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'Cove' director defiant on Yokota base ban, harassment

32 Comments

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God forbid that people be allowed to watch a movie that makes them think!

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I always find it amazing that no matter what, the Japanese will eat anything out of the ocean. Now Sealing on the east coast of Canada on the other hand is an essential part of survival for innu and other Canadians hard hit by the collapse of the cod fishery.

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Who said Yokota had an option to screen it in the first place? I can't seem to find any Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) theater anywhere showing it. http://www.aafes.com/ems/default.asp

It doesn't look like the Navy procured any copies either: http://www.mwr.navy.mil/mwrprgms/nmps1.htm

So if there really was an actual screening canceled, where are the reels?

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Yes, stevecpfc, so a dolphin is not a fish, it is a mammal. We eat lot's of those too.

But as much as I believe the movie is basically Japan bashing (there are people who will go to no end to show Japan in a bad light), they should have shown the movie. That is one of the values the US ostensibly stands for. Would they ban a movie like "Tora Tora Tora" because it might offect Japanese sensitivities? Is this tied to the relocation issue?

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To the benefit of the US military "Cove" is not being shown because they would lose money showing a limited appeal movie, it's a matter of dollars and sense.

Actually, we do not pay for the movies on base. We pay two bucks, if that and that is to help keep up the facilities. No money involved to help this decision. This is strictly a political reasion.

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The US govt has to suck up movies such as Farenheit 911 and even let it make profits due to the system having higher transparency....I dont recall it being prevented from being screened (or was it?).. and it went far deeper than a fishing scandal!

so more than the issue of Whale or Dolphin hunting, it about the freedom to pursue and voice your opinions and then also test how safe citizens are from their own governments

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“Fish are talking. Whales are talking,” he said. “Everything has been singing. We just haven’t been listening, and we are destroying these voices.”

Sounds like someone has a few issues, huh?..and what are these fishies telling you....

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The US military has the right to decide what they show or don't show for whatever reason they deem appropriate so frankly it's done of this guy's business either way. Seems like winning the oscar has really gone to his head. Very tough filming unsuspecting villagers secretly. I dare this guy to make a documentary on how US Navy sonar causes harm to whales. Animal huggers who get bent out of shape for them generally aren't regarded very highly (or at all) among the members of the military who, put bluntly, have far more serious things to be concerned about.

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The Cove producers should just be creative and send over 50 or so DVDs to someone for distribution.

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Since it may be seen as offensive by some Japanese, it shouldn't be shown on the base. Those Americans, who are guests of the Japanese people, can wait until they get home if they really want to see it.

That said, I think it's a shame people are trying to keep it from being shown at regular cinemas. I think the Japanese people are smart enough to be able to watch it and make up their own minds whether it is propagandistic or not. It sounds like the protesters think their fellow country men (and women) are stupid or something.

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“The military is facing a lot of pressure by our government to make nice of the Japanese.... It’s not just about saving dolphins. It’s about saving humans,” he said. “This kind of information needs to be freed.

Maybe they'd rather watch Universal Soldier 3 - the more I read about this bloke the more he portrays himself as the second bleeding coming.

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Base commanders get to decide what is shown on base theater screens. No explanation or justification is required. Lobbying is fruitless. 'Nuff said.

Someone needs to send the director of the movie a memo... "DVD's are 20th Century. We want BlueRay(R) now!"

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I think the commander made the right decision, and shows how sensitive the US Military is to the feelings of the Japanese people.

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To the benefit of the US military "Cove" is not being shown because they would lose money showing a limited appeal movie, it's a matter of dollars and sense. To the denigration of the Japanese, they really don't give a hoot about slaughtering anything, a meal is a meal. Westerners can lead a horse to water, but it isn't just the sight of cruelly slaughtered dolphins which causes it hesitation to drink, it's pure unadulterated island mentality vs. the rest of the world. Anyone who's been here for more than 5 minutes must recognize the US vs THEM mentality here.

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“The military is facing a lot of pressure by our government to make nice of the Japanese,” he told The Associated Press by telephone from Boulder, Colorado. “We are going to win this battle, with or without the U.S. military.”

This guy is such an astute observer of the Japanese political scene. But of course the Japanese government and the US military have such a close friendship that the US kowtows to Japan's every whim. I say it is time for the US to be more assertive and stop being Mr. Nice Guy. Stand up to those Japanese bullies!

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Fish are talking?!

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The film is not wanted by many right wing nutcases in Japan as it shows an out of date barbaric practise condemned by decent people.

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Of course ignorant and bad people want this banned.

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The voice of someone who has not seen the film. It is not Japan bashing at all unless you consider exposing the truth about the toxins in dolphin meat and how the Jp Gov intends to feed it to all the pre-school, elementary and junior high school kids in the country to be Japan bashing. If the Japanese are so proud of their dolphin hunting culture why are they trying to silence this film? The rest of the world has seen it, but they are trying to stop the Japanese people from seeing the truth about what their own government intends to do its people.

For the Japanese, the movie can be interpreted as public awareness of dolphin meat, but that is on an ulterior purpose for a greater cause of stirring anti-dolphin slaughter in the west, WHETHER THE CREATURE BE POISONED OR CLEAN!

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bicultural - the Japanese government has no intention of serving dolphin meat to ALL schools in Japan.

Yet, another person commenting blindly. If they could catch enough they would and the same goes for whale meat.

And David, dolphin meat has 20 times the acceptable level of mercury. But, you already know that, don't you?
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shinjukuboy, dolphins are not fish. I thouht it was good at showing how barbaric the slaughter is and providing info regarding the tainted meat.

Ones who complain should do at those who try to prevent this film screening, but they won`t.

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HAHA... Just showing Japanese at their best. The COVE is the same as the rest of Japan and how the Japanese care little for the rest of the world. too bad times are changing and the rest of the world cares little about what is going on with Japan.

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stevecpfc - I don't claim to not have a bias.

Disillusioned - marine food is not "poisoned". :)

Moderator: All readers, please stay on topic. Posts that do not focus on the Yokota base's decision not to show "The Cove" will be removed.

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What is so special about dolphins? They are just fish, and we eat all sorts of fish. Why the provilidged status? Because of the cute snout?

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A one sided propaganda film? Nice! You obviously don't have school aged kids in Japan. It would also be worth noting that, all of the Gov. officials that spoke out in the film have been removed from their positions. Personally, I have no qualms with the way the dolphins are killed. It's just ancient people carrying out ancient practices. However, I do have a major problem with the fact the J-Gov intends to use this poisoned meat to feed MY kids at school and they are doing everything they can to cover it up. That is not propaganda. It is fact!

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davidattokyo, of course not. you are of course impartial when discussing, fish, dolphins and whales aren`t you?

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kolohe - The people in the film who had their faces blurred apparently objected to appearing in the film, so that's where I think the need to blur them arose. They might sue the cinemas otherwise. I wouldn't want to appear in a one-sided propaganda film either.

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TokyoRoughGuy - Yokota realizes the film is nothing more than Japan bashing.

The voice of someone who has not seen the film. It is not Japan bashing at all unless you consider exposing the truth about the toxins in dolphin meat and how the Jp Gov intends to feed it to all the pre-school, elementary and junior high school kids in the country to be Japan bashing. If the Japanese are so proud of their dolphin hunting culture why are they trying to silence this film? The rest of the world has seen it, but they are trying to stop the Japanese people from seeing the truth about what their own government intends to do its people.

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The Cove was an interesting movie, quite shocking in its depiction of the slaughter. However, I felt the movie was filled with propaganda, quite bias, passing off as a documentary that is aimed at the viewers' emotions.

The movie seems to be a way by the trainer of Flipper to make up for his role (and guilty feelings) in having people fall in love with dolphins, thus creating a huge demand for "Flippers" at attractions such as Sea World, etc. performances.

Still, people should have a chance to see the movie for what it is and let them make up their own minds.

There should be no need to blur the faces of the Japanese shown in this movie, including that of Private Space and government officials.

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Go home.

Moderator: He is not here in Japan. Please post something more relevant.

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And Japan needs to be bashed or they will never change their selfish, sometimes ignorant ways.

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Yokota realizes the film is nothing more than Japan bashing.

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