http://www.itn.co.uk/news/20010312/entertainment/05costner.shtml
"This is clearly a very political movie. And I do want Tony Blair to see it." - Kevin Costner
Unpredictable Hollywood star Kevin Costner reportedly wants Prime Minister Tony Blair to watch his latest movie as a warning against the dangers of nuclear conflict.
Costner included Blair in his list of world leaders who he believes would benefit from spending time with a bucket of popcorn in front of Thirteen Days.
Costner argues that the most powerful men in the world are not taking the threat of nuclear conflict seriously enough.
US President George W Bush has seen the film already, as has former President Bill Clinton.
Thirteen Days tells the story of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
Costner, who is in London for the film's British opening, now hopes Prime Minister Tony Blair will follow their lead.
He told a newspaper, "This is clearly a very political movie. And I do want Tony Blair to see it."
"We have a very smug attitude that this problem has gone away. But the world has thousands of nuclear missiles."
"Why do we think we're any safer than we were then? But no one wants to hear about this."
"They would rather ask me questions about my girlfriend. There are simply things people would rather not talk about."
In a reference to the disappearance of native American tribes he added, "My own country wiped out around 400 different cultures. We don't talk about that very much."
The movie sees Costner playing the part of an adviser to John F Kennedy, US president at the time of the Cuban missile crisis.
Costner spoke of his fears for world stability, "We are moving towards the situation there was in 1962 because of the hostility and instability of certain regions of the world."
He hopefully added, "People who see (the film) will want to know more about this crisis."
The release of the movie comes as Costner strives to rebuild his image as one of the movie world's creative talents.
He had a miserable time at the hands of the critics in the 1990s with the failure of epic post-apocalyptic projects Waterworld and The Postman.
http://www.itn.co.uk/news/20010312/entertainment/05costner.shtml