IMDB.COMWith the California recall nearly upon us, it’s probably a good time to take a look at some of the most ridiculous political fiascos ever conceived for the big screen. On Tuesday, fact may prove stranger than fiction if Conan the Barbarian is elected governor, but no matter what the outcome, these rental picks offer a thoroughly entertaining look at the three-ring circus that is American politics.
Election (1999)
Directed by: Alexander Payne
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein
We all know someone like Tracy Flick (Witherspoon)-cute, outgoing, and ruthlessly ambitious. Tracy is all set to win the coveted position of student body president: she’s handing out flyers left and right, passing out buttons, and best of all, she’s running unopposed. That is, until mild-mannered teacher Jim McAllister (Broderick) decides that Tracy’s transcript-padding tactics should be challenged, whereupon he recruits the popular but dull-witted athlete Paul (Klein) to run against her. Backstabbing and sabotage ensue, especially after Paul’s sister Tammy also joins the race. McAllister must also deal with his marital problems, his growing lust for Tracy, and one nasty bee sting. While not as large in scope as the other two picks, “Election” nevertheless reveals the dark underbelly of even the most small-time political processes. It’s a dark comedy where no one, not even Mr. Ferris Bueller himself, comes off as completely innocent.
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Petter Sellers, George C. Scott, Slim Pickens
As a satire, a laugh-out-loud comedy, and a simply great film, “Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” is in a league of its own. Full of crazy characters and instantly quotable dialogue (“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”), Kubrick’s coal-black comedy examines the paranoia of the Cold War and the frightening possibility of a nuclear holocaust. It seems that Gen. Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) orders a nuclear attack on a Russian miliary base, having formulated a theory that the Commies are draining the bodily fluids of decent, hard-working Americans. Ripper consults with President Merkin Muffley (Sellers), Capt. Mandrake (Sellers again), Gen. Buck Turgidson (Scott), and the mysterious Dr. Strangelove (Sellers yet again!) about the consequences of nuclear war, while Maj. “King” Kong (Pickens) awaits the final order. Not so much a “government” parody as a “military” one, the film is still one of the greatest lampoons of international politics, ever. If you’ve seen “Full Metal Jacket,” Kubrick’s other anti-war statement, but have not yet experienced this masterpiece, pick it up today.
Bulworth (1998)
Directed by: Warren Beatty
Starring: Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Oliver Platt
What if a politician actually decided to tell the truth, and in hip-hop fashion, no less? This (somewhat unusual) question is answered with Warren Beatty’s biting political satire “Bulworth,” which he also co-scripted and co-produced. Jaded and bitter from years of rhetoric-spewing politics, Sen. Jay Bulworth (Beatty) decides, on a suicidal whim, to take out a ten million dollar insurance policy on himself and simultaneously arrange his own assassination. Feeling free and brutally honest, Bulworth takes it upon himself to throw out his prepared speeches and tell it like it is. This approach doesn’t please everyone, especially his frantic aide/spin doctor Dennis (Platt), but soon Bulworth comes to be seen as a beacon of truth amidst a sea of political lies, particularly by the black community. After sharing some herb with his new “homies,” the middle-aged, WASPy Bulworth discovers his talent for rapping, spouting off such lines as, “Health care, managed care, HMOs / Ain’t gonna work, no sir, not those / ‘Cause the thing that’s the same in every one of these / Is these motherfuckers there, the insurance companies!” With the help of Nina (Berry), his newfound romantic interest, Bulworth sets out to right the wrongs of government while avoiding the sniper’s bullet. Although its controversial subject matter might offend some viewers (plenty is said about the state of the African-American community, and in no light terms), Beatty does a wonderful job skewering our perception of the U.S. government’s “concern” for inner-city poverty.