Politics and Film

Resource person: Audra Bullard - office@clehighlands.com

Description:

It has often been said that we are what we eat. Similarly, we are in some ways what we pay to see. Popular movies and television shows reflect contemporary social and political trends. To be profitable, movies and television shows must be responsive to the market. They must not only satisfy our desire to be entertained, but they must also tell stories we are willing to buy. In this talk I will examine not only what popular (top grossing) movies and television say, but what they say about us. Almost any movie or television series can be deconstructed, and they don’t have to be overtly political. Think about offerings as varied as I Love Lucy and The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Ted Lasso and Barbie. The purpose of this talk is to provoke a fresh perspective on the interpretation of television and film.

Presenter: Daniel Franklin is Associate Professor of Political Science, Emeritus at Georgie State University. His areas of specialization were American Chief Executives, Film and Politics, Georgia State Politics, and Budgeting and the Legislative Process. He is the former Director of the Georgia Legislative Internship Program and a former Distinguished Honors Professor. He is the author of seven books, numerous articles and reviews. His latest book on The Politics of Presidential Impeachment (with Robert Caress, Robert Sanders and Cole Tarratoot), was published by the SUNY University Press (2020) and included in their American Constitutionalism Series. He is also currently the doorkeeper at the Georgia Senate.

Notes: Cancellation Policy Please let us know immediately if you are unable to attend a class. There is no refund for cancellations within two (2) weeks prior to a scheduled class. Programs that include food, beverage or art materials must be canceled within three (3) weeks prior to receive a refund. CLE reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment has not been met or for circumstances beyond our control, and participants will be notified, a complete refund will be issued. All classes are held in the CLE Lecture Hall at the Peggy Crosby Center unless otherwise noted. In the event information has changed from the published brochure, it will be posted on our website and in our e-blasts. Addresses for “private home” venues will be provided to registrants within 2 days of the program date.

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