One downside of doing a biopic about a figure who is still alive is that they can, and often are, not exactly pleased with the cinematic interpretation of key events in their lives.
Filmmaker Bennett Miller is experiencing that first-hand this week due to his currently in awards contention feature “Foxcatcher”. Mark Schultz, the wrestler played by Channing Tatum in the film, appears to have taken to social media to lash out against both the film and the director personally.
Schultz has apparently taken umbrage with people interpreting his relationship with John du Pont as having an undercurrent of homosexuality to it. In a lengthy post on his Facebook page, he rattled off a laundry list of complaints about the film’s inaccuracies, the key quote coming at the end:
“The personalities and relationships between the characters in the film are primarily fiction and somewhat insulting. Leaving the audience with a feeling that somehow there could have been a sexual relationship between duPont and I is a sickening and insulting lie. I told Bennett Miller to cut that scene out and he said it was to give the audience the feeling that duPont was encroaching on your privacy and personal space. I wasn’t explicit so I didn’t have a problem with it. Then after reading 3 or 4 reviews interpreting it sexually, and jeopardizing my legacy, they need to have a press conference to clear the air, or I will.”
It appears Schultz didn’t have issue until critics interpreted it in a way he didn’t like. Tatum, who played the role in the film, previously indicated he didn’t interpret the relationship that way as du Pont himself he saw as asexual.
Things got more interesting a few hours later. Schultz followed up that long piece with a one phrase post: “Bennett Miller is a lying sack of s–t”. He also apparently took to Twitter with a few more comments:
YOU CROSSED THE LINE MILLER. WE’RE DONE. YOU’RE CAREER IS OVER. YOU THINK I CAN’T DO IT. WATCH ME.
– Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014
I CAN TOLERATE A LOT OF THINGS BUT I DON’T TOLERATE DISRESPECT. WE’RE DONE BENNETT.
– Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014
Everything I’ve ever said positive about the movie I take back. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it
– Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014
I HATE BENNETT MILLER.
– Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014
I HATE EVERYTHING THAT SCUM TOUCHES. EVERYTHING!!!
– Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014
Even more nasty ones were posted and removed, but can still be seen here. Sounds like this story may just be getting started.
Source: HitFix
