In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, speaks to Puerto Rico's actor Benicio del Toro during a meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office)March 5, 2009
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Socialist President Hugo Chavez met with a 21st-century incarnation of one of the world's biggest revolutionary icons Wednesday: actor Benicio del Toro, who stars in the new film chronicling the life of Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
Del Toro met with Chavez during a visit in which he also was mobbed by adoring fans and attended a screening of Steven Soderbergh's two-part, 4 1/2-hour film biography "Che."
The Puerto Rican-born, Oscar-winning actor said he sought the lead role in "Che" because he wanted to be part of a "totally Latin American" movie.
Del Toro did not speak in detail about his meeting with Chavez, but said he had "a good time with the president."
"He's nice," the actor told journalists following the encounter at the presidential palace...
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5 comments:
I saw Che, the roadshow version, i.e. both films. I felt the first one was an intellectually satisfying war movie.
the second one, about Che in Bolivia, was also well told, but the focus was on the negotiations among the Cuban internationalist, including Che, and the Bolivians, importantly the Communist Party in Bolivia.
If you're inclined to think that there is significant difference between the Communist Party and Cuban inspired Latin-American Marxists, you'll appreciate the movie.
And Benicio del Toro was superb in both.
But to enjoy the films, I should think you have to like war movies.
I've been meaning to see the Che films. I'm sure I'd enjoy them.
the second one, about Che in Bolivia, was also well told, but the focus was on the negotiations among the Cuban internationalist, including Che, and the Bolivians, importantly the Communist Party in Bolivia.
Unfortunately, Che and the Cubans made some very serious errors in Bolivia. It is unprecedented for a revolutionary struggle to be led from abroad. Fortunately, no such a futile approach was ever replicated in the region again.
What is it with you guys and el CHE, he was a common assassin so what is so great about that?
A "common" assassin? Che certainly executed some people, but "common" he was not. Che was a man whose firm convictions led him to trade a life of privelege for a life of revolutionary hardship and danger. Regardless if one does not agree with Che's politics, he or she ought to at least be able to recognize that the traits that guided Che were not the least bit "common."
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