American politics have always been a prominent factor in what shapes our society. Over the past several years, polarization has also become a huge topic in the media, especially surrounding election time. Along with broadcasting outlets and newspapers, the film and entertainment industries have played a huge role in telling some of the biggest stories in American politics.
“The Post” (2017)
In 1971, a series of articles exposing the United States’ true political and military involvement in the Vietnam war, spanning three decades and four U.S. presidents, was released to the public. “The Post,” released Dec. 22, 2017, details The Washington Post's role in this intriguing story. Director Steven Spielberg, commonly known for his action films such as “E.T.,” “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park,” helps bring a narrative element to a story riddled with political and journalistic jargon.
Though the pressure of a busy newsroom isn’t commonly experienced by most of society, Spielberg puts this complex story in cinematic layman's terms, making it more accessible for the general public. He also brings to light the important role Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, played in getting the Pentagon Papers out to the public. If you want to see an inspiring story of how journalists battled with the U.S. government and won, then “The Post” is definitely worth watching on Amazon Prime Video.
“All The President’s Men” (1976)
One of the biggest scandals in political history may very well be the Watergate scandal, which involved President Richard Nixon’s administration and ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation from office. Only four years after the scandal took place in 1972, director Alan J. Pakula made “All the President’s Men,” a film based on the book with the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two Washington Post journalists who uncovered the story. At the time, Woodward, portrayed by Robert Redford, and Bernstein, portrayed by Dustin Hoffman, were rival journalists both working for the Washington Post and investigating a burglary that happened at the Democratic Party Headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex. Together, along with an anonymous source code-named “Deep Throat” (Hal Holbrook), the two reporters uncover a connection between the burglary and the Nixon administration. Redford and Hoffman both do wonderful jobs at portraying the famous journalists and the dangerous tension they feel investigating the story is present throughout the film. If you’re wanting to watch this movie, it’s available on Amazon Prime as well as some smaller streaming platforms, such as Philo.
Bernstein, who visited IU at the beginning of October this year, will come to the university once again to discuss the media industry, its ethics and public institutions with IU students. This lecture will take place the week of Nov. 18. Students can look for an official announcement of the event as well as any extra information on the Poynter Center website.
“Saturday Night Live” (1975 - present)
Commonly known for its comedy sketches and parodies of pop culture moments, “Saturday Night Live,” commonly known as “SNL,” has been making audiences laugh since 1975. Though the casts have changed throughout the years and the hosts and musical guests are always different, if one thing has stayed the same, it’s the show’s ability to take the sometimes-grim reality of American politics and turn it into a hilarious skits. This is especially true in recent years, as past and present elections have taken up more of the media conversation. Former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been parodied on the show multiple times throughout the years, with actors such as Alec Baldwin and James Austin Johnson portraying the politician. Maya Rudolph has come back this season to portray 2024 Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris in a political cold-open to kick off season 50. “SNL” also dedicates a portion of the show to the “Weekend Update.” Currently hosted by “SNL,” cast members Colin Jost and Michael Che satirize common news stories, often drawing inspiration from American politics. Though the world of politics can often put a damper on anyone’s day, when it comes to “SNL,” they always manage to bring a little bit of laughter to otherwise more serious topics. The next episode of “SNL” will air live at 11:30 p.m. next Saturday, Nov. 9, on NBC
“The Apprentice” (2024)
Though not fully about American politics, “The Apprentice” does tell the story of one American politician whose campaigns have historically captured the media’s attention more than any other. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and debuted in theaters Oct. 11. “The Apprentice” tells the story of a young Donald Trump, portrayed by Sebastian Stan, eager to make a name for himself when he meets cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn, portrayed by Jeremy Strong. Named after Trump’s former reality show, “The Apprentice,” this new biopic gives a good look into who Trump was before he became the politician he is today. Though the film is not yet out on any streaming platforms, it has already gained some notoriety after Trump’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers in an attempt to keep the film from being released. Though the film does not dive into Trump’s political career, it does give an interesting look into how he came to be. In today’s political landscape, that is something worth knowing.
