Chicago 10

Chicago 10

***

Reviewed by: Tony Sullivan

In 1968, with Vietnam in full swing and Lyndon Johnson sending more conscripted troops to the increasingly unpopular conflict, a group of radicals and hippies envisioned a peace march to coincide with the Democrat’s political rally.

This resulted in a showdown between the forces of Government and 15,000 protesters in the second city of the US.

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What makes the clash particularly severe is the extreme prejudice from the older generation against the ‘counterculture’ of the radicals - the "long-haired-pinko-faggots" - so detested by the establishment.

It is no coincidence that such a film has been released in the face of a similar conflict and obstinate Government in relation to the conflict in Iraq.

Has Brett Morgen made the definitive call to arms for the youth of today to rise up and question authority?

The parallels are there, but we seem to be missing the orators who could mobilise a disgruntled public, who, if truth be told, are not that disgruntled in the first place.

By the use of dashing visual animation (similar to Richard Linklater’s animated efforts), dynamic editing and a bombastic soundtrack featuring covers of the likes of Black Sabbath, Morgen attempts to incite the audience.

Watching the movie I understand the rage, the desire to do something, am amused by the antics of protester Abbie Hoffman and his peers and ultimately depressed that very few are motivated enough to change anything these days, except complain about the price of petrol... and that includes me.

Reviewed on: 20 Jan 2007
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Dramatised reconstruction and archival footage concerning the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago the subsequent “civil unrest” and trials that followed.

Director: Brett Morgen

Writer: Brett Morgen

Starring: Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker, David Dellinger, Abbie Hoffman, William Kunstler, Nick Nolte, Jerry Rubin, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Liev Schreiber, Bobby Seale

Year: 2006

Runtime: 95 minutes

Country: USA

Festivals:

Sundance 2007

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