That's the feeling I have after watching Oliver Stone's marathon (4 hrs.) series of interviews with Vladimir Putin on Showtime. I'll have to watch it all again. It's way too much to take in the first time around ( at least for me). That is due in part to the subtitles, but also the sheer volume of information imparted. The main impression I got is that Mr. Putin is one very intelligent man, a consummate statesman and a patriot. Another is that the man seems very reserved. I think that is a good quality to have when you are at the helm of a nuclear armed country. One thing I learned for sure is that my own ignorance of other cultures and Russia in particular is just stunning. So I'll thank Mr. Stone for this effort towards greater understanding of our neighbors on the other side of the world and ideological fence.
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One part that made me cringe tho, was when he convinced Mr. Putin to watch "Dr. Strangelove". Even though I liked the movie as a cautionary tale about the danger of nuclear war being initiated by a rogue general, I don't think the humor translated too well. This may have more to do with my own experiences recommending movies that fell flat than anything else. Mr. Putin made some comment about the technical accuracy of the movie. OK, that's my 2c.
**** SPOILER *****
One part that made me cringe tho, was when he convinced Mr. Putin to watch "Dr. Strangelove". Even though I liked the movie as a cautionary tale about the danger of nuclear war being initiated by a rogue general, I don't think the humor translated too well. This may have more to do with my own experiences recommending movies that fell flat than anything else. Mr. Putin made some comment about the technical accuracy of the movie. OK, that's my 2c.