Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood

By Power-trip August 28, 2001 6:04 PM

EDINBURGH, Scotland (Reuters) - Former movie bad-boy turned respected director Sean Penn is still an angry man -- but now he vents his ire on an apathetic Hollywood and corporatized America rather than the paparazzi who have dogged him over the years.

Penn, in Scotland Thursday for the British premiere of his latest film "The Pledge," said time was ripe for a cultural revolution to shake his home country off its couch -- only most Americans have lost any stomach for a fight, he moaned.

"I don't think people value the idea of revolution anymore," Penn told reporters. "It would be an enormously patriotic movement that invested in the possibility of a revolution."

Instead, he welcomed recent anti-globalization protests at world leaders' summits in Seattle and Genoa as evidence that some young people were still thinking for themselves and were prepared to stand up for change.

"There's a lot of things happening around the world," Penn said. "You've got a lot of young people putting themselves on the line... They've got a kind of unified interest in humanity at large and that's one of the best things to have."

Now a 41-year-old father of two with wife Robin Wright Penn, Penn is hailed as one of the best actor/directors of his generation, and has come a long way from the reporter-bashing husband of pop megastar Madonna (news - web sites) from whom he split in 1989.

His latest film, "The Pledge," a spine-tingling thriller set in Nevada, is typical of his stance on the edges of the Hollywood system.

The film tells of lonely murder detective Jerry Black, played by Jack Nicholson, who reaches retirement on the day the mutilated body of a young girl is found in the icy mountains.

Its almost unbearable tension has won Penn critical acclaim, but little box office success -- a fact he shrugs off.

"In Hollywood ... there's a sense that if you put three thoughts in a movie, then you've broken the law and nobody will come," he said.

"The American audience is very interested in being comfortable, so I was very happy to go out there and take a few people by surprise," he said.

Rebelling against the power of the box office buck he has nothing but contempt for Hollywood directors who churn out formulaic pictures with no eye on artistic or intellectual value.

"There's a constant beating of anything that doesn't serve the bank," Penn said.

And will the modern-day movie Daniel ever break his lifelong promise never to enter the lion's den of an Oscar ceremony? Unlikely.

"I wouldn't treat as insult or compliment anything that happens in that building," said Penn, who received Oscar nominations for "Dead Man Walking" and "Sweet and Lowdown."

| comments: 51

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 28, 2001 8:36 PM

How about some INTERESTING news articles?

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 28, 2001 8:42 PM

What a damn baby...

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 5:19 AM

Who cares what he hates?  If he hates it so bad, dont make any more films then..  Hypocrite...

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by AXEMAN (bigturnerfish@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 5:55 AM

Hey shemp, here is something interesting.

Oshawa ON. August 28, 2001

Attack of the Clones Protest leader Brady Nelson was hospitalized late
Sunday evening when his quad-runner flipped causing a metal rod to pierce his lower left leg.  Nelson managed to work his way from under the machine and crawl back 20km to the highway before he was spotted and taken to a near by hospital.  After 6 hours of surgery doctors were able to re-attach all of the tendons which had been ripped from the bone, as well as mend two rather large gashes on either side of his leg.

According to police reports, the front right suspension broke down causing the axle to snap.  Once the entire front left quarter dipped, Nelson lost control and the bike flipped.  Detectives on the scene refused to deny the rumor that fowl play was involved.  It is common that since Nelson started the Star Wars Title protest only a few short weeks ago, he has been the recipient of dozens of death threats.  It was, in fact, because of these death threats that the revolutionary was hiding out at his lake cottage in the first place.

Nelson, who recently had been leading a crusade against Lucas Films, and
George Lucas himself, for what he has referred to as unjust treatment of
loyal fans, says that he will not let the injury slow down the movement.
"We will continue our fight.  I spend most of the day at home in bed with my laptop anyway, so it really doesn't make much difference whether I'm here or there."  Nelson will be kept in hospital for observation before being released on Friday.

Get well wishes and letters of support can be sent to
attackoftheclonesprotest@hotmail.com

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 6:47 AM

You are pathetic.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 9:23 AM

Sean Penn is one of the greatest actors of my generation. I mean, have you SEE Dead Man Walking or Carlito's Way? This man has every right to bitch and moan about Hollywood.

Pearl Harbor was one of the very worst movies I've ever seen. Most movies out of Hollywood in the last decade SUCKED. They're just commercials for movie-related product like toys and beach towels.

I can't WAIT to see The Pledge because for one, Penn directed it and two, the ending is purported to be quite unconventional.

Plus I just like Sean Penn because at some point in the late 80's he must have realized what a hack Madonna was and left her to roll around in her own mediocrity, surrounded by fans who belived her to be a visionary, when all she did was appropriate Chicago House music and mass-market it to the world via titillating music videos.

But that's a WHOLE other thread now, isn't it.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 9:27 AM

Here's a good THREAD:

The new Super Man TV show on network television titled: "Smallville" will feature young, costumeless Clark Kent dealing with high school hoopla and X-Files type spookiness. I think it sounds great!
Of course the debate is whether he should wear jeans and tees or his super famous costume.

   Penn could play Lex Luthor unless he's too cool for that type of role.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by CorneliusD (No Email) on August 29, 2001 9:42 AM

Death threats for criticizing George Lucas?  You've got to be kidding me.  

As for Nelson, I think he summed it up perfectly:

"I spend most of the day at home in bed with my laptop anyway, so it really doesn't make much difference whether I'm here or there."  

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 9:54 AM

I like Sean Penn too, I think he's a great actor, at least in the top 20 working actors today. He's got some strong opinions like he always does. However, blasting Hollywood for not making good or "artistic" movies is really off the mark. I could easily name 20 great big budget movies that have come out in the last decade, including some he's been in!

  "Movie stars, is there anything they don't know"

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by Gunther (No Email) on August 29, 2001 11:32 AM

Yeah, right... Sean Penn in the new TV show sounds like a great idea - a 41 year-old Lex Luther in highschool with Superman... He must be the PE coach.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 11:34 AM

I'm pretty sure Luthor is at least 10 years older than the Man of Steel.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 12:10 PM

yah, where did the good stories go, like what is happening to Queen of the Damned, since Aaliyah is dead, or more on Tron 2.0, come on no one cares if people hate hollywood, everybody hates hollywood.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 12:27 PM

six, he was in grad. school while Clark was in high school,
he even discovered a cure for Kryptonite, right before an accident in his lab started a fire, and superboy flies in and blows out the fire. which in turn pushes all the toxic gases on to Lex, who looses his hair and gets a little tweeked, decides that the loss of his good looks is superman's fault, destorys the antidote, and sets out to destroy superman.

~allknowing

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 1:22 PM

O.K.

FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 1:28 PM

Have you guys seen that Movie "The Pledge" with Jack Nicolson?

No?

Well GOOD it sucked!

It was about a retired cop that was looking for the killer of his last investigation. He sets a trap (a lttle girl) for the bad guy, but the bad guy never arrives cuz the bad guy dies in a car accident on his way.
Everybody thinks he's an a--hole for using a little girl for bait. And Jack goes mad. - THE END

Nice comment   reply

Posted by sKillBot (travis@pulley.org) on August 29, 2001 1:38 PM

Every day it plagues me how so many things you run into is just a ploy to get into your wallet. Imagine a girl telling you, "This good night kiss has been brought to you by trojan - makers of fine prophylactics". Actually... that might not be the worst thing to hear, but I digress.

Seriously though, every time there's a TV on, I hear that stupid mambo song I heard in the grocery store a while ago singing about ford cars. And movies are getting plaqued with this bullcrap more than ever. I have to sit and watch Britney Spears jiggle her pepsi navel ring every time I want to see a movie in the theatre.

As for madonna, I just watched her big concert in detroit on HBO - she went from crouching tiger style kung-fu to country bumpkin to homegirl so fast that it made my head spin almost as fast as her gay dancers (all of which were flawlessly talented, btw). Children, can you say mass appeal == more sales?

You are most unwise   reply

Posted by sKillBot (travis@pulley.org) on August 29, 2001 1:48 PM

You might as well throw out your CD collection as soon as you hear some music you don't like.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 1:52 PM

Typical RANDOM SHEMP

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by billbordendt (doesntwork@noway.how) on August 29, 2001 2:37 PM

"Typical Random Shemp"? What exactly is a typical Random Shemp; someone who hasn't lost so much touch with reality as to forget that the primary purpose of movies is to entertain?  
Random Shemp was correct, the movie was particularly boring and a definate waste of the rental cost, much less the cost of a theater ticket.  Somewhere along the line, critics forgot that entertainment was the goal of cinema, and decided that anything that was not so deep and/or edgy as to be compleatly unintelliable (and uninteresting) was "a bad movie"; anything that was interesting, geared to the people, was obviously worthless. Never forget, much in  Shakespear's plays was written for the pit, and they're filled with dirty jokes, scatological references and general low humor particularly  aimed at that audience. We just need a translator to understand much of it now.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 3:25 PM

I happened to like "the Pledge". While I was slightly dissapointed that the killer was a throw away character that you see for less than two seconds of the movie overall the movie did hold my intrest. That in my opinion is what most movies are supposed to do. Every once in a while there is a great movie that comes along and changes things either in the industry or your life, but really all movies are supposed to do is hold your intrest for about 2 hrs. They are supposed to entertain. "The Pledge" did that for me. On the other side of the coin I personally don't think Sean Penn is as good an actor or director as people say he is, but I do applaud him for standing up for what he believes in and encouraging others to do the same. You can't fault that. And besides without people complaining about hollywood things won't change. The only problem is, the public needs to start complaining with their money instead of the actors/directors doing it all for them.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 3:36 PM

(Jack forgive me)

Estebon:

  My reply had to do with that a--hole giving away the whole movie, if you can't comprehend that then your a fricking moron. How would you like it if I gave away the entire story of a movie you wanted to see. Estaban, I dub thee "FUK HEAD", welcome to Dtheatre.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by power-trip (powertripz@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 5:18 PM

typical random shemp prick.  He's perfect for us.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by power-trip (powertripz@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 5:36 PM

By the way--as tacky as it is to call attention to yourself in a story you submit--I am more interested in Penn's call for a "cultural revolution."  For me, it harkens back to Tyler Durden's speech in Fight Club about us being the middle children of history.  Where is our great war, our great depression?  What will define us other than our absolute lust for consumer products. Teenagers taking over the cola wars--egh.  

Billy Joel and his generation may not have started the fire but ours is doing a bang up job of pissing on it and reducing it to ashes.

And if movies are our cultural barometer, then what do you all think it says about us when we have re-makes and sequels galore. Historians are going to look back and laugh their asses off about this dead zone in America.  And since most every other country copies us now...well, the only other thing that has a downward spiral that I can think of is a toilet.

If this depresses you--tough.  If this makes you think and gives you a reason to post a comment then bring it on.  ANYthing that makes me laugh will be appreciated. Ciao!

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on August 29, 2001 6:17 PM

I agree with you as far as entertainment is concerned, however thats a tiny fraction of the measurement of any era. Technology, medicine, agriculture, and others are much larger tell tale signs. In most of these aspects the U.S. is kicking ass, even in this uneventful period. Anyway I think our future will be so bleak, we won't be doing much "looking back" anyway. I give the planet as a whole another 200 years tops.

  On a lighter note: The Simpsons Season One is about to come out on DVD, including 11 episodes that have not been syndicated since '93. It's gonna be great.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2001 6:42 PM

yeah 200 years sounds about right

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by skizzo312 (skizzosmooth@earthlink.net) on August 29, 2001 9:02 PM

it's about time somebody had the cajones to say what so many of us feel.  the movies that come out of hollywood today are a disgrace to the memories of Zanuck, DeMille, Warner, and all the great moguls of the past.  the american cinema is dead.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by skizzo312 (skizzosmooth@earthlink.net) on August 29, 2001 9:07 PM

fight club sucks

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 30, 2001 4:21 AM

I like Dead Man Walking and Carlito's Way.  I think he is a decent actor..  And I do agree that most of what comes out of hollywood today is sh*t, but if hes going to go out and protest how much he hates hollywood, its hypocritical to still want to be a part of it, which he is.  Sure everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if hes going to make noise about his feelings to the public, then he needs to do something about it...

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on August 30, 2001 6:56 AM

Dumb-ass the article is fictional

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 30, 2001 7:03 AM

who cares?

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 30, 2001 11:13 AM

Okay, so he hates Hollywood.  Penn can follow the long line of other actors (and people) who hate it.  Out of all the responses I read to this story, no one commented on his "revolution" idea...."" said time was ripe for a cultural revolution to shake his home country off its couch -- only most Americans have lost any stomach for a fight, he moaned." What does he expect the people to do, stop watching movies, gripe to the directors (which he is) and the producers that their movies suck.  Give me a break.  People don't want to fight they want to have fun and if he is not having fun, then maybe he should find another line of work. Penn should remember why he has the wealth that he has today!

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by Little Old Lady English (oldhousemom@razorback.com) on August 30, 2001 11:58 AM

Praise the Lord and pass the ammo. . .

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 30, 2001 2:33 PM

Brady Nelson and Sean Penn could make a good team of belly-achers or gay lovers.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by scichick (imscichick@ivillage.com) on August 30, 2001 8:39 PM

Forgive me for being new at this - but what does Penn actually want from us? He thinks it would be very 'patriotic' for us to revolutionize what? The quality of movies being made today? He seems to be the one in position to direct or star in something GREAT. I'm sure he recieves LOTS of movie script from all kinds of sources, surely he comes across some with potential.
Or is it money? Do we pay too much to see movies? That's probably because they pay some of the actors so much. ?

Off the subject - I think Superman should wear his costume - it's indestructable. You can't cut or burn it. If he gets shot at or flies through a window, he'll be going thru a lot of jeans.

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by power-trip (powertripz@hotmail.com) on August 30, 2001 10:10 PM

Skizzo312, you stated earlier:

"it's about time somebody had the cajones to say what so many of us feel.  the movies that come out of hollywood today are a disgrace to the memories of Zanuck, DeMille, Warner, and all the great moguls of the past.  the american cinema is dead."

Fight Club IS all about cajones.  It is classic american cinema.  You need some meds?  I'll lend you some...

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on August 31, 2001 9:58 AM

It is not hypocritical you idiot, he is trying to invoke change.

With your mentality we would all have British accents, drink tea and bugger each other after a game of cricket.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 1, 2001 12:05 PM

The term entertainment has no meaning in corporate capitalism any more. IT's just an excuse to move "product", which is anythng that people will buy.

  Audio/video (movies) can be ANYTHING. It's the most powerful artform today. It can merge with virtual reality, and is doing so more and more. Entertainment is the term the global media conglomerates use--product. We don't have to think that way.

    The "dogma" movement is very interesting--minimal production, cinema verite techniques, natural light and sound and acting, et al ("Kids", and Harmony Koren"s works-Gummo, eg.). The collage technique breaking away from plot driven conventions is very exciting.  Also, with digital cameras and post-production becoming virtually free anyone can do A/V now.
    People frequently react scornfully whenever anyone criticises conventions. More power to Sean and anyone desiring more from media!

    I thought "Fight Club" was a masterpiece--way over the heads of most people. Naturally it didn't do well in the box office.  

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by rjp2u (rjp2u@aol.com) on September 3, 2001 6:08 AM

I have never liked Sean Penn and have always found him to be one of the most boring actors around.  The only movie that he has made that I did not find either boring or absolutely stupid whether he directed it or was in it was Dead Man Walking.  The only reason it was good was because of the other actors.  His wife has always been a good actress but now that he seems to be directing everything she is in I don't care to watch her either.  I have heard many people say that once they see he has directed a movie they will not purchase the movie no matter who is starring in it.  The only reason I purchased the pledge was because Jack was in it and I didn't realize Sean Penn had directed.  I was so disappointed in the movie I looked to see who had directed it just to make sure I never watched another one from that director and sure enough it was Sean Penn so I understood why the disappointment in the movie and you know for Jack to put out a bad movie you the director stinks.  The movie started out strong but the ending was absolutely stupid and made me and my husband say what was the point it ruined any entertainment value to us and we felt like our money was wasted.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 3, 2001 4:16 PM

you people should turn off your computers for a while, stay out of the theatres, go sit under a tree for a bit, and think about something real.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 4, 2001 5:57 PM

it's fine, there's something for everyone out there. At least here in NYC, there are theatres for just about every type of movie or film one would want to see. Besides whining is for little girlies

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 4, 2001 6:03 PM

sometimes after i sit under the tree for a while, I maturbate, and dream of females, since i'm too much of a poser to ever be with one.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 4, 2001 6:18 PM

Why doesn't Sean Penn use some of his
hardly earned money to make the kinds
of films he feels should be made?  Maybe
because nobody will go?

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 5, 2001 1:07 PM

Yes, there are great American films still being made, like Fight Club, but nowadays they are few and far between.

All too often, however, our theaters are flooded with contrived pig-sh** mockeries of cinema like Jurassic Park 3, Scary Movie 2, and anything else that might showcase someone popular like (oh!) Drew Barrymore or (sigh) Tom Green!

American cinema isn't dead, but it might as well start making reservations at the movie morgue.  

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on September 6, 2001 8:32 AM

Has there ever been a time when it was kicking?

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by CorneliusD (No Email) on September 6, 2001 10:47 AM

Oops....I scanned through that post too quickly.  But you never know what Star Wars fans are capable of....

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on September 7, 2001 12:56 PM

Use your spell check! Jeez.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by boycifr (boycifr@hotmail.com) on September 10, 2001 4:36 PM

i agree completely with Sean penn.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by 100% AMERICAN (hellskitchen_@hotmail.com) on September 10, 2001 5:13 PM

I don't.

RE: Sean Penn is Angry and Hates Hollywood   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on December 10, 2001 3:12 AM

Who cares what u think?  Most of the world outside of America agree with Sean Penn.  I think u non random shemps are proving Penn right.

SHEMP SHEMP SHEMP  :P

RE: FROM:Esteban_Nina@MailExcite.com   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 30, 2002 2:32 PM

nothing like an intelligient comment to counterpoint a remark.

=(   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on April 10, 2004 8:19 PM

I hate you guys