NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Death of a President

Death of a President is a fictional documentary about an attempt assassination of the current United States President George W. Bush. It is directed by British filmmaker Gabriel Range. The film uses archive footage, actors, and computer effects to portray an assassination of the 43rd American president. The film covers topics of civil disobedience, racial profiling, the reduction of civil liberties, sensationalism, and just-war theory. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (484x721, 105 KB) This is a movie poster retrieved from the website of a film festival. ... Gabriel Range (full name Gabriel Edmund Range) is a British filmmaker, who is probably best known for his political-mockumentary about the assassination of George W. Bush in Death of a President. ... Gabriel Range (full name Gabriel Edmund Range) is a British filmmaker, who is probably best known for his political-mockumentary about the assassination of George W. Bush in Death of a President. ... Becky Ann Baker (born February 17, 1953, is an American television, film, and theater actress. ... Richard Harvey (born September 25, 1953) is a renowned British musician and composer. ... Deputy Senior Personal Protection Officer to the Prince of Walesfrom 1981 to the 1990s. ... Newmarket Films is a American film production and film distributon company which is a subsidiary of Newmarket Capital Group. ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... // Notable events concerning the film industry in 2006. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The Arabic language ( ), or simply Arabic ( ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew, Amharic and Aramaic. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Assassin and Targeted killing redirect here. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Gabriel Range (full name Gabriel Edmund Range) is a British filmmaker, who is probably best known for his political-mockumentary about the assassination of George W. Bush in Death of a President. ... It has been suggested that Civil and social disobedience be merged into this article or section. ... Racial profiling is inclusion of race in the profile of a persons considered likely to commit a particular crime or type of crime (see Offender Profiling). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sensationalism is a manner of being extremely controversial, loud, attention-grabbing, or otherwise sensationalistic. ... Just War theory is the attempt to distinguish between justifiable and unjustifiable uses of organized armed forces. ...

The film premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, and was aired on the More4 channel in the UK on October 9. It was then aired on Channel 4 in the UK on October 19, 2006 — a year to the day before the events portrayed in the film. Poster for the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival The 2006 Toronto International Film Festival will run from Sep 7 to Sep 16, 2006. ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... More4 is a digital television channel produced by United Kingdom broadcaster Channel 4 that launched on October 10th 2005. ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Channel 4 is a public-service television broadcaster in the United Kingdom (see British television). ... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Newmarket Films purchased the U.S. distribution rights for $1 million.^[1] The film is rated-R. Newmarket Films is a American film production and film distributon company which is a subsidiary of Newmarket Capital Group. ... The MPAA film rating system is a system used in the United States and instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America to rate a movie based on its content. ...

Synopsis

A faux documentary broadcast in 2008 gives a news account, with talking head interviews, of the assassination of President of the United States George W. Bush on 19 October 2007. The fictional TV news broadcast relates how a hidden sniper fatally shot the president following an economic speech at a Chicago hotel, in front of which an anti-war rally was being held. A man of Syrian origins, Jamal Abu Zikri, becomes the prime suspect. Image File history File links Death-prez. ... Mockumentary, a portmanteau of mock documentary (also fictional documentary or false documentary), is a film and TV genre, or a single work of the genre. ... Talking head can refer to: In broadcasting, slang for interview footage shot in a locked down medium shot of the subjects head and shoulders. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1969 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A news program is a regularly scheduled radio or television program that reports current events. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area - City 606. ... Anti war protest in Melbourne, Australia, 2003 Anti_war is a name that is widely adopted by any social movement or person that seeks to end or oppose a future or current war. ...

Vice president Dick Cheney, elevated to president, uses the possible al-Qaeda connection of the suspect to push his own agenda. He calls for "Patriot Act 3", giving the FBI, police, and other government agencies increased investigative powers on U.S. citizens and others, and contemplates an attack on Syria. Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941) is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

After Zikri is convicted based on dubious forensic evidence, the report indicates that the perpetrator is most likely an American, the father of a soldier who had died in the line of duty in Iraq. The assassin blames Bush for the death of his son and commits suicide after murdering Bush. His suicide note reads: "There's no honor in standing for an immoral cause. George Bush killed our David and I can't forgive him". Ten months after the assassination, however, Zikri remains in prison with government officials holding up his appeal.

Reception

The idea of the film received substantial criticism from politicians who had not viewed the movie but believed the subject was exploitative and in bad taste. The Republican Party of Texas described the subject matter as "shocking" and "disgusting".^[2] Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) told The Journal News of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties, New York, at the annual New Castle Community Day in Chappaqua, "I think it's despicable. I think it's absolutely outrageous. That anyone would even attempt to profit on such a horrible scenario makes me sick".^[3] Co-screenwriter Simon Finch responded to the criticisms and said Clinton had not seen the film when she made her comments.^[4] The Bush Administration made no comment on the film. Actor/musician Robert Kramer, who appeared in the film as one of the ropeline extras during the assassination scene, asked to have his image edited out, alleging the filmmakers mislead the actors as to the true intent of the pseudo-documentary. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... // The Republican Party (often referred to as the GOP, for Grand Old Party) is one of the two major political organizations in the United States two party system; the Democratic Party is the other. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 kmÂ²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947), was First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, as the wife of President Bill Clinton. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 kmÂ²) - Width 285 miles (455 km) - Length 330 miles (530 km) - % water 13. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 kmÂ²) - Width 285 miles (455 km) - Length 330 miles (530 km) - % water 13. ... Chappaqua is a hamlet and census-designated place located in northern Westchester County, New York. ... The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ...

Two of America's biggest cinema chains, Regal and Cinemark, refused to screen the film,^[5]^[6] which was distributed in the U.S. by Newmarket Films. CNN and NPR would not run ads for the movie.^[7] Regal is an adjective meaning king-like or pertaining to royalty. ... Cinemark Theaters is the third largest movie theatre chain in North America Cinemark Theaters can be found in most major countries. ... Newmarket Films is a American film production and film distributon company which is a subsidiary of Newmarket Capital Group. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... NPR logo For other meanings of NPR see NPR (disambiguation) National Public Radio (NPR) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that sells programming to member radio stations; together they are a loosely organized public radio network in the United States. ...

Critics were mixed in their assessment, with the Metacritic aggregate site giving it a 49 ("generally mixed") rating based on 30 reviews^[8], while Rotten Tomatoes gives it at 33% ("rotten") based on 83 reviews. ^[9] Time magazine's Richard Corliss called it "[e]ngrossing but not enthralling", putting it in context with fictional political homicides from The Assassination of the Duc de Guise (1908) to Frank Sinatra's Suddenly (1954), as well as such TV series as 24, concluding it was "not an incendiary documentary but a well-made political thriller".^[10] J. Hoberman in The Village Voice found it "[d]ramatically inert but a minor techno-miracle" and that it "skews more theoretical than sensationalist.... Bush is presented as a martyr".^[11] James Berardinelli says that "...if this was a serious examination of the possible long-term ramifications of George Bush's current foreign policy... it might be justifiable. The decision to use Bush rather than a fictional representation of him is for no reason other than self-promotion. That makes Death of a President crass in addition to being dull and sloppily assembled." ^[12] Those who praised it include Rex Reed of The New York Observer, who provided the filmmakers with the quote "Clever, thoughtful, and totally believable. This is a film without a political agenda that everyone should see"^[13], and Peter Howell of the Canada's Toronto Star, who said, "The film's deeper intentions ... elevate it into the company of such landmark works of historical argument as Peter Watkins's The War Game, Costa-Gavras's Z and, closer to home, Michel Brault's Les Ordres. Every thinking person should see Death of a President".^[14] Frank Lovece of Film Journal International said the film's condemnation "by politicians and pundits from James Pinkerton to Hillary Clinton is understandable and completely predictable: They can't not comment, so when they do they have to play to their audiences. None of them seriously believe that this work of fiction will really make someone take a pot-shot at the president, and anyway, the attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life came out of a crazy guy's fascination with Jodie Foster, so you may as well decry movies starring blonde former child actresses".^[15] Metacritic is an Internet website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Two distinct views exist on the meaning of time. ... Richard Corliss is a writer for Time magazine who focuses on movies, with the occasional article on music or sports, and has distinguished himself for his clever way with words. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 â€“ May 14, 1998) was a popular and highly acclaimed male vocalist and actor. ... Suddenly is a 1954 film noir starring antagonist Frank Sinatra, sheriff Sterling Hayden, grandpa James Gleason, and mother Nancy Gates. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... 24 is a current Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American television series, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, and produced by Imagine Television. ... J. Hoberman (Jim Hoberman) is the lead film critic for The Village Voice. ... The Village Voice is a weekly newspaper in New York City featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... James Berardinelli (born September 1967) is a popular online film critic. ... Rex Taylor Reed (born October 2, 1938 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American movie critic and was co-host of the syndicated television show At the Movies. ... The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987 by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. ... Peter Howell is a television composer who is best known for his work on Doctor Who. ... The Toronto Star is Canadas biggest newspaper, with a weekly circulation of 3,236,655,[1] though its print edition is distributed almost entirely within Ontario. ... Peter Watkins (born October 29, 1935) is an English film and television director. ... The War Game is a 1965 television film on nuclear war. ... Constantinos Gavras (born February 12, 1933, Loutra-Iraias, Greece), better known as Costa-Gavras, is a Greek-French filmmaker best known for films with overt political themes. ... The film Z is a 1969 political thriller directed by Costa-Gavras, with screenplay in French by the director, based on the novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. ... Frank Lovece is an American journalist, author, comedy performer and comic-book writer. ... James Pinkerton is a columnist, author, and political analyst. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ... Jodie Foster (born November 19, 1962) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress, director, and producer. ...

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1023x763, 238 KB)A CNN screenshot This image is a screenshot of a copyrighted television program or station ID. As such, the copyright for it is most likely owned by the company or corporation that produced it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1023x763, 238 KB)A CNN screenshot This image is a screenshot of a copyrighted television program or station ID. As such, the copyright for it is most likely owned by the company or corporation that produced it. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

Awards

The film won the International Critics Prize (FIPRESCI) at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival.^[16]

Trivia

The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ...

See also

Other films on fictional assassinations The Day Britain Stopped is a 2003 BBC drama documentary based around a fictional disaster - in which a train crash is the first in a chain of events that lead to a meltdown of the countrys transport system. ... Mondo film is a documentary film, more precisely a pseudo-documentary, usually depicting sensational topics and scenes. ...

Media on the potential assassination of George Bush Nothing So Strange is an independent documentary about the assassination of Microsoft chairman Bill Gates on December 2, 1999. ... Suddenly is a 1954 film noir starring antagonist Frank Sinatra, sheriff Sterling Hayden, grandpa James Gleason, and mother Nancy Gates. ...

Checkpoint is an American novel written by Nicholson Baker in 2004. ... The term Curse of Tippecanoe (also known as the presidential curse, zero-year curse, the twenty-year curse or Tecumsehs curse) is sometimes used to describe the coincidental pattern where, from 1840 to 1960, every United States President elected (or reelected) every twentieth year has died in office. ...

Footnotes

^ Spiegelman, Arthur. Bush assassination film set for U.S. release. Reuters. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.
^ "Row over Bush TV 'assassination'", BBC News, 1 September 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.
^ Worley, Dwight R.. "Sen. Hillary Clinton blasts Bush assassination film", Tne Journal News, 16 September 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-08. (article removed; cached site)
^ Interview, Canada AM (Oct. 24, 2006)
^ "US theaters refuse to screen 'Death of a President'", Asian News International (ANI) via Yahoo.com, 7 October 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-01.
^ "US cinemas reject President film", BBC News, 7 October 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
^ "CNN, NPR refuse ads for assassination film", Reuters via MSNBC.com, 24 October 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-01.
^ Metacritic: Death of a President
^ RottenTomatoes: "Death of a President"
^ Time (posted Sept. 11, 2006): "Who Killed George Bush?" (review of Death of a President), by Richard Corliss
^ ^a ^b The Village Voice (posted Oct. 24, 2006): "Assassination Tango" (review of Death of a President), by J. Hoberman
^ James Berardinelli's Reel Views - Review of "Death of a President"
^ Death of a President official site: Reviews index
^ Toronto Star (posted Sept. 11, 2006), "D.O.A.P. Terrifies with Realism" (review of Death of a President), by Peter Howell
^ Film Journal International ((posted Oct. 24, 2006): Review of Death of a President, by Frank Lovece
^ CBS (Sept. 16, 2006): "'Death of a President' Scores TIFF Critics' Prize"

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (282nd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (282nd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ...

References

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, video games and production crew personnel. ... Radar magazine was an American publication that featured an eclectic, irreverent mix of articles on entertainment, fashion, politics, and general human interest. ...

External links

Categories: 2006 films | British films | Crime films | Fictional documentaries | George W. Bush in fiction | Political films James Pinkerton is a columnist, author, and political analyst. ... Joe Morgenstern is the film critic for The Wall Street Journal. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, tone, style, and voice). ... John Fund is an American political commentator known for his Political Diary column in The Wall Street Journals OpinionJournal. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...