om any of the writers (save one) that said they were writing a flash story set in the zoo. Please confirm or deny it if possible. Thanks. And speaking of challenges, ROSE AND THORN asked me to discuss the origins of the story, The Bride, right here.
Saw GAME CHANGE last week and thought it was a solid movie but it didn't really turn up anything that people who watched the campaign unfold didn't already know. Another performance that was more an impersonation than a insightful look at a woman. The fault was probably in the script but it was a bit disappointing.
What is your favorite political movie? I guess All The President's Men is mine. It managed to be exciting and amazing despite knowing the story. Or maybe that tale was too good to miss.
35 comments:
I really liked STATE OF PLAY, both the American movie and especially the 6-part British mini-series about the murder of a politican's mistress. Although I was disappointed in SEASON ONE of THE KILLING, I'm probably going to give SEASON TWO a try. That also involves the death of a politican's lover.
Yes, State of Play is excellent. And I will also probably try THE KILLING again. Although Sunday night is awfully crowded.
I'm still in for the zoo story :-)
Great!
Goodness gracious, ANYONE who likes THE KILLING should give BORGEN, from the same writing/producing team as the original and explicitly about the political life, a shot.
My favorite political films include THE CANDIDATE (Redford just ain't making 'em like he used to), Z, and quite a few others...I'll have to mull. There's a chance I'll have a story for this challenge.
MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON...
Just watched the entire first season of THE KILLING at 2-3 episodes per night and don't recommend it for untroubled sleep afterward. Will definitely watch the 2nd season, but only when it's on DVD. Most frequent comment made during the viewing: "It's still raining..."
THE BEST MAN (they are doing a Broadway revival soon)
STATE OF PLAY (British miniseries)
HOUSE OF CARDS (ditto)
YES, MINISTER (Britcom)
Jeff M.
WAG THE DOG. PRIMARY COLORS are two others.
No way to get old series now that NETFLIX shuns me.
Attenborough's GANDHI. Never tire of watching it. THE KILLING FIELDS and HOTEL RWANDA too. And yes, THE GREAT DICTATOR.
Get a box for your tv to allow web-surfing, and let Link TV feed you BORGEN, and other sources feed you, say, YES MINISTER...the second season is coming soon, and they'll almost certainly run the first season again first...
WAG THE DOG, with its pseudo-sophistication, drove me nuts. Makes THE WEST WING seem knowing and profound in comparison.
THE CONSTANT GARDENER...IN THE LOOP...DR. STRANGELOVE...HIS GIRL FRIDAY...
I was a big fan of Bob Roberts when it came out and is seems to have just slipped away.
IN THE LOOP was a hoot, though I could have used subtitles...
Hated BOB ROBERTS, Tim Robbins' smirky face especially.
Jeff M.
Discussing Game Change on another blog someone described Sarah Palin as an, "able local politician, (who) has tons of charisma but is just completely out of her depth on the national stage."
Which got me to say, "One of the great myths of Hollywood is that the national (or even international) stage is exactly the same as the local stage and what national (or even international) issues need is just some small town wisdom. It's kind of ironic that Palin's problem seems to be that she bought into a Hollywood myth."
I liked the politics in "His Girl Friday," too, which I often think about when someone says the world is getting too cynical.
THE BEST MAN with Henry Fonda's gravitas.
On the paranoid end, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (the original) and THE PARALLAX VIEW.
BTW, working on a zoo story, but can't confirm. An unexpected trip to Pittsburg may throw a monkey wrench into my plans.
If you mean movies about American political machinations, then I'd say BULWORTH and BORN YESTERDAY. Also ELECTION, if it counts. ALL THE KING'S MEN (original version) and WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT are also quite enjoyable, if not great. If you stretch the definition a bit, then DUCK SOUP (Groucho as president!) and FAIL SAFE (DR STRANGELOVE as a non-comedy).
I'd be interested in some non-american ones too. There is one about a French election that came and went here recently. Can't think of the title.
Oh, I forgot: CHICAGO 10. Odd concept, but a fine docudrama. And MEDIUM COOL, though it was ages since I saw it.
Going abroad: THE LIVES OF OTHERS and its humourous counterpart GOODBYE LENIN (a must for anyone who believes germans can't do comedy). Bertolucci's 1900 is too much of a sprawl and just too plain long, but has its moments (Donald Sutherland and the cat!). BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN of course, but it is 25 years since I saw it and the historical accuracy is probably debatable. The Finnish THE BORDER, dealing with the situation on the Finnish-Russian border in 1918, right after Lenin had seized power and refugees were streaming westwards is also worth a mention though I think few outside Finland have seen it...Oh of course - MAN OF MARBLE and MAN OF IRON by Andrzej Wajda.
Ha, Jerry. Just let me know by Sunday.
His Girl Friday is one I would not have thought of. Always think of it as a newpsaper movie but newspapers tell stories about politics.
MANCHURIAN is a great one.
Hotel Rwanda was just terrific.
Well, I have cited Z and IN THE LOOP, which latter is essentially Brit (among a number of Brit suggestions from others). And BORGEN the tv series.
OPEN CITY runs to the edge of the matter, too...Bertolucci is one of the most overrated filmmakers so far, but I hold out hope that THE CONFORMIST might actually buck his trend. THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST is impressive, as is Bergman's SHAME. THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS. A FEW DAYS IN SEPTEMBER. ODD MAN OUT being another fringer, and THE QUIET AMERICAN being a not-bad international production.
Lives of Others has to be in the top ten. Pins and needles.
Z, at the time, was shattering. A movie I haven't seen since for fear of it not being as great.
Well, HIS GIRL FRIDAY is explicitly about the tensions between the city hall and statehouse...and the execution, or not, of a killer inspired by fringe politics folks...which is why I suggested it.
I should've recalled MEDIUM COOL, definitely.
Well, MISSING, also a Costa-Gavras, wasn't as good upon review, but it was still pretty compelling.
PUNISHMENT PARK, yet another ancestor of THE HUNGER GAMES.
I simply love ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. It too is my favorite political movie. I rewatch it every few years and it never seems old to me.
I also like THE BEST MAN and ADVICE AND CONSENT.
I still remember seeing MEDIUM COOL when it came out. Great stuff.
THE LIVES OF OTHERS was powerful.
Jeff M.
Put Cary Grant in a movie and I am mesmerized. He is always Cary Grant for me and it does wreak havoc with any plot.
If you agree on that the personal is also political, then also THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER and possibly also MONA LISA SMILE (which I find remarkably underrated).
How could I forget - SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. The 1962 novel is set in some "near future" but IIRC there are bits in it that puts it in the early to mid 1970s - right when this kind of conspiracy plot was all the rage. Oh, the irony.
Everybody stole my choices already. All I can think of now is Der Fuhrer's Face.
And on the tv side, broadly:
http://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2012/01/best-political-drama-television.html
MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
ADVISE AND CONSENT
ALL THE KING'S MEN
THE CANDIDATE
ALL THE PRESDIENT'S MEN seems to me to be more about journalism even though crooked politics is their focus.
You're right but close enough since I love it so much.
Actually, I just realized it's ADVISE and Consent. Jeez.
Meant to add DAVE to the list of political movies.
ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949)
JFK (1991)
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
THE BEST MAN (1964)
ELECTION (1999)
THE FRONT (1976) just aired here. Zero Mostel, bless you.
From Sweden, I think JOE HILL (1971) might be somewhat known abroad, and from the same director there's also ÅDALEN 31 (1969) - a.k.a. ÅDALEN RIOTS. The latter is set in my home region.
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