Summary:What is a big corporation capable of doing in order to protect its brand? Recently, Swedish documentary filmmaker Fredrik Gertten experienced this personally. His previous film BANANAS!* recounts the lawsuit that 12 Nicaraguan plantation workers successfully brought against the fruit giant Dole Food Company. That film was selected forWhat is a big corporation capable of doing in order to protect its brand? Recently, Swedish documentary filmmaker Fredrik Gertten experienced this personally. His previous film BANANAS!* recounts the lawsuit that 12 Nicaraguan plantation workers successfully brought against the fruit giant Dole Food Company. That film was selected for
competition by the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. Nothing wrong so far, right? But then just before leaving Sweden to attend the Los Angeles world premiere of his film, Gertten gets a strange message: the festival has decided to remove Bananas!* from competition.
Then, a scathing, controversial and misinformed article appears on the cover of the Los Angeles Business Journal about the film a week before the premiere. And subsequently, Gertten receives a letter from Dole's attorneys threatening legal action if the film is shown at this festival and to cease and desist. What follows is an unparalleled story that Gertten captured on film. He filmed this entire process of corporate bullying and media spin - from DOLE attacking the producers with a defamation lawsuit, utilizing scare tactics, to media-control and PR-spin. Big Boys Gone Bananas!* can be seen as a thriller and a cautionary tale. But, mostly this is a personal story about what happened to Gertten, as a documentary filmmaker and to his company and how the livelihood of documentary filmmakers can be easily put into jeopardy. (WG Film)…Expand
The critics who rated this movie are the most special type of douche bags IMHO. The film is really an 8 or a 9, but I need to offset the mostly flimsy arguments made for such low ratings, which really amounts to another total corporate hand-job the movie portrays the media regularly doing.The critics who rated this movie are the most special type of douche bags IMHO. The film is really an 8 or a 9, but I need to offset the mostly flimsy arguments made for such low ratings, which really amounts to another total corporate hand-job the movie portrays the media regularly doing. And even more ironically, these critics exercising the same rights this movie effectively points out are under great threat, when someone with money doesn't like what you have to say. Where's the solidarity boys and girls?
http://www.timeout.com/us/film/big-boys-gone-bananas Here's a link to one of my comments to one of them under "jd" precisely describing my sentiment. Moving on.
The criticisms that the film could have done a better job on cluing us all in on the legal content is fair I think. I am curious why they didn't try to summarize that a little more accurately. Good point that takes a point of the score.
Another critic was upset that the main character and subject of the lawsuits and documentary was grand-standing and making himself the star of the movie... well no He happens to be the main subject of the movie and lawsuits on the documentary in question. Yes, like me, you probably just got stupider after reading that. I'm sorry; that's our media for you.
Anyway, what's accomplished here, in this documentary, is a rare peek at PR firms, lawyers, and pseudo grass roots activities, and the utter havoc they can reek on our rights, on the behalf of the highest bidders; Dole in this case.
This is a TERRIFYING documentary about the damage that is achieved on the free speech and free press rights by the country that made those concepts cool in the first place! For sake, this guy wasn't even American; and his entire nation stood up and showed us what the US used to look like through their actions. The film very clearly demonstrates how our American media is failing it's people. We are losing our skepticism and curiosity on those with power (another bad-ass concept the founders of this country did and encouraged). Now we are standing idly by while the victims like the ones in this documentary are by interests that simply don't like what they have to say. Well that, my friends. This film is important and there should be more like it.
Please post a review after your done. If you have any legit criticisms, let's hear it. Perhaps I am missing something, but, so far, I've only seen mostly untenable bull**** claimed by the pseudo-critics that have given such low ratings.…Expand
