The 1976 film "Network" is 64 on the American Film Institute's "100 years, 100 movies" list. I would rank it much higher after seeing a lot of the films on the list. Erin and I watched "Network" again last night and several points struck me as relevant today.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/
The times are surprisingly similar to the mid-1970's. There's a recession, fear pervades the national consciousness due to terrorism, and the price of oil could cripple us on any given day. At least we don't have to worry about the Russians anymore.The movie presents a television newscaster as a prophet after he announces he has "run out of bullshit" live on the air. A programming executive says that kind of anger is exactly what people want to hear. The show is incredibly popular.
The media geek in me sees this as a piece of art that is a commentary on socialization by mediated reality. This quote pretty much sums it up.
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Howard Beale : [
arms outstretched to the heavens ] Edward George Ruddy died today! Edward George Ruddy was the Chairman of the Board of the Union Broadcasting Systems, and he died at eleven o'clock this morning of a heart condition, and woe is us! We're in a lot of trouble!
Howard Beale : [
calmly strolling toward the audience ] So. A rich little man with white hair died. What has that got to do with the price of rice, right? And *why* is that woe to us? Because you people, and sixty-two million other Americans, are listening to me right now. Because less than three percent of you people read books! Because less than fifteen percent of you read newspapers! Because the only truth you know is what you get over this tube. Right now, there is a whole, an entire generation that never knew anything that didn't come out of this tube! This tube is the Gospel, the ultimate revelation. This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers... This tube is the most awesome God-damned force in the whole godless world, and woe is us if it ever falls in to the hands of the wrong people, and that's why woe is us that Edward George Ruddy died. Because this company is now in the hands of CCA -- the Communication Corporation of America. There's a new Chairman of the Board, a man called Frank Hackett, sitting in Mr. Ruddy's office on the twentieth floor. And when the twelfth largest company in the world controls the most awesome God-damned propoganda force in the whole godless world, who knows what shit will be peddled for truth on this network?
Howard Beale : [
ascending the stage ] So, you listen to me. Listen to me: Television is not the truth! Television is a God-damned amusement park! Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, side-show freaks, lion tamers, and football players. We're in the boredom-killing business! So if you want the truth... Go to God! Go to your gurus! Go to yourselves! Because that's the only place you're ever going to find any real truth.
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The film ends with a commentary on corporate interest coming before the value of human life. I won't spoil the ending by explaining it.
I guess you could compare Jon Stewart to Howard Beale, except Beale wasn't funny and was crazy.
You don't have to rent it. Someone has posted it to Google Videos.
Posted via email from coryk's posterous
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