2004 satirical (?) mockumentaryRating: 10/20
Plot: This is a look at what American history would look like following a Confederate victory in the Civil War. Disguised as a BBC documentary and interrupted by hilarious advertisements that seemed straight out of MAD TV, this starts with the war itself and then moves through reconstruction, imperialism, isolationism, World War II, a Cold War (with Canada), and contemporary times.
The only thing shocking about this is how humorless it was. It attempts provocation or edginess, winds up just pointless. The visuals and interviews were well done and made the thing look authentic, but it doesn't raises any real issues. There's maybe an intriguing idea here, but it's very poorly executed and not worth seeing.
No picture.
Man, you just must have not been in the mood for this one. I thought it was brilliant. "Doesn't raise any good issues...?" What other "issues" was it supposed to raise? Here is a list of pretty obvious and delicate issues this movie purposely touches upon:
ReplyDelete1. Black people are lesser humans. The commercials (the first one, in particular) exemplify how the black people aren't just property anymore -- they're products. African Americans and their culture are up for sale and are dehumanized in a 20th century "free" (no pun intended) market system.
2. White people aren't allowed to even act like black people. In the "movie" depicting how Jefferson Davis's slave gives him advice, the actor playing the slave is a white, elderly, Shakespearean actor in black face. Not exactly Saturday Night Live material. That's not something you could just throw on network TV.
3. The movie moves past simple racism and shows that bigotry is a way of life. The "historians" portrayed simply told the "facts" and the script did not allow for any racism to be spoken. That's important because it shows how obliviously ignorant and sociopathic those people were back then. They believed that no other way could be a right way.
4. Historical revisionists. They are speaking about what is already happening in our schools today. Changing "slave trade" to "triangular trade." Or "capitalism" to "free market." Or "walking a disrespectful kid to ISS" to "escorting their fine craziness downstairs" (inside joke). Text books referring to this as a "Christian nation" which was "built on Christianity." Or taking the 2nd Amendment out of context.
This movie plays with a ton of socially important issues. They're there. Blatantly. Plus, I like that they have fun with it. It's a movie that can laugh at itself. It's as if a stand up comedian crafted a joke about slavery. It makes you laugh and it makes you think.
Hmm. I think it's still on Netflix, so maybe I'll give it another go sometime. I called it "pointless," but that doesn't really seem like the word I meant.
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