"AN AMERICAN CAROL" opens October 3rd

On Friday a deeply divided America will have another round of new films to choose from at the theaters. One is "Religulous," a comic documentary in which Bill Maher, America's best-known agnostic humorist -- some would characterize him as the heretofore-undiscovered category beyond atheist -- travels the world and leaves us with a vision of the destructive forces of organized religion, a vision no less apocalyptic than the end-times scenarios promulgated by some of his targets.

Then there's "An American Carol," which its maker, "Airplane!" and "Naked Gun" alum David Zucker, describes as "the opposite of the Bill Maher movie."

Zucker's proudly conservative comedy, which won't be screened for critics before Friday's opening, isn't primarily about religion. It reworks the Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" scenario so that a leftist filmmaker based on Michael Moore, painted here as an unpatriotic, America-hating boob out to banish the 4th of July, is visited, schooled and slapped around by ghosts of Americans past, George Washington (Jon Voight) and Gen. George Patton (Kelsey Grammer), plus a ghost of the future, played by country star Trace Adkins.

According to Zucker, the film is more about supporting America's war in Iraq and taking down liberal filmmakers such as Moore and George Clooney than getting people into the churches and the synagogues. Nonetheless, the two movies, one a true believer and the other a true skeptic, pose similar questions. Can a polemical comedy bring the funny? And can a fiercely partisan message connect with audiences?

On "Politically Incorrect" and his current HBO series, "Real Time with Bill Maher," the son of a Catholic father and Jewish mother has made no secret of his feelings regarding organized religion, which he has likened, satirically, to a "neurological disorder." Nonetheless, Maher said in an interview earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival, "We're not taking a judgmental attitude in the movie. I mean, to a degree, obviously, we are. We have a point of view. But I think some people expected it to be mean-spirited and did not find it to be mean-spirited."

Under the direction of Larry Charles, the co-creator of "Seinfeld," "Religulous" (think "religion" and "ridiculous") begins in a North Carolina truckers chapel, with Maher mixing and mingling and questioning the churchgoers' beliefs. Maher goes on to joust with Vatican scholars, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, a Jesus impersonator taking part in a "Passion of the Christ" re-enactment.

"I'm sure religion in this country can withstand Bill Maher's satire," says Ari Geller, communications director of the Washington D.C.-based Interfaith Alliance, an organization advocating religious freedom on behalf on its members (75 faiths in all, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, he says). Geller notes that the alliance operates on the assumption that "religion and government are both at their best when they're kept apart."

The Toronto "Religulous" interviews took place shortly after Republican presidential candidate John McCain selected Sarah Palin as running mate. While the mood at the festival, among a largely Democratic crowd of filmmakers and actors, was typically fatalistic for a largely Democratic gang -- "It's over" was the mantra heard over and over -- Maher expressed some hope for his side.

"I know America's religious-cuckoo," he said, "but I don't know if we're ready for a vice president who's going to make Bush look like a religious moderate."

In an interview "Religulous" director Charles stressed the film's mission is "to reach beyond the converted, to people who might not ordinarily choose [to see] this movie -- people who are moderately religious or even very religious but who have a sense of humor, and realize there's a certain absurdity to some of this." Still, he says, the coming election offers a stark choice. "All the major Western religions," Charles says, "have an endgame built into them. In order to fulfill God's wishes, the world has to end. And if the Republicans get elected we're going to have two people in office who may believe that as well."

That kind of talk, you won't hear from David Zucker. The "American Carol" director may be Jewish, but he's had it, he says, with Christian-bashing in the popular culture, particularly Catholic-bashing. (Bill O'Reilly, America's front line of defense in the alleged war on Christmas, appears in "An American Carol.")

One bit in the movie, Zucker says, was inspired by a comment he heard Rosie O'Donnell make on "The View," to the effect that radical evangelicals were as dangerous to the world's health and well-being as radical Islamic terrorists. "So I thought, 'Great, Rosie -- I'll take you at your word.' We do a whole routine where Rosie shows a documentary to Bill O'Reilly about 'the truth about radical Christians,' where they're going on planes, hitting the pilots with their crosses and Bibles, and we have a nun blowing up a bus -- all these crazy things.

Zucker acknowledges "An American Carol" could be called "strident." But the right wing of this country, he says, so rarely is offered something expressly for them -- why not this?

The money behind his movie, Mpower Pictures, made hay with Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," and Mpower has chosen not to screen "An American Carol" for critics in advance of Friday's opening. "We'll get killed," Zucker predicts. But like Maher, he's proud of taking a stand. And uttering the one thing he and Maher could surely agree on, Zucker concludes: "In the comedy business you can't be mild."

In this comic documentary directed by "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry Charles, Bill Maher questions churchgoers, Vatican scholars, Orthodox Jews, Mormons and a Jesus impersonator about their beliefs, leaving us with a vision of the destructive forces of organized religion.

In this conservative comedy by the creator of "Airplane!" and "Naked Gun," Kelsey Grammer plays Gen. George Patton, one of three ghosts who tries to enlighten a leftist filmmaker in a reworking of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Coming soon to a theater near you: It's colossal, it's stupendous. In exactly five days, Jon Voight will become the ghost of George Washington, leading a forward attack on those who would sully America.

"An American Carol," a frantic satire that takes on filmmaker Michael Moore, Rosie O'Donnell and a host of liberals, opens Oct. 3. And Mr. Voight, indeed, plays the first president of the United States in white wig and sleek Colonial uniform, taking the Moore-inspired character to task for his lack of patriotism, his paucity of Yankee vim. It is a very Scrooge-ian exchange.

Mr. Voight does not need to channel John Wayne or even Uncle Sam for the part. The Academy Award-winning actor is hard-wired with love of country, a silver screen conservative who pines for a Hollywood filled with stars who also are star-spangled. Celebrities and patriotism do mix in the Voight world; appreciation of the U.S. of A. is no sin. He is downright annoyed with his thespian peers.

"I'm very angry about our community, about anti-American films. I have to say that. I have to say, look guys, I know you think this and that. But we should have a dialogue, especially before you take a slap at America," Mr. Voight said recently.

"We're a force for good in the world, and we're a necessary force for good in the world. The world depends on us. Whenever there's a problem, who do people come to? They come to America. And does America respond? Every time," he continued.

"So stop slapping America and start understanding we have to be strong and united to be safe and sane," Mr. Voight said, adding, "You'd think Republicans were the enemy of the country. This is completely nuts."

At 69, Jon Voight can stroll down the red carpet in elegant tuxedo with white satin scarf, somewhere between Errol Flynn and Van Johnson, with some Ronald Reagan-the-actor mixed in. He can take an ideological stand, charm the ladies, dance a spirited hora, fend off countless inane inquiries about his beautiful daughter Angelina Jolie and be brought to tears when he considers Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her very real family matters.

"Getting to know Jon over numerous lunches and dinners, he often discussed his special affinity for George Washington and his desire to play our first president," said David Zucker, director of "An American Carol," along with "The Naked Gun," "Airplane" and other high-powered parodies.

"Fortuitously during the writing of 'An American Carol,' we created a scene in which Washington appears and speaks to the main character, Michael Malone. I knew Jon had to be our Washington."

"George Washington of course is renowned for starting the American tradition of having no kings, quite revolutionary at the time. King George III, when informed of Washington's refusal of a crown was quoted as saying 'if this is true, he will be the greatest man in the history of the world.' I agree with Jon Voight that this is one of the many debts we owe George Washington and one of our greatest American traditions," Mr. Zucker said.

Mr. Voight's performance in the film will follow his high-profile appearance at the Republican National Convention earlier this month, plus his multiple guest shots on Fox News, talk radio and other news outlets, talking up America, Sen. John McCain and Republican causes in general.

He is a stalwart friend of "Friends of Abe," a group of Hollywood conservatives whose membership includes Gary Sinise and Pat Boone. As a public figure, Mr. Voight is fearless, suggesting that the Democratic Party made a "godlike" character out of Sen. Barack Obama - and that the lawmaker should drop out of politics altogether and become an actor.

"I admire any public figure who sticks his or her neck out. I don't agree with Mr. Voight, but I will be consistent: I loved when the Dixie Chicks spoke out, I love when Barbra Streisand speaks out, and so I applaud Mr. Voight for having the courage of his convictions. Now, my right-wing friends who hammer artists on the left for speaking out are praising Mr. Voight. There's a word for that in politics: hypocrisy," said CNN analyst Paul Begala, a longtime Democratic strategist.

The timing is right for Mr. Voight, however. He has just completed his 60th film, has two more in the works and will appear this fall as a guest star on "24," Fox Entertainment's popular prime-time espionage show. But duty calls. He spent the last week campaigning in California for local Republican candidates.

"He's at a stage at his career where he has made such an impact in the industry that Hollywood won't excommunicate him for being a Republican. To have him as a Republican lends credibility to the campaign," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.

"We rarely have anyone with this kind of star power. We've been able to use the celebrity theme against Senator Obama, because he's got so many stars to support him. The fact that the GOP has few celebrities makes them highly visible. They stand out more when they're outspoken," Mr. Bonjean added.

And when did Mr. Voight become outspoken? He is open about the fact that he was once a vigorous anti-war protester in the late 1960s, but soured on the experience after realizing that peaceful organizers had little staying power in the aftermath.

"The radicals of that era were successful in giving the communists power to bring forth the killing fields and slaughter 2.5 million people in Cambodia and South Vietnam. Did they stop the war, or did they bring the war to those innocent people?" Mr. Voight asked in a July 28 editorial in The Washington Times.

In addition, the New York native became a staunch supporter of Rudolph W. Giuliani during his bid for the White House earlier this year, inspired by the former Manhattan mayor's resolve and dignity in his city after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Perhaps Mr. Voight will write a book about his beliefs. Or run for office or become a statesman and address the United Nations. Chances are excellent that the movies will keep coming. Perhaps one day he will assure persistent journalists that, yes, all is well between his daughter and himself, and that he has dandled the six grandkids on his knee.

But he still had a line or two for the press, said in sonorous tones and with impeccable delivery.

"What would happen if America won a great war and no one reported it? That's what's happening right now," he told a group of reporters at the convention.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Voight demanded, his eyes traveling from face to face. "Let's get our priorities straight."

For the second year in a row, the District will play host to the nation's biggest right-leaning film festival. American Film Renaissance Institute's 2008 festival kicks off Wednesday and runs through Saturday, screening films in locations around the city.

Founded by the husband-and-wife duo Jim and Ellen Hubbard, AFR hosted festivals in Michigan, Hollywood and Dallas before settling in Washington.

"Basically, my wife and I had no background in film whatsoever," Mr. Hubbard says, "but we were probably more than the casual filmgoer, and we were pretty attuned to the social and political messages that were embedded in the films."

Frustrated by the paucity of projects in tune with their political views, the Hubbards set out to create a festival that would bring together right-of-center filmgoers and give them something to celebrate.

"Our festival does cater to a more conservative audience," Mr. Hubbard says, "but we are a mainstream festival. And we do screen films that don't have a political or cultural message one way or the other."

Consider this year's biggest attraction, "The Dukes." Directed by Robert Davi and starring him, Chazz Palminteri and Peter Bogdanovich, "The Dukes" isn't what one might traditionally consider a "conservative" film.

"Getting good, quality films before their theatrical runs" is the key for Mr. Hubbard. "It's what we're striving for. We're a small festival, but I can say we're really pleased with what we've been able to do."

Past festivals have seen the Hubbards make similar efforts. Last year, they screened "Weirdsville," a kooky little feature about a pair of heroin-addled thieves; the year before that, they showed "The World's Fastest Indian," Anthony Hopkins' motorcycle picture.

The Hubbards make sure to throw their core audience some red meat. Last year's festival featured the world premiere of "Indoctrinate U," Evan Coyne Maloney's tale of left-wing dominance on American college campuses. This year's program is no different.

Those interested in looking at hypocrisy on an international scale can check out "U.N. Me," a documentary examining the United Nation's failure in preventing genocide and its legacy of massive corruption. Or they can see "Do As I Say," Nick Tucker's documentary about "the two-faced mantra 'Do as I say, not as I do' [that] has become the unwritten golden rule of modern liberalism."

If conservative comedy is more your speed, there's "An American Carol," the new parody from David Zucker. Following the screening of "An American Carol," AFR is hosting a pub crawl.

The extracurricular activities are among the highlights of the festival; in addition to the pub crawl, a series of parties invite audiences and talent to commingle (for a price). Tickets to the screenings and parties range from $15 to $40.

For a full schedule of festival events, times and locations, check out the AFR Web site, www.afrfilm.org/ticket.cfm.

Democrats ignore the rise of late Republican strategist Lee Atwater at their own peril, says Stefan Forbes, director of a new documentary about the charismatic political figure.

"Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story" recounts - from a decidedly left-tilting perspective - the stunning career and tragic death of the Southern-born strategist.

"Democrats don't understand the revolution that took place in the Republican Party under him," says Mr. Forbes, who says Mr. Atwater's playbook helped the party win the last two elections.

"I don't think Atwater is given sufficient credit for his influence on politics," Mr. Forbes says.

Mr. Atwater's story arc - that of a blues-loving, take-no-prisoners Southerner who scratched and clawed his way to become Vice President George H.W. Bush's campaign manager for his presidential run in 1988 and later became chairman of the Republican National Committee - begs for a cinematic treatment.

"It's a legendary American story, a Greek tragedy arc," says Mr. Forbes, who previously directed 2004's "One More Dead Fish," a documentary about globalization. "If you tried to write it as a novel, they'd laugh you out of the room."

Mr. Forbes' film traces Mr. Atwater's growth from his days playing fast and loose with local elections all the way to his use of the notorious "Willie Horton" ads, which helped Mr. Bush beat Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988.

Mr. Forbes spoke to Mr. Atwater's enemies as well as some of his longtime pals. Ultimately, viewers will have to sort out for themselves whether he achieved - or even sought - real balance.

"I ignored a lot of what had been written about Lee. I went with the people who knew him best," he says.

That included Republican strategist Ed Rollins, whose intense relationship with Mr. Atwater provides the film's most compelling subplot. The two clashed mightily over the years but still forged a bond that affected both deeply. Mr. Rollins' recollection of Mr. Atwater's passing will touch hearts on both sides of the aisle.

"Boogie Man" also includes plenty of folks from the left, including polemicist Eric Alterman of the Nation magazine. The writer's voice helps shape the story, which unfolds without narration but tells a compelling, cohesive story all the same.

Mr. Forbes says he wanted "Boogie Man" to show how Mr. Atwater represented a dark side of the American spirit. He needed to win and didn't care who suffered as a result, Mr. Forbes says, adding that the country also suffers when politicians apply dirty campaign tactics.

Mr. Atwater's colorful life attracted Mr. Forbes, but his final days battling brain cancer persuaded the filmmaker to tackle the project. The illness transformed Mr. Atwater's physical appearance, but his inner metamorphosis might have been just as profound.

"He was desperately looking for meaning. His closest friends say he was racked by guilt. ... He was afraid he was going to hell," Mr Forbes says. "Winning at all costs wasn't enough for Lee in the end."

Mr. Forbes' film details the contradictions and corrosive politics of its subject, but he came away with a grudging respect for Mr. Atwater.

The late strategist had plenty of flaws, but he inspired deep devotion in his friends, worked near miracles on the political scene and, ultimately, tapped into exactly what worked in the political system, for better or worse.

Check out the websites -- www.americancarolers.com, www.moovealong.org and www.americancarolgiveaway.com. And on Friday, October 3, 2008, go see this movie! Take some friends and make a night of it!

My wife and I will see it Friday night. I might buy 10 tickets in total just to get its box office numbers up and create some buzz.

That’s awesome! I have seen extensive clips and it is good stuff. You’ll especially enjoy “Rosie O’Donnell....

We need to support conservative films...particularly in the face of Michael Moore’s newest propaganda, Bill Maher’s diatribe on celluloid, etc.

First weekends are always important in movieland. If you are a Chris Farley fan....his brother plays a Michael Moore type of dude. And I have to tell you, it is uncanny how some of Kevin Farley’s mannerisms come through that are identical to Chris’.

Lots of Hollywood names make appearances. You’ll definitely get a chuckle out of it.

I really hope this flick doesn’t suck. I have to say I haven’t been too impressed by the trailers. But in any case, I applaud the effort.

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Making those who are so selflessly bringing more FREEDOM, and thus more...

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I would love to go see this movie.

On another note, the movie Fireproof opened up this weekend. I highly reccomend going to see this movie. It is the best movie to hit the theaters in years..

"RELIGULOUS"

What, no interviews with Muslims about the destructive forces of organized religion? Imagine that.

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