Film as populist culture

Four pictures to watch before the revolution

The idea of political populism—the belief in the power of the common majority to overcome a corrupt ruling elite—has been chronicled in film since the early days of the medium.

In politics, the philosophy has largely been co-opted and devoured by special interests that wield populist appeals like a weapon, dividing and conquering through pandering, all the while keeping the majority ignorant and fighting each other (see: the 55th Oklahoma Legislature). As an antidote to this year’s through-the-looking-glass political insanity (and for those of you still mourning Bernie’s loss), here are four films with varying populist bents. 

Medium Cool

Journalism, which should be the fourth independent pillar of transparent governance, has largely been either subverted by free-market pressures or corrupted by inherent exploitation. Legendary cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler foreshadowed everything from sensationalist journalism and corporate collusion in the surveillance state to police brutality and racial identity politics with his 1968 verité masterpiece “Medium Cool.” 

Starring Robert Forster and Verna Bloom, Wexler’s groundbreaking film combines narrative and documentary scenes to tell the story of a cameraman who abandons his careerism when he realizes he’s become a tool of society’s oppressors. Wexler’s immediacy is fueled by the tumult of America at war, abroad and at home—an unprecedented cultural conflagration that would later be calmed, somewhat ironically, by Walter Cronkite when he assured the country that Vietnam was unwinnable. Wexler filmed in the run up to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, accurately predicting that riots would occur. That the poor were drafted more readily for combat than the rich was a collective recognition that eventually led to the end of both. For a time.   

Tanner ‘88

The veil the media puts on the body politic is skewered in Robert Altman’s mirthful mockumentary, “Tanner ’88.” Following the campaign of an anodyne yet sincere presidential candidate, Jack Tanner (Michael Murphy), “Tanner ’88” once again fuses real life with fiction—including appearances from Bob Dole, Ralph Nader, and Jesse Jackson among a raft of eclectic political celebrities, set against the backdrop of the ’88 elections. Written with understated wit by “Doonesbury’s” Garry Trudeau and directed with Altman’s typically chaotic ear for conversational realism, “Tanner” is still relevant in the way it satirizes a media that embraces sincerity and blurs it beyond recognition. Fans of “Veep” will find themselves in familiar territory.

What’s the Matter with Kansas?

The media can only claim so much credit for abetting the shell game our leadership is running. The question of why people vote against their inherent self-interests (religious and ideological purity) was answered most famously by Robert Frank’s exposé, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” which was adapted into a documentary in 2009. Kansas, as well as a good chunk of Oklahoma, used to be a liberal hotbed of radical populism in the early 20th century. That slowly morphed into the paradoxical landscape of today—where unions are demonized and the sheep willingly allow themselves to be fleeced by the rich in exchange for the power to enforce their personal values on others. 

The film is unique in that it presents all sides on a level playing field, leaving the viewer to decide who is right or wrong.

Where to Invade Next

It seems impossible to convince the ideologically entrenched that good old-fashioned socialism is the cure. And even if it were possible, they aren’t going to swallow that pill when it’s Michael Moore handing it to them. 

Which is unfortunate since Moore’s latest, “Where to Invade Next” makes a brilliant case for democratic socialism with a great hook. The Western European way of running things (free education, healthcare, paid leave, strong unions, and firmly regulated corporations) is how America used to do it, and Moore spends the majority of the film traveling Europe to remind us of just that. If you want to know what the country might have looked like had Bernie won the nomination, Moore’s genteel treatise is an optimistic window.

Yeah, that hopey-changey thing. No matter where you stand, the commonalties that unite us will eventually manifest themselves while our leaders ignore the collective will of the governed as they polish the brass on the Titanic—confident their November reckoning will never come.

For more from Joe, read his article on "High-Rise" and "Taxi Driver."