`True Lies'

`True Lies'

From Sinar Pagi

A local newspaper carrying the story of True Lies on its front
page on Sept. 27 incited the public to pressure the government to
ban the film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I saw the film twice along with capacity crowds in Pamulang,
mostly Moslems for that matter, and resent the opinion Umar Kayam
expressed in the paper.

It seems that Kayam identifies the Arabs in the film as
Islamic. Viewers perceived them as human beings who call
themselves terrorists. All societies around the world hate
terrorists irrespective of their race or religion simply because
of their cruelty.

Umar Kayam should think before he speaks. Don't look down on
True Lies. The audience were left hating those sadistic Arab
terrorists. Umar Kayam who has a stake in film development should
improve the quality of Indonesian films whose scripts are now
plagued with filth. He should learn to make a crowd-drawing films
like True Lies or Speed.

Or he should go to Hollywood as I once did where I saw the
filming of Jaws.

Indonesian films draw small audiences when run in Pamulang and
they can stay only for a few nights. Take the one starring my own
nephew, Ayu Azhari, that at least drew a crowd. The cinema owner,
I think, still did not realize a profit.

Hence, please do not judge True Lies from a religious point
of view, but from humanity aspect. All religions, not only Islam,
condemn sadistic and inhuman acts.

H.G. MALIKMASS

Jakarta