While it may or may not be true that the LDS church has slowed the release of “September Dawn” the fact is, this movie is well talked about over the Internet. The Seattle Times indicates the story blends Fact and Fiction? Perhaps… But don’t most historical movies ride on writer creativity, restoring the tales of long ago with folklore and fact blended to intimate perfection with the writer’s cool version of fact and comprehension? I believe we even have a name for that “Perspective”.
I’ve heard, and long experienced the changes of historic tales told down through the ages to fit the tellers perspective. No matter what the genre, the teller seems to make himself the hero. Aren’t we all the hero of our own lives?
<a href=http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews.aspx?p_id=13129>Pete Hammond</a>, devils advocate, Maxim Online implicates September Dawn as a bad choice movie taking advantage of the Terrorism of more recent years to blow a historic event out of proportion. Could it be that the September 11, 1857 date of the Mountain Meadows Massacre in which more than 200 settlers were murdered by Mormons was a precursor to the Terrorist events of 9-11? Interestingly enough, although the two events don’t have anything to do with each other, the dates are the same.
Perhaps 9-11 should be stricken from the calendar?
There’s no debate: The LDS Church did absolutely nothing in regards to stopping or preventing or suppressing or etc. the September Dawn movie. I think it’s interesting that one of the writers had no problem with lying about that fact. Or maybe she is just mixing some fact with fiction to make historical history about the release of her failing movie.
Let’s go to the non-Mormon critics!
Boston Globe, Ty Burr–
“…made-for-TV historical treacle that has somehow found its way to the big screen…”
New York Post, Kyle Smith–
“‘SEPTEMBER Dawn” succeeds completely at failure; the unified incompetence of its writing, directing and acting suggest a man who manages to be on fire and drowning at the same time, just as the bus runs him over. I was baffled: Why does this film even exist? In the last act came the answer: The 1857 massacre of settlers it depicts happened on Sept. 11…Voight spends the movie glaring and cursing and heaving his arms in the air as if to signal a miraculous succession of touchdowns…”
New York Times, Matt Zoller Seitz–
The maudlin, grotesque western “September Dawn,” about the massacre on Sept. 11, 1857, of about 120 settlers by Mormons (and their Paiute Indian mercenaries), apes “Schindler’s List” in hopes of creating a Christian Holocaust picture.
Just a reminder – no matter how flat the pancake – it always has two sides. I understand you disagree with me, and I’m obviously providing you space to do so.
Feel free to tell us how you think. I welcome your thoughts.
Jan