Reporter's Favorites

I interviewed two journalists from the Keene Sentinel. Here were their responses:

The first liked All the President's Men because it was an "awesome story, well-made movie, had great actors, and was close to the book." She also liked State of Play because of "all the twists and turns, Russel Crow's desire for the truth."

The second also liked All the President's Men because it was "inspirational and a realistic portrayal of how journalism works." He also liked Absense of Malice because it was a "good lesson of what not to do in journalism."

Good Night, and Good Luck...Staying Awake

Though this was the most painfully boring movie we have watched in this class, I was still able to glean a couple things from it. First, I adored the cinematography, especially Clooney's choice to set it in black and white. Basically, he wanted to use the real footage of McCarthy, and in order to do that, had to set the entire film in black and white to match the footage. I think it worked out, considering the darkness and sobriety of the film. I also liked the use of slow, dramatic zoom-ins and zoom-outs. The whole film had a steady pace that matched the boring-ness of the film, so at least it was cohesive. The other thing I was able to appreciate was the overall message about freedom of speech and the citizens' duty to use it. This is a great example of how the media plays the role of the watchdog and keeps those in power accountable. I loved Murrow's final monologue, as I think it sums up not only the motif of the film, but of journalism as a whole.

In Cold Blood/Capote

In Cold Blood was an interesting movie in that it was actually based on a piece of journalism rather than just a movie with journalism as the plot. That just shows how much film and journalism really are connected. I was amazed by the cinematography and impressed with the films ability to get me so involved; I literally got tense during the suspenseful moments and felt nervous and scared as Dick and Perry were executed.

Capote was interesting in that it showed Truman Capote’s process or writing a non-fiction book, which took years, relentless research, and essentially getting into the minds of the criminals. The relationship between Capote and Perry was a complex one. It was hard to watch Capote become attached to Perry and feel guilty for exploiting him, but continue writing the book anyway. In the scene where Capote is reading an excerpt from his book, I was surprised that it was so interesting and eloquently written. Sometimes, I get this idea about journalism that it’s only facts and boring details, but Capote shows that it takes a great deal of creativity to turn journalism into art. He saw potential in that story to be more than just a series of articles, and he persisted until he found a deeper story—enough to be an entire book.

Broadcast News

Broadcast News actually had a couple of points that I found quite journalistically relevant. One thing that really stood out to me was Tom’s humility. He was always the first one to admit that he wasn’t as qualified as Aaron, even when everyone else disagreed. He never let his success and natural talent get to his head, and he always sought instruction and criticism so that he could be better. This is not only admirable, but necessary in journalism. Another key point was Jane’s journalistic integrity. It may have seemed a little ridiculous for her to reject Tom over faking a response for the rape story, but it showed how seriously she took her job. The entire movie builds up to that moment, and by this point you already know how much she likes Tom. The fact that she rejects him over even a tiny lie shows that dishonesty in journalism is intolerable. It is admirable that she kept to her standards, even when her heart was involved.

An article in Time about Holly Hunter’s character in Broadcast News

The Paper

The Paper, along with being one of the most light-hearted films we have watched, was also one of the only ones with a happy ending. I especially admired Alicia Clark who, though she doesn’t seem like a very admirable person, redeemed herself in the end. Yes, they could have just changed the story the next day and yes, maybe no one takes their paper seriously, but in the end, there are no excuses. She realized that what she did was journalistically unethical went through ridiculous lengths to make it right. I noticed that even though Henry would do anything to get a story, his first obligation was to truth and his first loyalty was to citizens. He would not sacrifice journalistic integrity, and he even fought (literally) Alicia to maintain that integrity.

A Washington Post review of The Paper

All the President's Men: Dull but True

All the President’s Men is the most journalistically relevant film we’ve watched in this class so far. At first I found it to be extremely dry, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to appreciate it. We as movie-viewers are spoiled by fantastical storylines designed to constantly keep us amused. This film, however, seemed to be a lot more “muse” than “amusement,” and while it took more discipline to follow the film and not zone out, I can appreciate it for its realism. Showing phone call after phone call and years of investigating and research doesn’t make for the most interesting film, but it does make for a far more accurate depiction of journalism than most films. The plot didn’t need to fall back on some kind of fluffy love-interest sub-plot or personal-life crisis. In fact, the viewer knows virtually nothing about the journalists’ backgrounds and personal lives. Just like journalism itself, this movie was convincing and effective through its detail and showing of the process, no matter how dry and mundane. The monotony of hitting road block after road block made the breakthroughs all the more triumphant and exciting. It is also a great story of investigative journalism, which is becoming a lost art in our generation.

The Parallax View and Network

The Parallax View was a cinematically intriguing film, full of drawn-out suspenseful shots that make the viewer experience the same paranoia the characters are experiencing. This film always kept me guessing and never gave too much away. I also appreciated the contrast in its use of sound--how it would shift from a loud action scene to a serene quiet scene with little warning. The brainwashing scene was especially impressive and thought-provoking. Here is an interesting explanation of the "Incredible Montage."

While I found Parallax to be a better quality film, I found Network to be more journalistically relevent. It certainly had a lot to say about the corruption of the media. Like Ace in the Hole, Network portrays the media as harsh and unforgiving, using people merely as subjects of their own profit rather than viewing them as real human-beings. Over and over, Max tries to convince the network that Howard needs medical and psychological help. In the end, the network kills Howard for their own gain just as Chuck Tatum killed Leo in Ace in the Hole. This seems to be a common theme in films about the media; rarely is it portrayed favorably.

Ace in the Hole: Skewing Reality

From a strictly cinematic view, Ace in the Hole was my favorite film so far. I love its unexpected and non-cliché plot that shows an honest representation of the media and human nature, as unglamorous as it may be. The themes about journalism and the media were so beyond their time. Though Ace in the Hole deals with newspapers, it holds even more true today with reality shows and 24/7 television news. In fact, this film reminded me a lot of The Truman Show, a 1998 film about a man whose life has been completely manufactured for 24/7 public viewing, via the television. The audience in the The Truman Show, Ace in the Hole alike is ruthlessly consumed and infatuated with the media victim’s fate. The producer in The Truman Show is strikingly similar to Chuck Tatum in that they both will stop at nothing for a good story, no matter the pain and misery they inflict upon their subjects. In reality shows today, there is very little “reality,” just as the need for a week-long rescue mission of Leo wasn't reality. Though dramatized to an extent, I think Ace in the Hole portrayed the reality show/tabloid aspect of the media dead-on, especially for a film made in 1951.

Truth is Marching On!

Though Deadline USA offers a lot of insight into the world of journalism, its major theme seems to be that journalism is not just “comics, contests, and puzzles;” it’s a symbol of freedom. The film isn’t shy about getting this message through, and it does so in more ways than one. Lines like “A free press is like a free life—it's always in danger,” and “Show me a martyr and I’ll show you a dead man,” emphasize that journalism is a matter of liberty—a cause worth fighting for. With Mrs. Schmidt’s heart-warming testimony she explains that the newspaper helped her learn English and stay informed about current events so that she could be an involved American citizen rather than a helpless immigrant. Most blatantly of all is, of course, Ed Hutcheson’s passionate final monologue. When mobster Rienzi threatens Ed’s life if he prints the story, Ed replies, “People like you have tried it before. With bullets, prison, censorship. But as long as even one newspaper will print the truth, you're finished,” and then proceeds to triumphantly hold the phone up to rolling presses. Ultimately, Deadline USA was not about Ed or even The Day, but rather about need for truth, and the freedom of the press to print the truth. As the Battle Hymn Republic resounds throughout the film, the lyrics match the message: the truth will march on!

Priorities in His Girl Friday

His Girl Friday portrays journalists as so consumed with the story that they overlook the emotions and well-being of other people. From the beginning, it seems as though Walter’s love for Hildy is grounded not in Hildy herself, but rather in her passion and talent for the newspaper business. Even in trying to “win her back,” it appears that he wants to win her back primarily as a reporter for the paper, and secondarily as his wife. He seems more frustrated with the fact that she is giving up journalism, not that she is with another man. While this is the most obvious example of journalism taking priority over human emotions, there are other supplemental examples as well: One, being how Hildy puts poor Bruce through hell as she becomes too consumed with the story to help him. Ultimately, Bruce even decides to give up on Hildy and leave without her, while Hildy barely notices or cares. Second, Hildy and Walter treat Bruce’s mother with complete disrespect, to the extent of telling her to “shut up” and having her carried like an animal out of the building where she is causing a ruckus. Even up to the film’s ending, journalism triumphs over love as the couple’s plans for a romantic and redemptive honeymoon in Niagra Falls are instantaneously negated by a trip to Albany to cover a big story—Clearly the priority!