The Next Great Political Movie
by Lewis FeinHere’s a working title for a script about the proper role of the federal government and the inspiring president who fights for personal liberty: Less. The script would be all blank pages, evoking a return to political restraint and maximum freedom. In action scene after action scene, the President — and he need not be the square-jawed hero of yore — will simply unleash his veto pen, cut entitlements, revive federalism and . . . walk away, to return to his life as a private citizen.
Villains For Your Consideration
Sadly, Hollywood’s version of an energetic president involves attacking evil corporations or Republicans (the two are often interchangeable), while clamoring for some special bill that – surprise! – the nasty CEOs or “other side” (those pesky conservatives, again) want to derail. For only liberals value human rights and the environment, and only they can unearth freedom by enacting a momentous wave of legislation that summons a paranormal return to all those fabled Washington deals: Square, New and Fair. Which is to say, filmmakers combine arrogance, naivete, paranoia and political groupthink to make the same tired movies about government.
It’s not that Hollywood fails to recognize the dangers of concentrated power. The misdeeds of multinational corporations receive harsh criticism, the actions of abusive law enforcement agencies come under appropriate attack, even individual members of the executive branch are fair game — but these villains are selective enemies because they are the antagonists of a liberal president, not foes of limited government or the sanctity of the Constitution. And Hollywood’s heroic president, when he’s not evading the denizens of Big Tobacco or escaping the clutches of some sadist in the bowels of an undisclosed location, always manages to expose the grand thievery of these right-wing nuts.
Maybe if Hollywood got rid of these stock villains and humanized things – maybe if directors and writers actually portrayed the day-to-day inanities of politics and the petty depravities of a million bureaucrats – we could have a real conversation about the state. Forget the CIA or FBI or the racist Southern sheriff — the next great movie about an assault against freedom should be filmed at the DMV.
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12 Comments
The DMV? The sequel could be the IRS. Then they could have a spin off series about the horrors of special interest groups. *gasp* Amen!
“…these villains are selective enemies because they are the antagonists of a liberal president, not foes of limited government or the sanctity of the Constitution.”
Excellent insight. If Big Hollywood makes sense it’s usually by accident.
We could only BE so lucky as to elect a man or woman who would do that.
Lewis, I agree with your fundamental premise, but let’s face it: the American voters have ample opportunity to vote for candidates who promise limited government and a return to LESS. They are called “third party candidates” and they typically get, oh, maybe 2 percent of the total vote.
The sad truth is that America is no longer “basically conservative,” not by a long shot. People who still claim so are in denial. Nearly everyone (even in the heartland) is focused on what he or she will “get” from each candidate.
This is because our side lost the culture war. I do agree that solid, commercially-viable “conservative” (for lack of a better word) film is a great place to begin reclaiming that culture.
*sigh… I love this website… and this post!
Glenn, you’re right about the culture war, I don’t think we have lost it…yet. I feel we are like the Union Army before Gettysburg. I do believe that films with conservative values or the kind of films that Hollywood use to make, will destroy this pop culture that took over in the late 60s. The liberals commies took this entire country over through films by glorifying the lowest common denominator of the baby boomers. They destroyed the establishment which was conservative and now that establishment is leftist marxist with a moocher class. Liberalism is dead or they all became conservatives. Films with conservative ideals will bring this entire cancer down, out problem is getting the funding. We need to find a pissed off conservative George Soros to back filmmakers who have made films and have a proven record. Filmmakers that are not connected to the Hollywood system. We need truly independent filmmakers who will not worry if they will ever get hired by Warners.
We must make our own movie industry because the intolerant fascist will never allow anyone with a different point of view spend their money to make a film that goes against the system they created. We can take back which was ours for 70 years.
The sad truth is that America is no longer “basically conservative,” not by a long shot. People who still claim so are in denial. Nearly everyone (even in the heartland) is focused on what he or she will “get” from each candidate.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury.” — Alexander F. Tytler (attributed)
“If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” – Abraham Lincoln
BO is claiming to be Lincoln-esque… Let’s see!
America is still a conservative nation. There is no conservative leader to get the base to rise up out of their seat and walk to the blackboard. A large percentage looked at McCain and said “No Thanks”, we will take the zero. Palin was not running for Pres but look at the interest she generated by saying what conservatives have been screaming for years.
“The sad truth is that America is no longer “basically conservative,” not by a long shot.”
I don’t think you could be more wrong.
But there is a sad truth here.
America is still very much a conservative nation–not ‘conservative leaning’, not ‘center right’–it is conservative.
Our foes in this ideological battle have adopted a very interesting strategy–they use OUR words. They promise a lot of our things–or things that sound like them.
Take a look at the past election–Obama tacked rightward–even against RINO McCain, he had to tack to the right. Why?
Because Americans don’t want what the left is peddling. So they mimic us, and discredit our side
And move their agenda through as clandestinely as they can. Why do you think they like appointing judges? They know that in nearly every case where their actual policies come up for a vote from the people of this country, it is rejected.
Come on–California–moonbat central–voted against gay marriage.
The country is VERY conservative.
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