Actorturnedfilmmaker stuart townsend makes his screenwriting and directorial debut with this ensemble film set during the 1999 world trade organization. Battle in seattle is a 2007 political action film and the directorial debut of actor stuart townsend, who also wrote the. After amalies dad goes bankrupt, the young dancers affluent life collapses. A battle in seattle, staged with politics in mind based on events antiglobalization protests turned violent that occurred barely a decade ago, stuart townsends directorial debut plays.
Battle in seattle, which marks the featurefilm directorial debut by actor stuart townsend, has a commendable prologue and some dialogue that helps explain, but for a very moving groundlevel documentary that makes it all crystal clear, you might want to rent life and debt 2001, which is a closeup portrait of the destruction of small. Battle in seattle brings back memories of wto riots the. Battle in seattle script transcript from the screenplay and. Made for a grade 10 communications technology class. While firsttime writerdirector townsend is unabashedly antiwto, he attempts to show all sides of the story. Three cheers for battle in seattle, a prophetic political film about activists who are willing to take a stand and even go to jail to protest the world trade. Sure, much of the film is tacoma pretending to be seattle, but thats better than vancouver.
The film premiered on may 22, 2008 at the seattle international film festival. The citys mayor, a swat cop on the streets and his pregnant wife and four demonstrators are caught in the crossfire as their. Then she meets michael, the streetdancer, who is different from any other person she has met. The authorities in seattle are embarrassed, and rightly so. Battle in seattle story, battle in seattle hollywood movie.
The issue that battle in seattle filmmaker stuart townsend seeks to raise, as he recently stated, is what it takes to create real and meaningful change. Battle in seattle trailer battle in seattle movie trailer youtube. But like most socialists seeking their utopia and their spotlight, the realities dont matter as much as the battle against the capitalist monster. Last weeks vintage 60sstyle protest in seattle revolved around a far less sexy topic. Seattle has been a backdrop for some of hollywoods biggest movies and remains among one of the best cities to film in because of our diverse scenery, commitment to arts and culture and experienced local cast, crew and support services. His staging has a tumult, a multipov immediacy that brings to mind paul greengrass. This puppy is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of the movie to get the dialogue. Battle in seattle landing halfway between medium cool and a 70s disaster pic, drama has some conventional ideas and weak writing.
The battle in seattle, a feature film based in the 1999 wto riots in seattle, opens this friday. Jul 18, 2018 but like most socialists seeking their utopia and their spotlight, the realities dont matter as much as the battle against the capitalist monster. Concerned about globalization, activists jay martin henderson, lou michelle rodriguez and django andre benjamin prepare for peaceful protests. Watch battle in seattle online stream full movie directv. The movie appears to have an agenda, that of creating a false dichotomy. In november of 1999, seattle broke into a fullscale state of emergency as thousands of peaceful protesters gathered in resistance to the world trade organiz. Nine years after the world trade organization came to seattle, a new feature film sets out to dramatize the historic protests that the institutions meetings provoked. Made his film debut in he 1979 cult film cocaine cowboys. Actorturnedfilmmaker stuart townsend makes his screenwriting and directorial debut with this ensemble film set during the 1999 world trade organization meeting in seattle and presenting the riots that swept through the streets during the fiveday conference from the perspectives of police, protestors, and city officials. Battle in seattle is a childish, ineffectively manipulative piece of selfserious agitprop about the fourday world trade organization meetings in 1999. The day before the big protest, four climbers dropped a massive banner 300 feet above seattles main commuter highway that framed the action as a choice between democracy and the wto. In november 1999, seattle broke into a fullscale state of emergency as thousands of peaceful protesters gathered in resistance to the world trade organization. For all the scenes that are thoughtprovoking or emotionally real, others feel preachy or phony. Beyond the several delegates, career protesters are also coming to seattle, they who believe the nonelected organization only exists to support corporate interests at the expense of the poor, working class and the environment among other things.
Sep 19, 2008 a film that recreates the volatile environment of the 1999 world trade organization conference in seattle might not seem to have much in common with the melodramatic disaster movies of the 1970s. Four days in seattle the 1999 wto riots plus news stories one week later duration. Battle of the bulge is a 1965 american widescreen epic war film produced in spain, directed by ken annakin, and starring henry fonda, robert shaw, telly savalas, robert ryan, dana andrews, and charles bronson. Battle in seattle brings back memories of wto riots. Why it crackles charlize theron stars in the political docuthriller you didnt know you needed to see.
Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing battle in seattle near you. Seattle wto protests of 1999, in full seattle world trade organization protests of 1999, also called battle of seattle, a series of marches, direct actions, and protests carried out from november 28 through december 3, 1999, that disrupted the world trade organization wto ministerial conference in seattle, washington. Battle in seattle is a 2007 political actionthriller film written and directed by stuart townsend, in his directorial debut. Now, before we get into the various whats and wheres of how you can watch battle in seattle right now, here are some details about the hyde park entertainment, remstar productions, insight film. Reporter david postman, who covered the riots for the times, has seen the movie and talked to. Battle in seattle is a film produced in 2007 detailing the actions of an activist group who disrupts the world trade organization meetings in seattle, washington. The film depicts the protest in 1999, as thousands of activists arrive in seattle, washington in masses to protest the wto ministerial conference of 1999. Battle in seattle, a 2007 dramatic film loosely based on the protests showdown in seattle, a 1999 documentary film about the protests via campesina, an international movement of peasants organizations. From the brief precredit sequence outlining the history of the wto to the epilogue that attempts to cover postseattle developments, townshends film has a rigid. And in the case of seattle and amazon, those realities are pretty harsh if youre a socialist. In late november 1999, masses are descending upon seattle for the world trade organization wto conference, the first ever held on american soil. In battle in seattlea mostly fictional take on real events, patterned after haskell wexlers medium coolactorturneddirector stuart townsend attempts to put faces on the factions and the participants. In stuart townsends fascinaing true story of battle in seattle, acts of vandalism and a violent, widereaching police response to them destroy an intended peaceful demonstration against the world trade organizations summit talks. The feature was filmed in ultra panavision 70 and exhibited in 70 mm cinerama.
Amalie works hard to fit in to a world where having it all is what matters looks, money and dancing skills. With lisa teige, fabian svegaard tapia, vebjorn enger, stig r. Three cheers for battle in seattle, a prophetic political film about activists who are willing to take a stand and even go to jail to protest the world trade organizations contributions to global warming, sweatshop labor, and special deals to multinational conglomerates and rich countries. In 1999, members of the world trade organization arrive in seattle for negotiations that are closed to the public. But it mostly works, as a nondidactic portrait of the clash. Battle in seattle 2008 stream and watch online moviefone. May 07, 2008 i was lucky enough to see this film in advance, and it opened my eyes to a few very important issues.
If a nonviolent protest features interlocked humans then the only solution is to poison. Apr 25, 2016 in november of 1999, seattle broke into a fullscale state of emergency as thousands of peaceful protesters gathered in resistance to the world trade organization. But she finds a new beat to follow after meeting hiphop dancer mikael. Sep 19, 2008 in 1999, five days rocked the world as tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of seattle in protest of the world trade organization wto. Although it began as a peaceful protest with a goal of stopping the wto talks, it escalated into a fullscale riot and eventually, a state of emergency that pitted protesters. Their cackhanded failure to maintain order during the world trade organisations ministerial meeting has been televised around the world.
November 1999, and five days are about to rock the world as tens of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of seattle in protest of the. Finally, the battle in seattle script is here for all you fans of the stuart townsend movie with charlize theron. This film defines itself by providing human focus, navigating the sprawling confrontation through a handful of individual minidramas. Walking into a film with no buzz on it is a particularly worrisome thing.
Written and directed by stuart townsend, this fictionalized drama about the 1999 wto ministerial. Besides, key location shooting included the fremont troll and gasworks. Filmmakers have been flocking to seattle ever since the citys film debut in 1933s tugboat annie. Rent battle in seattle 2007 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Sep 18, 2008 a battle in seattle, staged with politics in mind based on events antiglobalization protests turned violent that occurred barely a decade ago, stuart townsends directorial debut plays. The story is based on the protest activity at the wto ministerial conference of 1999. Trying to prevent potential violence, mayor tobin ray liotta attempts to coordinate the police to avoid chaos. The impact of the battle in seattle common dreams views. Description in 1999, during the world trade organization meeting in seattle, an eclectic group of demonstrators brings the city to a state of nearchaos. A dramatised account of the 1999 protests at the wto ministerial conference in seattle, washington. Battle in seattle, which marks the feature film directorial debut by actor stuart townsend, has a commendable prologue and some dialogue that helps explain, but for a very moving groundlevel documentary that makes it all crystal clear, you might want to rent life and debt 2001, which is a closeup portrait of the destruction of small. Going in, id never even heard of the battle in seattle, as i.
Battle in seattle 2007 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. I was lucky enough to see this film in advance, and it opened my eyes to a few very important issues. Nov 22, 1999 the battle in seattle antiglobalization forces are threatening to turn the wtos meeting on free trade into a freeforall by margot hornblower seattle. But she finds a new beat to follow after meeting hip. David solnit was one of the direct action network organizers for the 1999 wto demonstrations in seattle. A film that recreates the volatile environment of the 1999 world trade organization conference in seattle might not seem to have much in common with the melodramatic disaster movies of. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. The battle for reality david solnit on the wto and the.
From the brief precredit sequence outlining the history of the wto to the epilogue that attempts to cover post seattle developments, townshends film has a rigid. He looks at what really happened in seattle, what politicians and the mainstream media have done with the story, and what difference the new movie battle in seattle might make to public thinking about the 1999 demonstrations. Battle in seattle script transcript from the screenplay. This movie also provides insight into the rationale of the police presence that is executing the task of disbursing the unruly mob before.
Tariffs, subsidies, antidumping measures and multilateral investment agreements hardly seem the stuff of mass unrest. Environmentalists, consumer advocates, labor unions, students, anarchists and pacifists all converged, bringing attention to how the wtos laws were affecting democracy around the world. Battle in seattle 2008 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Rent battle in seattle 2007 starring woody harrelson and charlize theron on dvd and bluray. The battle in seattle antiglobalization forces are threatening to turn the wtos meeting on free trade into a freeforall by margot hornblowerseattle. Going in, id never even heard of the battle in seattle, as i was only years old at the time of the protests. Battle in seattle is a great demonstration of how good intentions dont necessarily translate into good moviemaking. Read the battle in seattle movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on movies. I do not own the rights to video footage and audio.
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