Review of Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia (2013) by Tim M — 02 Jan 2016

I've been really into biographical documentaries lately. This one, available on Netflix, is done with a variety of clever archival clips and photos, and witty modern day interviews with Vidal and those close to him.

Gore Vidal is descended from a long line of liberals and as a homosexual has never had to keep his sexuality closeted quite like other people in the public eye. He was and is an opinionated raconteur.

I am curious to see the other new documentary Best of Enemies that goes in more depth about the debates between Vidal and Buckley. Those televised political debates are a major focus of this film too, but we are introduced to the full range of work from novels, to film and theater, to essays about many cultural and political topics that Vidal has bestowed upon us.

He talks about the myth and legends of America and about the evil of war. Vidal says, "Dr. Kinsey's great gift to the world was to tell us what people actually did sexually, as opposed to what they were supposed to do.

" He didn't decide on the career of a writer, he has simply always been a writer, he has that gift.