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Death of a President

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911Avenger
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« on: October 14, 2007, 02:03:08 am »

Reception

The idea of the film received substantial criticism from those who believed the subject was exploitative and in bad taste. The Republican Party of Texas described the subject matter as "shocking" and "disgusting". U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) told the Journal News of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties, New York, at the annual New Castle Community Day in Chappaqua, "I think it's despicable; I've never seen a movie so horrible in my life. I think it's absolutely outrageous. I mean, sure most people don't like Bush, but this is beyond bad. It's evil. That anyone would even attempt to profit on such a horrible scenario makes me sick". Co-screenwriter Simon Finch responded to the criticisms and said Clinton had not seen the film when she made her comments. The Bush Administration made no comment on the film. An extra named Robert Kramer, who appeared in the film as one of the ropeline extras during the assassination scene, asked to have his image edited out, alleging the filmmakers misled the actors as to the true intent of the pseudo-documentary.

Two of America's biggest cinema chains, Regal and Cinemark, refused to screen the film which was distributed in the U.S. by Newmarket Films. CNN and NPR would not run ads for the movie.

Critics were mixed in their assessment, with the Metacritic aggregate site giving it a 49 ("generally mixed") rating based on 30 reviews, while Rotten Tomatoes gives it at 37% ("rotten") based on 90 reviews. Time magazine's Richard Corliss called it "Engrossing but not enthralling", putting it in context with fictional political homicides from The Assassination of the Duc de Guise (1908) to Frank Sinatra's Suddenly (1954), as well as such T.V. series as 24, concluding it was "not an incendiary documentary but a well-made political thriller". J. Hoberman in the Village Voice found it "dramatically inert but a minor techno-miracle" and that it "skews more theoretical than sensationalist.... Bush is presented as a martyr". James Berardinelli says that "...if this was a serious examination of the possible long-term ramifications of George Bush's current foreign policy... it might be justifiable. The decision to use Bush rather than a fictional representation of him is for no reason other than self-promotion. That makes Death of a President crass in addition to being dull and sloppily assembled".

Those who praised it include Rex Reed of the New York Observer, who provided the filmmakers with the quote "Clever, thoughtful, and totally believable. This is a film without a political agenda that everyone should see" , and Peter Howell of the Canada's Toronto Star, who said, "The film's deeper intentions ... elevate it into the company of such landmark works of historical argument as Peter Watkins's "The War Game", Costa-Gavras's "Z" and, closer to home, Michel Brault's "Les Ordres". Every thinking person should see Death of a President"  Frank Lovece of Film Journal International said the film's condemnation "by politicians and pundits from James Pinkerton to Hillary Clinton is understandable and completely predictable: They can't not comment, so when they do they have to play to their audiences. None of them seriously believe that this work of fiction will really make someone take a pot-shot at the president, and anyway, the attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life came out of a crazy guy's fascination with Jodie Foster, so you may as well decry movies starring blonde former child actresses".

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