The American Street : Define America With This Palette

The American Street

There's a meme going around that challenges you to choose 10 movies that explain America. My Comments:

Wow, what a question. I don't know if I can do it either, but here's an attempt:

1) The Buchaneer -Yule Brenner as Jean LaFitte and Charleton Heston as Andrew Jackson. To me it represents the best view of the Age.

2) I Will Fight No More Forever - Chief Joseph summed it up for the Native Americans who survived.

3) Gone With the Wind - sorry, but it's the only really sweeping Civil War movie I've seen that shows what was lost as well what was gained. People need to understand that the South still functions very much as an occupied people. I'm not saying that's good, or right, it just is, and understanding that is important to understand why "red states" vote the way they do.

4) It's a mini-series, but I think Holocaust is a good choice to depict Fascism. I don't watch war movies any more, so I can't say much about newer ones.

5) Iron Jawed Angels is an HBO production, but people need to see it to understand that there's more to feminism than whether to work or be a mommy.

6) JFK shows the end of American Democracy. Thanks, Poppy.

7) Silkwood or China Syndrome - I'll go with Silkwood because its a true story and she was actually murdered.

8) This will seem a strange choice, but it's my list - Practical Magic because Witches are still being persecuted in this country and I want us represented in some way. Inherit the Wind would have been the more PC choice.

9) Mrs. Parker and the Viscious Circle sums up American arts for me.
Self-conscious, depressed, rebellious and fueled by gin. Pollack is a close second.

10) Bush's Brain, which shows how destructive repressed homosexual feelings can be when they're sublimated to politics.

Runners-up:
Footloose is the only example of religious fanaticism I can think of right now;
Syriana which I haven't seen yet, but I've seen the writer speak about it and it sounds like a good depiction of oil and politics;
Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 should be there, too.
Forest Gump does a great job of covering the Baby Boomer years.

I have a special affection for Matewan because that's near here and my dad loves the movie.
American Psycho sums the late 1900's up quite well.
Thunderheart should be on the list as well.

I agree - it takes about 25 to cover it satisfactorily.