06/05

Being of Dutch origin and reading Dutch newspapers almost daily, I should have known about the existence of this film. But I did not. By accident I came across this DVD at my favorite movie-letter. This is the first full length Dutch feature film I ever saw and I must say, I am impressed. It is a very typical Dutch film-too much emphasis on family problems and never ending discussions about understanding each other-, the story though is very acceptingly with the stumbling role of the Dutch version of the CIA (the AIVD)and the political lack of interest in finding out the truth. Pim Fortuyn was too big for Holland, his violent death was too much for the rather closed and upright society, that Holland in fact still is. The repetition of the things politicians of that time ventilated about Fortuyn was shocking and amazing. It is obvious that Holland is still suffering about his loss and about the circumstances that lead to his brutal death.The wound is too fresh to be dealt with in a objective manner. Theo van Gogh tried to do that and was also murdered, although for different reasons, you might think. But there is a connection for sure.

I think the movie insufficiently shows how the immigration debate was muddled by intolerance, obscurantism, intimidation and character assassination, and how it eventually led to physical assassination. Some user comments give you a flavour, though. Pravda-5 seems to be consumed by the most intense racial animosity, directed against the Dutch, who stand accused of "in-bread racism" (the word is inbred, by the way). This is exactly the Soviet-like unmeasured demagoguery that had Fortuyn killed. Would I be allowed to make a generalization of my own? Would it be off-limits to present some statistically significant data about crime committed by immigrants, which makes the Dutch a bit wary and suspicious? Now that would be racism, wouldn't it? Or the fact that a significant minority is involved in gang and violent criminal activity and that large portion of these people feel alienated from the dominant culture and have made it explicitly clear that they will do as they please, regardless of what the laws say. Another fact is that we are one the most racially diverse of the leading industrialized nations, with the biggest percentage of non-Western immigrants. That we have done many things for the eternally "disaffected" Muslims: We have build them mosques with imposing minarets all over Rotterdam, Amsterdam and the rest of the country, we have authorized state grants to Islamic schools etc. etc. Many Muslims however relate to their host countries in ways that are diametrically opposed to the multicultural indulgence that they have received. Did I mention that Van Gogh is dead, like Fortuyn? And that two prominent politicians are into hiding for the rest of their lives? That sort of proves their point, doesn't it? I also can't say that I'm much impressed by the idiot schoolmarmish cant about racism and xenophobia from SnoopDogDog from Albania. To call opinions you don't like racist is such a debasement, the question is: are they t-r-u-e?". A phobia is an irrational fear of something or someone. It is not irrational to fear those who follow issued fatwa's. Fortuyn was a public-spirited person doing his citizenly best to promote his idea that freedom of speech is more important than the supposed feelings of Muslims. Fortuyn's opinions were politically incorrect, the opinions of the left were simply incorrect, comparing him to Hitler in a very volatile period of World War II commemorations, which was an offence to objective truth and reason. However, Fortuyn never thought that any speech should be legally banned. By the way, we take the p*ss out of everyone, we're Dutch! Catholics, protestants, homosexuals, foreigners and since recently Muslims. No suffering stronger than hurt feelings is involved.

Theo Van Gogh's movie about the murder of Pim Fortuyn is an absolute masterpiece. It shows the real 'sinister' interests behind this dramatic coup d'état. Pim Fortuyn would have won the next elections in the Netherlands and would probably have been the next Dutch Prime Minister in 2005. With his more or less liberal, pro-market agenda, Pim Fortuyn was acceptable for the rightist political and economic powers and their media, until … it appeared that he would not respect the Dutch NATO obligations (e.g., the purchase of brand new fighter planes), and would instead spend the huge sums available on more social programs. From that moment on, he became an outcast, an outlaw, free to be killed by any person who could be manipulated by the forces Pim Fortuyn had unleashed against him. He was shot dead under the eyes of the secret services.

One of his main media opponents was the socialist (?) TV commentator MVD. This man is the perfect example of the adage 'do as I say, not as I do'. He defended passionately with his mouth the underdogs and the poor immigrants, while building a mansion of more than 2 million euro in his backyard. If anyone in the Netherlands had done the same, only one tenth of the actual Dutch population would have found a place to live there.

This movie is a must see for all those who want to understand the world we live in.

Never really had any interest in watching this movie, since it got mixed reviews at the time of its release and it just never seemed like a very appealing movie to watch, also due to the fact that it got directed by Theo van Gogh, who I wasn't a particularly big fan of. But I think I should give his movies a second chance, since I actually really ended up liking this movie!

Think that one of the problems at the time was that this movie felt far too modern at the time, for normal Dutch cinema standards. This movie is more slick and stylish looking, like am expensive Hollywood production. It also was a movie that came too soon and used a questionable premise. It got made and released just 2 years after the murder of Pim Fortuyn and at the time the movie always got advertised and presented as the story behind the murder, while in fact this movie is truly a work of fiction. People were perhaps a bit offended by all of the conspiracy theories presented in this movie, as if it was being the Dutch "JFK".

And it was no big secret that director Theo van Gogh truly admired Pim Fortuyn and some of his ideologies. I think that therefore also some people had a problem with the movie its objectivity but in all truth, this all hardly seems an issue nowadays. I had absolutely no problem with this movie and simple watched it as a fictional thriller, based on some true events.

It's still a bit ridicules to see how everybody seemed to be against Pim Fortuyn in this movie. The police, politicians and plenty of other groups and ethnicities all wanted to get rid of Fortuyn and were more than happy to conspire in his murder and cooperate with each other. I was however able to step over this fairly easily, simple because the story itself was some good thriller material. Again, as a work of fiction this movie is truly great and even somewhat tense, so please, also just simply look at it that way and as nothing more and nothing less as simply just that.

It's a fast paced movie with some great direction and style to it, that takes the story too many different places. There are plenty of great thriller developments and characters in this movie, that help to keep the movie and its story interesting, no matter how far fetched the movie gets at times.

The professional approach and style to its story are the foremost reason why this movie works out so well. It doesn't even feel like Dutch movie at all and is more like a well written and well put together American production, in which everything feels right and comes together. Story, cinematography, acting, directing, all of it combined makes "06/05" a more than just good or average thriller. It's simply a great genre movie, that works out surprisingly well as such!

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Nice dutch movie about conspiracy theory's considering the murder of Pim Fortuin. I think it's a good document for dutch viewers to re-live the events pre- and post six may 2001. The plot is pretty good, as we could expect from Ross but the acting is a little rough sometimes. Every time I see someone handling a gun in a dutch movie it seems strange to me. Only LEK succeeded in making that work (for me). It's definitely a movie a for many people in The Netherlands to see, especially because it's the last movie Theo van Gogh made before he was killed by a crazy SOAB. It's funny to see the voting on this movie. 38 When i'm writing this and about half votes it a 10 and the other half votes for a 1. That's an example of how this is still a subject in the dutch society and this might be compared to a dutch JFK. It's a pity van Gogh couldn't get actors that are the same quality as JFK or even find one that speaks proper English!