While en route to being honored at the Zurich film festival, Roman Polanski was taken into custody at the Zurich airport. He now faces possible extradition to the U.S. in order to face the 31-year-old charges that he drugged, bound, and raped a 13-year-old girl.
Interestingly enough, after he fled the country for France, he started dating a 15-year-old, almost instantly. Which made many French policeman avoid arresting him, and just consider canonization. You can say what you want about Polanski’s films, I think they’re great, but they have no bearing on his personal character. Which may or may not be similar to the old people prominently featured in Rosemary’s Baby. All naked, standing around the bed of a terrified stoned girl. Traumatic incidents in Polanski’s life have been many; his family was forced to flee during the Holocaust, his wife Sharon Tate was brutally slain while eight months pregnant by the Manson gang, and he made a pirate movie with Walter Matthau. After the incident, his cinematic output was (debatably) pretty disappointing compared to the earlier promise shown, and the Pianist was considered a return to form.
I don’t feel too much sympathy, but I do think it’s suspicious it’s taken a third of a century to follow up on these charges. Somebody somewhere is trying to set an example. Somebody somewhere, chewing on their tanis-root. Laughing diabolically.
Comments
Guilliam Ferguson
September 28th, 2009 - 10:59:43 AM
We are a nation of laws; not actors
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kevin Johnson
September 28th, 2009 - 11:07:07 AM
I must agree why so long? Are the Swiss screwing with the US? The Judge - Rittenband was a piece of work wanted to be the celebrity this guy kept a scrape book of his own media cases. (red flag) Polanski had 90 days of incarcerated observation, after 42 the facility deemed him normal and Rittenband refused the findings and was going to have Polanski finish the 48 days and then deport him for life. None of this was ever in the plea agreement - why wouldn't you leave? You were going to be forced to leave anyway, why sit in jail 48 days (extra) waiting for a judge to think up a new way to screw with you.
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anon
September 28th, 2009 - 11:38:40 AM
once a perv always a perv - if the law was too dumb to get him in 77, that's too bad - but he deserves whatever he gets now, regardless. having sex w/ a 13yo?! so wrong. think of your 13yo sister - if you don't have a sister, well, consider the girls in your 8th grade class. too young to be sexed by an old dude, no matter how brilliant a filmmaker.
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Hallie Kline
September 28th, 2009 - 12:12:46 PM
"his wife Sharon Tate was brutally slain while eight months pregnant by the Manson gang" wow. they got her pregnant?
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Billy
September 29th, 2009 - 10:55:06 AM
Someone somewhere has set themselves up with a nice plea bargain and wants back into the US. Someone somewhere ...
5