More Pro-irish Bias in Rugby ?

by Irish Londoner Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:16 pm

From the Irish Post:

A HOLLYWOOD film about retired Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has been relocated to Ireland over fears American viewers don’t know enough about Wales or rugby to engage with the original story.

After three years of talks between Thomas and Irish American actor Mickey Rourke about the feature – which was inspired by the Welshman’s coming out as the first openly gay professional rugby player in 2009 – insiders have revealed that it will now be set in the Emerald Isle.

Rourke will now play the character Mick “The Blade” Collins in the production, due to be called Irish Thunder, The Sun reported over the weekend.

“Gareth was upset about being cut out, but hopes the story raises awareness of how hard it is for gay sportsman to come out,” the source claimed.“Nobody in America really understands rugby and there are fears they wouldn’t know much about Wales either,” they added.

“The film is very much inspired by Gareth’s story, but a lot has been changed and the action has been moved to Ireland.

Filming is expected to begin later this year.

by SecretFly Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:24 pm

Is this bloody film still being talked about and still going ahead with even older Mickey Rourke trying to play a young rugby player?

Maybe the first thing the Americans need to know about rugby is that 60 year olds tend not to play it.

It ain't Golf folks. Wink

You don't slacks up, pink-jumperise yourself and go.

by EWT Spoons Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:29 pm

I read through that chat and didn't pick up on it being Rourke playing Thomas (or someone based on his story). That's a slap in the face. It would be like someone wanting to do a film of your life and the person playing you is the elephant man.

by **Notch** Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:30 pm

Mick 'The Blade' Collins!! Laugh

Brilliant!!!

by **Notch** Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:30 pm

This is going to be a terrible, terrible film isn't it?

by EWT Spoons Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:34 pm

Notch wrote:This is going to be a terrible, terrible film isn't it?

I think that might actually be the tag line.

by Irish Londoner Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:36 pm

I presume it'll be in "flashback" with the old player reminiscing about the good old days.

Presuably Mick "Blade" Collins team mates will be James "Left Winger" Connolly, Padraig "the General" Pearse and Eamon "The Quiet Man" De Valera.

by SecretFly Tue 14 Apr 2015, 4:43 pm

Irish Londoner wrote:I presume it'll be in "flashback" with the old player reminiscing about the good old days.

Presuably Mick "Blade" Collins team mates will be James "Left Winger" Connolly, Padraig "the General" Pearse and Eamon "The Quiet Man" De Valera.

Oh God, it's going to be embarrassing for us. Why??? Why Gareth???? Why did you come out?????

by Guest Tue 14 Apr 2015, 6:09 pm

I actually think the decision to change it from Wales to Ireland is a sensible choice. As it says the American audience probably don't know much, if anything, about Wales and they will be much more familiar with Ireland. Afterall, so many of them like to talk about how they are 5/13th Irish and the like.

I'd like to see them go further - they don't really know much about rugby, so I think it'd be wise to change it to NFL and relocate it again to the states. Gareth Thomas doesn't sound much like an NFL player, so i'd go for Burt Thunderstrike so the audience aren't too confused. Unfortunately the issue of homosexuality might be a little bit divisive in the current climate so we could change Burt's struggles from being the first professional rugby player coming out to being about how he went off the rails and squandered his talents until he saw the face of Christ in his bagel and changed his ways. Imagine the beauty of him looking up at the heavens before throwing the game winning touchdown pass and the crowd erupting into cheers of 'USA USA USA'.

by SecretFly Tue 14 Apr 2015, 6:30 pm

You're on the right track Fuzzy. Change the sport to Golf. A Texan Golfer comes out as a Believer after a lifetime of girls, booze, Playboy bunnies, drugs and women......

?

by Guest Tue 14 Apr 2015, 9:35 pm

I think its a massive insult to Gareth Thomas to be honest, he even spent time helping Rourke out on the role.

Ah well, I'm sure the changes are justified, it means that they can play on the whole Irish Catholic angle and how its sinful and whatever.

by Guest Tue 14 Apr 2015, 9:43 pm

Change the facts so the Americans can understand it? Are you f*cking kidding me?! How embarrassing to be an American if your film producers think you can't handle finding out about a person from a new/unknown nation. Don't tell me: Hotel Rwanda was released in the states as Hotel California?!

So they're banking on a fake film about a fake person and a fake scenario being more popular than a real film about a real person's real scenario that was groundbreaking in sport. Just make it up instead? And I can see that being better received too, unfortunately. Gotta love the human race in the 21st century! Absolute c**ts.

by SecretFly Tue 14 Apr 2015, 9:55 pm

Look on it this way.............................. Most bio-pics.................. most of them............... have been absolute shyte! I hate bio-pics.

So the best thing to happen for Gareth is that the film makers have changed his name, his nationality, his age, his motivations and saved him the embarrassment of the dialogue his character would have been forced to utter in a commercial American movie about 'ISSUES'.

by **profitius** Tue 14 Apr 2015, 10:13 pm

Money.
There are more Irish Americans so they're going after that market. Nothing to do with people not knowing where Wales is.
Its actually a shocking move and a slap in the face for Thomas.

by whocares Tue 14 Apr 2015, 11:11 pm

I bet that half of my countrymen dont know where exactly is so am not surprised if most Americans are clueless. Hell if you believe fix news Paris is half way between Beirut and Bagdad these days.

What's surprising me is that such movie is not produced by British money. Who cares if it doesnt appeal to some dude who just went to see frickin furious 7. I would go and watch something about gareth thomas made by welsh people who understand the rugby culture. There isnt enough rugby movies anyway.

by bedfordwelsh Tue 14 Apr 2015, 11:13 pm

Well it won't be the first time American producers have changed the facts to suit them and their audience.

by Irish Londoner Wed 15 Apr 2015, 8:33 am

whocares wrote:I bet that half of my countrymen dont know where exactly is so am not surprised if most Americans are clueless. Hell if you believe fix news Paris is half way between Beirut and Bagdad these days.

What's surprising me is that such movie is not produced by British money. Who cares if it doesnt appeal to some dude who just went to see frickin furious 7. I would go and watch something about gareth thomas made by welsh people who understand the rugby culture. There isnt enough rugby movies anyway.

Got to say I think it would have been a great project for BBC Films or Film4 to have done - could have been a Welsh "Full Monty", in the sense of getting Wales noticed worldwide.

by **George Carlin** Wed 15 Apr 2015, 8:40 am

SecretFly wrote:
Irish Londoner wrote:I presume it'll be in "flashback" with the old player reminiscing about the good old days.

Presuably Mick "Blade" Collins team mates will be James "Left Winger" Connolly, Padraig "the General" Pearse and Eamon "The Quiet Man" De Valera.

Oh God, it's going to be embarrassing for us. Why??? Why Gareth???? Why did you come out?????

by LordDowlais Wed 15 Apr 2015, 9:22 am

It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

by GunsGerms Wed 15 Apr 2015, 9:38 am

Aparently Mickey Rourke is going to play Thomas. Ray Winstone and Vinnie Jones will also be set to star in the film, along with Milla Jovovich and Jon Voight.

I dont think Rourke is a great choice but who should it be?

I think Fassbender would be able to pull it off. Or maybe Damian Lewis?

by LordDowlais Wed 15 Apr 2015, 9:42 am

GunsGerms wrote:I think Fassbender would be able to pull it off. Or maybe Damian Lewis?

What about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson ?

by **LondonTiger** Wed 15 Apr 2015, 9:47 am

LordDowlais wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:I think Fassbender would be able to pull it off. Or maybe Damian Lewis?

What about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson ?

By that reckoning we can have Vin Diesel playing Martyn Williams, Morgan Freeman as Warren Gatland and Tom Cruise as Shane Williams.

Actually scrub that last one, both are over-hyped midgets so far too obvious a casting Run

Tom Cruise will be Luke Charteris instead.

by LordDowlais Wed 15 Apr 2015, 9:52 am

Only in America. Laugh

by **George Carlin** Wed 15 Apr 2015, 10:08 am

LordDowlais wrote:It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

My new favourite expression.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 10:24 am

I don't see why American money and actors can't do an American version (true) of 'coming out' in sport anyway. It's happened. It got headlines.
But maybe America isn't ready for a black man coming out in American Football. Or maybe Mickey realises he'd have a tough time getting 'prepared' for that role. Or maybe America realises that 62 year olds don't play NFL.

Actually, I think a much better candidate for a rugby story involving being gay is Nigel Owens....

by offload Wed 15 Apr 2015, 10:53 am

Fortunately evolution has resulted in the gene responsible for embarrassment being absent now in Americans. This will allow the antics of Mick "The Blade" Collins to land harmlessly across the pond with minimal impact in the more developed world.

Rotten tomatoes has already written its review.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 10:57 am

I don't like the way you're all sneering Mick Collins btw. Not many players did what he did, under his pressures, in his way, at his time and lived to tell the tale.

More respect wouldn't go amiss here - but what's to be expected of the usual 606 shower of wums.

by beshocked Wed 15 Apr 2015, 11:44 am

If they are going to make a bio pic would probably prefer some of these options.

http://www.rugbystuff.com/Rugby-Stuff-News/rugby-goes-hollywood-the-best-rugby-lookalikes-of-all-time/

by Guest Wed 15 Apr 2015, 11:53 am

Aaron Cruden can be played by Eminem

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 12:02 pm

God, Wiko had to get Brad of course.... no joking around Wilko Wink

by Pot Hale Wed 15 Apr 2015, 12:23 pm

So they thought that people didn't know anything about Wales?

If there's one thing that US movie producers have proved since the year dot, is they don't have a frickin clue about Ireland either - except they keep making begorrah movies.

Bottom line - Wales and Thomas are lucky.

by whocares Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:06 pm

Pot Hale wrote:So they thought that people didn't know anything about Wales?

If there's one thing that US movie producers have proved since the year dot, is they don't have a frickin clue about Ireland either - except they keep making begorrah movies.

Bottom line - Wales and Thomas are lucky.

bit harsh on US movie makers here Smile

not like them actors dont put a lot of efforts into pretending to be Irish such as Russel Crowe in Winter'tale Run

by beshocked Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:28 pm

Pot Hale wrote:So they thought that people didn't know anything about Wales?

If there's one thing that US movie producers have proved since the year dot, is they don't have a frickin clue about Ireland either - except they keep making begorrah movies.

Bottom line - Wales and Thomas are lucky.

I agree - Hollywood think that Alexander the Great was an Irish man..... Whistle

Would be better to get an actual Irishman like Fassbender, Colin Farrell or Cillian Murphy to play an Irish rugby player instead of Mickey Rourke

Even Jack Gleeson would be a better option than Rourke.

by brennomac Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:40 pm

LordDowlais wrote:It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

Yep wasn't there a movie a few years with Matthew McConaughey on how the yanks cracked the Enigma code. No doubt this new movie will be on a par with that hilarious war movie a few years ago with Pele and assorted other soccer past-its - Escape to Glory or something like that.

by LordDowlais Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:47 pm

brennomac wrote:
LordDowlais wrote:It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

Yep wasn't there a movie a few years with Matthew McConaughey on how the yanks cracked the Enigma code. No doubt this new movie will be on a par with that hilarious war movie a few years ago with Pele and assorted other soccer past-its - Escape to Glory or something like that.

Anybody who knows anything about that dreadful part of our history would know that the Nazi's lost the war in Russia. Not because the Yanks came in after almost three years to save the day.

by GunsGerms Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:51 pm

beshocked wrote:
Pot Hale wrote:So they thought that people didn't know anything about Wales?

If there's one thing that US movie producers have proved since the year dot, is they don't have a frickin clue about Ireland either - except they keep making begorrah movies.

Bottom line - Wales and Thomas are lucky.

I agree - Hollywood think that Alexander the Great was an Irish man.....

Would be better to get an actual Irishman like Fassbender, Colin Farrell or Cillian Murphy to play an Irish rugby player instead of Mickey Rourke

Even Jack Gleeson would be a better option than Rourke.

Think Liam Neeson should do a movie about Willie Joe McBride.

by GunsGerms Wed 15 Apr 2015, 4:58 pm

LordDowlais wrote:
brennomac wrote:
LordDowlais wrote:It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

Yep wasn't there a movie a few years with Matthew McConaughey on how the yanks cracked the Enigma code. No doubt this new movie will be on a par with that hilarious war movie a few years ago with Pele and assorted other soccer past-its - Escape to Glory or something like that.

Anybody who knows anything about that dreadful part of our history would know that the Nazi's lost the war in Russia. Not because the Yanks came in after almost three years to save the day.

Im fairly sure everyone is taught a different version of events depending what country you go to school in.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:10 pm

beshocked wrote:

I agree - Hollywood think that Alexander the Great was an Irish man.....

Well they also thought Jesus was English, Mark Anthony was Welsh and Agamemnon Scottish. History ain't their strong point and I was surprised they didn't bomb themselves when Bagdad was the target all those years ago. California being the home to both Bagdad and some US Airforce bases.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:14 pm

GunsGerms wrote:

Think Liam Neeson should do a movie about Willie Joe McBride.

Freudian slip???

The Blade Collins was a much better player and had a much more colourful past if you cared to read his biography.

by beshocked Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:16 pm

LordDowlais wrote:
brennomac wrote:
LordDowlais wrote:It's the same with all the 2nd World War films, if we were to believe Hollywood, then the Americans won that war all on their own, with one tank and a few soldiers. The Americans are so brainwashed in thinking they are the center of the world it is astounding, it really boils my pee when I see a film about the Americans saving the world, again.

Yep wasn't there a movie a few years with Matthew McConaughey on how the yanks cracked the Enigma code. No doubt this new movie will be on a par with that hilarious war movie a few years ago with Pele and assorted other soccer past-its - Escape to Glory or something like that.

Anybody who knows anything about that dreadful part of our history would know that the Nazi's lost the war in Russia. Not because the Yanks came in after almost three years to save the day.

Disagree. Russia were not the saviours, as neither were Britain or USA. It was an allied effort from numerous countries.

Battle of Britain was important itself. This happened before Germany attacked Russia. Wasn't just British pilots either - Pilots from all around the world.

Germany failed to knock Britain out of the war.

The Napoleonic Wars is similar - it was an allied effort to defeat France and Napoleon.

In both wars superior numbers and resources for the allies meant that Germany and France were never going to permanently win.

Patrick Harper of the Sharpe series is an Irish hero.

by Guest Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:18 pm

I'm looking forward to the Adam Jones movie starring Hurley from 'Lost'. Should be a rip roarer!

by GunsGerms Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:18 pm

SecretFly wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:

Think Liam Neeson should do a movie about Willie Joe McBride.

Freudian slip???

The Blade Collins was a much better player and had a much more colourful past if you cared to read his biography.

Yes sorry. Head cold. Brain kaput.

by beshocked Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:24 pm

SecretFly wrote:
beshocked wrote:

I agree - Hollywood think that Alexander the Great was an Irish man.....

Well they also thought Jesus was English, Mark Anthony was Welsh and Agamemnon Scottish. History ain't their strong point and I was surprised they didn't bomb themselves when Bagdad was the target all those years ago. California being the home to both Bagdad and some US Airforce bases.

Jesus is English...... so is Moses...... surely everyone knows that? Whistle

Don't remember Mark Anthony being played by a Welshman, I know that an Irishman played Julius Caesar (nothing wrong with that - I like Ciaran Hinds).

I agree history is not their strong point.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:26 pm

Hitler was in charge of the defeat. The more the Germans regarded him as God, the more he controlled their future with mad tactical fantasies. Hitler defeated Germany. Had some of their more crafty Field Marshals been in full control of their strategies, they might very well have consolidated a Continental Europe for a few years of tentative peace. They certainly wouldn't have bulldozed into Russia to be caught with their pants down through a long winter and no supply lines. They wouldn't have bombed England and rather allowed a safer feeling England to relax a bit and lose interest in the mainland.
There are many things that the Allies can be grateful to Hitler for doing to assist them on their way to Berlin.

by beshocked Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:35 pm

Perhaps secretfly but that's the thing about dictators like Napoleon and Hitler - they were going to be defeated sooner or later.

Even Napoleon - one of the greatest generals of his generation was slowly pushed back then beaten.

As for more crafty field marshals - they might well have squabbled with each other - jealousy naturally rears its ugly head.

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:38 pm

No there were a few smart ones..... but then all Dictators kill off their rivals..................... the smart ones. Another weakness of the disposition. It's nice being surrounded by people who say 'Yes, sir' with automatic loyalty......... but they tend to be idiots so...................... not so productive a cohort.

by Guest Wed 15 Apr 2015, 5:43 pm

SecretFly wrote:Hitler was in charge of the defeat. The more the Germans regarded him as God, the more he controlled their future with mad tactical fantasies. Hitler defeated Germany. Had some of their more crafty Field Marshals been in full control of their strategies, they might very well have consolidated a Continental Europe for a few years of tentative peace. They certainly wouldn't have bulldozed into Russia to be caught with their pants down through a long winter and no supply lines. They wouldn't have bombed England and rather allowed a safer feeling England to relax a bit and lose interest in the mainland.
There are many things that the Allies can be grateful to Hitler for doing to assist them on their way to Berlin.

The UK, 'fly. The UK! And Ireland actually. But not just England! You're like these damn Hollywood types now distorting the facts for the mass market Whistle

by SecretFly Wed 15 Apr 2015, 6:12 pm

Oh sorry UK.

Of course UK...I was thinking London and white cliffs of Dover as I looked over my script for the upcoming movie based on the battle for Leiningrad but moved to London because the Americans don't think Russian actors would speak pretend Russian in good enough English for their audiences to know what they were pretending to say.

by asoreleftshoulder Wed 15 Apr 2015, 7:14 pm

beshocked wrote:Perhaps secretfly but that's the thing about dictators like Napoleon and Hitler - they were going to be defeated sooner or later.

Even Napoleon - one of the greatest generals of his generation was slowly pushed back then beaten.

As for more crafty field marshals - they might well have squabbled with each other - jealousy naturally rears its ugly head.

He could have done so much more if he had the vision to see what riches there were in America.He sold off Louisiana (a much larger area back then than the current state) for a laughable amount of money.If he had developed his strength over there then the financial might he could have developed for France would have been huge.However the guy was the ultimate in terms of being a dictator,he truly just craved power and possibly also the challenge and strategy of war.He wasn't even French,just a man with ruthless and heartless ambition.

by Irish Londoner Thu 16 Apr 2015, 9:23 am

WWII in three lines
"Britain gave the time"
"USA gave the money"
"Russia gave the blood"

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