William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe is Great History
On Saturday, September 5th, the Hamptons International Film Festival concluded its Summer Documentary series with a screening of William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe, produced and directed by Kunstler's daughters, Emily and Sarah. The film covers the life and career of the colorful, at times outrageous, and, often, highly effective attorney. Kunstler's career as a lawyer and activist spanned the civil rights movement in the early 60's, the legendary Chicago Eight case in 1968 (and beyond), the massacre at Attica and its aftermath and the American Indian Movement protests at Wounded Knee in 1973. His later career, almost exclusively as a criminal defense attorney, encompassed John Gotti, the "Central Park Jogger" case, Meir Kahane's assassin and "cop killer" Larry Davis, to name but a few.
This is a wonderful film and Emily and Sarah Kunstler have done a remarkable job in presenting their famous father in an honest, critical light. Kunstler's activities and predilections had a profound effect on his family, including an earlier marriage. Yet, Kunstler's life is a near perfect perspective from which to view the 1960's, 70's and 80's. The film is great history.
William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe will premiere theatrically in November in select cities. Their website is www.disturbingtheuniverse.com and I encourage everyone to rush to see this movie and discover/rediscover the life and career of the brilliant William Kunstler. The Hamptons International Film Festival runs October 8th through 12th. For more information, go to www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
Two other quick items. Thank you to those who corrected my mangling of Ted Kennedy's chronology. Yes, I had EMK running against Carter for the nomination in 1976. Or at least it sounded that way. I often write these things, bleary-eyed, at 1 AM. So, thank you for that correction.
Also, running for the Senate against Joe Lieberman would involve moving to Connecticut and I live in New York. I like New York. I have lived here all my life. My immediate family stretches from the Syracuse area to Nyack in Rockland County to Manhattan to eastern Long Island. I like Connecticut, but I'm not moving there. As for Lieberman, I was amused by his "Make my day" retort. Lieberman, who betrayed his party and whose leadership and ideas are so enervated and in need of replacing? That Lieberman channeling Clint Eastwood? Now that's funny. Ned Lamont in 2012.
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Coming to selected theaters. . .of course this will mean it will be nowhere near SW MO. Guess I'll just have to wait for it to hit the video stores.
I remember a speech Bill Kunstler gave. He was sympathetic to the cause of civil rights for African-Americans, at a time when it was still acceptable in some circles to publicly state that one was not. I wonder if he had someone powerful protecting him from the reactionary forces that were targetting activists at that time.
I'd love to see a three part docu-drama on cable or on the BBC on a complex issue such as public policy versus genetically modified foods with Alec Baldwin and John Cusack in the leading roles.
It would be a kind of ensemble Dr. Strangelove type Kubrick treatment, sort of funny and devastating at the same time.
Can you tell? I love these guys.
As a defense attorney Kunstler may have been the best in the country. His wins were in unbelievably hostile environments. Outside of court, he didn't give a damn how evil places like N. Korea and Viet Nam in the immediate post-war years were. He said he would not sign a petition criticizing a "socialist" country (the petition in question was signed by many of the usual gang of liberals.
Kunstler also had a great sense of humor and enjoyed the ladies, as is his right.
As for Alex not running against Lieberman, let me take this opportunity to say I will not, repeat NOT, be running against Obama in 2012.
that's it? what was the petition for, or against? who are the "usual" gang of liberals?
It's amazing how history has shaped what is now. Then again, there still seems to be a ways to go, esp. in civil rights. (Just look at the heated discussions around gay marriage these days.) Not having seen the film yet, I can't comment on that. However, I do know that Kunstler did evidently...erm, disturb the universe, LOL! There has been a great deal written about him and his cases. Someone like that _must_ have been very complex and passionate about what he was doing. I do have to wonder, as others seem to have done here, what he would have thought of our current state of government and how his activism would have affected things on a global scale.
PS Mr. Baldwin, congratulations on the Emmy. :-)
Lorne Michaels must be a great person. Seems like he's been around since the dawn of time, LOL! It's nice that so many people express their appreciation of him.
Politicians can only betray their People. The movement they may choose to make between party lines is irrelevant. Forget Lieberman, I am not sure you could take on Jesse Ventura at this point.
Hi Alex.. thank you for posting. I know this is off the wall and wildly brief...but...Spend more time with Klobuchar and Franken..... and the former GOP MN Governor Arne Carlson. You will be so pleased. A Minnesota retreat will do wonders for you. Spend a week or two in the Land of Lakes. We want you to meld your New York heritage with our Scandinavian-German heritage. ...melding the best of conservatism (before the Christian Right took over) and the best of the liberal perspective. Maybe you could say we live in a melded society, influenced by William F Buckley and Paul Wellstone. You get what I am saying? Josh Hartnet might be too young to have absorbed the essence of his roots...maybe not. Jessica dragged Sam
into our culture. He knows of what I speak. Public radio from corner to corner, high voter turnout, the famous KAXE.org. Hey, Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon, Massachusetts, Vermont...arguably the socialist states with Capitalist underpinnings.
The best to you and yours.
PS I am sure Arianna can get you my email address if you want to contact me direct .
"Disturbing The Universe" was the title of an excellent 1981 book by physicist/philosopher Freeman Dyson.
Oh yes what was that 'make my day' comment !! Saw it on "Meet the Press" i think, he really looked idiotic. He's so smug when he really shouldnt be.
Theo saw this film at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Fest and was able to attend a panel discussion in which Emily was great. It may not be the Hamptons, but Mike's festival is probably the coolest place Theo gets to go these days (OK, aside from Paris and Venice). Cheers to Mr. Alec for plugging the film.
Theo would like to note as well that one of Theo's keepers practiced criminal defense law in Texas for a time. There is still a war going on out there and the enemy is you if you just happen to have the wrong skin color or the wrong name or the wrong political affiliations. This is not only a good film, but an important one.
Cheers,
Theo, the theophagous monkey
Its always easy to recite lines written by others and try to appear more intelligent than the unwashed masses but Alec Baldwin does it to perfection here. Why not run down Senator Joe knowing you do not have the hanging tackle to challenge him at the polls. The activist lawyer he talks about cared just as much about his money than all those he hated and protested about. Nothing is as hypocritical as a welathy socialist lawyer. Baldwin and folks like Oliver Stone who wax on in poetic form about Chavez and his ilk really have no idea the road they are embracing and encouraging. Sweet poetic justice is always served cold to entertainers that fail to understand how fickle the publics sheckles can be when it comes to supporting those who fall out of favor due to their forgeting where their bread is buttered. Enjoy your fame and money Mr Baldwin, but a fate that has struck the rest of your brothers soon awaits you. Obscurity and poverty . I look forward to reading about you in People magazine in the ' Whatever happened to" section'.
Warmest regards
WOW! And the road that you clearly boast from/embrace is extremely *bitter* and glaringly lonely...also without the benefit of anyone reading YOUR "Whatever Happened" section- it won't even be written. Isn't anonymity great for you? You wear it poorly.
A reader of People magazine. Now I get it. Good luck keeping up with your heavy reading.
"Sweet poetic justice is always served cold to entertainers that fail to understand how fickle the publics(sic) sheckles(sic) can be when it comes to supporting those who fall out of favor(sic) due to their forgeting(sic) where their bread is buttered."
Is this a reference to McCarthyism?
Roflmao.
No,Just a fact of life in America. Lets be realistic about the minstrels and actors giving us all advice on politics. If and when I need advice from some former waiter , house painter or pizza delivery person. I will seek them out. In the meantime, just shut up and sing as the old song goes. As for the people magazine reference, It was the cheesiest magazine I could think of that does report on the former rocket scientists that used to be important actors...
Did you guys know Mr. Baldwin is actually an actor?
I thought he got this job because of his brilliant essays.
Surprises me how often he is misinterpreted here (likely due to prejudice of his profession)...he is a great writer. Regardless of suffering occasional fools- he always brings it well!
No idea who that lawyer is though I have heard of the cases, but I get a kick out of reading when you reference your earlier posts, because you are one of the few who give feedback that you read our comments... its like someone who is answering an email, so it sounds personal, and no matter on your chronology, we are all often reading at 1 am bleary eyed so we miss the mistakes too, sometimes people cannot let things go , take it so literally and have to be sure to correct you, after all it was a life and death situation right??
William Kunstler stood against the machine on many important issues and I look forward to seeing the film.
Nice touch regarding Benadick (Isadick) Lieberman.
I can't wait to watch it. One of the unsung legal minds of our time!
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