borat

[Ken Gargett]

wondering if many of our american members saw 'borat' and if so, what was the reaction.

we got him a few years ago as a bit player on the 'ali g' show, another of sacha baron cohen's creations and equally as appallingly funny. which i guess shows my thoughts.

[kjellfrick]

On another forum (american) the question was asked: Which is the funniest movie you ever saw?

I answered Borat. I think it is telling that I got no comments whatsoever on my choice... :-|

I am swedish and I probably see the humour in a different way than an american. Like you, Ken, I am interested to hear what people think about Borat.

[broozer]

i have not seen it, but i still really want to. i think all of the previews on the TV were hilarious. i will eventually see it and i know i'm going to love it.

bruce

[habanablue]

High Five!!!!

a brilliant movie and although breaking every no no in the book it was fantastic.

[acecchetto]

Us Canadians find it funny, but there have been multiple lawsuits launched against Sasha in the US.

[Professor Twain]

I really enjoyed the movie. I had seen his show in England in 2001, then faithfully watched the US series on HBO.

I particularly enjoyed the dinner scene where he went to the bathroom and returned with a "present" for the hostess.

I took Mrs. Twain and my two teenagers to see it. One of the teens saw a group of two elderly couples and predicted that they would walk out--they did, during the "wrestling" scene.

Americans have loved this movie, it made a lot of money. But we have short attention spans, it came out a while ago.

[mr.harten]

Thanks to the internet I have been following Borat, Ali G, & Bruno, for many years (even before his show came stateside). I thought the movie was absolutely brilliant as I do with virtually everything Sascha has done.

[sandholm]

I really disliked this (kind) of movie, when a person is invited into a home under the impression that he wants to learn more about them and there country, and the only thing he is interested is in making this people look like fools, then I cant show any respect or even se the art in such a movie. The only think this movie show is a study in rudeness and I would never ever pay any money to see and then support any film that do that, just image these people, and imagine that it where you in that situation and that your reaction is then broadcaster all over the world. I really hope that UK turns him over too the US government and that he gets convicted.

But hey, then I also think that ali g' is just a idiot, and I would never even waist 5 minutes to see any of his show, I believe that watching the testscreen is better then watching Borat or Ali g.

( I am Swedish, I have lived in the US but my way of thinking is much more Swedish and many of my Swedish friends dislike Borat for the same reason).

// Anders

[jgros001]

» wondering if many of our american members saw 'borat' and if so, what was

» the reaction.

» we got him a few years ago as a bit player on the 'ali g' show, another of

» sacha baron cohen's creations and equally as appallingly funny. which i

» guess shows my thoughts.

I find the guy and his work hilarious. Boooyakasha!

[kjellfrick]

» ( I am Swedish, I have lived in the US but my way of thinking is much more

» Swedish and many of my Swedish friends dislike Borat for the same

» reason).

»

» // Anders

Hey Anders, to each his own. ;-) I have Swedish friends who find the movie very funny...

I grant you that he wasn't up front with his dealings with the people in the movie, but the ones who "disgraced" themselves (in my view) did express some pretty shady or extreme views. There is no disgrace upon those in the movie who were shocked and disturbed by Borat's foul manners. And they all knew they were being filmed, didn't they?

It reminds me of how politicians in a swedish election were caught by hidden camera, saying rasistic and derogatory things about immigrants. When confronted with it, they denied everything. The method used by the journalists were frowned upon, but the hypocrisy of the politicians was exposed to everyone.

Anyway, I laughed at Borat, not at the others. We see the same kind of people in Sweden, with similar rasist views or religious seal, as in the movie. I like them as little here as in the US.

[greenpimp]

I loved the show for a long time. I think he exposes people's hypocrisy sometimes in a very comedic way. Like when he had that whole country bar singing "Throw the Jew down the well" on his show as Borat awhile ago. (He's Jewish.) Or applying for a job and describing how good he was at his last job, a professional Camel masturbator and inseminator. Funny shitte.

[Tampa1257]

I just do not find him funny. Would not waste a dime on seeing the movie or even a rental.

[Colt45]

» I think he exposes people's hypocrisy sometimes in a very comedic way.

My feeling is that this type of show/movie, and any of the so called "reality" shows

are anything but. The situations are contrived, and the parameters contolled.

The "characters" can be lead in any direction, and the path the show takes can be

manipulated.

This is, of course, just my opinion.

[bassman]

One of the most offensive movies I've ever seen- and I loved every minute of it! Very nice.:-D

[Tony Maduro]

LoL, that guy's nuts. Sacha Baron Cohen's speech at the Golden Globes was priceless.

[El Presidente]

Have tried but just can't take to him.

I struggle with the concept of setting average unsuspecting people up for a fall...and then making money out of it.

Hell, good luck to him but I find him an essentially slicker version of Michael Moore....who I also hate.

[Colt45]

» but I find him an essentially slicker version of Michael Moore

Bingo.

[avid toker]

I thought the movie was hilarious. Brilliant satire!

No different from what Dave Chapelle did on his show.

[Black Plague]

» wondering if many of our american members saw 'borat' and if so, what was

» the reaction.

» we got him a few years ago as a bit player on the 'ali g' show, another of

» sacha baron cohen's creations and equally as appallingly funny. which i

» guess shows my thoughts.

Us Americans have a good sense of humor....UNLIKE the former SSR of Kazakhstan :-P :-D

It's really funny to see how Americans react to Borat's blatant misogyny, anti-Semitism, etc in the movie and Ali G show episodes.

Most either try to correct his prejudiced viewpoints or are just too polite to say anything about it and keep their mouth shut......the worst are the ones who start agreeing with him!!!

[Ken Gargett]

» Have tried but just can't take to him.

»

» I struggle with the concept of setting average unsuspecting people up for

» a fall...and then making money out of it.

»

» Hell, good luck to him but I find him an essentially slicker version of

» Michael Moore....who I also hate.

i did enjoy parts of 'roger and me' and think that moore then simply got so wrapped up in himself that he became an obnoxious bore. must say that i cannot find any similarities between moore and borat. for me, it is easy to see borat taking the piss out of moore but not vice versa.

borat is much closer to an offensive version of norman gunston and i was about the biggest norman fan on the planet.

agree with the comment that these people knew they were being filmed and that the ones that embarassed themselves were all a bit appalling themselves, in the first place, though it is easy to say something silly in the moment that gets taken out of context through editing.

i thought it a brilliant film up, absolutely hysterical, up to the naked blokes wrestling. couldn't handle that and then it seemed a little contrived from there on in though still some good moments. have to wonder if the pamela anderson thing was staged.

but anyone sprouting (and i hate to use this term because i find nothing at all intelligent about it - and this from someone who usually tries to keep controversy away from the forum) the rubbish called intelligent design deserves as much humiliation as can possibly be heaped on them.

and i am stunned that rob didn't enjoy it, as it seems to me you spend far too much of your life as an aussie version.

[marco polo]

» I just do not find him funny. Would not waste a dime on seeing the movie or

» even a rental.

I second that opinion!

[greenpimp]

He reminds me much more of Andy Kaufmann than M. Moore or "reality TV" personally.

[Cam]

hats off to the americans for unwittingly participating in this centuries biggest embarrassment

but in saying this out of total sympathy borat is amusing but i second robs opinion, there is solething almost criminal baout Borats methods of manipulation and humiliation.