Interesting movie on History Channel--

[Greylyn58]

I have never seen this movie before. It's called "The Siege". The only reason I started watching is because I'm a fan of Denzel Washington and of Tony Shalhoub.

The movie was released in 1998 and I am finding that it is so eerily similar to how things have played out since 9/11. The in-fighting between the FBI and CIA, how terrorist have been allowed to enter into the country and one scene that just blew me away--after a bombing, some of the higher ups on Capitol Hill suggest sending in the National Guard to the country responsible. One of the Senators comments that "the Guard shouldn't be used for that kind of operation. That their function is to handle problems at home."

I just heard that there will be some scenes shortly that are incredibly close to what happened in Abu Ghraib.

Very interesting film so far.

[mandyky]

1. Very good movie!

This is the one with Annette Benning, Bruce Willis, and Tony Charub (Monk dude), right?

[Greylyn58]

2. Yes

Tony Shalhoub is Monk and it is a very good movie.

[mandyky]

3. sorry about butchering his name!

I had to think long and hard to get what I came up with - I am half crazy today! LOL

[jojog]

4. History Channel edits

content. I hope they left in the torture scenes. Important part of the plot.

[Greylyn58]

5. Okay, this is freaking bad

I feel like I'm watching a live action version of Abu Graib.

This is horrifying.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. It was a boxoffice flop

Despite being heavily advertised. And despite being gripping and well done.

At least, that's the way I remember it. I thought at the time that that meant the American public didn't want to face the issues the movie deals with.

[mandyky]

7. So the commentators at the end think torture and the military

is the way to go? Is that what I heard?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. No the movie depicts America establishing martial law here in the states,

in response to terrorist incidents.

It does NOT paint a favorable picture of that outcome.

Been a while since I saw it, I can't remember if there was some kind of internment of Arab Americans. I thought the Tony Shalhoub character, who is Denzel Washington's partner, gets interned, either just because of ethnicity or because of some relative of his who was under suspicion.

Bruce Willis, if I recall, appropriately plays the fascist general who establishes military control over NYC.

[Solon]

9. No his son was interned...

In Yankee Stadium, if I remember correctly. Bruce Willis goes overboard on the internment of Arab Americans, BTW Tony's character is Palestinian, lived in the country over 20 years, son is natural born, works at FBI, in other words, an ALL AMERICAN. Still treated as an enemy of the state, when his son is interned, and he searches for him, Denzel Washington's character, who is his boss at the FBI, tries to calm him down, and Tony's character turns around and throws his badge at Denzel, and says: "I'm not your Sand Nigger anymore!!!" BTW: I love the end when Bruce Willis's character is placed under arrest for the detention, torture, and killing of a few American Citizens.

[mandyky]

10. I know what the movie is

But this showing on the history channel, the 2 cemmentators at the end made it soound like the military is now doing the job the FBI etc couldn't. I just wondered if anyone heard the commentators comments and got that same impression...

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. Does the history channel routinely have political commentary after the

movies they show?

[mandyky]

12. Yeah

When they showed Tuskeegee Airmen and Dances with Wolves, they had commentators during the movie and after. I think it is pretty regular for them when they show movies...

But never anything like these 2! Yeesh!

[Sapphire Blue]

13. Scheduled to be shown again on Oct 21 @ 8pm & Oct 22 @ 12am

I haven't seen this movie before & missed this broadcast, but will make a point of watching it later this month.

Thanks for the post.