From: "Jeff Sparrow" <jeffs-AT-werple.mira.net.au>
Subject: M-I: Re: Fire Down Below
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 10:25:18 +1000


I've always wondered about this: what exactly is Steven Seagal's relation
to the left?

I mean, it is quite striking (if you pardon the pun) how many of his films
have left or at least environmental themes. I recall one ('On Deadly
Ground' - something like that) which concludes with ol' Steve giving a
lecture straight to camera about the need to defend the planet agaist the
ravages of the multi-nationals (barely a dry eye in the cinema, I tell
you). In 'Above the Law', he defends a bunch of Latin American refugees
against the CIA which is trying to rub them out to cover up US complicity
in human rights violations.

It seems very strange. Hollywood martial arts films are a very right wing
genre, and Seagal doesn't deviate from the generic formula at all – except
to include these weird plot lines.

He's quite different, for instance, from Bruce Lee. Bruce's movies were
anti-racist and anti-imperialist, but that was woven into their entire
structure – part of the point of the films was that this skinny little
Chinese guy was beating up these much bigger (often white) opponents. 

So what's with Steven? Is he doing an entry job in Hollywood? Can we expect
him to emerge at the end of his next film to plant the unstained banner of
the 4th International on the bodies of his prostrate opponents. 
"This is for Leon....!" 

We await in anticipation.

Regards,
Jeff

PS Glad to see that someone else noted what a porker he was! That just adds
to the mystery. This guy is fat, balding and seemingly a leftie. Yet he's a
big Hollywood star! There's hopes for all of us.



     --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---