HBO labor doc, "American Standoff"

Peter K. peterk at enteract.com
Thu Jun 13 20:37:05 PDT 2002



>>The Overnite strike was ripe for revealing similar issues involved in the
>>Teamsters in the context of the TDU-Hoffa tension, but Kopple just didn't
>>seem to reach as far as she could have. I'm not sure why.
>
>-Now let's take those high standards and apply them to the Democratic Party.
>I don't think I've ever
>-seen anything so pro labor on cable TV, certainly not on PBS. Also,
>-it didn't come off as mere anti-corporate propaganda.
>
>Bizarre.
>Political processes usually are not subject to aesthetic reviews (remember
>the adage about making sausages).
>Of course Kopple's piece was a great pro-union piece and HBO deserves credit
>for showing it. But the film just didn't have the effect of her other work;
>I can't believe you think this is even in the same league as her work on
>Harlan County or American Dream?
>
>--- Nathan Newman

I'll concede that it's not as good, however my problem seems to be that I'd rather have the political process or political actors "reach farther" than have a film or book "reach farther." For when the latter do, it often becomes heavy handed propaganda. You and "R" are of course right in that Kopple went easy on the Hoffa faction and left out a lot of context, but perhaps a little sausage making went into working with the Teamsters on the project.

I'm just happy when there's a good (entertaining, well-made) book/film that also has its politics generally right. (or when it's good enough that the politics are "right" despite the author's politics, i.e. Balzac). Out of the current batch of movies in theaters and at the video store, I recommend From Hell, where the elite, establishment types believe that Jack the Ripper must be either from the lower class, or an anti-monarchy socialist, or a Jew, whereas the opium-addicted inspector's forensics show him that the killer must be an upper class surgeon. The setting doesn't shy from the grinding poverty of the time. (It was directed by the Hughes brothers, who also did Menace II Society and Dead Presidents) Undercover Brother is really low brow, but its politics are in the right place. Conversely, Star Wars Attack of the Clones had a good States' Rights vs. Federalism theme going among other things, yet I wouldn't recommend it. Perhaps I should have higher standards for documentaries. Also, I'm reading the Rotters' Club by Johnathan Coe and it's pretty good all around.

Peter



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