Viewpoint: Brad Pitt, zombies, guns and the meaning of life

By Joshua Madden
A&E Editor

In one of the most bizarre events to happen this year, a warehouse full of weapons being used in Brad Pitt’s upcoming Zombie film “World War Z,” was raided by a SWAT team in Budapest.

Police seized automatic weapons that were supposed to be used as props in the movie. They were supposed to be in non-working condition, but as it turned out, they were in working order, which, from my understanding of Hungarian film law, is not cool.

Tyler Alley, the Lariat’s sports editor, said this story sounded like a Mad Lib. I think it’s more like a “Family Guy” style cutaway.

Ironically, it speaks to something deeper about the meaning of life — we can never be quite sure what is going to happen next and that’s what makes life fun.

In a Monday US Weekly article titled, “SWAT Team Raids Brad Pitt’s World War Z Set,” reporter Zach Johnson cites a source who says, “The film is already over budget and over schedule. Brad is furious.”

I’m not a succesful film producer or actor and I don’t claim to be. I will, however, point out the obvious: even if this does mess some things up — like the film schedule — isn’t it kind of funny?

Assuming no one goes to jail, it sounds like no one will be physically harmed because of this incident. This is one of those moments that makes life better than fiction. No one could have possibly predicted that this would happen a year ago and, to be honest, I think that’s pretty fascinating, although only because no one was hurt.

Maybe it’s just a silly incident half the world away or maybe this situation is more serious than I realize, but from my seat in the Lariat office, I think it shows us how unpredictable life can be.