Stone's Bush biopic 'W' in cinemas before election

Friday 26th September, 06:32 AM JST

WASHINGTON —

It’s an “improbable story” about a simple man who somehow becomes the most powerful leader in the world, says director Oliver Stone about his new movie “W” a biopic of the current U.S. president.

And always the provocateur, Stone is due to release the movie on Oct 17, fewer than three weeks before the nation votes to decide who should collect the keys of the White House from President George W Bush.

But Stone, who at 62 is the same age as Bush, insisted the biopic was “not a hatchet job,” contrary to expectations that it will depict the U.S. leader, whose approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows, in a negative light.

“W” is a “fair” portrait, argued Stone, who went to Yale University at the same time as Bush in the mid-1960s, before dropping out to serve in Vietnam.

Instead the director, whose previous films include the political biography “Nixon” and the satire on American violence “Natural Born Killers,” said he wanted to shed some light on Bush’s true character and his story.

“Fifty million people voted for him on two occasions,” Stone said. “He was in the same league for a long time as Ronald Reagan, until he became so offensive.”

He told USA Today he had “tried to stay human to this man. People get me confused with my outspoken citizen side. But I’m a dramatist first and foremost.

“I am not interested in that radical 15% that hate Bush or the 15 or 20% who love Bush,” he said.

“That’s not our audience. Those people probably won’t come. I’m interested in that 60% in the American middle who at least have a little more open mind.”

In the much anticipated movie, Stone revisits the tumultuous youth of a man who came from a wealthy, oil family and whose father, George H Bush, was also president.

When news broke that “W” was in production, Stone told the movie industry newspaper Variety that he wanted to get behind the man, to paint a personal portrait, and to answer the central question: “How did Bush go from an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world?”

Bush, a former Texas governor, has never hidden the fact that he once battled alcoholism, but says he quit after a particularly heavy night on his 40th birthday in 1986 and has not touched a drop since.

He was elected to his first term in a disputed election in 2000 when he narrowly beat Democrat Al Gore, and won a second term in 2004 over John Kerry.

But his eight years in office have been scarred by the trauma of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, and weighed down by the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the legacy of a bloody, costly war which will be inherited by his successor.

Actor Josh Brolin portrays the 43rd president with a realism that he brought to 2007’s acclaimed Coen brothers thriller “No Country For Old Men,” and actress Elizabeth Banks fills the role of First Lady Laura Bush.

The movie was made for $30 million—relatively cheap by modern movie standards. Millions of dollars were shaved off the budget with tax cut incentives from filming in Shreveport, Louisiana.

It was also made quite quickly. Stone brought the movie from draft script to release in less than 12 months.

But Stone said it was not an easy process. “Nobody wanted to finance this film. Every studio said no. You’d be surprised to know the number of people in the business who don’t want to have their name associated with politics. This thing almost never got made.”

Stone has often chosen to recount pivotal moments in American history through his movies. He has confronted the Vietnam War in “Platoon,” the Kennedy assassination in “JFK”, president Richard Nixon’s disgraced resignation in “Nixon” and the attacks of Sept 11, 2001 in “World Trade Center.”

He has won three Oscars: best screenplay for “Midnight Express” in 1979, and best director in 1987 and 1990 for “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July.”

Wire reports

14 Comments

TheNewFed at 08:02 AM JST - 26th September

Another Liberal trires to blacken the name of our president who was elected twice by the American people.

Another Michael Moore joke movie? Yawn....
Sarge at 08:15 AM JST - 26th September

"a simple man who somehow becomes the most powerful leader in the world"

And if Obama gets elected, Stone can make a movie about "a 144 day junior senator who surrounds himself with communists, Marxists, domestic terrorists and anti-American bigots who somehow becomes the most powerful leader in the world."
SezWho2 at 08:50 AM JST - 26th September

TheNewFed,

You've seen the movie, then?
soldave at 09:48 AM JST - 26th September

TheNewFed - how was the movie? Didn't know it was on general release just yet. Thought it was only released on October 17th, unless you're an industry insdider who's seen a screening copy.
smithinjapan at 10:54 AM JST - 26th September

Well, I'll definitely go see it. As for NewFed's comment about 'another Michael Moore' movie... evidently he has never heard of Oliver Stone (nominated for HOW MANY Academy Awards?). Didn't he even direct one of the 9/11 movies (the Nicholas Cage one?) that no doubt NewFed (under a different handle, of course) raved on and on about?
USARonin at 12:39 PM JST - 26th September

Stone. Yes, he's the guy who does a lot of great fiction on the screen over the years.

Too many Euros believe he's a college perfessor doin' semi-documentaries.

Good, clean fun anyway.

USAR
proxy at 12:44 PM JST - 26th September

Stone is very clever, he will make money putting out a politically charged movie but the Israel lobby that is sending out politically charged anti-Muslim DVDs in swing states will end up in the red.
Alinsky4prez at 12:53 PM JST - 26th September

"Stone is very clever, he will make money putting out a politically charged movie but the Israel lobby that is sending out politically charged anti-Muslim DVDs in swing states will end up in the red."

You are referring to Mickey Mouse?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3597638,00.html
proxy at 12:57 PM JST - 26th September

No I was referring to this;

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/cair-asks-fec-probe-anti-muslim/story.aspx?guid={7948034F-EC85-4DD6-BB41-235B7E716F44}&dist=hppr
RomeoRamenII at 02:03 PM JST - 26th September

Wonder how the release of the movie will affect Mr. Bush's chances for re-election?
Alinsky4prez at 03:23 PM JST - 26th September

I'm stoked. It will be out in time for the upcoming election. Progressives like smith and sushi and I can quote it as factual in the 10 or 20 daily posts wherein we focus on the little george that is shrieking in our heads
Nessie at 05:32 PM JST - 26th September

And if Obama gets elected, Stone can make a movie about "a 144 day junior senator who surrounds himself with communists, Marxists, domestic terrorists and anti-American bigots who somehow becomes the most powerful leader in the world.

Well it's an intriguing idea, Sarge, but Stone doesn't do comedy.
Sarge at 07:19 PM JST - 26th September

smith: "Well, I'll definitely go see it."

You like to waste time and money, don't you, smith?

Nessie - If Stone doesn't do comedy, why's he doing this movie?
SezWho2 at 08:15 PM JST - 26th September

Sarge,

The Marx Brothers were unavailable.