Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

While I know there are some extenuating circumstances in the judicial handling of this case, under most U.S. law a judge is under no compulsion to accept the plea-bargin reached between the prosecution and the defense in a criminal trial. Likewise, as others have stated, the desire of the victim to press the charge is not determinative (though an unwilling victim may make prosecution difficult if not impossible).

I have not watched, nor do I have any desire to watch, any of Roman Polanski's films. His crimes are such that he should never have been permitted to plead to such a reduced sentence. I would love for the extradition to come through, have him sentenced to a term for the original crime AND sentenced for the escape/flight.

As for those claiming Mr. Polanski was a one-time offender. We simply cannot know if there were other victims who either chose not to charge the offense or perhaps were too drugged to remember the offense at all. I generally find it hard to believe this was his only infraction in this area....

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Well done. :lol:

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

While I am not certain, I do believe the judge did accept the plea-bargain initially and it was agreed upon, and then changed his mind later. Again, not certain, but I think that's what happened.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

The only reason he would have gotten time served for the rape (real rape, not statutory rape... read the transcript, she was begging him to stop) of a 13 year old was because of who and what he was. The fact that the judge came to his senses and LEGALLY changed his mind on the sentence has no bearing. Give him the 10 years he should have got and tack on 5 for fleeing. He'll be out in 7 (well, most likely dead in prison).

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

you'd think he was jerry lewis or something.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I have mixed feelings about this.

If the crime happened today, yeah, bring the full force of the law down on him. No leniency.

But this was over 30 years ago. Yes, the crime was despicable, and yes, he fled the country and that was the reason the case still isn't closed. But it's been a long time, and he is 76 years old.

I think that sometimes we need to look beyond the absolute facts. The extenuating circumstances are not that he was/is a famous director, or that his mother died a Holocaust victim, or his wife was killed, but simply that, it was so long ago. Things changed, and people changed.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Then you are missing out on some of the greatest films ever made.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

:up:

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

No I am not...

Perhaps many of you can put the fact that he is a rapist behind you to enjoy his films. NOT me. The man is despicable beyond words. He should be put to death and that should be the case with anyone else that commits rape.

If anyone here actually knew how a rape affects the person and lives of those involved many of you would not be so conflicted on how you feel about this I guarantee you that.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Yes, that may be the case. However, as a movie fan, there are enough films to chose from to allow me to miss out on a few classics in light of my disgust with Mr. Polanski's actions.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I guarantee that you enjoy movies, music, art or books by someone who has done far worse.

I don't let the actions of those involved influence my enjoyment of a movie. To me, that's getting too emotionally invested in the actions of one person with regards to something that actually involves a LOT of people.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I really doubt it, see I do (or at least try to know most info I can) let the actions of those involved determine what I am willing to spend my money on. Any shitbag involved in rape is not one of them...

Would you let your son or daughter spend time at a friend’s house if the dad was a convicted pedophile? Same concept...to me anyway.


I am glad for ya...

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

This is one of those cases where being a celebrity hurt rather than helped in regards to the judicial system. The victim and her attorney both agreed to the plea bargain back in 1977. This case would have been wrapped up except the judge went back on his word and was going to throw the book at Polanski due to media perception, which is why Polanski fled.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I agree. If you skip his films because of his actions I think you are investing too much relevence into the auteur theory. I'm not trying to discredit or diminsh the theory, but a lot of people work on films. Take Polanski's greatest film, Chinatown. By any and all acounts that film has 4 authors. Robert Evens, Robert Towne, Roman Polanki, and Jerry Goldsmith. Towne's script is singled out time and again as one of the greatest, tightest screenplays ever writen, Robert Evens (a major egotist) feels that as the producer he gave birth to the film in every regard, Jerry Goldsmith's score brought post-modern pastiche into then current cinema scoring. Not to mention the acheivment of so many of the performances in the film. To miss out on all of this becaue of Polanski is just wrongheaded.

Also, take the converse arguement, if a person of less relevence to the creative process were accused of rape, would you boycott a film. If the sound effects editor on Star Wars were convicted of child mollestation would you boycott the film? Do the actions of the sound effects editor take something from the overall achievment of all involved? How come only when it's the director the film gets boycotted? I think it's because of overzelous application of the auteur theory.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Except he probably wouldn't have gotten that plea bargain to begin with were he not a celebrity.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I heard someone say this morning that if his Lawyers hadn't put the case back on the radar a couple years ago by trying the get the case dropped, this recent arrest probably wouldn't have happened.

Does anyone think this is true?

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Human beings are complex and conflicting. The great thing about art is that it can and does transcend the actions and even at times the beliefs of the creators. If you told me that Mozart raped a woman once, or even regularly, would that change the sublime beauty of his melodies? It would not.

Similarly, Polanski's actions with a girl at Jack Nicholson's house are not at the heart of his films. And in 100 years, this incident will be a footnote to a long and illustrious career.

Yeah, it's exactly the same thing to watch a movie by Polanski and to let my child stay with a pedophile. :rolleyes: If you can't see the difference between those two things, then I won't even bother to continue the conversation.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Isn't living in France punishment enough?

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Man, those who refuse to watch Polanski films must spend a lot of time investigating what all the people involved in the production of movies they watch do in their spare time. Must be tiring! :)

As to Polanski meh... Doesn't excuse what he did but 30 years later? What's with the US justice system hard-on for this case? How many times in the past 30 years have any of you stopped to think "sheesh that Polanski guy should be in jail!". My guess, no time at all.

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Have you ever actually been there or are you just a xenophobic dullard?

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

and to think, you've been a member here for 8 years.....-ohbfrank-

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

Both!

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

:rimshot:

Well played sir! I was going to type the same exact statement about his living conditions but you beat me to it!

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

It would for me, so you're wrong. The "sublime beauty" is subjective; don't claim it is objective.

The thing is that human beings are complex and conflicting. The great thing about the appreciation of art it that it can and often does transcend the art itself to include the actions and beliefs of the creators. If I knew that Mozart had raped a woman once, let alone regularly, it would forever sour his music for me, and I would be unable to appreciate his music ever again. Every time I heard it, I would think "I can't believe that asshole raped a woman." This, in effect, would ruin the "sublime beauty," wouldn't you say?

Some of us aren't such pure art fans that we can excuse the terrible actions of the artist and appreciate the art.

And for the people that are playing the game of "what about this artist," and "what about that crime," don't bother. Go have fun in the politics forum, instead. If the person is obviously associated with a movie or CD or whatever, and has done something that I consider really horrible and unforgettable, I won't be able to appreciate that movie or CD or whatever. It really is that simple. Stop looking for a line in the sand. It's a useless exercise to post examples of other people who have done something "worse."

Re: Roman Polanski arrested
 

I just watched Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired today on NetFlix online streaming and - wow! - did the judge (the late Laurence Rittenband) screw up this case. He seemed somewhat obsessed with being a celebrity himself and constantly would change things that he had agreed to earlier. If not for him, Polanski (who completely cooperated for the first year of this case) would've undergone psychiatric evaluation and then gotten probation and this whole case would've been closed back in 1978. When both the defense and prosecuting attorneys fill a joint motion to have this judge removed from the case, that says a lot! (And that motion was successfully done after Polanski fled.) And even the prosecuting attorney didn't blame Polanski for fleeing due to that judge. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole case is ultimately dismissed due to some of the judicial misconduct that judge did back then now that's come to light.