See: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139328/
I've just come back from the flicks; I've seen Roman Polanski's The Ghost. It's dynamite! A less than evasive parody of Tony Blair; you've got to see it to understand! In fact it's made me wonder about the current shaming of the director; not that the charges against him are fabricated, but whether his humiliation is a bit... conveniently timed? According to the review of the film in "The Big Issue" Polanski was already in jail during the movie's post-production and he edited it from a laptop in his cell.
The film's apparent title is The Ghost Writer, although the pre-release reviews, posters call it The Ghost, the same title as the novel it is based on. This latter title is the one advertized on Vue Cinema's listing too. I wonder why that is?
The author of the book on which the movie is based, Robert Harris, was actually a friend of Blair, according to The Big Issue review. He said Blair used to be a really nice guy, but then he became Prime Minister and he changed. He transformed into this horrid, ruthless tyrant. This has happened to other men. David Blunkett led an anti-government rebellion in 1983 in Sheffield, but look at him during the Blair years! The most Orwellian Home Secretary in living memory. Nikolai Ceaucescu, the last Communist leader of Romania was once asked how he dealt with dissidents. He replied: "I don't fight then, I just offer them a job!"
Maybe something happens to these people on a spiritual level when they get into government; an essential part of their humanity is stripped away from their minds. Maybe that's what the Satanic Ritual is all about.
Just seen it yesterday, better late than never, though :) it's never late for good cinema. Thought-provoking, well-settled. And with final twist of a plot almost as good as in "Chinatown". As for refferences to previous Polanski's movies, we have also this shadowy, "ghost" like figure of previous writer, which our hero never meets - yet he somehow exist and determines his heir actions - same as in remarkable "The Tenant", where Polanski played main character. It shows true face of big politics: even if you're "winner", you will lose your humanity and sense of real life of mortal people. Good movie, slightly better than Oscar winning "The Pianist".
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