18 Comments | Published by Brian Jacks on Friday, August 31, 2007 at 12:45 pm.
Castmember Terrence Howard sure seems to think so, describing “Iron Man” as “a modern-day comparison to what took place in 1973 when this Tony Stark character was invented.” The star of “The Hunting Party” also claims that for the sequel, the crew will be “a little more free … non-responsive to anyone,” particularly the Defense Department. Watch him dish out in the video below.
Do you agree with Howard? Is “Iron Man” a political allegory? Speak out in our comments section.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Well in the original origin (grin) of the character the dynamic which Howard mentioned was certainly there and I suppose you could paint some parallels with what’s happening today.
Regarding his defense department comments, it’s a given and a well known fact that if you want their help in doing a movie or TV show that they’re going to want to be portrayed in a positive light. Besides, if anything is wrong with the current conflict, it’s not the fault of the military but the folks directing them.
Vic
September 1st, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Terrence Howard needs to stick to just acting and stop sounding like an uninformed idiot.
First, Iron Man wasn’t created in 1973, he was started about a decade earlier.
Secondly, IM was often a character used to promote patriotism and the positive use of military might to achieve noble ends. He spent most of his first several years fighting the forces of Communism in the form of foes like Crimson Dynamo, The Black Widow and others. Iron Man’s basically a walking battle cruiser built and piloted by a weaponsmith employed by the U.S. Government.
As for the “lies” Howard believes were told to trick us into the Iraq War, they must’ve been the same “lies” that Bill & Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Tony Blair and many others across the political spectrum were telling… because all of these politicians believed that Saddam had WMDs and was ready to use them, based on the intelligence available at the time.
Armchair quarterbacking from an actor five years after the fact — who can’t even get the date of a cartoon character’s origin correct — just makes him sound like an ass. And anything but “savvy.” He needs to spend less time trolling the internet and try thinking for himself.
September 2nd, 2007 at 2:01 am
I like is the interview he gave recently over at aintitcoolnews.com where he praised Robert Downey Jr.’s energy, saying:
“He has taken all of those routes and the fact that Downey has been in all of those places his entire life, you know his life is very parallel to that in having his father as Robert Downey, the powerful man that he became. He started all of that, that whole real aggressive TV stuff and he’s a child of that and he’s brilliant.”
“Aggresive TV stuff?” Um, is he talking about Morton Downey Jr.?
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:25 am
Maybe he’s talking about Downey, Sr’s, background in advertising and his direction of “Putney Swope”, etc.?
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
I never new Terrence Howard was a moron.
Yes Terrence, We can’t be fooled by the Government today cause we have the internet. Great point. And what bloggers out there are giving us the rock solid facts?
September 3rd, 2007 at 3:11 am
Gee, Terrence Howard is such a bright and savvy guy - to be giving us historical contaxt about something as serious as war, no less, and he can’t even get the date Iron Man was created correct. And people woder why there is almost an automatic backlash whenever an actor/actress speaks about politics.
It’s because, like Howard, not only are they almost all liberal, but the vast majority of them are unimformed idiots.
September 3rd, 2007 at 9:28 am
First, Iron Man was anti-communist, all Marvel characters fought the communists. Hulk, FF and Spider-man fought the Gargoyle, the Red Ghost and the Chameleon. But Iron Man’s technology, “Repulsor Rays,” have always been a defensive weapon and the character for many, many years has had great regret about how others have used his technology.
Terrence Howard, like most actors, knows how to look like he has something important to say about every movie he does. He doesn’t. He was in “Biker Boyz.” Probably said that movie was all about the Israel Palestine conflict.
Those of you who are defending Bush and don’t believe there was any lying going down, you’re suckers and apologists and you deserve the world that’s coming where America drops deep into the middle, losing it’s economic and military “Super Powers.” That’s what Bush has brought you, own it!
Those of you who are on the “Iraq is bad, Bush is dumb, let’s pull out” bandwagon, you got nothing to be proud of, you all watched this thing happen and most of you were uninformed and pro war to begin with. You had to wait until everything went down the drain to change your minds, even though the Pentagon and every military adviser said this was gonna be a mistake and every independent news source said there was no 9/11 connection to Iraq and that this would only fuel our enemies. Now you want to leave? What a mess that will bring us.
Honestly, if you fit into either of these two groups or if you’re a dumb ass actor who thinks he gets the truth from wikipedia, then you should really be ashamed. You all messed up a pretty good country.
September 3rd, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Terrance Howards opinion of the movie they did, is just that, his opinion of the movie they did… and chances are he’s probably correct in the intrepretation of the tone of what ‘they’ were going for. I dont know if any of you’ve noticed, but Hollywood is full of anti-establishment types. Actors and directors alike, why is anyone surprised?
His blunder surrounding the year’s creation of the IM character notwithstanding, his remarks surrounding the ‘lies’ surrounding the war are spot on. The first President Bush fabricated (lied) to Congress about a mythical aggressive build up of Iraqi forces along some mideastern border, (The evidence, which was supposed to be made public knowledge upon request of reporters, but never was)… and his son proved that the apple did’nt fall far from the tree with the whole WMD fiasco.
For years we’ve listened to white house propaganda claiming to have sattelite imagery showing spot on location(s) of WMD, yet every time the UN goes in for a check-up, the Irai’s had suddenly moved the stash without prior US knowledge.
Not to mention that years after we’ve went in and taken over the entire country we’ve yet to unearth as much as a pile of bottle rockets. These are all documented facts.
One could even so far back as to point out the Regan era’s involvement in the selling of military issue firearms to countrys who have since, turnd around and decared war on us. But that’s neither here nor there, you guys’re right. Terrance Howard needs to stick to acting and ACT like everything his senses of sight, hearing and the ability to decipher for himself, doesn’t let on to the fcat that something really is rotten in Denmark.
September 4th, 2007 at 12:23 am
I ain’t seen the movie yet. So how do I know if its an anti-war thing? As for Terrence Howard, why is he pontificating on comic books? Who cares what he thinks? Is he Bertrand Russell now?
September 9th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
A. I bet any of you who criticize him wouldnt have the balls to say that to his face
B . Wrong or right? he is just doing his job and answering questions. I don’t think he went out of his way to display his beliefs
C. For those of you saying who cares what he thinks…You are moronic. Obviously if you didn’t care you wouldnt waste your pathetic lives repsonding to this from your moms basement with your dorito encrusted fingers. Get a life…..
September 10th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Hey Terrence in order to look a little less like an idiot you may research before opening your mouth next time. Bad actor, not too smart…. NEXT ??
September 10th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Uh for mr. ‘harperstewart’ what the hell are you talking about with George HW Bush and lying about a build up of Iraqi troops?
Iraq invaded Kuwait, there was no need to ‘lie’ about any evidence. The formation of the Coalition force was in alignment with the UN (unlike Clinton’s war on Serbia, funny how we never heard about it then) and was in reaction to the conquest of a sovereign nation and the attempt to establish control over a larger share of the resource that drives modern civilization.
But what ‘buildup’ are you talking about?
September 11th, 2007 at 2:48 am
Iron Man was created by Steve Ditko, an objectivist philosopher, capitalist, an American. (closer to the libertarian ideal than any of the parasitic, braindead Dem, Rep, Green, masses who have commented on this board thus far) Ditko is a believer in individual freedom and human productivity. Iron man is the quintessential American hero: A wealthy capitalist, a producer (not a looter), a believer in just retaliation, and rational self-interest.
There is a lot of confusion on this board about where Howard stands. Moreover, the actor DOES NOT MAKE CLEAR where he stands on the issues. To dismiss him out of hand as ignorant seems premature to me. Moreover, the comments he made could be construed as being pro-freedom. That’s all he really said. Perhaps he knows what that means, and perhaps those criticizing him should spend a little more time with google themselves.
(Moreover, Terrence is right! People who want to be informed now, CAN BE. And many of the previously ignorant sheeple are starting to wake up. Ron Paul alone has woken many people up, as has Wayn Root. http://www.rootforamerica.com –and we haven’t seen anything yet!!!)
Retaliation to armed attack is just and morally defensible. I would love to see Iron Man defending the American military, AND opposing unconstitutional acts of war, and gun control, and extremist environmentalism, communism, and other stupidity. It is wonderful that he revels in capitalism, his wealth, beautiful un-burqa-covered women. It is wonderful that he opposes an unoriginal theiving protectionist company (that literally represents fascism — Stane “Enterprises”). It is wonderful that the villains include “the ghost” — a typical Green Party member! Ha ha ha!
If you don’t “get it” you need to google “objectivism”, or visit the Ayn Rand Institute, and maybe read Leo Peikoff’s book “The Ominous Parallels”.
It’s about time we got an all-American superhero! (Of course, they will probably #~@*@ it all up, but here’s to hoping I’m roughly right about the way they’ve directed this thing. The comic was –at times– all of the things I said, and more.)
-Jake Witmer
February 28th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
What?……..lol
March 4th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
‘Rational self interest’. That’s interesting in itself.
So what if he doesn’t know the origin of a comic character? Is he still making a good point? Yes. That point: War is insanity. These days it has reverted back to a shady crusade to benefit the few.
Do one of the two following suggestions and you’ll get my gist:
1. Read 1984
OR
2. Watch the fist 15 mins of Saving Private Ryan. Just the first scene where they land on the beach.
War is madness hidden behind a veneer of rightousness.
Here’s a few quote I thought y’d like:
Benjamin Franklin:
There never was a good war or a bad peace.
David Friedman:
The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations.
Dwight Eisenhower:
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
Hermann Goering:
Naturally the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
Howard Thurman:
During times of war, hatred becomes quite respectable, even though it has to masquerade often under the guise of patriotism.
James Russell Lowell:
We kind o’ thought Christ went agin war an’ pillage.
John F. Kennedy:
Unconditional war can no longer lead to unconditional victory. It can no longer serve to settle disputes. It can no longer be of concern to great powers alone. For a nuclear disaster, spread by winds and waters and fear, could well engulf the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the committed and the uncommitted alike. Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.
And one more for good measure.
Thomas Jefferson:
The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.
————————————————
I know what it feels like to live among terrorism, where a war is fought in the name of the Lord.
And the pitiable creatures who fight it are unconscious demi-men unaware of the driving force behind their hatred and misguided rage.
Fear.
Before my parents allowed me a second to act my fear out, they taught me to understand it.
The only ‘war’ worth fighting is the one in our heads against the only enemy worthy of attack.
Fear.
It’s funny really. ‘The War on Terror’ they call it. If the point of terrorism is to make people afraid, then they’ve certainly succeeded in that.
Which means the war is lost.
So jake before you get up in arms and say ‘I’m not afrid of them, I’m defending my rights!’ What you fear is the loss of your rights to your “enemy”.
Don’t be afraid. Please. Because it is only through fear that villains can succeed.
And so on to my last quote…
Franklin Roosevelt:
there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Viggo Mortensen was once what the message of “The Lord of the Rings” movies was. He said that it showed that people of different cultures could come together and settle their differences non-violently. Actors are idiots. Who knew?
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Howdy
Funny a movie about a comic book character makes us all look fairly dumb in whatever stance we have on this war.Mek
June 8th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I just had the oppotunity to see the movie and found it enjoyable. Yes, the Mr. Downey’s character became anti-war, but news flash to all you arm-chair warriors. I have been in Combat three times over a 23 year Marine Corps career, including Iraq. Everyone who ever finds themselve in Combat becomes anti-war! That’s not to say they can not be avoided. Americans are very fortunate they can express their opinions as this actor did, even know they have the freedom of noit defending such a right. Less then one tenth or one percent of the US populations defends your freedom, remember that when you decide to express yours!
SEMPER FI DO OR DIE!