Review of Network (1976) by Ken S — 10 Sep 2011
"Television is not the truth! Television is a God-damned amusement park! Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, side-show freaks, lion tamers, and football players. We're in the boredom-killing business!".
That about sums up Network. A sledgehammer satire which does lay it on a bit thick at times but for it to still be so relevant 35 years on says a lot for not only the message but the way in which it was conveyed. The drama in the depiction of the television network in question is as much in the private lives of those involved as the actual network's dealings. It's a bleak portrayal of the decay of television as an artform and it holds more weight with every passing year. For all the banality of another reality show or another mind numbing talent contest the commodification of art in our world takes a another step nearer to the sheer mayhem that is portrayed in Lumet's film. As for the acting, I particularly enjoyed Holden and Finch.
This review of Network (1976) was written by Ken S on 10 Sep 2011.
Network has generally received very positive reviews.
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