Entertainment and politics: do they mix?

So have you seen An American Carol yet? If you have not you are hardly the only one. And the question is why is that.

An American Carol is a parody film by David Zucker of Airplane! and Naked Gun fame. So the question is not if the premise works. Considering his input, the writing is also not that difficult to imagine as being solid. And the acting includes Kelsey Grammer, Bill O’Reilly, Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, Trace Adkins, Leslie Nielsen, and many other celebrities and entertainers. So it is solid on that footing as well.

So what is the issue?

Well there is the fact that while the film started off in over 1500 theaters across the nation, many people can’t get to it. In Binghamton, a hub city in the Central New York State area, you can’t see the film. Not one theater will carry it. In fact you have to travel to Ithaca to see it – about 2 hours away. And as far as I am aware that is the only place in western New York that is carrying the film.

Would more people see the film if it were available to them? We will never know as Hollywood hates the film and its subject. The film is a satire of far-left political nuts like Michael Moore. It is the only film of its type made with major stars and major money in maybe 2 decades.

Yet in this year alone there have been 4 pro far-left-wing movies (including the abominable W by Oliver Stone and the Kevin Costner flop Swing Vote, oh and the John Cusack flop War, Inc.). Last year there was Redacted, Lions for Lambs, and several other films in far more theaters. And while each of the films has lost money like a spitball trying to avoid a blackhole, there are half a dozen more films planned for next year.

So I have to wonder, the public loves to hear about the lives of celebrities and entertainers. Paris Hilton learns to tie her own shoes and there are videos on the internet showing and discussing every aspect of it. Britney Spears gives up on her career and children and paparazzi follow every moment as the hair hits the floor. But are politics of limits?

It’s a tough question, as all the movies of the far-left and right have failed horribly. Yet films like Apocalypse Now (which I feel is an anti-war movie), Dr. Strangelove (which did not do well in it’s first run but has since done exceptionally well), and M.A.S.H all have made money.

So maybe we just don’t want to see these entertainers play acting at politics. Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie, Chuck Norris, Oprah Winfrey and others are fine in the real world – but slamming the messages down our collective throats is just too much. I agree with that thought. And considering that Hollywood has more than enough of a problem creating new ideas these days I think they can leave their messages on their high horses. No matter the political preference.

I just was thinking about that. Or am I wrong and you love the political advertisements posing as entertainment?

Movie preview alert: Bill O'Reilly in An American Carol

Well the ultra-liberal fanatics will surely be up in arms about the latest item to be presented on the O’Reilly Factor last night. It seems that Bill O’Reilly has landed a small roll in an up-coming film. The film is a satirical look at people like Michael Moore, and many of the Hollywood Liberals that are just one step from Hanoi Jane Fonda.

Here is the video of the film



So what do you think of it? I found it to be very funny.

Michael Moore and many of the far-left nuts need a bit of air taken out of their blustering. And I think the concept of using A Christmas Carol as a format is original. Considering one of the writers and director here is the same man, David Zucker, responsible for Airplane, Top Secret, and the Naked Gun series, I expect the jokes to be pretty good.

The cast is filled with notable actors, including Kelsey Grammer, Robert Davi, Jon Voight, James Woods, Leslie Nielsen, Dennis Hopper, Kevin Sorbo, Travis Schuldt, and Trace Adkins.

That’s a lot of talent. I should mention that Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper were previously paired in a movie that just came out – Swing Vote. I already panned the film in my preview of the film. Reviews by Rotten Tomatoes give it a 39% negative approval rating, and most reviews believe its ok to bad and a DVD pick at best. No surprise to me.

But Grammer and Hopper should redeem themselves in this film. Not that the liberals aren’t complaining already

“This is just more of the right wing believing their own BS to make themselves feel better. They know their time is almost up. A great deal of effort is put forth daily to keep morale up (see talk radio, right wing blogs/forums, Fox News) among the true believers. This film is another example…

Come October, the film may do well, if a campaign like the one for "Passion of the Christ", along with a "let's stick it to the liberals" message is ginned up via the usual outlets.

So go and have fun liberal-haters, laugh all the way into the political graveyard, you are proud to be part of an ugly history which will not be judged mercifully.”

I’m sorry, the self-important and more-righteous-than-thou attitude of Moore needs a pin to pop his balloon. In fact most on the far-left need a hit as well. Not that they haven’t been trying to, unsuccessfully, sell the “horrors” of America in films for the last few years.

I expect this film will be decent, based on the writer and actors involved. And America will likely flock to a film that pokes fun at the groups that are so serious and so sure they know what’s best for everyone. My bet is that the film makes more money than Redacted, Swing Vote, Lions for Lambs, and War Inc. combined. Actually since that isn’t much of a number to beat (Swing Vote is the big winner of the group having made about $13 million, still less than what it cost to make the film) I will say it makes $20 - $25 million it’s first week and nets a total of $40 million at least.

Do you agree?