
ShareAll sharing options for:An A-Z of Film & Politics
- Twitter (opens in new window)
- Facebook (opens in new window)
- Linkedin (opens in new window)
- Reddit (opens in new window)
- Pocket (opens in new window)
- Flipboard (opens in new window)
- Email (opens in new window)
With election fever gripping Britain tighter by the day, Roobla thought it was time to throw its own hat into the ring. So here’s an alphabetical rundown on how film and politics aren’t too dissimilar and can be equally as exciting, or dull, as each other.
A is for Arnie, as in Arnold Schwarzenneger. The former Governor of California will soon be back in Terminator: Genisys.
B is for bottle. Whatever your opinion, you have to admire anyone who’s got the nerve to make a public speech or utter some lines in front of a camera.
C is for Clint Eastwood. One of the most successful actors-turned-directors of all time was famously the Mayor of Carmel for two years in the 1980s.
D is for dialogue – and what’s said in the movies is usually more realistic than what’s said in Parliament.
E is for epic. We’ve been treated to a few of these over the years, but this election campaign makes them all seem like a mere blink of an eye.
F is for facts. Both Hollywood and Westminster seem to be very selective in this department…hmmmm…
G is for Glenda Jackson. Before joining the Labour Party she starred in such films as Sunday Bloody Sunday and Mary, Queen of Scots.
H is for horror – an ever-popular movie genre, not so when it comes to politics.
I is for ‘Iron Lady’, nickname of the one and only Margaret Thatcher and title of the acclaimed biopic starring Meryl Streep.
J is for JFK, whose assassination has provided inspiration for countless movies and is the title of the most famous of the lot, Oliver Stone‘s 1991 masterpiece.
K is for kiss-ass because, let’s face it, whether you’re David Cameron or James Cameron, you need to resort to a bit of this somewhere on the way to the top.
L is for Lincoln, the film about the 16th President of the United States, portrayed in 2012 by Daniel Day-Lewis to Oscar-winning effect.
M is for The Manchurian Candidate. Classic 1962 Cold War political thriller.
N is for Nixon – Richard Nixon. Another President who has been the subject of his fair share of films, the most notable being Frost/Nixon, All The President’s Men and, you’ve guessed it, Nixon.
O is for opinion polls. From who’ll take residence at Number 10 to who’s the sexiest male, they all make for interesting reading, even if they’re a little inaccurate from time to time.
P is for policy – every party has one, although Hollywood’s seems to be remaking and sequelling every film in existence.
Q is for questions; in particular, what the hell persuaded me to write this in the first place?
R is for Ronald Reagan, the first and only actor to become U.S. President, and who starred in no less than 53 motion pictures.
S is for Selma, the award-laden account of Martin Luther King‘s epic 1965 march.
T is for turkey. We’ll let you fill in the blanks for this one.
U is for undecided. I still don’t know who I’m voting for and, after all these years, when someone asks me that million dollar question about my favourite film of all time…stunned silence.
V is for votes. Whether it’s Oscar night or election night, they’re all that count.
W is for ‘What are they on about?’ MPs are famous for their nonsensical spiel, but there’s been many an awards acceptance speech that has left us dumbfounded.
X is for X – Malcolm X. Denzel Washington portrayed the civil rights figurehead back in 1992, and thank God he did because ‘xylophone’ just wouldn’t have worked in this feature.
Y is for yawn. Inevitably, there’s more than a few of us out there who are finding the race for Number 10 about as exciting as Titanic.
Z is for zzzzzzz. Although there are also a few of us who find both of those absolutely thrilling, the trouble is that sometimes they can be on the box far too late. Should you choose to, enjoy watching the action unfold!
Discussion feed