This is part II and the final part of a Guest Voice by Michael Teodoro G. Ting Jr., a freelance writer and graduate student based in the Philippines. In it, he continues his comprehensive look at The Art of Political Cinema worldwide. Part One is HERE.
The Art of Political Cinema (Conclusion)
By Michael Teodoro G. Ting Jr
Political comedies
Political comedies demonstrate serious political issues in light, humorous situations. My Fellow Americans (1996) narrates the long-running feud between two former U.S. presidents who spent the past thirty years hating each other, later working together to reveal an expose which ousted the sitting president and vice-president. As the movie ends, both ex-presidents are running as independents on the same ticket, arguing which of them is nominee for President.
Head of State (2003) is a political comedy film about a simple black Washington D.C. alderman chosen to run for the presidency against a sitting vice-president. Initially unknown, he begins to rise in the polls after his brother told him to speak out for what he truly believes. He talks on common people’s issues such as social welfare, money, and society in general. The sitting vice-president runs a series of attack advertisements against him. The former alderman responds in a similar fierce though comical stance. He ends up winning the election and the presidency.
Man of the Year (2006) is a tale about a political comedy talk show host who prompts four million people to e-mail their support and decides to file his candidacy for the presidential elections. After participating in a national debate with the incumbent Democratic president and a Republican senator, the talk show host surprises everyone by being declared as the official winner. Upon realizing that the elections were flawed by errors in the voting system, he declines to become president, and another election is held. He returns to his career as a talk show host and is declared Person of the Year by Time magazine.
Wag the Dog (1997) is a political comedy about a Washington spin doctor who distracts the electorate from a U.S. presidential sex scandal by hiring a Hollywood producer to construct a fake war with Albania. Mars Attacks! (1996) is a science fiction film about the invasion of Earth by the Martians and the tactics employed by the U.S. president to gain maximum public relations by establishing friendly relations with them. In the film, the Martians wreaked havoc with their red and green death-ray guns that leave only the skeletons of their targets by just one shot. Counseled by a professor that advanced civilizations are peace-loving people, the president set up meetings for peace treaties but the Martians massacred all humans involved, wiping out both the United States Congress and the National Assembly of France.
A unique take on intercultural studies, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) is a mockumentary film where British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen plays a fictitious Borat Sagdiyev, a popular Kazakh broadcast journalist who leaves his homeland for the United States to make a documentary film at the request of the fictitious Kazakh Ministry of Information. The movie presents unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with Americans who believe he is a foreigner with zero experience on American culture.
European politics is also spoofed in the movies. The Beautician and the Beast (1997), for example, follows the misadventures of a New York beautician who gets hired as the private tutor to the children of a dictatorial president of an Eastern European country called Slovetzia. Another European comedy is Palais royal! (2005), a French film describing the awkward encounters of a commoner crown princess, her apathetic crown prince husband, and her domineering queen mother-in-law. The movie obviously alludes to the late Diana Spencer and the British royal family.
Historical dramas and biographical pictures
Politics of ancient, medieval, and recent past are portrayed in historical dramas and biographical films. The Ten Commandments (1956) is an epical story about the life of Moses as the beloved foster son of Pharaoh Seti I, the general of the Egyptian armies, one-time lover of Throne Princess Nefretiri, and fierce rival of Prince Rameses II. 300 (2007) stylistically recounts the historic battle of a 300-member Spartan army led by King Leonidas against thousands of armed Persian warriors led by King Xerxes. Alexander (2004) is an epical film on the life of Alexander the Great, the King of Macedonia. The film narrates Alexander’s youth, his difficult relationship with his father Philip II, the unification of the Greek city-states under the League of Corinth, the conquest of the Persian Empire in 331 BC, and his tragic death. Cleopatra films (1963 and 1999 versions) depict the life and times of Cleopatra VII of Egypt, the last queen of ancient Egypt. Elizabeth (1998) and its sequel Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) are dramatic renditions of the life and times of Queen Elizabeth I of England and her contemporaries such as Queen Mary I of England, Mary the Queen of Scots, and King Philip II of Spain. Marie Antoinette films (1938 and 2006 versions) are portrayals on the rise and fall of the flamboyant Marie Antoinette, the Austrian princess who became the royal consort to King Louis XVI of France. Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) is a biographical film about the rise and fall of the last of Russia’s monarchs, Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and his wife, the Empress Alexandra.
Films set in the 20th and 21st centuries also beam with politics. The Last King of Scotland (2006) tells the fictional story of a young Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda to serve as the personal physician to the dictator Idi Amin. The movie heavily explores the factual events of Amin’s rule. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) portrays the 1952 motorcycle journey across South America of young Che Guevara and his friend, depicting the gradual development of Guevara’s future Marxist revolutionary stance. The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004) is based on the story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck who plotted to kill Richard Nixon in 1974. The Last Emperor (1987) is a biographical film about the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China. It is the first feature film authorized by the government of China to be filmed in the Forbidden City. The film won all 9 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Costume Design, and Best Cinematography. Gandhi (1982) is a biographical film about the life of Mohandas Gandhi who was leader of the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule in India during the first half of the 20th century. The film reaped 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Cinematography. JFK (1991) examines the events leading to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the alleged subsequent cover-up through the eyes of a former New Orleans district attorney. Shattered Glass (2003) tells the fast rise and steep fall of Stephen Glass as a journalist for The New Republic magazine, exposing serial journalistic fraud in high-pressure political journalism. The Queen (2006) depicts the immediate events following the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, with British Prime Minister Tony Blair just setting up his New Labour government. The plot focuses on the differing views in dealing with the princess’s death. The queen sees the death as a private matter while the prime minister sees the need to respond to a public clamor for an official expression of grief. The World Trade Center (2006) is a dramatic film based on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Films on genocide and the Nazi regime heavily deal with serious political and social issues. Schindler’s List (1993) is the most awarded and highest grossing Nazi film to this day. The film tells the story of a German businessman named Oskar Schindler who saved the lives of over 1,000 Polish Jews during the Holocaust. An equally dramatic Nazi film is The Pianist (2002), which tells the plight of Polish-Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman and his family during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland. Another Nazi tale, Life Is Beautiful (1997) is an Italian language film about a Jewish Italian who uses his creative imagination to help his son survive their internment in a Nazi concentration camp. A genocide film, Hotel Rwanda (2004) details the efforts made by a hotelier named Paul Rusesabagina during the Rwandan Genocide. The film has been called an African Schindler’s List for similarly portraying a man who used his resources and abilities to rescue thousands of lives from an ensuing genocide.
TV political dramas
Television shows have depicted critical political situations in equally dramatic manner. Rome (2005-2007) is a historical drama series depicting the violent evolution of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, as driven by civil warfare between populists and conservatives, the decay of political institutions, and the actions of ambitious individuals. The series’ first season depicts Julius Caesar’s civil war of 49 BC, his rise to absolute dictatorship over Rome, and his eventual fall, spanning the time period from the end of his Gallic Wars until his assassination on March 15, 44 BC or the infamous Ides of March. Behind these cataclysmic events, many scenes show the early years of Octavian, the future first Emperor of Rome entitled Augustus. The second season describes the power struggle between Octavian and Mark Antony following Caesar’s assassination, spanning the period from Caesar’s death in 44 BC to Octavian’s final defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC. Another historical drama series, The Tudors (2007) narrates the early reign of Henry VIII, chronicling his political, sexual, and religious exploits as a young king of England. Still another historical drama is A Dangerous Life (1988), which is a fictional tale of two journalists during the February 1986 revolution that ousted the 20-year dictatorial regime of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
The American presidency is also often dramatized in television. One of the longest-running drama series, The West Wing (1999-2006) deals with the inner workings of the administration of a fictional Democratic U.S. President Josiah Bartlet. The main characters include the President, the First Lady, the President’s senior staff, and presidential advisors, and other personalities involved in the daily work of the American president. Another presidential drama is The Commander in Chief (2007), which centers on the administration and family of Mackenzie Allen, the first female President of the United States who ascended to the role after the previous male president died in office. A more futuristic presidential drama is Jack and Bobby (2004-2005), a short-lived series that followed the childhoods of two McCallister brothers, one of whom will serve as President of the United States from 2041 to 2049. Interviews with personalities associated with the McCallister presidency parallel the story, attributing events from his presidency to events that happened during his childhood.
Putting fresh humor on American local politics, Spin City (1996-2002) is a situation comedy series focusing on a fictional New York City mayor and his staff. The protagonist of the story is the deputy mayor who has to deal with spin and lies to improve the mayor’s image and cover for his frequent blunders.
Musicals
Musical films, usually adapted from stage musicals, have incorporated political milieus. Evita (1996) narrates the rise and fall of former Argentine First Lady Eva Peron. The King and I (1956) tells the story of Anna Leonowen’s relationship with King Mongkut of Thailand as his unofficial political adviser and English teacher to his children. In The Sound of Music (1965), the second half of the film centers on the escape of a musical Austrian family from the Nazis. In Chicago (2002), themes of fame and fortune become intertwined with corruption in the criminal justice system. In Hairspray (2007), themes of racial discrimination and body image are discussed with humor and wit.
Martial arts films
Politics is also a central theme in several martial arts films. In The Banquet (2006), a 10th-century kingdom in China is portrayed with themes of revenge and fate, loosely adapted from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The film ends with a blade coming from nowhere suddenly piercing the ruling empress, a metaphor for corruption, greed and desires of the heart. In Curse of the Golden Flower (2006), the story is set in the imperial court of the Later Tang Dynasty, based on the 1934 play Thunderstorm. The film ends with a mad empress screaming and flinging a poisonous medicine cup into the center of a table. Its poisonous contents turns to black the giant golden chrysanthemum on the table, symbolizing that what may be shiningly beautiful on the outside is actually rotten and decaying on the inside.
Animated works
Political and social issues are dealt with even in animated television. The Simpsons, American Dad, The Family Guy, South Park, King of the Hill, Hey Arnold!, and As Told by Ginger have tackled serious issues of corruption, terrorism, healthcare, press freedom, patriotism, gun control, and public safety.
Persepolis (2007) is a French animated film about an Iranian girl and her family during the Iranian Revolution, when Islamic fundamentalists took power, drastically curtailed human liberties, forced head coverings on women, and imprisoned thousands. The title is a reference to the historic city of Persepolis.
A Scanner Darkly (2006) tells the story of identity and deception in a dystopian future monitored by intensive high-technology police surveillance because of an escalating drug addiction epidemic. The movie was filmed digitally and animated using interpolated rotoscope over the original footage.
Social themes
Different social issues are also tackled in political television, such as ethics in the legal profession in The Practice, the situation in public schools in Boston Public, moral dilemma of doctors in Grey’s Anatomy, problems of the elite in Dynasty, crimes and public order in Law and Order, and small town concerns in Joan of Arcadia, Seventh Heaven, Picket Fences, and Gilmore Girls.
Social issues have also been tackled in mainstream pictures. Crash (2005) deals with racial discrimination. Babel (2005) tackles gun control. The Departed (2006) portrays organized crime and integrity in the police. A Few Good Men (1992) concerns integrity in the military. Veronica Guerin (2003) depicts struggles in investigative journalism. Erin Brokovich (2000) advocates corporate responsibility and public health. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) is an urban success story set in corporate America. Maid in Manhattan (2002) deals with American social and political culture. Legally Blonde I & II (2001 and 2003) deal with integrity in the legal profession.
Critical and box office receptionGenre-specific organizations such as the Political Film Society, the Humanitas Prize, and the International Documentary Association give particular importance to political films and television shows. Mainstream award-giving bodies and film festivals have also taken notice, giving honors in prestigious avenues such as the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, the British Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, the New York Festivals, and Cinemanila International Film Festival.
In the box office, films such as Schindler’s List (1993), Air Force One (1997), The Queen (2006), Fahrenheit 9/11 (2006), An Inconvenient Truth (2006), and Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) have made tremendous successes. As for television ratings, political shows such as The West Wing (1999-2006), Commander in Chief (2007), Jack and Bobby (2004-2005), Spin City (1996-2002), The Tudors (2007), Rome (2005-2007), and Elizabeth I (2006) have made significant strides.
Personalities such as Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Roman Polanski, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Michael Moore, Roberto Benigni, Morgan Spurlock, Aaron Sorkin, Rod Lurie, David Kelley, Michael Radford, Lino Brocka, Ang Lee, Seth MacFarlane, and Matt Groening are just a few of the distinguished names in film and television. All of them have incorporated political themes in their various writing, producing, and directing projects.
Epilogue
As the world turns, so does filmmaking and television. The realm of politics and public affairs will continue to influence mankind’s artistic pursuits. Conversely, films and television will continue to influence public policy. Indeed, the words of Aristotle holds true to this day: Man is, by nature, a political animal.
References
Al Jazeera English website 2008
American Film Institute website 2008
Cable News Network website 2008
Carnes, Mark C. 1996, Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies, University of California at Berkeley, USA.
Cinema for Peace website 2008
Fox News Channel website 2008
Home Box Office website 2008
Internet Movie Database website 2008
Political Film Society website 2008
Society for Cinema and Media Studies website 2008
University Film and Video Association website 2008
Photo from Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Michael Teodoro G. Ting Jr. is a freelance writer and graduate student based in the Philippines. He is a member of Political Film Society based in California, Socio-Legal Studies Association based in England, and International Studies Association based in Arizona. He enjoys computer games, baking, bonding with cats, and breeding tropical fish.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.