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Political Projections
A Monthly Political Feature on The Leonard Lopate Show
From corrupt candidates to virtuous do-gooders, presidents and politicians have been popular subjects on the silver screen since the early days of film. Each month, from now until Election Day 2008, Leonard talks to film critics, historians, filmmakers, and listeners to find out how Hollywood has portrayed Washington politics over the past 70 years.
Political Projections: Nixon in Hollywood
The Leonard Lopate Show
September 09, 2008
On Tues., Sept. 9, tune in for a discussion on how President Richard Nixon has been depicted by Hollywood. Leonard talks with journalist Rick Perlstein, author of Nixonland; and Brian Neve, a professor of cultural studies at the University of Bath in England and author of Film and Politics in America.
The films we'll talk about are:
All the President's Men(1976)
Nixon (1995)
Dick (1999)
You can watch the films and join in on the conversation.
EVENT: Lopate Show Film Screening!!!
Join us for another Lopate Show film screening! On Monday, September 8th at 7 pm, we'll be showing "All the President's Men," starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, as part of our Political Projections film series. The screening will be held at the Galapagos Art Space on 16 Main Street, in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
Space is limited, so RSVP to projections@wnyc.org.
There's also going to be a $5 drink special called the Nixon. Doors will open at 6 with full beverage service.
Political Projections: The Wrong Man for the Job
The Leonard Lopate Show
August 05, 2008
Not all political candidates are created equal. Sometimes, the most successful ones are those who have taken part in the shady deals, compromise, and hypocrisy that have become too common in American politics. Joining Leonard to discuss how Hollywood has depicted far-from-ideal candidates are Connie Schultz, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at The Cleveland Plain Dealer; and top media/campaign consultant Bill Hillsman, founder and president of North Woods Advertising.
You can watch the films we’ve selected and weigh in on the conversation by posting your reactions below. We may incorporate your comments into the on-air discussion.
Films we’ll discuss:
“The Best Man” (1964): Gore Vidal adapted his Broadway play, a biting and bitter political satire about the smear politics involved in a presidential election, for the silver screen. It stars Henry Fonda as a liberal do-good presidential candidate.
“The Candidate” (1972): Robert Redford stars in this satirical exploration of the machinations and manipulations of media-age political campaigns. Its cynical look at what a candidate will say to get elected is still relevant today.
“Bob Roberts” (1992): Tim Robbins starred in and directed this satire disguised as a documentary about a conservative Senate candidate who, beneath the surface, is actually a textbook case of cynicism and contempt.
EVENT! A Leonard Lopate Show FREE screening of “The Candidate”
Monday, August 4 at 7 pm
At the NEW Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO, Brooklyn
16 Main Street (at Water Street)
RSVP to projections@wnyc.org
Check out pictures of the new Galapagos Art Space
Political Projections: Commander in Chief
The Leonard Lopate Show
July 01, 2008
As Commander in Chief, the President of the United States controls the Army, Navy, Air Force, and state militias. On this month’s Political Projections, we look at how Hollywood has taken on this specific function of the President. Robert Sklar is Professor of Cinema in the Department of Cinema Studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Geoffrey Perret is an award-winning author of books on military history and presidential biographies, most recently Commander in Chief: How Truman, Johnson, and Bush Turned a Presidential Power into a Threat to America's Future.
You can watch the films we’ve selected and weigh in on the conversation by posting your reactions below. We may incorporate your comments into the on-air discussion.
Films we’ll discuss:
“Fail-Safe” (1964): Sidney Lumet directed this Cold War thriller about the President’s efforts to avert nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
"Seven Days in May" (1964): John Frankenheimer directed this docudrama about one general’s plot to militarily takeover the US government.
"Air Force One" (1997): Wolfgang Petersen directed this action drama about the hijacking of Air Force One and the President’s attempt to stop the terrorists while on board the plane.
"Thirteen Days" (2000): Roger Donaldson directed this thriller based on the actual events surrounding the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, taking place during the thirteen days wherein the US and Soviet Union nearly engaged in full-scale nuclear war.
Political Projections: Machine Politics
The Leonard Lopate Show
June 03, 2008
We look at how Hollywood has dealt with the world of machine politics, and how it's used characters like the nefarious party boss and the do-good reformer -- from their heyday between 1875 and 1950 up to the present. Daniel Eagan is a film critic for Film Journal International and the author of the upcoming book America’s Film Legacy. Bruce M. Stave, Director of the Oral History Office at the University of Connecticut, is the author and editor of several books on bosses, machines, and reformers.
You can watch the films we’ve selected and weigh in on the conversation by posting your reactions below. We may incorporate your comments into the on-air discussion.
Films we'll discuss:
“The Great McGinty” (1940): This rollicking political satire, the directorial debut of Preston Sturges, depicts a Chicago hobo who teams up with a party boss to work his way up to the mayor’s office.
“The Last Hurrah” (1958): Spencer Tracy stars in John Ford’s movie about the final campaign of a big city mayor, loosely based upon the life of Boston political boss James Curley.
“Street Fight” (2005): Marshall Curry directed this documentary about the hotly contested 2002 Newark mayoral race between Cory Booker, now mayor, and veteran machine politician Sharpe James.
Political Projections: Remakes
The Leonard Lopate Show
May 06, 2008
Political films are among the most frequently remade films in Hollywood. We compare the originals and remakes of “All the King’s Men” and “The Manchurian Candidate” to see how each depicts the politics of the time in which it was made.
Philip Gianos of California State University, Fullerton, is the author of Politics and Politicians in American Film. Independent scholar and journalist Gaspar Gonzalez is co-author of What Have They Built You to Do?: The Manchurian Candidate and Cold War America.
The movies we'll discuss are:
“All the King’s Men” (1949) – Robert Rossen directed this classic political film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren, a thinly veiled portrait of Depression-era Louisiana governor Huey Long.
“All the King’s Men” (2006): Steven Zaillian wrote and directed this remake, which remains largely faithful to the original version.
“The Manchurian Candidate” (1962): John Frankenheimer directed this classic political thriller that, when first released, was considered far ahead of its time.
“The Manchurian Candidate” (2004): Jonathan Demme directed this remake, updating its themes and plotlines to address the Bush Administration’s war on terror.
Watch the films, and then weigh in: How do you think the remakes compare to the original versions? How are the films shaped by the politics of the times in which they were made?
Political Projections: Political Idealism in Hollywood
The Leonard Lopate Show
April 01, 2008
Politics is often a dirty business. But many Americans still yearn for political idealism. Tune in to our latest Political Projections on Tuesday, April 1st, when we look into how idealistic politicians have been depicted in film over the years. Joseph McBride is Assistant Professor of cinema at San Francisco State University and author of Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. Kerry Tymchuk has worked for the past 11 years as State Director for United States Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. He also worked for six years as Director of Speechwriting and Counsel to then-US Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole.
Also, you can watch the films we’ve selected and weigh in on the conversation by posting your reactions below. We may incorporate your comments into the on air discussion.
The three films are:
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1938) – Frank Capra’s classic comedy-drama came at a time when Americans were growing weary with government. Jimmy Stewart plays the quintessential good-natured hero who tries to overcomes backroom Senate politics.
"State of the Union" (1948) – Frank Capra directed this story of an aircraft tycoon who is coerced into seeking the Republican presidential nomination. After being corrupted by Washington power brokers, he recognizes his dishonesty and publicly apologizes to the nation.
"The American President" (1995) – Rob Reiner directed this earnest and idealistic story about an unabashedly liberal Democratic President who’s faced with Republican smear tactics and a conflict between his public and personal life.
Political Projections: Hollywood's Political Cynicism
The Leonard Lopate Show
March 04, 2008
From scandals and spin to special interest groups and lobbyists, many Americans are very cynical about the motives of politicians and even the democratic process itself. On Political Projections, we look at how Hollywood has showcased American cynicism about politics.
Connie Schultz, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at The Cleveland Plain Dealer, is also the wife of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and the author of ...and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man. Philip Gianos is the Chair of the Department of Politics, Administration and Justice at California State University, Fullerton and the author of Politics and Politicians in American Film.
You can watch the films we've selected and weigh in on the conversation. The three films are:
"Advise and Consent" (1962) – Otto Preminger directed this movie about how a liberal nominee for Secretary of State tries to hide his past.
"Wag the Dog" (1997) – David Mamet wrote and Barry Levinson directed this Clinton-era comedy about a spin doctor’s creation of a fake war to distract the electorate from a presidential sex scandal.
"Bulworth" (1998) – Written and directed by Warren Beatty, a veteran Senator grows weary of the state of politics and begins to speak openly and honestly about his controversial feelings.
Weigh in: How well do you think these 3 movies capture the spirit of political cynicism? Are you cynical about politics during the 2008 election cycle?
Political Projections: Hollywood Pokes Fun at Politics
The Leonard Lopate Show
February 05, 2008
For the second installment of our political film series: how Hollywood has poked fun at politics and politicians. Richard Corliss is film critic and Senior Writer at TIME Magazine; John Belton is an English professor at Rutgers University. We’ve chosen three films that span the length of American movies:
"Duck Soup" (1933)- the Marx Brothers piercing satire of nationalism and diplomacy
"Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) - Stanley Kubrick’s satire of Cold War paranoia
"Dave" (1993) - the Clinton-era depiction of what happens when an ordinary man becomes president.
Join in on the conversation! Leave a comment and tell us what you think about the 3 films we've chosen. Has Hollywood done a good job of portraying politics?
Political Projections: Campaigning Goes to Hollywood
The Leonard Lopate Show
January 08, 2008
For the first in our new Political Projections film series, we look into how Hollywood has portrayed campaigns over the years. We've chosen 4 films to discuss:
"Primary" (1960)
"Tanner ’88" (1988)
"The War Room" (1993)
"Primary Colors" (1998)
Weigh in: What do you think of how the four selected films depict American political campaigns? Does watching any of those films change the way you think about the campaign currently underway for the November 2008 elections?
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