Slacker Uprising (2008).

The Scoop:
Typically, new releases are outside the scope of the Movie Spot, but because today is election day in the U.S., we're making an exception.

Michael Moore's new film "Slacker Uprising" documents his national college tour in the run-up to the 2004 presidential election, trying to register new voters and raise awareness off the issues at stake. To get the college kids involved, he offers a number of slacker enticements, such as free Ramen noodles, clean underwear and musical performances from the likes of Eddie Vedder, Tom Morello and Steve Earle. In his speeches, Moore offers the same viewpoints and passion we've come to expect from him, along with some stumping for John Kerry. (Of course, Kerry's campaign was ultimately futile and poorly-run, something Moore was able to admit in hindsight in the editing process.) The tour took place in the wake of the release of "Fahrenheit 9/11" so there is also plenty of reaction to that film, and to Moore's credit he includes plenty of conservative criticism as well.

But at 97 minutes, the message begins to wear thin after a while. The terrific musical performances help the time go by, but there isn't much diversity in the storyline otherwise. Still, the message is important, and there are certainly worse ways to spend 97 minutes of your life.

Now get out there and vote!

Best Bit:
Moore's promises to a group of Republican hecklers about the fair treatment they can expect from a Democratic administration.

Side Note:
Not only is the film available as a free download, Moore has also given anyone permission to stage public showings of the film, free of copyright.

Companion Viewing:
"Fahrenheit 9/11" (2004) and "The Big One" (1997).

Links:
IMDb.
The official site, where you can download it for free for a limited time, or order a DVD copy.

Take a Look:
The trailer:


The full film:

The Commies are Coming, the Commies are Coming (1962).

The Scoop:
This video release is actually two propaganda shorts from the early '60s packaged together to show red-baiting at its paranoid height.

A school civics lesson that made good, the first short is "Red Nightmare," which was made as an educational film and distributed to schools (although it also had at least one primetime television showing.) It featuring Joe Friday himself, Jack Webb, narrating the story of an everyday, red-blooded, all-American father who wakes up one day to find the country overrun by Communists who take away all his rights. Boy howdy, does he learn his lesson quick not to take his freedoms for granted. With its extensive cast (most of whom went on to TV stardom in one form or another) and respectable production values, its obvious this was a love child of Jack Warner's, whose studio produced it for the Defense Department.

The second short is a government training film with the catchy title "Army Information Film No. 7: Code of Conduct - To Resist." It was intended for soldiers, with Webb explaining exactly what to do if captured by the enemy.

If you only ever watch one piece of Cold War propaganda, make this the one. It is anti-Communist paranoia in its purest form, soaring to operatic heights.

Best Line:
There are so many. Most of the Communist dialogue is along the lines of this chestnut: "One day we will destroy their bourgeoise capitalist freedoms."

Side Note:
The city square set on the Warner's backlot where much of "Red Nightmare" was shot was later used for both "Bye, Bye Birdie" (1963) and "Back to the Future" (1985).

Companion Viewing:
"The Atomic Cafe" (1982).

Links:
IMDb.
"Red Nightmare" fan site.

Take a Look:
Here's "Red Nightmare" in its entirety: