The Politics of Hollywood
Film buffs often hail the 1970s as a golden age for cinema - a period rich not just in epic cop-and-crime melodramas (such as The Godfather and The French Connection) but also in polemical political narratives such as All the Presidents Men, Three Days of the Condor and The Parallax View.
Characterised by men in trench coats, shady government deals and the constant talk of 'wires', 'taps' and 'bugs', their conspiracy theories offered much fuel to the fire which consumed President Nixon's administration.
Cinema gained a maturity that attracted audiences and awards alike. Sadly, it would not last for long - and with the onset of blockbusters such as Jaws and Star Wars, Hollywood began catering more for those who craved eye candy than the meat of political dissent.
Now, however, it seems that another president has unwittingly brought a verve and an edginess back to a multiplex near you. At the end of 2005 we were served up big guns, big business and bad politics in Lord of War, and the journal of a jaded Gulf War veteran in Jarhead.
And this year, two films involving George Clooney have already made a mark. The first, Good Night and Good Luck, is his directorial debut, and pays timely tribute to the Fifties broadcaster Ed Murrow, who called to account Senator Joe McCarthy's witch hunt for the reds under the bed.
Syriana, on the other hand, for which Clooney won this year's Oscar for best supporting actor, is a compelling indictment of today's religious, political and territorial struggles over oil fields in the Middle East.
And still the films come - all on general release. Today sees the release of V for Vendetta, from the makers of the Matrix: an Orwellian fantasy about an anarchist who seeks to topple a British government dominated by religious zeal and fascism.
Frequently, the realm of entertainment can blunt our edge, and distract us from the messy business of the 'real world'. Yet Jesus and the prophets never underestimated the power of a good story when it comes to demonstrating a better way and provoking right action. And so, while we may not entirely uphold the agenda of all of the films on release, it's surely good news that Hollywood is looking to serve up a little less popcorn and a little more food for thought.
Jason Gardner
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