[R-G] Stone: Hugo Chavez has 'intoxicating' energy

[Anthony Fenton]

Stone: Hugo Chavez has 'intoxicating' energy

By IAN JAMES – 2 days ago

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — U.S. filmmaker Oliver Stone said he sees  
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as an energetic, principled champion  
of change in Latin American and hopes to capture the spirit of his  
drive to roll back U.S. influence in an upcoming documentary.

After two weeks of filming in Venezuela and elsewhere in South  
America, Stone said Thursday night that he probably has enough  
material "for two documentaries."

"The film's about the spirit of the changes in South America," Stone  
told The Associated Press in an interview. "It's to capture the spirit  
of this thing, which frankly is huge. ... There is something going on  
here, and it's outside the IMF, it's outside American control — that's  
what interests me."

Chavez takes the lead in the film, Stone said, "but the supporting  
cast is enormous."

Stone also interviewed Chavez's left-leaning allies in Argentina,  
Paraguay, Ecuador and Bolivia — all of whom have participated, he  
said, in the region's "liberation from the United States."

The 62-year-old filmmaker accompanied Chavez to the lot where his  
grandmother's house once stood, and to political rallies where he  
connected with crowds of admirers.

"The pure energy of the man is intoxicating," Stone said.

In their interviews, Chavez discussed world affairs, the oil business,  
socialism and independence hero Simon Bolivar — the inspiration of his  
movement.

"This is what I like about Chavez: He's a big man, he thinks big,"  
said Stone, who described the Venezuelan president as a "world-changer."

The changes he has helped lead, Stone said, are "sweeping all over the  
place."

"Bolivar is back."

The Oscar-winning director said the documentary, as yet untitled,  
should be released in a matter of months. The film follows "W.",  
Stone's critical biopic about President George W. Bush.

The director said he hopes President-elect Barack Obama takes a  
different approach toward Latin America and "should meet with Chavez."