Oliver Stone has Bin Laden conspiracy theory.

January 14, 2002 11:28 AM

Oliver Stone has Bin Laden conspiracy theory. When asked what source of information could be trusted, Stone reportedly replied: "Believe my stuff."
posted by stevengarrity (35 comments total)

I thought Stone had a few screws loose after seeing JFK, but this confirms it.
posted by lynda at 11:31 AM on January 14, 2002

Always thought Hollywood personalities would terrible statesmen. Yet another confirmation ...
posted by justlooking at 11:32 AM on January 14, 2002

Someone isn't taking their medication, Oliver!
posted by revbrian at 11:34 AM on January 14, 2002

Maybe if someone knocked Ollie hard enough upside the head, it'd dislodge the giant wad of cocaine that's pressing on his frontal lobe.
posted by MrBaliHai at 11:41 AM on January 14, 2002

his ideas are intriguing to me and I would like to subscribe to his newsletter
posted by panopticon at 11:43 AM on January 14, 2002 [1 favorite]

Wacy, wacky, wacky. Probably in bad taste, too. But the man is not a political commentator, he's a director: and JFK, Platoon, Any Given Sunday, are very impressive pieces of film-making. The problem is, we have a tendency to take celebrities seriously, and we shouldn't. World poverty shouldn't really be U2's business, the war against terrorism definitely isn't Ollie cup of tea.
And anyway, the man volunteered to go to fight in Vietnam instead of getting a deferment and stay in college, so he used to have a lot of guts, and I respect courage very much
posted by matteo at 11:50 AM on January 14, 2002

Wacky, wacky, wacky. Probably in bad taste, too. But the man is not a political commentator, he's a director: and JFK, Platoon, Any Given Sunday, are very impressive pieces of film-making. The problem is, we have a tendency to take celebrities seriously, and we shouldn't. World poverty shouldn't really be U2's business, the war against terrorism definitely isn't Ollie cup of tea.
And anyway, the man volunteered to go to fight in Vietnam instead of getting a deferment and stay in college, so he used to have a lot of guts, and I respect courage very much
posted by matteo at 11:52 AM on January 14, 2002

I thought Stone had a few screws loose after seeing JFK, but this confirms it.

I thought Stone got a lot of undeserved criticism after seeing JFK, but now I'm not so sure.

his ideas are intriguing to me and I would like to subscribe to his newsletter.

LOL!
posted by jpoulos at 11:55 AM on January 14, 2002

This is great timing, I searched last week for his views on Sept. 11. I had just watched the JFK DVD with his commentary. If nothing else, it made me think about the assassination, an event I had previously felt very distanced from since it happened before I was born. It also encouraged me to read more about it. (Geez, I sound like one of those kid's shows..."Read more about it!")
posted by allpaws at 11:58 AM on January 14, 2002

Stone is a provocateur. If you sift through his hyperbole, he sometimes has an interesting point of view. It is the same with his films. JFK, Any Given Sunday, Nixon, and Natural Born Killers all have wonderful things to say, if you don't mind being bludgeoned with the message.
posted by McBain at 11:59 AM on January 14, 2002

As long as you know that "JFK" is factually inaccurate from its opening scene on, and that it's insulting to have Jim Garrison portraying Earl Warren.
posted by pmurray63 at 12:01 PM on January 14, 2002

McBain: Same portrayal of women as bitches and ho's, as shrill, etc., same men with testosterone levels that are much too high, same portentous preachy moments, same shaky cameras, etc. He's made the same movie over and over, except for the football one, which turned out not to be a complete condemnation of professional football. Same bitches and ho's and shrill women, testosterone levels, shaky cameras and sermons, though. Go figure.
posted by raysmj at 12:06 PM on January 14, 2002

Now the truth can be told: Oliver Stone is a key player in a cunning plot to discredit conspiracy theories.
posted by sacre_bleu at 12:08 PM on January 14, 2002

Oliver Stone could find a conspiracy theory in a case of jock itch.
posted by aacheson at 12:10 PM on January 14, 2002

raysmj- Many people complain about Stone's portrayal of women (including me.) I point them to Heaven and Earth.
posted by McBain at 12:13 PM on January 14, 2002

Either Stone's crazy or he's just a publicity hound. I'm beginning to suspect it's more of the latter.
posted by ratbastard at 12:17 PM on January 14, 2002

Oliver Stone is comparing studio execs to concentration camp guards, and he expects anyone to take him seriously? Puh-lease. He's clearly whacked.

On the other hand, "Talk Radio" is a pretty good movie, and the only Stone movie I can watch without feeling like I'm being repeatedly punched in the face by a crazy hippie (and a lot of the credit for that belongs to Eric Bogosian).
posted by varmint at 12:21 PM on January 14, 2002

Oliver, Stoned.
posted by Postroad at 12:24 PM on January 14, 2002

Time for your pretzel, Mr.Stone.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 12:58 PM on January 14, 2002

Just after Watergate, I suppose that Woodward and Bernstein received considerable derision, scorn and doubt, too. But unlike them, Stone is probably bluster. Just the same, I would enjoy hearing him or anyone else make their case.
posted by stevis at 12:58 PM on January 14, 2002

For a real conspiracy theory, try the connection between Natural Born Killers (starring Woody Harrelson) and JFK. As any online biog of Harrelson will tell you, his father is in a max security prison for killing a judge (he was a hired killer) and is rumoured to have been one of the hobos on the grassy knoll! Now we know how Woody got the part: OS: "Let's talk about your father Woody.."
posted by Zootoon at 12:58 PM on January 14, 2002

I saw Oliver Stone give a lecture at Cornell A few years ago. He is *THE* most pompous ass I've *EVER* heard. All he has to say is pseudo-intellectual at best. I went to the lecture to hear about his the films. Instead, he told us to read James Joyce, told us how great HE was, then got all pissed off when people asked him about JFK. What an ass.
posted by Greener at 1:02 PM on January 14, 2002

Anybody see the Ben Stiller episode with "Oliver Stoneland?" Where you can get in a bathtub (fits a family of four) and take the Doors Ride? Or ride in the Born on the Fourth of July bumper wheelchairs? Or walk through the Hall of Conspiracies? Guess there's one more conspiracy to add.
posted by witchstone at 1:20 PM on January 14, 2002

I think we are all missing Oliver's tongue, which I believe is in his cheek. If you remember the film Dave, Oliver did a cameo as himself, believing that the Dave, the man inpersonating the president, was an imposter.

In Dave the president surrefs a stroke while having an illicit affair. The sequel, which is now in the works, has the new president choking on a pretzel.
posted by DragonBoy at 1:35 PM on January 14, 2002

This guy has a really bad set of wires upstairs. Baseless accusations without a shred of proof.
posted by O Boingo at 1:36 PM on January 14, 2002

Woodward and Bernstein received considerable derision, scorn and doubt, too.

Heh. Perhaps, but Woodward and Bernstein supported their theories with something better than "Believe my stuff."
posted by ratbastard at 1:40 PM on January 14, 2002

...so he used to have a lot of guts...
Don't you think it takes guts to make the kind of statements he's making here? And, one could argue, it takes just as much courage to question the government than to get in line at the Army Recruiters.

He is *THE* most pompous ass I've *EVER* heard.
Have you ever heard Tom Clancy speak?

it's insulting to have Jim Garrison portraying Earl Warren.
That was kinda the point.
posted by jpoulos at 1:55 PM on January 14, 2002

Tongue in check? Not sure. Head in ass? *Yes*
posted by Greener at 1:57 PM on January 14, 2002

But we'll always have him to thank for one of the great lines in modern cinema, shrieked by Meg Ryan and Val Kilmer in "The Doors": "Well Jim Morrison! You've ruined another Thanksgiving!"

That's one I try to trot out every year in late November.
posted by nance at 4:04 PM on January 14, 2002

"Baseless accusations without a shred of proof" - O boingo

Er.... can you prove that?
posted by Tubes at 4:26 PM on January 14, 2002

Have you ever heard Tom Clancy speak?

I have, jpoulos. Oh please someone start a Tom Clancy thread so we can really let our hair down! Comparatively speaking, Oliver Stone is but a nightingale perched on TC's boil-ridden, all-talking arse.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:29 PM on January 14, 2002

The arm comment was in serious poor taste. In some cases, people are lucky to get an arm. There were a few rare cases of looting at the site, but anyone trying to do it now would not only be caught, but probably lynched as well. The people at the site are either pros or they are searching for fallen comrades or relatives. I have been a fan of Stone movies and even forgiving of his historical inaccuracies in films, but he's a real shit, I've concluded,
and out of his mind. This is not the first time he has said something wacky about this subject; the New Yorker had a piece a couple of months ago.
posted by Slagman at 5:11 PM on January 14, 2002

"Believe my stuff."

Jeez, I gave up using THAT line after Nancy, in the third grade, told me to F@%k off.
posted by HTuttle at 10:44 PM on January 14, 2002

Don't you think it takes guts to make the kind of statements he's making here?

No.
posted by HTuttle at 10:49 PM on January 14, 2002

When Columbus said the world was round, they all thought he was crazy. :)
posted by GrooveJedi at 3:43 AM on January 15, 2002