Comments on: When Art Hunts The Artist Down

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:21:40 +0000

I am glad her French was so perfect.

I dunno, shit happens. Lots of cases turn out bad. The victim said the rape was nothing compared to the media spectacle that followed.

But of course I agree with you. Sick to see.

By: Jim Gourley

Jim Gourley — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:20:15 +0000

Odd ending to the petition: “On September 16th, 2009, Mr. Charles Rivkin, the US Ambassador to France, received French artists and intellectuals at the embassy. He presented to them the new Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the embassy, Ms Judith Baroody. In perfect French she lauded the Franco-American friendship and recommended the development of cultural relations between our two countries.

“If only in the name of this friendship between our two countries, we demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski.”

And if only politics weren’t thick as smoke and rife with great winks and nods in the establishment of all-forgiving “relationships.” And all of this while the classic tale is being spun and rolled right over all those big named heads.

And Roman’s in a Swiss jail probably going nuts. Oh well. It could have been worse. He could be in LA County already. And who knows, maybe he’ll still get there. But even if he doesn’t I’m seeing “The Last Temptation of Roman” being sympathetically story-boarded now: crowns of thorns, cross draggings and crucifixion with nary a mention of the rape of a thirteen yr. old. This is how they make their movies, especially when it’s so close to homes.

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:51:42 +0000

Moreover, given the facts I would assume he had done the same thing to other young girls in years prior. Seems like he knew what he was doing all right.

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:50:33 +0000

Its hard to think poorly about people we know or like. When people advocate for harsh penalties for criminals, it is because the people involved are alien and unknown.

When its our friends or even just people we know and find to be ok, then things change. A lot.

That said, yeah, its pretty sick. I mean, she was 13 for god’s sake, and he presumably knew that. And he did very clearly intend to rape her…

By: bhb

bhb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:56:48 +0000

What shakes my confidence is finding so many people whose opinions I respect and talents I admire supporting the petition to spare Polanski. I don’t get it. I am an admirer of Polanski. I think he’s brilliant and has created great films. Nevertheless, it’s a fair cop, guv.

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:52:03 +0000

Any subsequent private understanding between the two parties wouldn’t affect the plea agreement he apparently accepted all those years ago. That plea agreement is also why the statute of limitations doesn’t apply (although I am not too familiar with this type of case).

The agreement to pay the money could theoretically be found binding, but it seems like the victim has no interest in revisiting the matter.

I don’t know why this is happening now, but I will say that it seems to me a case like this is kind of like a blocked site over here: It not so much that anyone cares so about maintaining (the block or the charges), its just that no one wants to be the person in charge when a change is made.

I don’t see this just ending like that…if nothing else, it would result in too high a political price, no?

By: Jim Gourley

Jim Gourley — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:47:05 +0000

Yes, the payoff, which may or may not have been made. I wonder how that plays into the current Swiss fix? I also wonder if the U.S. end of the rope will just wait the full 40 days they have to request extradition and then let Mr. Polanski walk. It would closely match what he originally was expected to serve before he got the runs.

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:55:10 +0000

If you will allow a moment of flippancy, I prefer the album to the movie.

It should not be forgotten that in 1993 or so he apparently struck an agreement with the victim to pay something like 500,000 USD in compensation, and then…didn’t, for at least two years, and maybe never paid.

That just adds insult to injury.