indeed, the iconic image of the film's star wearing a wolf's head and howling could also be seen, mutatis mutandis, attacking the U. S. capitol building and all the civilized values--going back to ancient Greece--it represents. This is the last thing we need right now.