Recent Visit By Roman Polanski

[britmaveric]

I for one, say no. And if a legendary movie director is invited to a fil festival, well, what problem. It´s not liek he was invited to speak on a discussion of child abuse.

# Oliver Twist (2005)

# The Pianist (2002)

... aka Pianist, Der (Germany)

... aka Pianista (Poland)

... aka Pianiste, Le (France)

# The Ninth Gate (1999)

... aka Neuvième porte, La (France)

... aka Novena puerta, La (Spain)

# Death and the Maiden (1994)

... aka Jeune fille et la mort, La (France)

# Bitter Moon (1992)

... aka Lunes de fiel (France)

# Frantic (1988)

# Pirates (1986)

# Tess (1979)

# Locataire, Le (1976)

... aka The Tenant (USA)

# Chinatown (1974)

# What? (1972)

... aka Che? (Italy)

... aka Diary of Forbidden Dreams (USA: recut version)

... aka Quoi? (France)

... aka Was? (West Germany)

# The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)

... aka Macbeth (USA)

# Rosemary's Baby (1968)

# The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

... aka Dance of the Vampires (UK)

... aka The Fearless Vampire Killers or Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck (USA: poster title)

# Cul-de-sac (1966)

# Repulsion (1965)

# Plus belles escroqueries du monde, Les (1964) (segment "La Rivière de Diamants")

... aka Più belle truffe del mondo, Le (Italy)

... aka The Beautiful Swindlers

... aka The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers

... aka Wereld wil bedrogen worden, De (Netherlands)

... aka World's Greatest Swindles

# Nóz w wodzie (1962)

... aka Knife in the Water (USA)

... aka Nóż w wodzie (Poland)

# Ssaki (1962)

... aka Mammals (USA)

# Gros et le maigre, Le (1961)

... aka The Fat and the Lean (International: English title)

# Gdy spadaja anioly (1959)

... aka When Angels Fall

... aka When Angels Fall Down...

# Lampa (1959)

... aka The Lamp (International: English title) (USA)

# Dwaj ludzie z szafa (1958)

... aka Two Men and a Wardrobe

# Morderstwo (1957)

... aka A Murderer

... aka Murder

# Rozbijemy zabawe... (1957)

... aka Break Up the Dance (International: English title)

# Usmiech zebiczny (1957)

... aka A Toothful Smile (UK)

... aka Teeth Smile

# Rower (1955)

... aka Bicycle (literal English title)

www.imdb.com

Well looking at his body of work as a director I'll let the masses decide if legendary is a title we should bestow on Mr. Polanski.

[Thomas_Merton]

Well looking at his body of work as a director I'll let the masses decide if legendary is a title we should bestow on Mr. Polanski. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call him what you like.

How many films have you made in your life?

Written anything?

Produced anything at all, that will be remembered when you are pushing up daisies?

Most of us don't.

So what do we know about the trials and tribulations of being creative - and that's not saying anything about the effects of having your wife and child slaughtered in one of the most horrendous murders in the history of the USA?

Edited October 17, 2005 by Thomas_Merton

[britmaveric]

Well put TM (apologist), but Polanski's still a sick perverted bastard!!

As for being creative - I'll be remembered in my own right for what I have accomplished that I have no doubt - least in the professional circles I keep. As for Mr. Polanski - he will be forever known for his infamy rather than his body of work.

Polanski synonmous for child rapist.

[kayo]

Disagree... When I think of polanski I think of the incredible movies he´s made that I have seen. I only refer to this indiscretion of his at times like this... This is not in any way meant to detract from the horror of what he did... but just to point out that I think of polanski I think of movies, not peadophilia.

[Pie Boy]

Well looking at his body of work as a director I'll let the masses decide if legendary is a title we should bestow on Mr. Polanski. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call him what you like.

How many films have you made in your life?

Written anything?

Produced anything at all, that will be remembered when you are pushing up daisies?

Most of us don't.

So what do we know about the trials and tribulations of being creative - and that's not saying anything about the effects of having your wife and child slaughtered in one of the most horrendous murders in the history of the USA?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When i'm pushin' up daisies i hope I'm remembered as a good father,husband,son and friend as far Polanski I hope people don't forgot that he was a child rapist.

[kayo]

Never done anything in you rlife that you maybe have felt remorse for, and would rather move on than have everyone dwell on ONE incident that was mistaken.... I have.

I´ve moved on.

[Queers for Fears]

Simply incarcerate Polanski to the fullest extent by law for escaping justice. He could have had the likes of all you defenders if he had fought it. I was molested by 2 men when I was 14. They played a sex movie and felated me. I have been bitter ever since. I want them prosecuted. I want Polanski prosecuted. Polanski is chosen as were my offenders

[Queers for Fears]

I have chosen to prosecute my offenders. They took advantage of me. They offended me. When I read the defenders of this felon, I become viciously bitter. I want him brought to justice this instant. He is a criminal fugitive

[chownah]

I have chosen to prosecute my offenders. They took advantage of me. They offended me. When I read the defenders of this felon, I become viciously bitter. I want him brought to justice this instant. He is a criminal fugitive

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe you indeed when you say that you became viciously bitter...it is evident in your posts. I imagine that this venom has arrisen many times throughout your life and has caused you much suffering. There is a way to stop this venom from arising......and I do not mean religion.

[cdnvic]

Everyone chill for a bit. Next time someone calls another member a pedophile, I'm sending them on a long holiday. That's simply too severe an accusation to make just because you disagree with someone. Also please keep the graphical sex descriptions out of it, even if it is just for legit purposes of debate as it can get us in trouble with our sponsors.

All in all it has been a fairly mature and reasond debate so far. Congrats to all of you for keeping your heads as much as you have on such an emotional topic.

Now take a breath, and let the tempers cool a bit.

cv

[mouse]

Amazing how these threads evolve from the first post to parts of the equation that have nothing at all to do with the original post.

I would like to adress a few of the posts: I also experinced a traumatic part of my life that invloved the death of people at my hand, while a soldier in Vietnam, yet I never took license to abuse laws, while cowarding behind my experinces or that of my Grandfather's 25 years in a Siberian prison. I am sorry for Mr. Polanski's loss in reference to Sharon Tate and his family to the horrific camps of the Fascist, yet he has no reason to commit crimes in the name of his family's pain.

What Mr. Polanski has done (he was found guilty of a lesser charge) is shameful to say the least, but my concern was over the fanfare he received in the Kingdom and the fact that he was even allowed to visit this country, based on the fact that Thailand wants to potray a better image.

Certainly working without a work permit, overstaying a specified Visa period, volunteering in recovery of Tsunami victims without a work permit, volunteering to teach at a school for free, but, without a work permit, to list a few, are more noble acts. Yet those acts will have you jailed and then deported from the Kingdom quicker than you can say "unfair". Something is wrong with the process, when a convicted sexual offender with an outstanding bench warrant, can openly enter Thailand, amid much fanfare, to be lauded for his pale by comparison yet valid accomplishments.

I am of the opinion that his immoral acts invalidated his hard earned status of artist and film making genius. He will forever remain one of the worlds worst type of criminals in my eyes.

In the name of the abused children throughout this world, I pray that he be damned forever to a life of unfullfillment and misery and that he be forgotten forever once he has left this material world.

[chuchok]

Well looking at his body of work as a director I'll let the masses decide if legendary is a title we should bestow on Mr. Polanski. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call him what you like.

How many films have you made in your life?

Written anything?

Produced anything at all, that will be remembered when you are pushing up daisies?

Most of us don't.

So what do we know about the trials and tribulations of being creative - and that's not saying anything about the effects of having your wife and child slaughtered in one of the most horrendous murders in the history of the USA?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So because he is creative, it's ok to rape a young girl?

I've done some things in my life that I'm sure Mr. Polanski has never done.This does not make me any different than he is, except that I would never rape a young girl.He could have all the creativity of Michael Angelo for all I care,but that's no excuse for what he did or failing to front up.

The girl was 13 years old.

[sriracha john]

Amazing how these threads evolve from the first post to parts of the equation that have nothing at all to do with the original post.

I would like to adress a few of the posts:  I also experinced a traumatic part of my life that invloved the death of people at my hand, while a soldier in Vietnam, yet I never took license to abuse laws, while cowarding behind my experinces or that of my Grandfather's 25 years in a Siberian prison.  I am sorry for Mr. Polanski's loss in reference to Sharon Tate and his family to the horrific camps of the Fascist, yet he has no reason to commit crimes in the name of his family's pain.

What Mr. Polanski has done (he was found guilty of a lesser charge) is shameful to say the least, but my concern was over the fanfare he received in the Kingdom and the fact that he was even allowed to visit this country, based on the fact that Thailand wants to potray a better image. 

Certainly working without a work permit, overstaying a specified Visa period, volunteering in recovery of Tsunami victims without a work permit, volunteering to teach at a school for free, but, without a work permit, to list a few, are more noble acts.  Yet those acts will have you jailed and then deported from the Kingdom quicker than you can say "unfair".  Something is wrong with the process, when a convicted sexual offender with an outstanding bench warrant, can openly enter Thailand, amid much fanfare, to be lauded for his pale by comparison yet valid accomplishments. 

I am of the opinion that his immoral acts invalidated his hard earned  status of artist and film making genius.  He will forever remain one of the worlds worst type of criminals in my eyes. 

In the name of the abused children throughout this world, I pray that he be damned forever to a life of unfullfillment and misery and that he be forgotten forever once he has left this material world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A powerful and eloquent post, Mouse.

Thank you VERY much for the effort to craft your thoughtful words.

[SiamOne]

I am sorry for Mr. Polanski's loss in reference to Sharon Tate and his family to the horrific camps of the Fascist, yet he has no reason to commit crimes in the name of his family's pain.

He did not, it was posters here that used that as some sort of justification.

What Mr. Polanski has done (he was found guilty of a lesser charge) is shameful to say the least, but my concern was over the fanfare he received in the Kingdom and the fact that he was even allowed to visit this country, based on the fact that Thailand wants to potray a better image. 

Maybe shameful, maybe not, we really do not know the true circumstances of the staturay rape

I am of the opinion that his immoral acts invalidated his hard earned  status of artist and film making genius.  He will forever remain one of the worlds worst type of criminals in my eyes. 

Not in mine, unless he really did rape the girl. I mean in true terms, not legal ones.

In the name of the abused children throughout this world, I pray that he be damned forever to a life of unfullfillment and misery and that he be forgotten forever once he has left this material world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Once again, if he did abuse a child, and not just have sex with a young consenting woman.

I personally know of a 13 year old who is very physically mature, and attractive to men. I agree that she is legally underage, but she does not care about that.

Edited October 18, 2005 by RDN

[Judge]

I am trying to find something that you say that I agree with, and this is as close as I can get, however, what is your definition of a "predator"?

Someone who tries to convince as many woman/girls as possible to have sex with him? If so, a 'predator" is pretty much just an average guy.

a predator is someone who forces someone else to have sex with him, what's so hard to understand about that? why are you defending a convicted sex offender who might possibly be a pedophile? do you have kids? if so, would you let the guy who got your kid drunk, tried to take naked pictures of her, and had anal sex with her at age 13 off the hook?

don't spout ignorance on what for most people is a very sensitive topic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess that in this case "ignorance" is in the eye of the beholder.

Sorry, but I've been in South East Asia for many years and am not up on the latest, trendy, politically correct euphemisms. In my day, we called someone who forces someone else to have sex a rapist, and if indeed that is what Polanski is, I have no use for him.

You ask if I would want to prosecute a man who had sex with my daughter.

Yes, I probably would, I would probably want to torture and kill him too, no matter his age or her age at the time, but that doesn't mean that I would be right to do so.

I was 13 years old once and know that I wouldn't do anything sexual that I didn't want to do with anybody.

If my daughter was 13 years old and willingly had sex with someone, the blame belongs on her head, as much as his. We have to take some responsibility for our own actions.

My hesitation in condemning Polanski is because I am not convinced that he "raped" anybody.

[sriracha john]

Maybe shameful, maybe not, we really do not know the true circumstances of the staturay rape

Not in mine, unless he really did rape the girl. I mean in true terms, not legal ones.

Once again, if he did abuse a child, and not just have sex with a young consenting woman.

We DO have the the sworn testimony of the child victim given under oath.

We DO have Polanski pleading guilty to the charges.

IF he didn't rape her, the logical action would be to plead not guilty and stay to defend himself. As he CHOSE to plead guilty and then flee his sentence, we really have no other alternative but to accept that testimony and circumstances described as the truth.

That certainly tips the scales of logic to think he did commit a criminal act. If he said he was guilty himself, who are we to say he's innocent???

Not sure what you are alluding to when you say you are unsure about whether he meets the "true terms" of rape. I'm interested in knowing what you mean.

Apparently the judge was ready to hammer him for meeting the "true terms" of rape.

[Judge]

I was molested by 2 men when I was 14. They played a sex movie and felated me.

Sorry if I offend you, but did these men force you into watching this sex movie and allowing them to felate you?

If not, fourteen years old seems way too old to be blaming your decisions on someone else.

I was living downtown on my own in a fairly big city by then and never had a problem telling anyone - young or old - NO.

[sriracha john]

In my day, we called someone who forces someone else to have sex a rapist, and if indeed that is what Polanski is, I have no use for him.

I was 13 years old once and know that I wouldn't do anything sexual that I didn't want to do with anybody.

My hesitation in condemning Polanski is because I am not convinced that he "raped" anybody.

I would strongly encourage you then to read the sworn testimony and further to understand that he pled guilty to the charges.

[Judge]

We DO have the the sworn testimony of the child victim given under oath.

We DO have Polanski pleading guilty to the charges.

IF he didn't rape her, the logical action would be to plead not guilty and stay to defend himself.

If I am correct, Polanski pleaded guilty to statutory rape.

In other words, he admitted that the young lady was below the legal are of consent, not that he made her do anything that she wasn't willing to do on her own.

Again, I don't think that he raped (forced) anybody, although he did violate the law against consensual sex with a minor.

I do believe that was what SiamOne meant as well.

[Boon Mee]

We DO have the the sworn testimony of the child victim given under oath.

We DO have Polanski pleading guilty to the charges.

IF he didn't rape her, the logical action would be to plead not guilty and stay to defend himself.

If I am correct, Polanski pleaded guilty to statutory rape.

In other words, he admitted that the young lady was below the legal are of consent, not that he made her do anything that she wasn't willing to do on her own.

Again, I don't think that he raped (forced) anybody, although he did violate the law against consensual sex with a minor.

I do believe that was what SiamOne meant as well.

I'm one who gave Polanski the benifit of the doubt way back when he was busted in LA for the teenager by the pool and eventually had to scuttle off to Europe to avoid jail time. Actually, he's not so much diffferent than the big fat bar hogs who infest Pattaya, Patong etc with their young nubile 'dates'. What make him sleazy is his very public position on young poontang. Still Eurotrash though.

Good points, Judge.

[lamphun]

We DO have the the sworn testimony of the child victim given under oath.

We DO have Polanski pleading guilty to the charges.

IF he didn't rape her, the logical action would be to plead not guilty and stay to defend himself.

If I am correct, Polanski pleaded guilty to statutory rape.

In other words, he admitted that the young lady was below the legal are of consent, not that he made her do anything that she wasn't willing to do on her own.

Again, I don't think that he raped (forced) anybody, although he did violate the law against consensual sex with a minor.

I do believe that was what SiamOne meant as well.

I'm one who gave Polanski the benifit of the doubt way back when he was busted in LA for the teenager by the pool and eventually had to scuttle off to Europe to avoid jail time. Actually, he's not so much diffferent than the big fat bar hogs who infest Pattaya, Patong etc with their young nubile 'dates'. What make him sleazy is his very public position on young poontang. Still Eurotrash though.

Good points, Judge.

Sex with a minor is against both custom and the law no matter what slant you may want to put on it.

Those nubile dates in Pattaya are well above the age of consent and if not that's against the law as well.

People who try to justify these crimes on a case by case basis are as bad as the perpetrators.

[cdnvic]

People who try to justify these crimes on a case by case basis are as bad as the perpetrators.

Personally, I'd rather someone made excuses for a historical case than actually touched one of my kids. I'd say the perpatrators who actually caused harm were worse, the others are just wrong.

cv

[sriracha john]

Again, I don't think that he raped (forced) anybody, although he did violate the law against consensual sex with a minor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder what part of the often-repeated "No" said by the victim during the rape did he interpret as it meaning that it was consensual???

[girlx]

I was 13 years old once and know that I wouldn't do anything sexual that I didn't want to do with anybody.

If my daughter was 13 years old and willingly had sex with someone, the blame belongs on her head, as much as his. We have to take some responsibility for our own actions.

My hesitation in condemning Polanski is because I am not convinced that he "raped" anybody.

i was 13 years old once and i guarantee you i was not ready to make my own decisions about sex, especially the dance (and implications) between yes and no, and even less so under the influence. i certainly would not be ready for alcohol and anal sex.

if your daughter had sex with someone consensually at 13, you are right to assume it is on her head- that's experimentation. forced sex is something else altogether, and you obviously have no personal experience with that so i will give you a break. but it is a much worse reality than you might imagine.

[SiamOne]

Not sure what you are alluding to when you say you are unsure about whether he meets the "true terms" of rape. I'm interested in knowing what you mean.

Apparently the judge was ready to hammer him for meeting the "true terms" of rape.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can read all the posts to see what I mean

there is a big diference between rape (forced sex) and statutary rape, consensual sex, but with underage person

so in law, he raped the girl, as she was underage. He pleaded guilty to that. The whole discussion has been whether the girl was willing or not. her later testimony has had a lot of doubt cast on it. In addition, it was not contested as it would have been in a court.

Thsi argument can go on and on, each side repeating exactly the same arguments

it is getting boring

[SiamOne]

People who try to justify these crimes on a case by case basis are as bad as the perpetrators.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well that's me. I believe every case has its own character. Especially in such a case where the law just lays down a line which applies to everyone...never mind each person reaches maturity at very different ages.

so I am as bad as Polanski in your book. Maybe the title is "Reactionary Tales"

[chownah]

Again, I don't think that he raped (forced) anybody, although he did violate the law against consensual sex with a minor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder what part of the often-repeated "No" said by the victim during the rape did he interpret as it meaning that it was consensual???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Grand Jury transcript is a story told by an accuser who is being led by someone who is trying to make the accused look guilty. It is one sided. No attempt was made to see 'the other side of the story'....no attempt was made to challenge any statement the accuser made. I could bring up points that could cast doubt on her testamony but it would all be hypothetical and a source of much pointless discussion so I won't. I'm inclinded to believe her but other people might not. My opinion, after reading and thinking about this is that it is likely that he coerced her into allowing him to have sex with her....which to me means rape at some level....but I hesitate to state this unequivocably because I haven't heard both sides of the story. As to him pleading guilty to statutory rape....I don't think this proves anything...many people see the reality of the evidence against them and the impossibility of their story being able to sway the process to what they see as being justice so they examine the possibilities and take the least painful path....maybe this is what he did...and maybe not. Sometimes when you post you use the term 'we'...like what can 'we' conclude...or 'we' must deduce....etc.....in these cases I really would prefer if you left me out of this 'we' because I often don't agree with your conclusions or thoughts...it is probably better to stick with 'I'....but I'm not trying to change your posting style...just a suggestion.

[chuchok]

Consensual or not.Coerced or not.If this was done to my daughter by a 40 year old man that KNOWS better...I'd have his balls for a necklace.No ifs or buts.

[Pie Boy]

Never done anything in you rlife that you maybe have felt remorse for, and would rather move on than have everyone dwell on ONE incident that was mistaken.... I have.

I´ve moved on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like you I too have done things in my life that I have later felt varying degrees of remorse for.However none of them involve forcing a 13 year old girl into anal sex.

I wonder if the 13 year old victim has found it as easy to 'move on' as Polanski?

I hope she has, I hope she has found happiness and peace in her life but somehow I can't imagine it being that easy.

[sriracha john]

The whole discussion has been whether the girl was willing or not. her later testimony has had a lot of doubt cast on it. In addition, it was not contested as it would have been in a court.

When and where has there been "a lot of doubt cast" on the testimony?

In the logical and legal worlds, it carries infinitely more validity than any unsworn account without the possibility of a perjury charge made by a perpetrator to a newspaper. If her testimony was not true, the place to cast doubt on it is in a court of law.

Who was responsible for it NOT being contested in court?