OLIVER STONE - STONE ACCUSES HOLLYWOOD OF PROMOTING WAR

STONE ACCUSES HOLLYWOOD OF PROMOTING WAR

Filmmaker OLIVER STONE has hit out at the US movie industry, accusing Hollywood of promoting war. Stone claims movies PEARL HARBOR and BLACK HAWK DOWN "worshipped the machinery of war" and glamourised conflicts involving America. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival - where his 9/11 movie WORLD TRADE CENTER is to be screened - Vietnam veteran Stone insists his movies PLATOON and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY responsibly portrayed the realism of war, unlike other films. He says, "Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down - these movies worshipped the machinery of war and I think America went back to the concept of war too easily. "I have reasons to be depressed as a Vietnam veteran, and I can say many Vietnam veterans are depressed about why we are in Iraq." In contrast, he claims World Trade Center delivers a message of hope: "In the past I made very intense films, very powerful films about dark subjects. "I did Vietnam at a time when America was very prosperous and there was no war. "Now is a time to go the other way - that's my nature - and I want to be positive. "Things have gotten very dark and frankly there is more terror, there is more death, there is more war. The consequences of 9/11 are far worse than the day itself. "Somebody asked if it was too soon for this movie - I think in many ways it's too late. We have got to wake up."