I have to say that this sudden arrest of Roman Polanski in Switzerland strikes me as odd. I'm not trying to diminish the fact that Polanski committed a crime in 1977 and then bailed to France, but why now? It's not as though he's been hiding out somewhere; Roman Polanski has been living in plain sight for the last 32 years, and everyone knew exactly where he was. It's highly doubtful to me that this is the first time the director left France in three decades, so what prompted this?
Are they looking to drag Polanski into court and create another Phil Spector-like criminal flogging? After thirty years, the article indicates that even Polanski's thirteen-year-old victim wants this to be over and done with, and not necessarily by means of extraditing him and dragging him back to America. It makes a person wonder if Hollywood was really welcoming Polanski back with the Oscar for The Pianist, or if that was a botched "sting" operation.
The timing of this confuses me, as does the desire to perpetuate "celebrity justice". Polanski pled guilty, skipped town, and I don't see a huge trial coming out of this. This is not Robert Blake, Phil Spector, OJ Simpson, or Michael Jackson caliber. There's an entire generation of cinephiles who don't know the details of why the director of Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, A Knife in the Water, Death and the Maiden, and Frantic lives in self-imposed exile. I'd be surprised if they even remember the Sharon Tate murders.
I was already planning on showing Repulsion at Horror Fest this year, but maybe I'll throw in The Fearless Vampire Killers and Rosemary's Baby while I'm at it. Let justice be served, but maybe we can hope for a good explanation why now and not any time prior to this.
---
Well, that had me in a bit of a tizzy, so that's most of what I've got for today. Your thoughts would be welcome.
3 comments:
To quote the victim from an interview she gave about five years ago: "It's like we've both been living life sentences."
I don't understand what the LA DA office has to gain from this unless someone's retiring or has a particular axe to grind against a Polanski film. I also don't understand why the Swiss authorities have decided that now is a good time to "comply" with the edict issued in 2005 -- they've been making far too nice with American civil procedure lately and it smells a little rotten. Polanski owns a house near Zurich and is frequently there. Why suddenly the change of heart? What made them feel guilty today, as opposed to 1979?
Hell, even Weinstein said this was bunk. That should be enough to silence the zealotry in LA.
The victim has forgiven him and been compensated by the criminal. The crime is a crime against the State of California too, not only the victim. He has gone on to perform his crimes against other underage girls since he escaped from our country. He has been convicted, he will have to pay the price of his manipulation and debauchery. Justice needs to be served. If it were your female friend or relative, would any of you want it to be swept under the red carpet of fame in Hollywood? I have to believe the answer is NO!
I'm not trying to be rude, Anonymous, but I did make it clear that Roman Polanski committed a crime and that I said "let justice be served", so I'm not sure what exactly you thought you read.
What I find strange is the timing of this. It's not as though the state of California didn't know where Roman Polanski was for the past 32 years, or that - if unable to extradite him - they could not request he be tried in France.
Furthermore, I must stress that this was not the first time he'd been in Switzerland over those three decades, so the timing of the arrest is very odd.
Since I couldn't find any evidence of your claim that he "has gone on to perform his crimes against other underage girls since he escaped from our country", I'd be happy to hear anything you have to add to that point.
Alas, I suspect that since you were unwilling to give us any way of contacting you or following up, this is merely a case of someone using the anonymity of the internet to jump in and make their case with impunity. If so, please do my regular readers a favor and don't make this blog part of your "talking points" outlets.
Post a Comment