MovieChat Forums > Bob Roberts (1992) Discussion > It's pretty sad this movie has been buri...

It's pretty sad this movie has been buried.


as it's quite good. From top to bottom this is an excellent film and i'd say one of the finest political satires of the past 20 years to be certain, to say nothing of being in the top 10 mockumentaries.

here's hoping it continues to see life in the DVD world.

The times are changin' back?
I hope not.

-C.

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This movie was great and I agree with you . it was one of the finest satires of the politcal system ever on screen.

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Absolutely one of the best movies I have ever seen. What's more haunting and eerily effective then a right wing folk singer singing hippy folk songs about ending the love way of life? The scariest part is that if someone like Bob Roberts ever ran, he'd win by a landslide. Also, did anyone else pick up on the fact that he may have been the anti-Christ? The man he was running against said something about the distinct whiff of sulfur when Bob passed him. Any one else get that or was it already incredibly obvious?

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I think the senator was being sarcastic and simply saying that Roberts was a very dodgy character. But I still found this film chilling because of how truthful it is.

"If you're not cheating, you're not trying"- Eddie Guerrero

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I tried to start a new topic, but for some reason it kept taking me to a user options kind of screen. Anyway...

I was wondering if anyone knew the Original Aspect Ratio that Bob Roberts was filmed and presented theatrically in... I just bought the DVD (which only comes in 1.33:1) and it says both "presented in its original aspect ratio" AND "modified from its original version to fit your screen." Damn contradictory DVD boxes!

EDIT: I just checked the "technical specs" part of the website (which I didn't see before... sorry) and it says that it was presented in 1.85:1 theatrically BUT the DVDs have only seen the light of day in 1.33:1 and even the laserdiscs have been mostly 1.33:1, except the German release which was 1.50:1 (for some reason).

Dammit, I hate it when they modify the freakin' picture for no reason. I want to see it the way Tim Robbins wanted it to look.

-drucifer

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When Artisan bought Live (the video distributors, while Paramount did the theatrical release), the widescreen prints were somehow thrown away (this happened to most titles, films such as First Blood, Terminator 2 ,and other Carolco, and possibly, no widescreen home prints even tracked up, explaining the full screen DVD. Another example is the Fright Night Part II DVD, the film was filmed in Panavision (presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the true 2.35:1 scope aspect ratio), but cropped to the full screen aspect ratio because the widescreen prints were thrown away when Live bought Vestron (and the same was done when Artisan bought Live on titles not owned by Carolco or Miramax) and no widescreen prints made it to video for mastering. So in short, Artisan screwed up 75% of films in their own library, and they don't listen to fans. That and House Of The Dead caused them to be bought out.

The Godfather Part II:Greatest Ever

"My name is Buck and I like to f---"
Kill Bill Vol. 1

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While I think the sulfur line was sarcasm, I think it is intentional that they show Bob actually could walk at the end. The Book of Revelation says the Antichrist is to survive a fatal wound, although I believe it is to be a head wound. I wouldn't be terribly surprised to find the writers intended the connection.

http://scarypersonals.com

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There's a tall, handsome young Ivy-league Republican on the rise who is a real scoundrel and a perfect match for a real-life Bob Roberts. He is charismatic, extremely well-connected and has been predicting he will be the 45th (next) president of the US since his college days. He could very well be the antichrist too. His name is Ben Sasse. He is currently running for Senator of Nebraska.

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for a long time, this movie was my definition of a horror movie... :)

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Yes, it was buried, the fact that it ever was released at all, let alone with hardly any promotion is almost a miracle. I'm assuming you dn't know the back story.

Don't purposefully misrepresent my words, Bob Roberts has been almost forgotten even among political movies, let alone "cult filmes" in general.

as for the rest of your comments, Republicans control all 3 branches of the government, something the framers of the constitution never intended... Cry me a *beep* river ok?

-C.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/neutron_x/
http://www.replicator5000.com

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I only saw this movie because I've been trying to watch everything James Spader has ever been in and, hey, this movie's on the list. I thought it was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. One of the greatest things about it, though, is that it shows the problems of both lefties and right-wing bastards. We lefties aren't as good at communicating with the "common man," as shown rather too glaringly in the last presidential election, and the Republicans, who rely on things like greed and power that we can all associate with, are invariably smarmy and kind of gross. They do tend to have good hair, though. I think it's pretty revealing that a right-wing poster here has instantly decided that the movie is so completely liberal that he deems it propaganda, when the movie actually shows a pretty negative view of both sides. And then we resort to throwing tomatoes at each other. Yes, the movie is liberal. Yes, it stars liberal actors who were doing it for love, not money. Yes, it's virtually unheard of. But it's not completely pro-left and anyone who can say that is squinching his blinkers pretty close to his nose.

And James Spader was brilliant in it, as always.

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Yes, it's sad, and not surprising.
Not because there's some massive conspiracy. The movie is not a Republican-basher; it bashes corrupt politicians everywhere. It's just too strong and too in-your-face for today's America. Strong satire like this makes people uncomfortable, because they know deep inside that if a candidate like Bob came along, they would probably vote for him too. The film showed the ugly side of Democracy and of US politics, not of any one specific political party.

"Mmmm... Unprocessed fish sticks."

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So the GOP buried the movie? Thousands of movies are released each year but somehow a 13 year old film is "buried" by some evil censors.

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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What do you mean by buried? I haven't been able to find it in video stores since around the 9/11 events. Hmm.

_ _ _

"Why spend your life making someone else's dreams come true?"

-- Ed Wood, the movie

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actually they're playing it on a local TV station here in Texas (and will continue to throughout September) ... that's how I found out about it. I don't think anyone has been actively trying to bury it.

and I think it's a fantastically funny movie.

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You're right, it should be burned and dissolved in sulphuric acid first!

Q: What are they doing? Why do they come here?
A: Instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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spoken as a true right wing american patsy

There is another reality...NEVERWHERE

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You are confusing a crummy partisan movie with reality. Just like Robbins and his ilk deny there were Communists in Hollywood and make heroes out of Party members. Really, I missed the story about all the right wingers attacking Robbins and burning the theaters and video stores that carried the film. Meanwhile, in PC land, the Muslims are peaceful, tolerant victims and the US is the terrorist nation.

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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i really enjoy the "mockumentary" genre of films ........ esp. the Christopher Guest movies such as "best in show," "spinal tap" and "waiting for guffman."

have just recently become aware of this movie, haven't really looked for it yet in the libraries or video stores, but i think i would really like this movie. however, i seriously doubt there has been any nefarious plot to make this movie disappear.

but the ascerbic, sarcastic, intolorent and ignorant comments by "jakefree" and his ilk make me embarrased to admit being a republican.



A Man's a Man for A' That

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Excuse me, but what is ignorant about my comments? Do you have a problem with the facts? If not, shut your brainless gib. I'd love to debate you so everyone can see what an ignorant corn-fed conformist GOP robot you are! Mockumentaries are cool, but to totally savage the conservative while idolizing a leftist hack like Gore Vidal is not very balanced. Where are all the left wing fellow travellers from Hollywood in the script?; they wrote the script you schlemiel.

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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Now it would be ignorant for me to debate you without having seen this movie, wouldnt't it. And i must assume you have seen the movie from your razor sharp witty criticism of it.

But i can say this .......... venemous intolerance = ignorance.

And the leap from burning film (and books) to burning people is not a long one.



A Man's a Man for A' That

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I own the vhs cassette that I bought used.

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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Whether there were or were not "Commies" in Hollywood isn't important. What IS important is to understand that people like you imply that it's illegal to be a Communist.

I am NOT one, however I don't deny their right to free assembly, speech, peaceful action, etc.

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No, it's not technically illegal, but if someone shills for murderous totalitarian regimes, with monsters like Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, Sung the norm, it's best not to use euphemisms like progressive and deny they are a Communists. It's really hypocritical to hide behind civil rights and free speech when your masters have none of that "nonsense" in their "workers' paradise".

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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I know it's 9 years since this dumbo posted his ignorant and obnoxious comments but it seems to me that he had/has NEVER watched the movie. This brilliant satire gave neither GOP or Democrats a free kick from the electorate.
One of the best movie re politics you could hope to see.

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Actually you patronizing arrogant little twat with bad taste, I watched it several times since I used to (maybe I still do) own it on VHS
And no it wasn't the best movie in politics unless you are some little geek who gets his whole worldview from MSNBC or the UK Guardian
And I didn't see where it attacked the Democrats much either, so maybe you never watched it. They showed Bob guilty of murder and framing another guy for it, you contemptible liar. So how could it had savaged the Democrats as well when all you saw of the other candidate was him talking?

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Ha ha - so you've watched it all those times and still the satire goes right over your head. One helluva dumbo alright.

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Sorry you mendacious pompous twit, but are you having a monologue with yourself

What are they doing? Why do they come here?
Some kind of instinct, memory, what they used to do.

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Ha ha ha.

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Cracking movie, full of some great lines and a scenario that is all too real. I don't stand with alot of what Tim Robbins says but I stand by his right to say them. Quite interesting to watch it now 13 years later and it's all the more relevant concerning Saddam etc. This film is big in the UK.

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I'd say some of the foam-at-the-mouth right wing commentators on this message board are proof enough of how accurate (and prescient) this movie really is.

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leftists always love to blame some vague "right- wing conspiracy" boogeymen. Remember, Billary were saying ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING to get out of there many, scandals, Bill Clinton only won in '92 because of ross perot and with that springboard had 4 years to hoodwink a majority of voters in '96 - not that Bob Old, i mean Dole helped.so the gop waited, picked and planned and at last in 2000 it was time for Revenge of the Sith with chancellor Bush coming to power and the Clone War on Terror. Does anyone here realize that the Star Wars series really is a political allegory?

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I thought the movie was hilarious (oh and for the record, I'm a conservative, well in Canada anyway) - though about half the time somewhat unintentional. I liked how they played the liberals in the movie as being very over-the-top and hysterical in their own way, even if the movie agreed with them. Brickley Paiste was a dead-on picture of an aging circa 1960 old-style Democrat.

As for Perot's impact in 1992 - that is very over-stressed. Only 12% of voters in 1996 (according to exit polls http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/elections/natl.exit.poll/index1.html)
had voted for Perot in '92 - so a lot of Perot supporters wouldn't have voted without a strong Reform presence on the ballot (if you look at 1992 exit polls most of Perot's backers were themselves, independents, and he did equally well among liberal, moderate and conservative independents). Of those that switched to the other parties, Dole had a 22 point lead. However, 22% of the 12% of the electorate only amounts to about 4%. Bush would have still trailed by 2 points. Assuming a uniform gain of 4 points for Bush across the country, he would only pick up 68 electoral college votes, meaning Clinton would still win, 302 to 236.

On top of that, of the marginal states Georgia, Kentucky and New Jersey were particularly weak for Perot, so Bush might not even get those.


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Does anyone here realize that the Star Wars series really is a political allegory?

Sure, if you're lazy enought to only learn political science from your movie theatre or ComicCon.

Clinton won going away in '92, and with both houses also Democratic, it didn't take long to abuse priviledges: scandals abounding, without adequate checks and balances, and... bye-bye to Dems in the House

Fast forward to 2006, both houses Republican: scandals abounding, without adequate checks and balances, and... bye-bye to Cons in the House.

Where's the Star Wars parallel there? How about the Death Star exploding?

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