Key points
Film info
Synopsis/my notes
FT 553 notes
Film info
Directed by: Barry Levinson
IMDB link
Synopsis/my notes
President caught in sexual scandal. PR guy hired -- 11 days until election. PR guy -- deny issues with Albania, B-# bomber, creates issue. Send general to Seattle, create task force. Hire producer to produce war. Smart bomb invented, yellow ribbons planted. Feeding lines to spokesman at news conference. Brainstorming ideas for "teaser". Suitcase bomb in Canada, cost-effective. Song, merchandising tie-ins. Shooting actress with Doritos against blue screen. Village, burning house, bridge added in post, Dorito replaced with kitten. Humor on movie-making process (squabble about dog vs. cat vs. kitten, calico vs. white).
PR guy and White House person pulled over by CIA types. One says there is no war, no sign of nukes. PR guy turns argument round, says that if satellites can't detect nukes, that's proof a problem exists.
Studio -- recording jingoistic theme song. Interrupted by president's rival on TV announcing that he has news -- Albanians have withdrawn, war is over. New idea needed -- find POW, William Schumann, write "old" folk song about good old shoe, plant shoes in trees, give "news" to reporters.
PR, WH, producer go to get Schumann, who turns out to be a convict (had raped a nun), needs anti-psychotic meds. He flips, plane crashes. Rival says late arrival of plane is another in a string of broken promises.
Farmer drives folks to mom-and-pop store in boonies. He's illegal alien (problem -- can't have rescue by illegal alien). While brainstorming remedy, Schumann spots a woman, goes after her. Store owner chases into house (followed by rest), shoots him dead. Now what?
Schumann brought home in coffin as war hero. Pageantry -- flag, military escort, theme song. Producer, PR toast each other. President's approval rating now at 89%. Producer watches show on TV dissing commercials, writes down 1-800 number. He wants credit, even though he agreed not to tell anyone (a thread throughout the movie -- producer doesn't get the Oscar). He leaves. PR guy signals Secret Service, then is summoned by WH guy to witness farmer taking oath of citizenship. Producer stopped, pulled into car. More pageantry. News from Hollywood -- producer died of sudden heart attack.
FT 553 notes (from 07/27/04, 07/29/04)
Spin doctoring to start a false war. Nastiness used as protagonist. Doublespeak.
Political spin, Hollywood languages. "If you think this is bad ...". Constantly hitting both worlds. Parody of stars singing.
Great setup in shooting Shoe scene, war room with PR, producer, WH. Tight two-shots, one-shots. Set up speech, reactions, build up to president's refusal. Producer -- read this, it's the setup. Setting up language. Understand language, rules of engagement. Believe in author's authenticity.