Only once a year? I've watched Caligula several times a year ever since I got it on DVD way back in the day. Truly one of the greats, and so underrated.
You know, I've often thought about how much Bush is like Caligula. That wasn't just a "don't let the door hit you" snark. He really does remind me of Little C.
Consider: * He's the scion of a powerful Caesar who likes surrounding himself with the trappings of the military, gold braid without the guts. The "Bring 'Em On" toughguy schtick. "Mission Accomplished."
And just a couple of days ago he said that the thing he will miss most about the presidency is "Leading great warriors into battle" or something to that effect.
* His disregard for the constitution. The secret laws and tribunals he put in place are reminiscent of Caligula's posting of new regulations on top of greased poles, where it was impossible for anyone to read them.
* His appointment of know-nothings to important offices. This practice continued even unto Mccain's pick of Palin, but there have been literally thousands of purely politically motivated appointments at the hands of the Bush administration. I can't think of them all at the moment, but "heckuvajob" Brownie, as head of FEMA, FFS, is a great example.
Caligula supposedly tried to appoint his horse to the Senate.
* Bush has turned the White House into a whorehouse.
Not just with the whole Gannon thing, which we will never know the whole truth of... but perhaps the fetishization of military men goes, well, a lot deeper than it appears.
No pun intended.
I could go on and on about this. Bush obviously wasn't as bad as Caligula, but the impression has always been that he did every little tiny bit that he could possibly get away with, and strained at the bit for more. More war. More murder. More torture. More abrogation of civil liberties.
7 comments:
Quit making fun of him, he'll be gone for good on January 20th anyway.
Good catch, Worg!
But also, "Caligula" is just one of those fun family-style movies I like to watch around the holidays, gets me into the spirit of things.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Only once a year? I've watched Caligula several times a year ever since I got it on DVD way back in the day. Truly one of the greats, and so underrated.
When in Rome...
I just got the 3-disc "Imperial Edition", with the unedited Death Machine sequence that Caligula beheads Macro with.
I might add here that the movie falls pitifully short of Gore Vidal's actual book. But it's still a great movie.
Ever seen the film Salo?
A great movie?
In what universe?
Not this one ...
Sorry I missed you at the con -- I had a late dinner and by the time we got done, I didn't make it to Barnes's shindig.
You know, I've often thought about how much Bush is like Caligula. That wasn't just a "don't let the door hit you" snark. He really does remind me of Little C.
Consider:
* He's the scion of a powerful Caesar who likes surrounding himself with the trappings of the military, gold braid without the guts. The "Bring 'Em On" toughguy schtick. "Mission Accomplished."
And just a couple of days ago he said that the thing he will miss most about the presidency is "Leading great warriors into battle" or something to that effect.
* His disregard for the constitution. The secret laws and tribunals he put in place are reminiscent of Caligula's posting of new regulations on top of greased poles, where it was impossible for anyone to read them.
* His appointment of know-nothings to important offices. This practice continued even unto Mccain's pick of Palin, but there have been literally thousands of purely politically motivated appointments at the hands of the Bush administration. I can't think of them all at the moment, but "heckuvajob" Brownie, as head of FEMA, FFS, is a great example.
Caligula supposedly tried to appoint his horse to the Senate.
* Bush has turned the White House into a whorehouse.
Not just with the whole Gannon thing, which we will never know the whole truth of... but perhaps the fetishization of military men goes, well, a lot deeper than it appears.
No pun intended.
I could go on and on about this. Bush obviously wasn't as bad as Caligula, but the impression has always been that he did every little tiny bit that he could possibly get away with, and strained at the bit for more. More war. More murder. More torture. More abrogation of civil liberties.
Where, oh where, was our Cassius?
Post a Comment