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February 1996, Week 1

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Subject:
From:
Ching 'Didi' Chang <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 6 Feb 1996 17:46:47 -0800
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>From: Andrei Scheiner <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization: CentroIn BBS, +55-21-205-0281, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
>Subject:      Michael Jackson X Rio!
>To: Multiple recipients of list SCREEN-L <[log in to unmask]>
>
>  Planning to make his new video clip in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Michael
>Jackson decided to film in a SLUM (Favela in portuguese) called Dona
>Marta! He will be directed by Spike Lee.
 
That Michael Jackson and Spike Lee would want to romanticize third world
misery in a music video clip is simply obscene, but then again, it hasn't
been the first time in Mr. Jackson's case. Obviously, these two have a very
sick, perverted understanding of poverty, and are completely ignorant of
the magnitude of suffering afflicting the poor in their own backyard, let
alone in Rio. But of course, with a few million dollars here and a few
million dollars there, I'm sure they'll get their f*cking video clip
made and go back to Bev Hills.
 
>  But the Rio de Janeiro State Governor (Marcelo Alencar) didn't like
>that attitude! He said that Michael is going to explore the misery in
>other countries for his own greed. And said that if Michael and Spike
>want to film misery, why they don't film a slum in New Orleans or in
>Africa.
 
Alencar is a bigot, but finally says something right, even if for the
wrong reasons. While spending hundreds of millions of dollars embellishing
Copacabana, Ipanema and other posh beach front districts, absolutely
nothing has been done to improve the situation in the slums. During the 92
ECO summit in Rio, however, he did have an expressway built above ground
with an efficiency and speed that would be the envy of the Scandinavians.
The reason for this opus was to link the Galeao International Airport
(located on an island inside Guanabara Bay) directly to the Southern Zone,
so that the international delegates wouldn't need to see the miles and
miles of slums almost directly beneath them in this expressway.
 
> Marcelo said too that he wants to see the script before
>authorizing the takes, because if a brazilian director wanted to film in
>USA he must send before his script for analysis.
 
Ah-ha. See the oaf wavering. The idea of Michael Jackson making a video in
Rio is simply too seductive for Marcelo just simply turn it down. What a
dilemma this must be for him. I won't be surprised if right now he is
"considering it carefully," and come to the conclusion that it "will bring
more good than harm" to Rio, especially if Michael/Spike agree to donate a
few million (if that much) to "feed the hungry" or "save the rainforest"
or some such thing.
 
>  People who live in Dona Marta want Michael to show the Rio's misery to
>the world,
 
Of course people in Dona Marta want Michael to come! They love him! Can
you think of anything more exciting than that in happening the lives of
people who are by and large uneducated and have little to look forward to?
And next to carnival and soccer, American pop icons reign supreme. And of
course, I'm sure little boys will be enchanted by Michael. He might set up
a Neverland right there at Dona Marta. The only thing that might defeat
this abominable project might be the populace's wild enthusiasm. I am sure
that Dona Marta was picked because in somebody's opinion it was the most
"exotic,"  "colorful" and "picturesque" favela. Favelas are heavily and
densely populated areas, the network of walkways can be only two or three
feet wide, often running side by side or over open running sewage and mud.
I simply cannot envision a mighty Hollywood film crew going in there
choreographing a music video (with the literally millions who will cram in
the area to get a glimpse of their hero) without them having to actually
clear out a large number of the shacks. The logistical nightmare of the
experience might be too distressing for Mr. Jackson.
 
>but the politicians said that it will prejudice Rio's
>candidature to the 2004 Olympic Games!
 
Aaaaw, really?
 
Talk about politicians' misplaced priorities. That Rio's candidature for
the Olympics in 2004 is prejudiced may well be the only silver lining in
this whole stinking business. Rio has no business hosting the Olympics; it
is just another attempt by the municipality to put on blinders, with its
own members trying to convince themselves and the world that they don't
have the problems in the magnitude that they do.
 
>  What do u think about that? Are u against Michael?
 
Just possibly. I think this an abhorrent idea, sicker and more obscene than
anything Mr. Jackson has been accused of in the past.
 
>  My best regards to you! :)
 
Idem.
 
Ching
 
>Plse send comments to:
>
>  IMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM;
>  :  Andrei Scheiner - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil   :
>  GDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD6
>  : E-MAIL: [log in to unmask] :
>  :    Fidonet: Andrei Scheiner- 4:802/21       :
>   HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
 
 =========================================================================
        Ching "Didi" Chang         *              DISCLAIMER:
  <[log in to unmask]>   *   Non so piu' cosa son, cosa faccio
 =========================================================================
 
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