Here are some photos from the Milan premiere and after-party for The Monuments Men. I’m including some pics of George Clooney and Matt Damon (and Matt’s wife Luciana). George and Matty D were looking really good in Italy. Like, some of the Clooney pics made me stop for a second and remember, “Damn, George can really bring the elegance.” I think Italy always agrees with him – it’s his second home and the Italian people seem to adore him too. He is Giorgio Clooney there! Meanwhile, Matty D looks like a dorky American tourist. Bless him.
Anyway, as I mentioned yesterday, Giorgio stepped into a huge international controversy while doing press in Europe for The Monuments Men. I believe that George was just answering a reporter’s question and trying to be diplomatic, but the result has been rather amazing. George was asked specifically about “the Elgin Marbles” and whether or not the British Museum should return them to Greece. George said Greece had “a very good case” and “Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing if they were returned. I think that is a good idea. I think that would be a very fair and very nice thing. Yeah, I think it is the right thing to do.”
Well, the British Museum is like “suck it, Clooney” and now there’s a renewed international debate about who “owns” these and any antiquities. The Greek Minister of Culture, a man who (I sh-t you not) is named Panos Panagiotopoulos, wrote Giorgio an open letter of thanks for speaking about the important issue – you can read the letter here. Panos even invited Clooney to come to Greece, where I’m sure he’ll be welcomed as some kind of demigod.
All for a movie that is getting terrible reviews, by the way. There’s even some significant industry gossip that Clooney pushed the film’s release date away from its original Christmas 2013 release because he and the studio knew that the film sucked hard and it wouldn’t be up for any awards.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
“Well, the British Museum is like “suck it, Clooney” ”
Hahaha, I actually heard in my head a posh British accent shouting, as I read this.
George Clooney never makes really fantastic films anyway….so the reviews aren’t much of a shock.
Good Night and Good Luck is one of my favorites by him. Great movie and soundtrack and a tight 90 minutes. So far the movie has recoup its budget so we will see if it will gain back its marketing. Say what you want, but the man knows how to stretch a dollar when it comes to his passion projects.
I’m sad the movie is getting terrible reviews, I was looking forward to seeing it because the Rape of Europa documentary (it’s on netflix for anyone who’s interested) and the Monuments Men story is so fascinating, but maybe I’ll wait til it comes out on DVD.
I enjoyed the movie.
It’s not terrible per se. I think it’s more like there’s universal agreement that it’s only mediocre. It leans pretty heavily on old school war movie tropes, most of which feel pretty stale, and it doesn’t get into its subject in any sort of real depth (you don’t see a lot of actual art in the movie). If you’ve seen Rape of Europa, it’ll probably be a disappointing, but it’s good for a dull February afternoon or DVD, though.
As was noted yesterday, what the British Museum says or doesn’t say, is worth less than one of Sixlet Minor’s sweaty socks. And his socks are sweaty. Elgin sold the marbles to the government, and so they “belong” to the nation. The government would have to repatriate and there isn’t a bally thing the British Museum can do about it either way. I think the government should repatriate, but let’s at least get our facts straight before making snarky remarks about the poor old museum. The people who work there NOW are dedicated academics, educators and preservers, not post-colonial thieves. If we’re going to snark, let’s snark at the people who deserve it: the politicians in the UK.
I thought that was a great thread yesterday, with good points and loads of passion. I read it all carefully although my position is still unchanged: repatriate if the physical condition of the marbles allows it. Do it without pointless and damaging recriminations, and hopefully start some kind of collaboration that will be to the benefit of the museums, academics and viewing visitors of BOTH countries.
Excellent points.
Well said. Although I’m still wondering why we should care about Clooney’s opinion. Oh wait…because he’s famous.
Excellently stated. This is what I do for a living. Museum exhibits design/build for 2 art foundations. For actors who play a part or read a book & then weigh into situations that are delicate (& tied up often with red tape & provinances) is ridiculous. As one poster commented “well he’s famous”
Maybe he should stick to that.
Of course it sucks……We’ve all seen George get a bunch of his friends together to steal some art 3 times before. And this time he didn’t invite Brad Pitt to the party.
Ha ha. I hadn’t thought of that! Good point. I would still like to see the movie though.
George will be a demi-god right up there with national treasure and all around gorgeous man John Stamos if the statues get returned.
Ahhhh….Is Giorgio looking a little extra refreshed to anyone else?? His face seems more slim – which goes with weight loss, but his skin should look a bit worse in that case, no? He looks slim and tightened which only comes from a trip to the face doctor. Sads.
Matt Damon looks amazing. Like a perfect “Everyman” and is that gray (grey?) hair? Damn he’s aging well.
I started to think that George wants a part of the Elgin Marbles for himself, you know to exhibit for his famous friends in his Lake Como villa…. I’m nearly convinced he asked that to the Greek minister…