(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dictatorthemovie.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F06%2Fdictator-movie-poster.jpg&hash=8ad5bce5b74186cf40d04f44eb0caa35e66ef079)
Trailer here. (http://youtu.be/CgbhyjuhbX8)
Release date: May 11, 2012
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Farris, John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley
Directed by: Larry Charles
Premise: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.
This looks very, very bad.
I'm willing to give this a chance, despite the trailer. Is Ben Kingsley playing Hamid Karzai?
Quote from: Ravi on December 14, 2011, 11:41:51 PM
I'm willing to give this a chance, despite the trailer.
...but why?
Quote from: Ravi on December 14, 2011, 11:41:51 PM
Is Ben Kingsley playing Hamid Karzai?
if he is, called it (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=11000.msg289049#msg289049).
This does look too much like Ali G Indahouse.
Has anyone else seen that abomination?
Quote from: Pubrick on December 15, 2011, 07:49:12 AM
Quote from: Ravi on December 14, 2011, 11:41:51 PM
Is Ben Kingsley playing Hamid Karzai?
if he is, called it (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=11000.msg289049#msg289049).
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsleaks.in%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F05%2Fhamid_karzai_edited.jpg&hash=ba0986aeb7c71ca0c7bf55d8e3e896d166e209eb) (https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F6175%2Fkingsley.jpg&hash=ef811ba3c81e2ce1f9956920ed0eda46e4359001)
Academy: Sacha Baron Cohen Not 'Banned' From Oscars But 'Dictator' Stunt Unwelcome
Source: THR
The mystery of Sacha Baron Cohen's plans for the Oscars has deepened, with the Academy going on the record to deny an online report that the comic actor has had his tickets for Hollywood's biggest event yanked.
"We haven't banned him," an Academy spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We're just waiting to hear what he's going to do."
Still, the Academy is making it clear that Cohen is not welcome to use the red carpet as a platform for a promotional stunt for his upcoming movie The Dictator, and other sources say the threat of booting him became more substantial on Wednesday.
THR first reported Tuesday that the actor, invited to attend the Oscars as a castmember of best picture nominee Hugo, was hatching a plan to arrive at the event dressed as his Dictator character, a crass totalitarian leader hellbent on keeping democracy out of his country.
THR's story prompted the Academy to notify Cohen's reps and Paramount, the studio behind both Hugo and Dictator, that it would like to know exactly what Cohen has planned. "We don't think it's appropriate," the Academy spokesman tells THR of the prospect of Cohen "hijacking" the red carpet to plug his movie. "But his tickets haven't been pulled. We're waiting to hear back."
A Paramount spokesperson did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Cohen's publicist has not returned an email seeking comment.
Cohen has a history of using awards shows and other big events to hype his movies. To help launch Borat in 2006, Cohen arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival dressed up as his TV journalist alter ego, riding a wagon pulled by "Kazakhstani peasant women." At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, he came as gay fashionista Bruno (to promote Bruno).
The Academy is careful to exclude studio-specific film promotion from its annual Oscars telecast (it only recently allowed movie ads to run during commercial breaks), so Cohen's plans are being taken very seriously.
Sacha Baron Cohen's 'The Dictator' Posts Video Message on Oscars ControversySource: THR
Sacha Baron Cohen, responding to the Academy's unwillingness to let him appear on the Oscars red carpet at his character from the upcoming comedy The Dictator, has posted a video message online.
"While I applaud the Academy for taking away my right to free speech, I warn you that if you do not lift your sanctions, and give me my tickets back by 12pm Sunday, you will face unimaginable consequences!"
As THR has reported, Cohen wasn't banned, and an Academy source says Cohen's tickets to the show were delivered this week as planned. But the Academy has made it clear that he is not welcome to turn the red carpet into a promotional stunt for his movie.
"On top of all this," the character General Aladeen says, "I paid Hilary Swank $2 million to be my date, and she will not refund a penny."
(: i hope this is less " The Love Guru" and more... "King Ralph"? no... i dunno, i hope its funny
Sacha Baron Cohen Punks Ryan Seacrest: 'The Dictator' Spills "Kim Jong Il's Ashes" All Over Red Carpet Host! (Ryan Unamused)
BY THE DEADLINE TEAM
Sacha Baron Cohen just strolled onto the Red Carpet wearing The Dictator's full military white uniform in character as General Alladeen from the Middle East Republic of Wadiya. Flanked by two gorgeous women in military mini-skirts, Baron Cohen appears to be holding a funereal urn. (Maybe containing the ashes of the Academy's integrity?) Ryan Seacrest of E! played along and addressed Baron Cohen as "Dictator" to which sacha responded, "Hello. Death to the West!"
Seacrest asked whom he is wearing. "I'm wearing John Galliano but the socks are from KMart.
Saddam Hussein once said to me, 'Socks are socks. Don't waste money." And, yes, that is a funereal urn which Sacha said contained his "dear friend" North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il. "It was his dream to come to the Oscars and to be sprinkled over the Red Carpet and over Halle Berry's chest again." (Too bad: Berry pulled out as an Oscars presenter today because of an injury that has her on crutches.)
With that, Baron Cohen opened the urn and ten spilled the ashes all over Seacrest's Burberry tuxedo and shoes!
Immediately, security men (real or play-acting) pushed Baron Cohen away from Seacrest who didn't looked amused. "It's OK. Now if somebody asks you who you are wearing, you can say Kim Jung Il!"
Said the stunned Seacrest, who looked a mess, "I had a feeling he was up to something in some fashion or form. We'll be right back..."
The Academy previously wouldn't let the studios promote their upcoming movies. But Paramount is releasing The Dictator in May, and its paid marketing consultant is Tom Sherak — the Academy President. The Academy of Motion Picture "Arts & Zionists" — Baron Cohen's description, not mine — tried to ban Baron Cohen and then relented in what many feel was a publicity stunt set-up. Sacha's character in the film risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. During this week's runup, Baron Cohen's shtick included touching the third rail of Jews and Hollywood. But Sacha's Red Carpet punking of the Viscount Of Vapidity was priceless. Later, Seacrest said, "I figured he was either going to do that to me or George Clooney."
Screen grab of Seacrest covered in fake ash please.
At least SBC has got it out of his system. He has got it out of his system, right?
From Badass Digest (http://badassdigest.com/2012/02/27/is-sacha-baron-cohens-oscar-red-carpet-stunt-less-funny-if-its-a-set-up/):
QuoteBut here's the rub: according to Deadline Hollywood, Tom Sherak - the president of AMPAS - is a paid marketing consultant for Paramount, the studio releasing The Dictator. Now all of the 'banned/not banned' stuff becomes clearer, as you realize that Sherak was using the Academy Awards as a platform to promote his client. And suddenly this stunt gets less funny
So anyway, it's even possible that Seacrest was in on it. Though he looks pretty legit upset at first.
It wasn't even funny in the first place. The whole thing (even the whole ticket debacle) seemed very staged and forced all week. Even all the media coverage seems to be arbitrary and generally uninterested. Did Sherak conspire to make the entire Oscars so boring that this would be one of the few things of slight interest for everyone to talk about after all was said and done?
wow, that's a funny kick.
The Dictator tortures Scorsese
Hmm... I'm suddenly more open to this movie.
I thought this was pretty damn funny. At 83 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome. The romance was perfunctory but the film is consistently funny, and SBC's performance is always fun to watch. SBC and Jason Mantzoukas have some great scenes together. Roger Ebert mentioned in his review that this film is about as dedicated to plot as a Marx Brothers film, which is an apt comparison and not necessarily a bad thing.
Had some good jokes, but overall it was painfully unfunny, just like Bruno.
The music was horrible. Then I saw in the credits the guy is Sacha's brother or something. that figures.
Quote from: Alexandro on November 01, 2012, 11:42:05 AM
Had some good jokes, but overall it was painfully unfunny, just like Bruno.
The music was horrible. Then I saw in the credits the guy is Sacha's brother or something. that figures.
I agree with everything except the Bruno comparison. I think he does mockumentary style so much better than classic written comedy. I'd say this was a better than the Ali G film, but very similar in that a lot of jokes fell flat. the 30 or so minutes when he goes to Brooklyn and meets all the hipsters is hands down the best part of the film.
Maybe, I would say part of the problem is that the routines are edited not too different from the way a mockumentary like Borat was, and the film it's full of dead moments when jokes don't work.
What bothered me the most is that by now everything Cohen does is expected, he says the first line of a joke and you can see exactly where he's going. There's no surprise, and also, he's not really saying anything of wit about dictatorships or preconception of dictatorships, the seduction of power...nothing...By naming the film "The Dictator" and playing two roles and pretty much following the same storyline in many ways, the film invites comparisons to "The Great Dictator". I saw that one recently, and even though a lot of it is dated and there are a lot of jokes that feel flat for today's comedic tempo, Chaplin really was exploring different subjects about the nature of power and the attractiveness of fascism during hard times. This gives the film a substance that persists even today, and is in many ways what of course makes it a classic. in The dictator, it's all shock value (or more like attempted shock value).