Here's something you don't see that often: The major movie studios are engaged in a bidding war over a book written by someone who served in the military and is...an outspokenly conservative Republican.
For all we know, this could turn into the sham that was Tom Clancy's "Sum of All Fears," but still, this is a nice change from the usual Hollywood baying for gay cowboys eating pudding.
[T]here's a frenzied Hollywood bidding war going on today over the No. 1 book on The New York Times non-fiction bestseller list: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes Of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell. Studio toppers are interrupting their vacations to try to get this book which was sold to Little Brown by superagent Ed Victor for a seven figure advance. How interesting that liberal Hollywood is hot for this patriotic tell-all by a proud conservative.
According to The Washington Post review, it's the true story of American heroism and Afghani humanity, of morality vs survival. In June 2005, Petty Officer turned combat-trained Navy SEAL Luttrell led a four-man team into the mountains of Afghanistan on a mission to kill a Taliban leader thought to be allied with Osama bin Laden. On foot, the SEALs encountered two adult men and a teenage boy. A debate broke out as to whether the trio should be summarily executed to keep them from alerting the Taliban. Luttrell opted to spare the Afghanis' lives. About an hour later, the Taliban launched an attack that killed all the SEALs except Luttrell, who was sure that the three Afghanis he let go turned around and betrayed his team.
Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains until a village of Afghanis took him in and cared for him. Luttrell survived, returned home and received the Navy Cross for combat heroism from President Bush.
—Matthew Sheffield is the founder of NewsBusters and its Executive Editor.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Humm movie titles?
August 17, 2007 - 01:22 ET by upcountrywaterTaliban's slaughter house 5.
Afgans care for bush derainged infidel.
Crawlin home alone.
No I do not think hollywood will give this brave man any kind of good word, EVER!
Entitlement over infrastructure every SINGLE time.
Who could doubt that they'll
August 17, 2007 - 04:42 ET by Warner Todd HustonWho could doubt that they'll turn what is ostensibly a patriotic theme into an anti-war, anti-Bush hit piece!?
Undoubtedly they will use
August 17, 2007 - 10:54 ET by BDUndoubtedly they will use this movie to indict the military and Commander in Chief.
They will seek to focus on each US casualty, and try to prove that the effort was a wasted cause.
I imagine they will also try to show all the SEALS nuckle dragging brutes demanding the death of the three captives to ensure security, but a "Lone, sensitive warrior" will prevent them, and then come home to the democrat nomination as vice president or some such rot as that.
Then they will seek to prove somehow that the administration prevented them from being properly equipped, and that Donald Rumsfeld personally gave them impossible orders.
Caballeros y tapioca
August 17, 2007 - 07:05 ET by Cool ArrowI can't help it. South Park cracks me up.
I'm sure Hollywood can throw a Brokeback angle into the adaptation of a heroic tale.
How about:
~ Leaving My Buddies Behind~
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Yeah, I can see it
August 17, 2007 - 07:32 ET by Sua SponteYeah, I can see it now...
"Leaving My Buddies Behind" - The true account of a politically misquided SEAL Team led by Sean Penn...produced by John Kerry and directed by Michael Moore
}}---> Cameo role
August 17, 2007 - 07:47 ET by Cool ArrowWith a cameo role by Jenjis Gilenhaal. Who is killed when he is unable to reach around to retrieve his captors unsheathed weapon.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
And Cindy Sheehan...the
August 17, 2007 - 08:37 ET by Sua SponteAnd Cindy Sheehan...the wife of a freedom fighter who takes in the wounded infidel, nurses him back to health and, after seeing the light continues to fight, but now as a noble warrior of allah.
Cool Arrow, that's a good
August 17, 2007 - 08:54 ET by JerryCool Arrow, that's a good one! But you have a gramatical error in the title.
"Leaving My Buddy's Behind"... This would require a democrat endorsed "pull-out".. A "unit" redeployment, so to speak.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment
vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any
President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
The real reason
August 17, 2007 - 08:54 ET by smitty031Hollywood studios want this movie is that they will never release it once they own it.
Whats that? A American serviceman who DOESNT rape or murder or otherwise pillage "innocent civillians". Put it in the never to be released folder.
I remember the good old days when right wing movies were the norm rather than the exception.
Red Dawn
Uncommon Valor
Death before Dishonor.
Ahh the eighties
You actually think a studio
August 17, 2007 - 09:17 ET by Chidi NwachukhuYou actually think a studio will spend millions of dollars to secure the rights just so they can keep the movie from being made? You are a real piece of work. Poor, poor Republican victims....boo hooo.
You actually think it was easy to get Red Dawn made???
August 17, 2007 - 09:19 ET by sarcasmoWow, that's Hollyweird-history impairment...
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Hollywood screws up just
August 17, 2007 - 10:15 ET by Chidi NwachukhuHollywood screws up just about everything they adapt, not just stories like this. It is amazing when they actually get close to the real story, like in Lord of the Rings. I have a problem with the assertion that they will purposely screw this up because it is from a rightie source. Hollywood is full or idiots that screw up just about everything, left and right.
Hollywood is full or
August 17, 2007 - 10:22 ET by Jack BauerBut mainly left idiots, right?
I mean, you're not blaming conservatives for Sean Penn are you?
Wow
August 17, 2007 - 10:52 ET by smitty031It is amazing when they actually get close to the real story, like in Lord of the Rings.
That sums you up nicely I think
How so, smitty?
August 17, 2007 - 14:27 ET by Chidi NwachukhuHow so, smitty?
}}---> Chidi
August 17, 2007 - 09:36 ET by Cool ArrowMore likely they'd buy it to add their little slant to it.
They usually do insignificant little things like say, portraying Jesus as a homosexual, or having babies with Mary Magdalene.
Or they may tell the war story and swap out the Muslim threat for a Nazi mastermind who controls unsuspecting "religion of peace" Muslims causing them to do his evil bidding.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Actually Chide
August 17, 2007 - 10:53 ET by smitty031I do think that.
The left will do anything say anything to make the military look bad...
The plot line will be that
August 17, 2007 - 09:40 ET by pbanks7The plot line will be that these guys were sent into a senseless operation, were abandoned by their corrupt generals for political reasons on orders from some slick white house staff member for monetary gain, and made it on his own. The battle will be over by 45 minutes, and he will drag himself endlessly to the village while the generals and politicians cover their butts.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
}}---> The Hero
August 17, 2007 - 09:50 ET by Cool ArrowThe hero, of course is a benevolent, tall Saudi, about 6' 5" wearing white traditional garb and turban. We'll call him Osama.
This guy Osama has pity on the American (from a veiled distance, of course) and honorably allows the American to pass, albeit with some difficulty, back to his unit.
There is one funny scene where two young boys dress a goat in a fetching full length berkah and trick the American into . . . well, you get the drift.
More zany antics throughout this blockbuster.
Gotta love Oliver Stone.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Lone Survivor
August 17, 2007 - 09:05 ET by River CityLuttrell needs a good attorney, a good CPA and needs to retain creative control. MAYBE then it won't be the disaster some are predicting. I hope he gets rich off of all 'em. He deserves it.
“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” Ronald Reagan
Thanks!
August 17, 2007 - 09:45 ET by pbanks7“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” Ronald Reagan
That's on my wall now.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
You're Welcome!
August 17, 2007 - 14:54 ET by River CityYou're welcome!
“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” Ronald Reagan
So, let's recap:Seal
August 17, 2007 - 09:07 ET by jdhawkSo, let's recap:
Seal Team fail in their mission
Seal team leader gets everyone on his team killed
Seal team leader is severly wounded and becomes a burden on others that otherwise could carryon the fight
Yeap, sounds like a Navy Cross and a hit movie to me . . .
Read the book.
August 17, 2007 - 09:45 ET by Darth CirrocuHave you even read the book there, jdhawk? I read it over the course of a week. Incredible book.
It'll never get made as a movie because in order for it to be a faithful adaptation Hollyweird would have to portray a bunch of poor, innocent Taliban as the bloodthirsty killers that they really are. Yep, that means Arab Muslims as the bad guys, the #1 verboten in today's film industry. On the other hand, they would also have to portray the local pashtun tribes as kind and generous, so that part they'd probably get right.
As an added bonus, the book has plenty of jabs at the liberal media. Wonder if those sentiments would come across in a film adaptation.
Oh, and for the record, it was the team's refusal to kill a goat herder who discovered them that more than likely brought the Taliban down on their heads. My fear is that they'd portray the SEaL team as threatening the herder's son or some such.
Seeing as how the movie would have to portray US servicemen as brave, honorable, and willing to die for our country and way of life without question, there's no way it'll get made into a movie. At least not a movie that's accurate and faithful to the source material.
So, let's recap:
SEaL team gets sent into bad situation.
SEaL team is discovered by goat herder and after much deliberation decide not to kill him to keep secret the fact that they're in the area.
Over 200 Taliban ambush 4 SEaLs.
Luttrell is the last guy who isn't killed and manages to avoid capture.
Rescue mission is ambushed, resulting in may more US deaths.
Luttrell survives because of the kindness and generosity of local tribes and their traidition of lokhay.
I heartlily concur
August 17, 2007 - 10:57 ET by smitty031you hit the nail on the head...and the lib... with that comment
You disgust me!
August 17, 2007 - 10:19 ET by c5thenI hope you never meet a SeAL who knows you made a statement like that!
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
I'll make any statement I
August 17, 2007 - 11:44 ET by jdhawkI'll make any statement I want concerning SEALs. I spent 26 years in Special Operations. The fact remains that they failed in their mission, the team leader managed to get everyone killed and from what the other poster stated more were killed during an ill-fated rescue.
Why would I want to spend money on the book or a movie on that?
We have had several years now of successful missions against this vermin and heroes to go with them. It is a shame that we don't hear about them in our drive-by media.
The scrambling for the rights to make this into a movie is just another example of the left making our military look like crap.
There is no award for second place in war; only death, destruction, and failure. And this is a story about second place. I am not interested. Sorry.
Hollywood
August 17, 2007 - 11:02 ET by iveseenitallEven the jerks in Hollyweird know a great story when they see it. They also know that Americans are starving for positive stories about true heroes--- stories not told by the "liberals" in the MSM. This one is sure to be popular and a financial success. But, alas, I also fear how the "libs" will spin it.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Sadly, Hollywood DOES NOT
August 17, 2007 - 11:42 ET by BDSadly, Hollywood DOES NOT know good stories.
Case in point in the heroic story of the battle on Takhur Ghar in Afghanistan immortalized in two seperate books now.
Any movies made? No, probably because they cannot find a way to make the story apocryphal....