Campaign Documentaries: Behind-The-Scenes Perspectives Make Useful Teaching Tools
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Social Education 76(4), pp 182–186 ©2012 National Council for the Social Studies Campaign Documentaries: Behind-the-Scenes Perspectives Make Useful Teaching Tools David Wolfford Over the last 20 years, independent filmmakers have produced insightful alcohol, while riding emotional ups and documentaries of high profile political campaigns with behind-the-scenes footage. downs into a slap-happiness that enter- These documentaries offer inside looks and unique perspectives on electoral politics. tains the viewer. This campaign season, consider The War Room; A Perfect Candidate; Journeys With All films follow a similar chronolo- George; Chisholm ’72; Street Fight; and By the People as effective teaching tools for gy—from the candidate’s announcement conveying the complex issues and events related to political campaigns and elections. through the election—with a competi- tive narrative. A Perfect Candidate and Each of the above mentioned films are and TV advertising, while containing Street Fight, which covers a Newark artifacts of modern American political conflict, suspense, and emotional twists. mayoral race, sum up and analyze less- history. They reveal the intricacies of The films illustrate the rigors of cam- er-known elections, drawing students our electoral institutions, are worthy paigning, the irregular lifestyle, and the in as they look toward the resolution. of review and discussion in political personalities who take up the cause. If you find suspense a useful hook in science or other social studies classes, In both The War Room, which cap- your class, ask students to refrain from and can also help teachers cover state tures Bill Clinton’s 1992 run, and A Googling the election’s outcome until and national standards. As social studies Perfect Candidate, which follows Oli- the film is over. film specialist William Russell has noted, ver North’s 1994 Senate bid, campaign Some films include comic relief. movies elicit thoughtful questions, staff scarf down snacks on the go and Journeys with George, Alexandra “can increase student interest…[and] consume impromptu meals when pos- Pelosi’s portrayal of George W. Bush’s help evoke meaningful inquiry of sible. The War Room casts the odd 2000 quest for office, is a light-hearted topics, which allows students to make couple of strategist James Carville, a.k.a look at the race and at Bush. Journalists insightful decisions.” Marcus and the “Ragin’ Cajun,” and communica- poke fun at the candidates and at each Stoddard suggest films for “promoting tions director George Stephanopoulos. other. When Bush lets his guard down reasoned judgment, preparing citizens Protagonist Carville, “the bright kid and puts on a show for reporters, Pelosi for democracy, and deliberating the who doesn’t quite fit in socially but films him: on the campaign airplane common good.”1 I would add that high whose talents cannot be denied,” shifts blindfolded, bowling with oranges, and school students require vivid, real life from determined strategist to jolly on- exaggerating his Texas swagger. examples and colorful characters to looker to vengeful Clinton advocate.2 Much like parallel Hollywood explain complicated electoral concepts. Stephanopoulos serves as his reasoned, features, such as The Candidate and coolheaded sidekick. In A Perfect Can- Bulworth, these documentaries point Film Analysis didate, Mark Goodin, Ollie North’s to scandal, the marketing of candidates, The highlighted movies convey famil- campaign manager, is an intense per- the money game, and other bitter iar people and institutions, provide sonality who smokes, drinks, curses, campaign pills that disillusion citizens. examples of polling, image making, the and charms. He and his associates run Hypocrisy is exposed and the “best media’s role, campaign staff, debates, on minimal sleep, a little nicotine and candidate” doesn’t always win. This Social Education 182 cynicism may be overplayed, according is a colorful and inspiring presentation mouthed” and “manic.”4 Street Fight’s to R.J. Cutler who helped create both that covers New York Congresswoman Marshall Curry, on the other hand, The War Room and A Perfect Candidate. Shirley Chisholm’s quest for the planned his account of the 2002 He admits, “It’s hard to believe I would Democratic presidential nomination. Newark mayoral campaign in a vérité walk away uncynical of the process”; Producer Shola Lynch catalogues style, but found narration necessary for yet he contends our election system is Chisholm’s story with a mix of historical context. Curry’s is a more subtle role—a a good one, regardless of how the films footage and recent interviews, while victim of incumbent Mayor Sharpe might be received.3 James’s goons—while challenger Unlike classic informative Cory Booker’s fight in Newark documentary—with talking heads bare-knuckle politics remains the and stock footage—these faster- primary tale. paced, contemporary, independent films are more appealing to student Selecting the Right Film viewers. I particularly notice In selecting the right film for your increased attentiveness with films class, consider appropriateness, shot and produced in the cinéma perspective, and the election de- vérité style. Literally meaning picted. The films are generally ap- “cinema truth,” cinema vérité is propriate for high school students characterized by up-close-and- and have only mild adult themes personal shots, no narration, and and occasional adult language. no obvious filmmaker interference, Two movies touch on sex scan- making the audience feel involved, dals. In the opening minutes of as if events are unfolding in the The War Room, a reporter cheek- here and now. Filmmakers avoid ily asks former Clinton mistress narration and interviews to provide Gennifer Flowers at a press confer- a sense of real time chronology of ence, “Did Governor Clinton use a subjects who disregard the camera. condom?” In A Perfect Candidate, Viewers tend to forget that they are Virginia Senator Chuck Robb’s watching something that has been indiscretions become an issue and recorded, edited, and discussed. his mistress becomes a Playboy Verité classics include Primary cover girl. At one point in Journeys (1961), a look at the Kennedy- With George, the press bus slowly Humphrey Wisconsin primary passes a demonstrator mooning election, and Don’t Look Back the convoy with “Raise Minimum (1967), which follows Bob Dylan’s Wage” printed on his posterior. last acoustic tour in England. D.A. maintaining viewer attention with split Foul language can be heard to some de- Pennebaker worked on both of these screens and a funky score à la 1972. gree in all these films because it can be films. It is fitting, then, that Pennebaker Street Fight and Journeys With heard in the backrooms of all campaigns. and his wife Chris Hegedus pioneered George are vérité-leaning, however, None earned an R rating. If such scenes the modern campaign film with The their filmmakers interact with the raise concern at your school, consider War Room. More recently, lighter digital subject, read voiceover, and become parental permission forms or cautiously equipment has opened the door for part of the story. Both include pre- skip the rare offensive segment. other documentarians to capture their arranged interviews and impromptu In addition to governing the subjects and present them in the vérité conversations. Alexandra Pelosi recalls appropriate, teachers should strive for style. A Perfect Candidate and By the that George W. Bush, “realized he was accuracy and consider objectivity in film. People, which follows Barack Obama’s either going to be the butt of the joke or These documentaries use entirely real quest for the presidency, followed suit. the star of the show. So he decided to be footage, talk to real people, and are thus The other three films under review the star.” In reality, Bush is at times the realistic. Don Baker, The Washington are performance documentaries, where butt of the joke while Pelosi competes Post reporter who plays the ref in A either the filmmaker’s artistic creation for the star role, injecting herself into Perfect Candidate, says of its directors’ is central to the movie’s appeal, or the story and briefly highlighting her commitment to accuracy, “I think they the filmmaker appears in the film. developing romance with another scored ‘A Perfect 10.’”5 Collectively, Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed reporter. One review labels her “motor candidates’ post-election critiques September 2012 183 of these films have fallen short of allowed them with cameras, in the Little proving any factual misrepresentations Rock headquarters.8 While trying to and instead sound more like general film Street Fight, Marshall Curry was complaints of unsatisfactory media denied entrance to events by the James coverage. Though accurate, each campaign and was often harassed by STUDENT tells a story with a viewpoint. We James's security detail when attempting must remember that independent to film at a park or public event. QUESTIONS filmmakers are not beat reporters and Is it better to show a presidential most documentaries don’t purport to campaign or a different campaign? be front-page journalism. “[C]riticizing Chisholm ‘72, War Room, Journeys documentary films for their lack of With George, and By the People focus What are the candidates’ names and objectivity is akin to lambasting an on presidential contests, while A party affiliations? How does the film editorial because it is not a ‘just the Perfect Candidate and Street Fight introduce the candidate(s)? facts’ news story,” says Diana Hess. A showcase down-ballot contests. The film’s noticeable slant should not rule presidential campaign films show the How does the filmmaker treat the it out for class, but should rather offer stages and institutions of our national different candidates? teachable moments in media literacy. elections: the primary system, national Marcus and Stoddard agree that these conventions, and the Electoral College. What candidates’ positions reveal perspectives “should not be eschewed There are obvious benefits to showing their party ideology? Do they ever or removed but highlighted and one of these during the fall of 2012.