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F R I D A Y , A U G U S T 0 5 , 2 0 0 5"Good Night. And, Good Luck." TheAmericablog Previewby Michael in New York on
8/05/2005 05:45:00 PMTHIS IS NOT A FILM REVIEW NOR DOES IT CONTAIN SPOILERS(UNLESS YOU'RE IGNORANT OF RECENT AMERICAN HISTORY).George Clooney's second feature film as a director has beentapped to open the 43rd New York Film Festival on Sept. 23and no wonder. The Oscar buzz is already building for thissmart, entertaining look at the showdown between thefear-mongering Sen. Joe McCarthy (seen only in vintage newsclips) and crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow (a great,controlled David Strathairn). Shot in black and white, it's aboutmuch more than McCarthyism -- it's about decency and what itmeans to be an American, the politics of fear, the increasingcommmercialization and dumbing down of TV (back in thegolden age of live drama, mind you) and more."Good Night. And, Good Luck" -- named after Murrow'ssignature sign-off phrase -- confirms Clooney as a serioustalent and is bursting with great actors giving tightno-nonsense performances. Everyone from Robert Downey Jr.and Frank Langella to Patricia Clarkson and Clooney himself istop-notch. And for everyone tired of bloated moviemaking, it'sabout a trim 90 minutes long, with several subplots we haven'teven mentioned. It's going to send more young people intojournalism than any movie since "All The President's Men."But why is Americablog talking about it? Because this movie isincredibly relevant. The far right can't turn this into some leftiediatribe -- this is recent American history, based on the factsand often using historical footage from the HUAC hearings andthe actual words of Murrow and McCarthy. It's the far right'sown unease over Bush's deeply un-American policies (torture,smearing people who disagree with you, attacking anyone whodoesn't support you as weak on terror/communism) that let'sthem understand why this film speaks to us today.You'll thrill to what journalism was capable of and can be againwhen Murrow delivers some stirring commentary. Hear himargue with network executives about taking on McCarthy --when Murrow says passionately that there AREN'T always twobalanced sides to every story -- and you'll want to applaud.Listen to Murrow finish a broadcast by saying we can't fight forfreedom abroad by abandoning it at home and you'll reach fora pen to write those words down. Watch a clip of Eisenhowertrumpet the greatness of America -- how no one has to fearbeing thrown into jail by the government, how we have habeascorpus and are proud of it --and you'll realize how far we'vefallen from that American Dream.This is going to be one of the major films of the year and itdeserves to wake people up to the debates we should behaving today. Clooney isn't a Hollywood liberal trying to attackBush. He doesn't need to. All Clooney needs to do is illustrateour recent past and help us remember the lessons we shouldhave learned. Still, can't wait for that Bill O'Reilly sit-down.Anticipate it eagerly.
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A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
5 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM
8/05/2005 05:45:00 PMTHIS IS NOT A FILM REVIEW NOR DOES IT CONTAIN SPOILERS(UNLESS YOU'RE IGNORANT OF RECENT AMERICAN HISTORY).George Clooney's second feature film as a director has beentapped to open the 43rd New York Film Festival on Sept. 23and no wonder. The Oscar buzz is already building for thissmart, entertaining look at the showdown between thefear-mongering Sen. Joe McCarthy (seen only in vintage newsclips) and crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow (a great,controlled David Strathairn). Shot in black and white, it's aboutmuch more than McCarthyism -- it's about decency and what itmeans to be an American, the politics of fear, the increasingcommmercialization and dumbing down of TV (back in thegolden age of live drama, mind you) and more."Good Night. And, Good Luck" -- named after Murrow'ssignature sign-off phrase -- confirms Clooney as a serioustalent and is bursting with great actors giving tightno-nonsense performances. Everyone from Robert Downey Jr.and Frank Langella to Patricia Clarkson and Clooney himself istop-notch. And for everyone tired of bloated moviemaking, it'sabout a trim 90 minutes long, with several subplots we haven'teven mentioned. It's going to send more young people intojournalism than any movie since "All The President's Men."But why is Americablog talking about it? Because this movie isincredibly relevant. The far right can't turn this into some leftiediatribe -- this is recent American history, based on the factsand often using historical footage from the HUAC hearings andthe actual words of Murrow and McCarthy. It's the far right'sown unease over Bush's deeply un-American policies (torture,smearing people who disagree with you, attacking anyone whodoesn't support you as weak on terror/communism) that let'sthem understand why this film speaks to us today.You'll thrill to what journalism was capable of and can be againwhen Murrow delivers some stirring commentary. Hear himargue with network executives about taking on McCarthy --when Murrow says passionately that there AREN'T always twobalanced sides to every story -- and you'll want to applaud.Listen to Murrow finish a broadcast by saying we can't fight forfreedom abroad by abandoning it at home and you'll reach fora pen to write those words down. Watch a clip of Eisenhowertrumpet the greatness of America -- how no one has to fearbeing thrown into jail by the government, how we have habeascorpus and are proud of it --and you'll realize how far we'vefallen from that American Dream.This is going to be one of the major films of the year and itdeserves to wake people up to the debates we should behaving today. Clooney isn't a Hollywood liberal trying to attackBush. He doesn't need to. All Clooney needs to do is illustrateour recent past and help us remember the lessons we shouldhave learned. Still, can't wait for that Bill O'Reilly sit-down.Anticipate it eagerly.
HuffPost PoliticsMichael Shaw: Reading the Pictures: As If This PutsBirthers To Bedt - click for full size Seeing isbelieving? via RJ Eskow. Stewart escalates....29 minutes ago
FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: Holiday Road - LindsayBuckingham - Holiday Road. I'm not headed toWallyworld but I am on the road tonight, headeddown to the San Francisco Bay Area for themeetup this...1 hour ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's RescueRangers are noddem, Elise, jlms qkw, taylormattd,Shayera, and joyful with vcmvo2 editing.* Thediaries up for rescue are: - *Vikin...2 hours ago
Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Just a little something re the birtherthing. Open thread below...2 hours ago
EschatonLate Night - Go Electric.2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
1 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM
Visit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 326 videos >I collect with
vodpod
Massive brawl in SouthKorean parliament
Mormons may havesecretly baptized
Medieval helpdesk withEnglish subtitles
The Taco Bell dog hasdied
In honor of SenatorDeMintAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
2 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM
Walker ReportSimple Test ToDetermine If Conrad'sCo-ops Are Worthless2 hours agoEzra KleinTab Dump7 hours agoWonk RoomNewt Gingrich’s ‘JobsFirst’ Plan Puts TheWealthy AndCorporations First9 hours agoHealth BeatIf We’re Able to StopObama On This . . . . ItWill Break Him9 hours agoDaily DoseObama Talks HealthCare With Post's Hiatt10 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
Tupelo Moms! Lose47lbs, Follow 1 Rule!I Cut Down 47 lbs of StomachFat In A Month By ObeyingThis 1 Old Rule Explore Now...
Don't Pay For WhiteTeethThe Secret Trick To WhiteTeeth Discovered By A LocalMom For Free! Explore Now...
Tupelo Mom Makes$67/Hr OnlineMom makes $5,500+ amonth! Read her story to findout how she did it. Explore Now...
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
3 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
4 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: "Good...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/good-night-and-good-luc...
5 of 57/24/09 11:25 AM