Movies will
convey a kinder,
gentler view
of America.
Guaranteed.
The fi lm
industry
portrays
the country
differently
when a
Democrat is
in charge.
Obama’s Hollywood
By Paul Bond Sue, and The Fisher King, all in 1991. have had ‘Bush derangement syn-
Judging from the dearth of mov- drome’ so badly they couldn’t focus
B
UCK UP, REPUBLICANS, THERE’S A SILVER ies about the subject, the homeless on their craft,” says John Nolte, a
lining to Barack Obama’s victory: At problem in America apparently went conservative screenwriter who blogs
least Hollywood won’t be so inclined away from 1992 to 2000 when Bill about movies at DirtyHarrysPlace.
to make movies that bash America, Clinton was president, only to reap- com. “Instead, they focused on polit-
its military, and its president. pear in fi lms such as The Pursuit of ical messages and their insatiable
When the White House occupant Happyness, Resurrecting the Champ, need to propagandize.”
is Democratic — the preferred party and Kicking It after George W. Bush Even completely fi ctional movies
of a majority of Tinseltown fi lmmak- took offi ce. having nothing to do with a real ISTOCKPHOTO
ers — the U.S is portrayed more often The global war on terrorism
as a kind and gentle nation worthy offers an even starker example of
of respect, according to Hollywood Hollywood’s distaste for Republican FLYING MESSAGES,
insiders. Under a Republican presi- policy. During the past few years,
HIDDEN AGENDAS
dent, not so much. fi lmmakers have been obsessed with
Movies over the course of the past maligning the U.S. military, espe-
MOVIES DON’T HAVE TO BE
four presidential administrations cially relating to the war in Iraq, with
political to have a liberal or conservative
provide historical proof, the experts movies such as In the Valley of Elah,
bent. Film scholar Louis Giannetti
of Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve
point out. Homelessness, as a topic, Lions for Lambs, Rendition, Redacted,
University offers several categories
makes a convenient example. From and Grace Is Gone. that can reveal a fi lm’s hidden agenda,
1980 to 1992, when Ronald Reagan Those more respectful of the mil-
including:
and George H.W. Bush were presi- itary than the average Hollywood
Democratic vs. Hierarchical: Right-
dents, a slew of movies put sympa- director can take solace in the know- leaning fi lms often portray bright, hard-
thetic homeless characters on center ing that all of those fi lms were box-
working people as having more money
stage, including Trading Places and offi ce duds.
and power, and rightly so. A fi lm from the
left typically suggests there’s something
Down and Out in Beverly Hills, as “The adult drama has gone com-
wrong with a system in which the spoils
well as My Own Private Idaho, Curly pletely to hell because fi lmmakers
14 NEWSMAX / JANUARY 2009
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