Bush is murdered in tasteless, creepy 'Death'

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | October 27, 2006 | Mick LaSalle

[MadIvan]

Death of a President: Fictional documentary. Starring M. Neko Parham, Seena Jon and James Urbaniak. Directed by Gabriel Range. (R. 93 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.)

Even people who think George W. Bush is the worst American-made disaster since President James Buchanan will have no trouble recognizing "Death of a President" for the lousy thing it is. The film presents a fictional story about the murder of a sitting, living president, and though the filmmakers pretend at some kind of fellow feeling, depictions of an aide talking about her hospital vigil and her words of comfort to a distraught Laura Bush are creepy and exploitative -- and borderline disgusting.

Yet all this would have been justified if the movie were a masterpiece, or at least had such seriousness of purpose that it transcended its profound breach of taste. The macabre gimmick could have been used as a mere jumping-off point for an incisive exploration of American politics and the global situation. The gimmick, instead, is virtually an end in itself. It takes the movie about 45 minutes to kill off Bush, and once he's dead, the story turns into a tame and undramatic mystery drama about the identity of the assassin.

That disproportion -- with half the movie devoted to the shooting and death -- makes this little more than a movie about murdering Bush. As such, it probably qualifies as a violation of common decency, but individuals can make that determination for themselves. In artistic terms, it makes the film's main appeal one of transgressive titillation, something akin to pornography.

[MadIvan]

I saw this film on television (I was not going to pay for it). The controversy around its subject matter is to disguise the fact that it's bloody awful. This is the famous Satanic Verses effect.

The one thing that it does get right is that it shows the left wing moonbats being crazed and violent.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[3AngelaD]

It opens in Washington, D.C. today with a big ad in the Wash Post.

[kb2614]

Death of a President: Fictional documentary.

Its a snuff film for the "Progressive" set.

[goldstategop]

Debbie Schlussel slammed it this morning as well.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[MadIvan]

There is one thing I liked about the film, I must admit. The following words are uttered:

President Cheney

Those words should frighten the hell out of any leftie.

Regards, Ivan

[feedback doctor]

There is right now going on a reality show entitled DEATH OF THE MEDIA. But of course that death is by suicide.

[yldstrk]

Tasteless crapola.

[MadIvan]

The left doesn't look very good in this film; the most sympathetic characters in it are the Secret Service lads, and they, plus the footage, show the moonbats in full fury.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

The most tasteless thing was how they manipulated footage from our dear President Reagan's funeral to make it look like a mock President Bush funeral.

Regards, Ivan

[Hildy]

It was on TV already in Britain? I also read that as so typical for libs, the murderer is not some Islamofascist as everyone assumes, but of course, A WHITE GUY!!!

[RockinRight]

That's what I don't get. Everything about Bush the leftists don't like, Cheney is even stronger in those categories.

[MadIvan]

Actually the murderer was black. He was a soldier, whose son was also a soldier, and killed in Iraq.

The movie, which was awful already, fell still further to pieces on that premise.

Regards, Ivan

[goldstategop]

No. The murderer is a Black Veteran. Which goes on to show liberals are not only pro-Al Qaeda cheerleaders, they are anti-black racists to boot too.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[kb2614]

The left doesn't look very good in this film; the most sympathetic characters in it are the Secret Service lads, and they, plus the footage, show the moonbats in full fury.

Regards, Ivan

Interesting.

I'm still not going to see it.

[RegulatorCountry]

The steady, leftist drumbeat of assassination, culminating in this dreck, is going to send some unstable someone over the edge, into actually trying to do it.

[MadIvan]

I've come to the conclusion that it's very little to do with Bush personally. The left just is seething with mindless hate. It could be Bush, Cheney, whoever in the top job - if whoever it is, is a Republican, expect more of this venom.

Regards, Ivan

[Mr. Silverback]

I am apalled that this film is being allowed in U.S. theaters. Everyone associated should be arrested.

I don't see how this nation will continue to survive if we have laws on the books that we never enforce.

[MadIvan]

I'm telling people what's in it so they don't have to see it. It's 93 minutes of your life that's gone forever, that could be spent doing something better.

Regards, Ivan

[3AngelaD]

I suspect they are foaming at the mouth so profusely that they'll miss that detail.