The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)

This is an entertaining film that is only, it seems, to be seen on DVD. It was made in 2004, but I don't recall it being on the circuit. The acting is good and it has such a well created period feel that I thought that it was an old film.

It relied rather too much on plebvision cuttings from the period to create that feeling to be judged an excellent film, but it was so much better than the than the recent goatherd film or the one about the sex change that it is worth mentioning. Besides, I suspect that, as a critique of plebvision watchers it rather succeeded.

If people were a little puzzled as to why Arabs should have wanted to attack Yankland with aeroplanes(and only the very thick and ignorant can be so puzzled) then this is a film that usefully explains why Yanks with any sort of imagination should be keen to destroy the place too.

It is a rather sad film. Sad that only one depressive, low-lifer should have hit on the idea that Tricky dickey dead would have made for a nicer world than him alive (and remember that Yank presidents have consistently got worse since Tricky - a quite remarkable achievement considering his extremely low standards, one that has indeed required limbo dancers of depravity). Sad too that the poor bugger fails - but then, I suppose that any competent person would move countries long before being tempted to such lengths.

I'd recommend the film, though. It is pleasantly amusing and manages an amazingly realistic picture of the Land of the 'free' and the 'brave' - and it is a picture that hasn't changed much since the '60s. One of the nicer lines is 'Slavery never really ended in this country. It just gave it another name. Employee.' - I suppose that might lead some to read it as a Pinko film.

Anybody who does enjoy this film would probably love 'Starship Troopers' - another film that understand the ethos of the place, but, in that case, had to be made by a foreigner.

As an elegant graffito had it, this film could be summed up by the line: 'Lee Harvey Oswald, where are you when your country needs you?'.