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BAGHDAD (AFP) – Their city besieged by coalition troops, Baghdadis lucky enough to have power pass the time watching movies. One of their favorites is about a militiaman who reluctantly takes up arms for his country after seeing brutality by British forces.<\/p>\n
The film is “The Patriot,”<\/b> and Mel Gibson<\/b> is fighting for America’s independence.<\/p>\n
Even though Baghdadis can look out the window every day and watch US bombs and missiles raining down, ironically their top choices on the small screen are war films — Hollywood war films.<\/p>\n
The best-selling movies for merchant Abu Abbas are “The Patriot”<\/b> and “Ticker,<\/b>” the 2001 thriller in which cop Steven Seagal<\/b> searches frantically for a bomb planted in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
“The films I sell are mostly the ones where there’s some action,” explained another movie seller, Ali Hassan.<\/p>\n
“During an evening of airstrikes, provided there’s electricity, customers want to wind down and be taken in by a story in which the good triumph over the evil, like us against the Americans,” said Hassan, 46.<\/p>\n
Seagal<\/b> is an especially popular actor in Baghdad. For people who have been through decades of war and economic sanctions, there is something attractive about a muscular special agent who can always save the day through his impeccable fighting and exceptional audacity.<\/p>\n
Besides Seagal<\/b>, favorite actors include American action hero Wesley Snipes<\/b>, Chinese martial-arts master Jet Li <\/b>and James Bond<\/b>, the smooth spy in service of Britain — whose forces are part of the war aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Other popular films in Iraq include Jean-Claude Van Damme<\/b>‘s 1996 action drama “Maximum Risk”<\/b> and just about anything starring Sylvester Stallone<\/b>.<\/p>\n
“Customers really like these types of films because of the quality of the story and one shouldn’t mix that up with politics,” said another movie seller, 23-year-old Fellah Hassan.<\/p>\n
“Look at our fighters. They’re the ones who most resemble Wesley Snipes<\/b> or Jet Li<\/b>, not our enemies,” he said.<\/p>\n
In another sign of US media influence in Baghdad, two boys enjoyed themselves at a hotel computer club playing a videogame of urban tank battles. The American tanks, of course, are the good guys.<\/p>\n
“First I like action, war, detective and kung-fu movies, and then Arabic music videos,” said Ali Hussein, a 21-year-old who before the war worked for a computer company.<\/p>\n
Just being able to watch a movie at home is a small luxury in Baghdad. With days of blackouts, the only way to watch television for most people is by using a power generator.<\/p>\n
And there are few video shops to choose from. Most have downed their shutters since the start of the war, with the owners storing their merchandise at home for safe-keeping.<\/p>\n
For those desperate to get something new, movies are sold from the wooden stalls of the Bal al-Shorjah bazaar.<\/p>\n
Another option is state television which offers a regular menu of patriotic films, particularly those about Saladin, the Kurdish warrior who led the historic Muslim victory against the Crusaders in 1187 — and who was from Saddam Hussein<\/b>‘s hometown Tikrit.<\/p>\n
“I also sell lots of Arabic music videos and Egyptian films, which Iraqis love, along with cartoons for the children,” said movie merchant Ali Radi al-Zuweri, 47.<\/p>\n
For many, movies provide a needed escape from the war, as schools have been closed since its start and children are staying at home.<\/p>\n
“Films soothe us. For a moment we can forget war is around us,” said Ibrahim Abu Jabbar, who has been indoors with his family for nearly a week.<\/p>\n
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– Craig Zablo<\/b><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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