OLIVER STONE - STONE SLAMS HBO OVER CASTRO MOVIE

Controversial director OLIVER STONE has launched a bitter attack on American television network HBO, after his profile of Cuban dictator FIDEL CASTRO was pulled from their schedules.

The NATURAL BORN KILLERS film-maker is fuming over HBO's decision to axe the show, after network bosses requested Stone re-interview Castro following a new wave of civil rights abuses on the communist island.

A spokesperson for the channel says, "Had we aired the film in March (03), I don't think we would have had an issue with it. But now, the arrests and trials are an important piece of what's going on in Cuba. And the film's incomplete."

But Stone is extremely dubious about their version of events.

He rages, "HBO were embarrassed and pulled it from the air indefinitely. They claimed it was out of date - which it wasn't, because the film exists as it exists. In fact, I did go back, but only out of curiosity, not because I had to.

"Every time an American journalist goes there they ask the same God awful questions. The same thing over and over again, 'Why no elections? Why no freedom? Are you a dictator?' These are rhetorical questions that go nowhere, although I asked him in other ways.

"As you can see, I don't think he's going to change his answers."