The G.F.Y. FILES

January 13, 1997

Mr. Peter Bart
Daily Variety
5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Dear Peter:

I just wanted to write you a note to tell you how deeply disturbed
I was with your comments in the Sunday edition of The NY Times
about my picture, THE WAR AT HOME. Clearly, your opinion
of my work is not shared by the majority of the public and critics
who have seen the picture. Both The New York Times and
The Los Angeles Times as well as both trade papers gave favorable reviews.

However, what is most confusing to me is that you seem to
actually think your opinion matters. Since when did
the editor of The Daily Variety qualify himself to
be a film critic? You call my picture "intellectually dwarfed,"
but I suggest, Peter, that you personally suffer from
the afflictions of this "handicap."

In you, I see a failed movie producer, hiding behind
the protective veil of your post, shooting blanks at
an industry which you are merely vicariously involved in.
It is sad and pathetic. Peter, you may or may not have
the ability to recognize talent, I don't know. But, you clearly
possess none of your own, which is why, I suppose you
have arrived at your station in life.

To dismiss THE WAR AT HOME as simply a "terrible film"
is in fact your opinion. It is your "review," however meaningless.
But, to go on to say that the picture is "the personification
of what is wrong about actors directing" is completely
unfounded. This movie was never a vanity project.
The "actors doing their shtick," as you called it, include
Academy Award winner Kathy Bates and Martin Sheen in
what many critics pronounced as career defining roles.

This was truly a labor of love and a very painful and personal
journey for myself and the other artists involved.
On many levels, the work was sacramental. The cast
and crew expressed to me that doing films like THE WAR AT HOME
gave them not only an opportunity to be a part of
a worthwhile project, but also hope. Hope that they were part
of an industry that would support producing more quality movies
like this.

Peter, I can't possibly expect you to be able to grasp any of this,
but I thought it was important for you to know,
however much it pains you, that I will continue to
make movies, both as a director and actor, because it's what I do.
And it's what I do well. If this offends you, I have a few suggesstions.
You could:

1. Simply not see my films.
2. Drop dead sometime soon.
3. Go fuck yourself.

Enjoy life from your bully pulpit, little man,

Emilio Estevez