Political FIlms

[burythehatchet]

I'm always hearing about political films and documentaries of which I was previously unaware, or I heard about them and forgot them.

I wonder if I could get you assistance to catalogue this film genre. It would be helpful to put them in categories:

Media
Fiction
War
Politics
International
...or if you believe another category can be added.


PLEASE put the category and title in the subject line for easy perusal.


I've got a great indy video rental place here, and I bet I can rent everyone we identify. First post is an example.


on edit - if you are particularly enthusiastic about one, it would be nice to put a little summary in the message body.

[burythehatchet]

1. Media:Good night and good luck nt

[sgxnk]

2. gotta have one for

documentaries

and in the category of fiction/fake documentary

"bob roberts" with tim robbins is excellent

[burythehatchet]

3. Documentaries:Bob Roberts

to put it in the subject line. Thanks

[Cerridwen]

4. Political Documentary: "One Bright Shining Moment"

link here

Plot summary from imdb sums it up rather well:

ONE BRIGHT SHINING MOMENT retraces George McGovern's bold presidential campaign of 1972 - a grassroots campaign that fought for peace and justice, and positioned ideas and people first. But what is remembered today as being the ultimate political defeat of the American Century may also have been its high watermark.

It helps to highlight the tensions evident today in the Democratic Party and suggests reasons for the tension by putting it in an historical context.

Be sure to view the interview with Amy Goodman in the "Special Features" portion of the DVD as well as the "War Criminal" feature in same.

[burythehatchet]

5. coool, never heard of it.

[MrCoffee]

6. Documentaries

Why We Fight
The Fog of War
Bush's Brain
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
The Corporation
The Yes Men

[burythehatchet]

7. Politics: Why we Fight (military industrial complex)

War: The Fog of War (Vietnam, McNamara)
Politics: Bush's Brain
Business: Enron
Business: Corporation
...don't know Yes Men

[MrCoffee]

8. Yes Men

Great movie about a couple of culture jammers. http://www.theyesmen.org /

the documentary is reviewed at imdb here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379593/

[chat_noir]

9. check out my sig line

Political films

[burythehatchet]

14. that's what I was looking for. Is this in reference?

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

10. Politics/Race - Manderlay (& The Confederate States of America)

Manderlay is the second film in Lars von Trier's "USA - Land of Opportunities" trilogy (the first was Dogville although I don't think you need to see them in order) and it's a very good & challenging film. It's as much an attack on the complacency of the US left as it is a polemic against the state of race-relations in America and the whole concept of democratizing countries by force. It's already out on DVD across the world & it comes out in the US on Monday:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342735 /
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZEU0G /

I've not seen CSA: Confederate States of America - it's only just opened theatrically here - but it sounds interesting enough to check out. It's basically a what-if mockumentary set in an America where the South won the civil war. It also comes out on DVD in the US on Monday:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389828 /
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZEU0Q /


Re your list, you may want to check out this post in the Research forum called "The Power of Film":

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

12. Politics -- "Punishment Park"

(copying & pasting an earlier post of mine)

With the Vietnam war spiralling out of control and increasingly unpopular with the American public, President Nixon declares a state of national emergency and Federal authorities are given the power to detain persons judged to be a “risk to national security”.

In a desert region in California, a civilian tribunal passes penal sentences on groups of dissidents but offers the alternative of 3 days in ‘Punishment Park’. Peter Watkins’ film vividly imagines a world where political dissidents are hunted down by the forces of law and order in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

As relevant today as when initially released, Punishment Park is a stunningly visual political film with strong elements of thriller. In light of Guantanamo Bay, the Patriot Act and the recent polarisation of political viewpoints in the US, the film represents a hauntingly resonant vision for the contemporary viewer. It is a savage indictment of American political consciousness from one of the most underrated of British filmmakers.

http://www.punishmentpark.co.uk

Out now on DVD: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007UQ2BY/

[smokey nj]

11. Media, War, Politics, and Civil Liberties

My apologies if these are films which you have already seen, I found all of them to be especially enlightening.

Media: Outfoxed, Manufacturing Consent, and Orwell Rolls in His Grave

War: Why We Fight - Highly recommended for its historical perspective on the rise of the military industrial complex. I've also heard that the DVD features additional analysis not included in the theatrical release. Robert Greenwald's Uncovered, The Truth about the War in Iraq.

Politics: Robert Greenwald's Unprecedented - examines the theft of the 2000 election.

Civil Liberties: R. Greenwald's Unconstitutional - A frightening look at the Patriot Act.

[blm]

20. Add to War Documentary: Going Upriver, Winter Soldier

.

[MissWaverly]

13. Horror: Homecoming

I thought it was a good satire of the whole phony baloney thing we have now, it is fluff but
funny fluff, though the scene of the dead soldier in the rain was done in a sensitive way.
Basic premise: Soldiers come back to life to VOTE, there is a wicked parody of Karl Rove
and Ann Coulter. The dead soldiers are rounded up and placed in a GITMO like setting to
be experimented on. It even has insincere Tv evangelists that are puppets of the corrupt
ruling party that has stolen the election and a sincere grieving mother who is a take off
on Cindy Sheehan.

[pinto]

15. War. "The King of Hearts"

Cutting satire, includes a lot of cinematic comment about mental illness, bureaucracies, personal relationships as well as an overall statement on the futility/madness of warfare. Also beautifully acted, lovingly filmed. Great score. One of my favorite movies of all time.

[TahitiNut]

16. International: "The Battle of Algiers"

One of the most influential films in the history of political cinema, Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers focuses on the harrowing events of 1957, a key year in Algeria’s struggle for independence from France. Shot in the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film vividly recreates the tumultuous Algerian uprising against the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, the French torture prisoners for information and the Algerians resort to terrorism in their quest for independence. Children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés. The French win the battle, but ultimately lose the war as the Algerian people demonstrate that they will no longer be suppressed. The Criterion Collection is proud present Gillo Pontecorvo’s tour de force—a film with astonishing relevance today.

This one's a must-see for a thinking person, imho. I guarantee it's comprehended by Hizb'allah, Hamas, and al Qa'eda leadership.

[burythehatchet]

17. there was a report that US service men were shown the film as part

of their Iraq training. Maybe rummy should have rented it too.

[TahitiNut]

19. If so, it sure hasn't done any good.

The U.S. is making all the mistakes of the French, and more. The Bushoilinis are interested in the profits and power; they don't give a shit about death and misery. They apparently believe they can keep this lid on by quashing global public awareness of events in Iraq and Afghanistan - both by repressing 'divergent' perspectives and burying them in a flood of lies and disinformation.

[chat_noir]

18. War: 2 films based on excellent books

Catch-22 (my favorite book of all time)
Johnny Got His Gun

[LaPera]

21. Playing in theatres. America: Freedom to Fascism - "It'll scare the shit

out of you"

http://www.freedomtofascism.com /

Political film.

[unhappycamper]

22. Documentaries: Winter Soldier

Documentaries: Beyond Treason
Documentaries: An Inconvenient Truth
Fiction: V for Vendetta



on edit: D'oh

[Eric J in MN]

23. Fiction: "A Face in the Crowd" starring Andy Griffith...

...as a right-wing talk show host.

[Eric J in MN]

24. Fiction: "Meet John Doe" starrring Gary Cooper...

...as a man who starts a movement of neighbors helping each other.

[Eric J in MN]

25. Fiction: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" starring Jimmy Stewart

...as a man suddenly appointed US Senator.

[Totally Committed]

26. Some of my favorites:

Media
All the President's Men
Citizen Kane
Good Night and Good Luck

Fiction
Dick
Dave
Primary Colors
JFK
X
Seven Days in May
V for Vendetta
Being There
The President's Analyst
Three Days of the Condor
Arlington Road

War
Wag the Dog
Failsafe
Dr. Strangelove
The Missles of October
Paths of Glory
Catch 22
Reds
Fat Man & Little Boy
How I Won the War
The Blue Messiah

Politics
The Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate
Bob Roberts
Bulworth
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Advise and Consent
The Contender
Meet John Doe
Nixon
The Distinguished Gentleman

International
Syriana
The Battle of Algiers
Salvador
Z
Tora!Tora!Tora!
The Constant Gardener

Documentaries
Farenheit 911
The Hunting of the President
The War Room


TC

[burythehatchet]

27. there's like 8 on your list I'm not familiar with..thanks.

[Totally Committed]

30. Thanks....

I love political movies!

I forgot to include under documentaries: An Inconvenient Truth

(That could be considered political in this day and age, I think!)

TC

[julialnyc]

28. some of my favorites

The most amazing (but upsetting) documentary I have ever seen is called "The Last Just Man". It is about Rwanda..... it used to play on the Sundance channel frequently, but I haven't seen it in a while.

For film I LOVE Inherit the Wind

[julialnyc]

29. for foreign films

Grand Illusion is wonderful

[Protagoras]

31. Once this has grown we should consolidate the answers

it's going to be a nice list.

[burythehatchet]

32. If you see post 9

someone already did that. Perhaps s/he can update it and we can put it somewhere on DU.