Item Detail Information

DVD

The First Amendment project

Copies

1 Total copies, 1 Copies are in, 0 Copies are out.

Fox vs. Franken: In an absurd convergence of circumstances, Fox News filed a lawsuit against liberal imp Al Franken (they objected to his parody of their slogan "fair and balanced") in order to coddle star pundit Bill O'Reilly. The real joke is how badly Fox's efforts to muscle Franken backfired, putting them in the middle of a story so crazy, it reads like something Franken could have invented for one of his own books. Poetic license: Explores the uproar surrounding controversial poet Amiri Baraka, and the furor over Baraka's post-9/11 poem, "Somebody Blew Up America," in which the poet draws a difficult comparison between the terrorist attack and long-simmering internal problems in America that have been elided in our outrage toward foreign enemies. Marxist Baraka has long been known for his confrontational writing designed to challenge the white establishment, particularly during the "black power" heyday of the '60s. Some assembly required: This film examines the protests during the 2004 Republican National Convention focusing on the disconnect between society's desire for order and the NYPD's overzealous application of force in stamping out potential threats to the placid image of the GOP's "big tent." Mainstream media downplayed the protests to the point of near-invisibility during the convention, so this portrait of articulate protesters serves as a corrective.

Share It:

Availability Summary MARC Cover Image Additional Info

Summary Note

Fox vs. Franken: In an absurd convergence of circumstances, Fox News filed a lawsuit against liberal imp Al Franken (they objected to his parody of their slogan "fair and balanced") in order to coddle star pundit Bill O'Reilly.  The real joke is how badly Fox's efforts to muscle Franken backfired, putting them in the middle of a story so crazy, it reads like something Franken could have invented for one of his own books.
Poetic license: Explores the uproar surrounding controversial poet Amiri Baraka, and the furor over Baraka's post-9/11 poem, "Somebody Blew Up America," in which the poet draws a difficult comparison between the terrorist attack and long-simmering internal problems in America that have been elided in our outrage toward foreign enemies.  Marxist Baraka has long been known for his confrontational writing designed to challenge the white establishment, particularly during the "black power" heyday of the '60s.
Some assembly required: This film examines the protests during the 2004 Republican National Convention focusing on the disconnect between society's desire for order and the NYPD's overzealous application of force in stamping out potential threats to the placid image of the GOP's "big tent."  Mainstream media downplayed the protests to the point of near-invisibility during the convention, so this portrait of articulate protesters serves as a corrective.

General Note

Special features: Fox vs. Franken: Comic strips [PDF file, requires a DVD-ROM drive and Adobe Reader], Director biographies [text feature]; Poetic license: Mario Van Peebles: interview outtakes (5 min.), Amiri Baraka outtakes (17 min.), Amiri Baraka: Official statement [PDF file, requires a DVD-ROM drive and Adobe Reader], Director biography [text feature]; Some assembly required: Deleted scene: Profile of a protester (3 min.), Photo gallery [slide show], Director biography [text feature]; About Docurama [text feature]; Catalog/trailers.

Content Note

Fox vs. Franken /Sundance Channel Home Entertainment & Court TV present ; a film by Nick Doob, Chris Hagedus ; produced by Rebecca Marshall and Frazer Pennebaker (2004) (23 min.) -- Poetic license / Sundance Channel & Court TV present ; directed by  Mario Van Peebles ; a Johnsonworks Inc. & MVP production ; producers, Mario Van Peebles, Marc Henry Johnson (2004) (25 min.) -- Some assembly required / Sundance Channel & Court TV present ; a Mr. Mudd production of ; a small documentary by John Walter ; producers, Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith (2004) (23 min.).