Madeleine McCann: Fact Checking The Truth About Maddie McCann And Ben Affleck’s Fiction As Fact
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
Ben Affleck has a new panic film – Gone Baby Gone - in which the lead child is blonde enough to remind all reviewers of Madeleine McCann. The film – a work of fiction - cannot be mentioned without also making mention of missing Madeleine.
It is the 12th Rule of Journalism.
THE OBSERVER: “The cruellest crime of all -Delayed by the McCann case, Ben Affleck’s intense and gripping thriller is well worth the wait”
Crimes involving children touch on our deepest emotions and though we’ve seen numerous films about infant abduction over the past 50 years, ranging in tone from Seance on a Wet Afternoon to Murder on the Orient Express, the subject is peculiarly affecting at the moment in the light of the publicity given to the cases of Shannon Matthews in Dewsbury and Madeleine McCann in Portugal… To add to the anxiety, there is an uncanny physical resemblance between Madeleine McCann and the film’s four-year-old Amanda McCready.
It’s tabloid bingo, in the broadsheet Observer! Can anyone mention Fritzl and get the prize?
IRISH INDEPENDENT: “It’s a film that examines the media hysteria and prurience that happens when children are abducted — especially pertinent themes in our post-Madeleine post-Austrian crazies times.”
Double points for the Irish Indy which manages to work in a reference to Josef Fritzl, whose crimes came to light more than year after Affleck finished his film.
Bingo!
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT: “A child is gone, but a reputation is reborn: Ben Affleck’s directorial debut was withdrawn last year because of the McCann case. It still makes disturbing viewing”
A missing child, but an actor reprieved. There’s a film in this.
Anyone likely to feel pained by the topic should know that Gone Baby Gone is no more comfortable to watch in 2008 than it would have been when Madeleine McCann stared out from every front page.
SUNDAY TIMES: “Gone Baby Gone - the Sunday Times review”
The UK release of the film was delayed because of the similarity between the name of the abducted child in the script – four-year-old Amanda McCready – and that of Madeleine McCann.
Mc… Mc… Is John McEnroe commentating on Wimbledon this year? Just wondering…
DAILY TELEGRAPH (Aus): “Extract: Truth about Maddie McCann”
IN this extract from Vanished, a book by Danny Collins, the Madeleine McCann mystery is again under the spotlight.
Facts as fiction. Facts as entertainment. Selling Madeleine McCann:
As a bilingual expat, Murat often worked for local police as a translator in cases involving English-speaking tourists.
In fact, it would later be revealed that he had acted in the role of interpreter for the Portuguese police during their questioning of two of the McCanns’ dinner companions, now dubbed the “Tapas Seven” by the ever-epigraphic UK press.
Surely the Tapas Nine?
Back to the facts checker, Mr Collins…
THE SUN - The UK release of Gone Baby Gone was delayed by seven months because of the strong similarities with the Madeleine McCann case.
TIME OUT - Due to superficial resemblances to the Madeleine McCann kidnapping case, ‘Gone Baby Gone’ was withdrawn from the London Film Festival last year…
Fact as fiction…
Posted: 8th, June 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Josef Fritzl, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (164) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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June 8th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Indeed, not to worry, Jo. I am like most outside in the garden to catch the first rays of sun. And there’s no new news, so we have different priorities now
June 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Its an awful day here in spain
Going to make scotch pancakes to cheer me up
Bye
June 8th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I’ve read the book - uncanny similarities in the early chapters.
Mum goes out and leaves door unlocked. First assumption though is that the child wandred out.
Plot gets quite wierd then. I won’t give away the ending but, child was abducted, Mum was not all she appeared to be, family were involved, but Mum was innocent of abduction, although lying about much else to make herself look good. Abducitno was in the child’s interest.
June 8th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
66 - jo
Hi Jo
We’re having a rare sunny weekend here. I’ve just given my dogs a bath (and now they’re rolling in the grass!!!)
Being a Sunday, and a sunny one, I suspect a lot of folk are out in their garden/having a barbeque etc ???
Oh, b*gger. Visitors just arrived.
See you !
June 8th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
66 Jo
It is a lovely day where I am too. Where is everyone? News is drying up and until there is some signficant news (clearance versus charges) , probably from the Portuguese prosecution, others may feel like me which is discuss-ted out
June 8th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Jo,
’tisn’t you I’m sure, it’s a gorgeous day here in England, the first one in ages… I hope everyone is outside enjoying it, as I will be shortly!
June 8th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
64
AgendaWide
hi
I am obvioussly using too much bandwidth
gone
M and A
No you aren’t, its just a lovely sunny day here, everyone is gardening etc
June 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
63
Trismegistus
I would kiss you if I could: at long last somebody answering and even if it is because of feeling sorry,something is something
The same thing-not getting any answer whatsoever-has happened more and more frequently…..and I am starting to wonder if it is because of me or something…which would not surprise me at all.After all,I am not english,am I?
Thanks and bye….
June 8th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
61 Jo
Hi No need to be so sarky
‘Truth about Maddie McCann By Danny Collins - yep the whole truth and nothing but that
June 08,2008 ref: extract in today’s Telegraph
I see that investigative journalist Danny Collins wrote a book about another ‘nightmare in the sun’ last year after ‘helping’ North Wales officers track down the killers of house hunters Anthony and Linda O’Malley in Benidorm 2002. His book ‘Vanished’ about Madeleine McCann’s disappearance may be this year’s attempt to make filthy lucre from Brit fear of foreign. (IfHome Secretary Jaqui Smith understands the Brits - they are good for a scare on 42 days - the answer to year round Hallowe’en requests)
There are clear signs of this book being a mcpublication with a still photo (that is private so must be approved) from the video clip of Madeleine on the book cover and huge credibility given to the Tapas abductor sightings. He concludes that it is most likely Madeleine left the apartment herself, although this does not explain the forensic evidence found in the apartments and cars which are not mentioned in the extract. Criticising the police he states ‘…What seems to have been overlooked at that time, by the star-struck Portuguese police, was the possibility that Madeleine might have been taken by a local intruder in a crime of opportunity, not linked in any way to the international kidnapping scene’. But he does not substantiate this with any evidence, and it is well reported (by Daily Male) that some likely locals were investigated. Also the McCanns were not ’stars’ at the early stages of the investigation, as far as I know
Clearly pro- McCann he states ‘However, the Portuguese investigators were moving in an entirely different and far less logical direction’. Can an evidence-based investigation be described as illogical?
There is lots of suspicious (don’t believe him)innuendo about R. Murat which makes me wonder if Collins is on R. Murat’s libel list? He mentions R. Murat’s ‘passionate interest in the case’, ‘his constant presence at the compromised crime scene, where he was often observed to be engaging officers in conversation inside the apartment of 5A’, ‘distinctive lazy eye’,and most importantly the 8 reports which placed him at the crime scene on May 3, 2007 (but only after Madeleine disappeared). But who are the 8 Murat sighters? 3 of the Tapas 9 -Fiona Payne, Rachael Oldfield, Russell O’Brien, and (should old aquaintances be forgotton) Charlotte Pennington and 2 British tourists who remembered in December 2007 that they saw R. Murat near the Ocean Club complex at 10.30pm, and reported this to the Leicester police (yes 8 months later). But that only adds up to eh 6 reports!
So will I buy this book ? no but I hope that R. Murat and Michaela Walczuch will? It could be another leprauchan sitting on a pile of gold for them, you never know
June 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hi Jo,
You are not alone. I haven’t posted on here in ages, but I’ve been keeping an eye on the case.
In my opinion, the McCanns have crossed the boundaries of decency. Their spinning and fundraising has got to the point where only the most naive and silly people (which unfortunately includes a fair number of British “journalists”) still have the sycophantic attitude towards the McCanns that has cursed this story from the start. It is all sickening. At best, the McCanns are selfish and shallow people who don’t seem to be able to tell right from wrong. This is my opinion only, of course. At worst… it hardly bears thinking about.
In my opinion, they are trying to make careers on the back of whatever tragedy happened to their poor unprotected daughter. I am filled with the most profound disgust towards them.
I am posting my opinions because I am sorry that you are not getting any responses…
June 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
This silence is very revealing or am I being paranoiac?
June 8th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Just in case,some are curious to know,here is more reading but it has NOTHING to do with the uk,so I wonder if it is really of interest
http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_16796.shtml
June 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Final attempt
Rather interesting article but it is obvious now that nobody is “that” interested anymore in wanting the truth and justice for Madeleine (hopefully,here,I will provok an uproar )
It was all a story for blogs and forums then? it did not exist in real life then?
I can assure you,it is still going on and strong,away from blogs and forums……
http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-did-chickens-run-away.html
June 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
http://bp0.blogger.com/_mXbRBcSh0gs/SEruQ6uRBgI/AAAAAAAABv8/EjYvbC9-BIY/s1600-h/Clari_The_Illusionist_Peq.gif
June 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Obviously,no takers
Lets try this?
8.6.08
British Foreign Office helped the McCann to go back home
http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/2008/06/british-foreign-office-helped-mccann-to.html
“A source from PJ explained that if the couple had attempted to leave Portugal before the questioning that took place between 7 and 8 of September, the Public Prosecutor’s Office had instructed PJ inspectors to stop them and was ready to name them as “arguidos” and impose more severe restrictions on their movements. The Portuguese authorities accepted a “gentlemen’s agreement”, after the Foreign Office guaranteed that the couple would return to Portugal, whenever the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested their presence.”
June 8th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Why are the “Tapas 9″ key to solving the Madeleine mystery?
Do police believe this was a man abducting Madeleine?
Did anyone else in the Tapas 9 notice anything strange?
Was there anything strange about the room after Madeleine disappeared?
When will the Portuguese courts decide what to do in the Madeleine case?
Could the couple still be charged soon?
Why is it all taking so long?
So how long will the McCanns have to wait?
Why has there been so much confusion?
Who is who in Team McCann
Clarence Mitchell
Michael Caplan, QC
Angus McBride
Carlos Pinto de Abreu
Esther McVey
Father Haynes Hubbard
Calum MacRae
Philomena McCann
Trish and Sandy Cameron
Why are the McCann’s early television interviews being scrutinised?
How can the police establish Mrs McCann’s state of mind?
Could Mrs McCann’s handwriting be used as evidence?
Why could Mrs McCann’s newspaper interview lead to jail?
What are the police doing to find Madeleine or her body?
Who is advising Kate and Gerry McCann?
How can the couple win the battle of public opinion?
What can Mr Mitchell do to help the McCanns?
Are the McCanns paying for his services?
What action will the police take this week?
Who’s advising British police on the case?
Could the McCanns be prosecuted in Britain?
Can the public support Kate and Gerry McCann’s legal battle?
Why is the McCanns’ hire car pivotal to the investigation?
Does this mean the scientific results hold the key to the case?
Where is the car now?
Under what circumstances was the car searched?
Is there any other explanation about how the material could have got there?
Why do Portuguese police want to read Kate McCann’s personal diaries?
What evidence could be held on Gerry McCann’s laptop computer?
Why does a Portuguese judge need to authorise the seizure?
Why didn’t the Portuguese police seize these items in Praia da Luz?
Has the judge been asked to authorise any other seizures?
What else has the judge been asked to do?
Who is revealing details about scientific evidence?
What scientific evidence have police collected?
Why are the “bodily fluids” significant?
Does a large quantity of hair prove that Madeleine’s body was in the car?
Is anyone else confirming these reports?
Does the scientific evidence prove that Madeleine was killed?
What happened in the four hours before Madeleine was reported missing?
Why did Kate McCann cry out “They’ve taken her?” when she discovered Madeleine missing?
What were the movements of the McCann’s friends on the night Madeleine disappeared?
How much alcohol did the McCanns and their friends drink on the evening Madeleine disappeared?
Why was Madeleine’s bedroom window and shutter open?
Why did Madeleine’s sister and brother sleep through her “abduction”?
Why were the McCanns allowed to leave Portugal if they are suspects?
Why has it taken so long to find the evidence that could implicate Kate and Gerry McCann?
What evidence were police looking for?
What is the most important forensic evidence?
Does any trace of Madeleine in the hire car prove she was killed?
What is the DNA evidence that has supposedly been found by the Portuguese investigators?
What would this tell us?
Can investigators establish if the DNA sample comes from someone who was alive or dead?
Does an 80 per cent match with biological fluids indicate that Madeleine was definitely in the car?
What about the discoveries of the “cadaver” sniffer dog?
Any evidence of Madeleine’s death on Cuddle Cat?
What evidence can be found in Mrs McCann’s Bible?
Why are the McCanns suspects in their daughter’s killing?
All parties have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Only testing
June 8th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Duncan… I was saying as such to Mr C&C this morning, I guessed that was where the moderating nightmare came from!
And here they are being moderated… on other forums they are not so the info is there fro everyone.
Very scary that, despite all the warnings, they simply don’t realise the dangers of the internet.
And why do they think Anorak is a direct line to the little boy George? Does someone here own him?
June 8th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Anorak says ‘The UK release of the film was delayed because of the similarity between the name of the abducted child in the script – four-year-old Amanda McCready – and that of Madeleine McCann.’
That would be nObumma for Barack the Builder .
Is Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign going to be put on hold due to Mcsimilarities too
June 8th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Karen/C&C
If the parents of these little girls knew their darling daughter was posting on the internet details of her name, age, town of residence, school she is attending, mobile phone Nos etc - they would have a fit !!!
Bloody nightmare trying to protect these girls by checking each post and removing any personal info that would expose them to the risk of being identified/targeted/tracked down by some pervert.
June 8th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Happy Birthday to all you lovely Geminis
Chenier, JuneJohnson, Carmen, Chataleine, DuncanR and all…
I’ve just finished my chatathon with the 5 close family Geminis phew, so I now I’ve little time left for internetchat
I searched for a present of some new news but sadly came back emptyhanded
I recall Stevo saw Run Baby Run in the US and gave it a poor review as a film and did not see many similarities with the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
June 8th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Coolandcalm
Fit? Buff? He’s about 2!!!!
June 8th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Karen….
Bless their little cotton socks. They think he’s here with us!
http://www.anorak.co.uk/tabloids/184470.html
June 8th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Happy Birthday Chenier.
Happy Birthday June.
Where’s the George thread??????
June 8th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Just thought I’d make you lot jealous! We’re almost at mid-winter over here, and it’s a beautiful sunny 22 deg C at the moment
June 8th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
good afternoon.
Chenier, happy birthday.
any news?
June 8th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
M and A
Ahem , could we avoid any mention of knees today, especially mine
————————————–
Say no more, squire.
Am I right in assuming a good time was had by all?
M and A
Oh yes, think so….memory…head…new one needed
June 8th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Good morning, everyone.
I hope June enjoyed her knees up, and that I am not hallucinating the presence of Noseycow and Gloria…
M and A
Ahem , could we avoid any mention of knees today, especially mine
June 8th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Miladdo, when Piotr and the other guys are back, can I have please some of the vodka? Not before 6 pm, though
M and A
6.00pm in which country Chatelaine?
June 8th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Duncan
Remember? I was looking for the song “I believe in Bugs”?
Got it
My Dad used to play the fool while singing it
http://www.littlehits.com/songoftheday/Ivor%20Cutler_I%20Believe%20In%20Bugs.mp3
June 8th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I rthink the two could go on holiday to Russia, Magadan, for about 25 years. Plenty of fun for them. And they can leave children in Britain, and nobody will criticise.