Elie Najem: Writer/Producer/Director of His Autobiography

Self-proclaimed millionaire, Elie Youssef Najem (you know the guy who carries $100,000 bills) has decided that he wants to create a movie about his life:

Lebanese ‘billionaire’ Elie Youssef Najem, 50, is to embark on a new venture — to produce an autobiographical movie The story of billionaire Dr Elie Najem, budgeted at US$88 million. When met at the Alamanda mall, Dr Elie – as he insisted on being addressed – said: “The movie would tell Malaysians the truth. It will be about how I have suffered tremendously but will always remain in love with Malaysia.”
[...]
Dr Elie is offering RM2.5 million to the actors chosen to play him and his wife in the movie.He offered RM1 million recording contracts for singers who would feature in the soundtrack. “I need to find two singers, for the start and end of the movie.” The script is to be penned by himself and five others including Denis Francoise La Vigne, Patrick Hasler, Hazlina Khalid and a man called Peter. “The production house is Auctioneer Movie Production, owned by Columbia Pictures.”

A little too much me, me, me for my liking. -sheebs- has an interesting post on the ‘Dr. Elie’ titled Billionaire Sh*t. I’m going to have to agree with her analysis.

Elie Youssef Najem

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No Craigslist in Beirut, I Beg to Differ

You’ll need to watch the video (below) to get the full story but here is the summary:

For the new "Bruno" movie by Sacha Baron Cohen, they wanted Bruno to interview a "terrorist" and not a person playing a terrorist but an actual terrorist. In the end they interviewed someone from the Al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade in the West Bank. Now here’s the part that annoyed me. Sasha was telling David Letterman that its actually very hard to find a real terrorist, "there’s no Craigslist in Beirut".

First of all, Beirut has a Craigslist: http://beirut.craigslist.org/. But then here we go again, Beirut the Terrorist Capital of the World. I don’t know about you but I’m getting really sick of this. Would this qualify for a Looks Like Beirut Award?

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LLB Certificate: First Convert

I was pleasently surprised when I received an email from Tyler Hanley, after receiving my "Looks Like Beirut" Certificate in response to my post:

Dear Jad,

I received my "Looks Like Beirut" Award in the mail today, and I’ll 
admit, it was an eye-opener. Not only did it make me re-think the 
Beirut stereotype so many of us Americans were essentially raised 
with, but it also made me appreciate the Internet and how seas and 
sand no longer block people in Lebanon from reading one of my movie 
reviews, or from someone in Palo Alto from reading your thoughtful 
blog. So, although I know the award was meant to be insulting (likely 
akin to how you perceived my review of the movie "Terminator 
Salvation"), I actually appreciated it.

 From this moment forward, I will no longer use Beirut as an example 
of an area with heavy explosions. I will avoid that cliche as much as 
I would a sadistic dentist. And thank you for introducing me to your 
insightful blog. Please continue your effort to inspire creative 
writing and put an end to the "looks like Beirut" cliche too many of 
us writers use thoughtlessly.

Best,

Tyler

Tyler Hanley
Online Editor
Palo Alto Weekly/Palo Alto Online
http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com 

I really appreciate the email and comment from Tyler and I honestly did not mean it as an insult (actually I haven’t had a chance to see the movie either). I have been reading disaster comparisons to Beirut since 2000 and I’ve felt that its time to take matters into my own hands. All I wanted to do, amusingly, was to show that as our world get smaller the stereotypical comparisons that plagued the media in the past need to be rethought.

Once again, I would like to thank Tyler for the email and I wish you a "Beirut-free" success.

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“More Shouting and Explosions than a Super Bowl in Beirut”

Thanks to Babagannouj, we have a new winner this week. This is a review of the movie, Terminator Salvation:

Director McG (“Charlie’s Angels”) fuels “Terminator Salvation” with exceptional visual effects and sharp sound, but more shouting and explosions than a Super Bowl in Beirut.

So I guess the movie is heavy in shouting like the Super Bowl and explosions like Beirut? The originality amazes me. Because of this, Tyler Hanley, the author of the Movie Review, will be receiving my very first “Looks Like Beirut” Award Certificate.

If you have anything you’d like to add, you can add it to the comments or send it to my by email (jad@jadaoun.com); I’ll make sure to pass your opinion on.

I’ll also let you know if I receive a response!

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• LLB Certificate: First Convert
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Lebanonwood

We might need to add another -wood to the family of movie productions zones:

…the government’s ministries of culture and tourism are coming together to promote Lebanon as a potential film destination.

The Lebanese Tourist Board of Paris is launching an initiative dubbed “At 35mm From Beirut” with a view to building relations between Lebanese and international producers. The program will fly international film execs to Lebanon later this year to familiarize them with locations and local film talent.

What is the Lebanese Tourist Board of Paris? Is that like the Lebanese Government in Exile – Jerusalem?

Anyway, this is somewhat a positive development though I expect that the costs of the marketing campaign to out do the benefits. Plus, what producer would not want to shoot in such a beautiful country where freedom of creativity is protected (senese the sarcasm)? Though I wonder how things will go if a Jewish producer or a movie conveying Jews would get the required license to shoot. I mean if The Nanny and the Diary of Anne Frank are banned, what hope is there for a successful Lebanonwood?

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