Or Commission and Open Range (movie): Difference between pages

Revision as of 04:32, 2 September 2003

Revision as of 02:51, 7 September 2003

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'''Open Range''' is a [[Western movie]] released in August, [[2003]]. Main stars (alphabetically)

The '''Or Commission''' was an [[Israeli]] panel of inquiry appointed to investigate the issue of Israeli police treatment of Arabs. Releasing its report on [[September 2]], [[2003]], and named for its chief investigator, Theodore Or, it severely criticised Israeli police for using excessive force in putting down Arab protestors, resulting the deaths of 13 Arab Israeli citizens. Shlomo Ben-Ami, then Internal Security Minister at the time, was found most responsible and is barred from holding that post again. Several ranking Arab-Israelis, including two Arab Members of the Knesset (MK), were also criticized for their role in helping incite the riots.

*[[Annette Bening]] .... Sue Barlow

Its report was highly controversial, both for its findings and for its exhonorations, notably for the circumvention of due process for Arab citizens.

*[[Kevin Costner]]   .... Charley Waite

*[[Robert Duvall]]   .... Boss Spearman

Lesser actors:

A similar commission in 1983, investigating military abuses of Palestinians, led to the resignation of [[Ariel Sharon]] as defense minister.

*[[Abraham Benrubi]] .... Mose

==External links==

*[[Michael Gambon]]  .... Denton Baxter

* [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=335130&contrassID=1 Ha'aretz in-depth report]

*[[Michael Jeter]]        .... Percy

* [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=68&ncid=68&e=1&u=/nyt/20030901/ts_nyt/israelinquiryfindspatternofprejudicetowardarabcitizens Yahoo/New York times]

*[[Diego Luna]]           .... Button

* [http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/6669216.htm SJ Mercury article]

*[[Dean McDermott]] .... Doc Barlow

* http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/335564.html

*[[James Russo]]          .... Sheriff Poole

* http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/335592.html

* http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=49011

''Warning: [[Wikipedia contains spoilers]]''

* http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/335544.html

*http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1062388730116

The movie properly belongs to the [[epic Western]] genre. The movie is set on probably the Western Slope of [[Colorado]] ([[Gunnison, Colorado |Gunnison]] is mentioned) in [[1882]] (the year is seen on a new grave marker), and was filmed in [[Canada]] and the [[United States]]. It was directed by Kevin Costner.

Kevin Costner plays a former gunslinger who fought in the [[American Civil War]] — which side is never made clear — who feels guilt over his past as a killer.

The early part of the movie moves a bit slow, the camera caressing the magnificent scenery of the West. Costner and Duvall play free-range cattle men who with two partners land in a town controlled by a corrupt land baron who hates free-rangers. His henchmen kill one of the men, kill their dog, and nearly kill their other partner. The wounded man is taken to a doctor in town where Costner meets his "wife" (turns out to be his sister), and one can feel the emotions early on.

Costner and Duvall wreak revenge on the killers, being rather merciful for Westerns, killing none, and one can feel the final showdown coming.

When it come towards the end, guns blaze. Evil is re-paid; Costner rehabilitates himself somewhat, and there is a romance between Costner and Bening that many have found slightly forced.

In fairness, Bening has a stronger female role than is often seen in Westerns, and the movie is decidedly of a "modern Western" feel, being very different from old Westerns. Reviews have been largely positive.

==Enternal links and references==

*[http://openrange.movies.go.com/ Open Range's web site]

*[http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0316356/ Internet Movie Database on ''Open Range'']

*[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/OpenRange-1124881/ Rotten Tomatoes on ''Open Range'']