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March 2002, Week 1

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From:
Donald Larsson <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Thu, 28 Feb 2002 16:12:49 -0600
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Mark Andrejevic requests:


> for a class I'm teaching, I'm trying to come up with a list of movies that
> have as their villains corrupt/monopolistic media moguls (who work in any
> medium: film, TV, print, etc.). Bankers and the oil industry gets nailed all
> the time, but I know there are movies out there in which the evildoers are
> media types: I'm just having a hard time coming up with them. I'm interested
> in the way in which the media commodify their own self-critique.
> Thanks for your thoughts.

Here's a few:

Edward Arnold as a quasi-fascist publisher/politician in MEET JOHN DOE
CITIZEN KANE, of course
Angela Lansbury in STATE OF THE UNION
Charles Laughton as a murdering publisher in THE CLOCK
Jonathan Pryce as an ultra-Murdoch type vs. James Bond in TOMORROW
NEVER DIES
Michael Rappaport in Spike Lee's BAMBOOZLED
Putney Swope in Robert Downey, Sr.'s film
Rod Steiger in THE BIG KNIFE vs. screenwriter Jack Palance
Jack Palance in Godard's CONTEMPT vs. everybody
Ned Beatty in NETWORK
the publisher in THE LOST HONOR OF KATARINA BLUM (and the TV remake
with Marlo Thomas, THE LOST HONOR OF KATHRYN BECK)


Not quite moguls, but still media-based villains:
The late "Herb Fuller" in THE GREAT MAN
Burt Lancaster's Winchell-like character in THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

Don Larsson

-----------------------------------------------------------
Donald F. Larsson, English Department, AH 230
Minnesota State University
Mankato, MN  56001

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