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Orwell Rolls in His Grave

Play trailer Orwell Rolls in His Grave 2003 1h 24m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Filmmakers examine the media's effects on democracy.

Critics Reviews

View All (24) Critics Reviews
Jonathan Curiel San Francisco Chronicle For some, Pappas' film will simply confirm everything they've suspected of the fourth estate. For others, it will be a reiteration of points they make themselves. Those who've never thought about these issues may be in for the shock of their lives. Rated: 4/4 Aug 27, 2004 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post Comes across as a political science course videotape rather than a movie to fully engage a general audience. Jul 30, 2004 Full Review Kevin Crust Los Angeles Times Enlightening, at times disturbing, and always provocative. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 29, 2004 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 4.5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review MaryAnn Johanson Flick Filosopher [N]one of this is news. But seeing it laid out so bare... is infuriating. Jan 12, 2005 Full Review Robert Roten Laramie Movie Scope Orwell's predictions have come sadly true. Rated: B Oct 24, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (43) audience reviews
Audience Member If you've ever wondered why people in trailer parks are voting to lower the taxes of billionaires, This documentary will have you smacking your forehead and saying, "It's the media stupid!" Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member This documentary written and directed by Robert Kane Pappas is a relevant one for the modern society because covers topics including the Telecommunications Act of 1996, concentration of media ownership, political corruption, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the controversy over the US presidential election of 2000 (particularly in Florida with Bush v. Gore), and the October surprise conspiracy theory. On the other hand, I can see the similarities with all other systems of control in China, Russia, Middle East and even Europe. It seems that government quickly follow up each other when they have to take freedom of speech from their citizens, regardless the political views. I cannot say that I didn't like the documentary: it was relevant, had trustworthy experts who know their subjects extremely well, it had facts, it had plenty of interviews... but somehow it was too dry and lecturing for my taste. I am a lecturer myself, and the most important thing is to involve the audience into the lecture! This documentary didn't do that for me - I was always aware that this is presented information to provide me with truth which should alter my views on democracy in the United States. No need for that in my case, because I was an owner of a radio station in the late 80's and I know a thing or two about the subject, and all I wanted is to enjoy the presentation. Well, that was hard if you are just lining up the presenters and facts. I was thinking to show this to my students, but I will edit parts of it before doing that, because in this form is a little bit too hard to "chew" the complicated subject of taking a democracy from the "demos" to the 1% of the US population! George Orwel's "1984" seems like a paradise compared with today's laws in the "Western Freedom" countries, with US as a leader. Recommended for the information and revelation, not artistic value! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Amazing yet great follow up to the film of 1956 and book "1984". "Orwell Rolls in His Grave is a 2003 documentary film written and directed by Robert Kane Pappas. Covered topics include the Telecommunications Act of 1996, concentration of media ownership, political corruption, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the controversy over the US presidential election of 2000 (particularly in Florida with Bush v. Gore), and the October surprise conspiracy theory."--Wikipedia [img]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9Kqovhn-eU7m5t3K-eP6wP1z1JC7BoGw_nUheRWW3AfSuy4ddpg[/img] SEE the entire 3 hour documentary film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_lYGyIaK80 REVIEWS: 100% Nauseatingly relevant to the entire western world, 'Orwell Rolls In His Grave' is an intelligent, well-structured and convincing condemnation of American ... [img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStmR2ueSIY0_ryKPdxVg0TRyrQTa9f2Xw1amgjnDQ_PIdH2B10[/img] CAST or Contributors: Charles Lewis, Founder, Center for Public Integrity Robert W. McChesney, Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Mark Crispin Miller, Author, Professor, New York University Bernie Sanders, Congressman from Vermont (I) Mark Lloyd, Visiting Professor M.I.T. Greg Palast, Investigative journalist Vincent Bugliosi, Attorney, Author Aurora Wallace, Associate Professor, New York University Michael Moore, Filmmaker, Author Danny Schechter, Filmmaker, Author John Nichols, Journalist/Columnist: Capitol Times, The Nation Peter Mitchelmore, Former Editor of the New York Post Jeff Cohen, Founder of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) Tim Robbins, Actor, Director, Writer, Activist and Founder of The Actor's Gang Dennis Kucinich, Congressman, Ohio (D); Presidential Candidate Maurice Hinchey, Congressman, New York (D) Tony Benn, Former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister Jim Ryan, Anchor, Good Day New York, FOX5 Joe Klines, Producer, FOX5 News at 10, Atlanta Byron L. Dorgan, Senator, North Dakota (D) Tom Daschle, Senator, Minority Leader, South Dakota (D) Janine Jackson, FAIR Program Director Trent Lott, Senator, Mississippi (R) Michael K. Powell, (R) FCC Chairman Kathleen Q. Abernathy, (R) FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps, (D) FCC Commissioner Andrew Schwartzman, Media Access Project [img]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSU8CqjXCdHhqnqQ5TUAE9UGY-T39VbJzDBO6Xm5QGbss9pzVBK2A[/img] Directed by Robert Kane Pappas Produced by Robert Kane Pappas Music by Chris Jagich Cinematography J. Alan Hostetter Robert Kane Pappas Editing by Robert Kane Pappas Release date(s) October 2003 (East Hampton Film Festival) July 23, 2004 (New York) April 13, 2005 (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema) in Argentina Running time 84 minutes [img]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTM1kL20f12EbqglnWpu1HDc-qg_hOkKj5yJjlzczVoqtImRXEZ[/img] Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member say hello to your business. I mean, government. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Heard all this before. But it never gets boring. Having read 1984 helped... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Nauseatingly relevant to the entire western world, 'Orwell Rolls In His Grave' is an intelligent, well-structured and convincing condemnation of American social manipulation by the then powers that be: George W. Bush's republican party, and their circle of ravenous, shameless associates and lackeys. Former journalists, producers and college professors sit and refuse to spin, as they detail our media's snivelling three-bags-full compliance with the will of the rich and ruthless few. The examples of blatant, pre-packaged corruption bring the dread and despair of a Hitchcock film. Or a Madonna video(sorry, I needed a laugh). Robert Kane Pappas smartly laces his doom-and-gloom documentary with satire, and an amusingly bilious university address from Michael Moore - which also serves to nail down the overall message of the film(an apparently contradictory statement during Moore's wrap-up is a personal vow and call to arms, nothing more). Senator Bernie Sanders and journalists Greg Palast and Charles Lewis are also charismatic, natural story-tellers who offer compelling, often incredulous testimony. By the end, the film has looped smoothly back on itself. And, because - as is made painfully clear - there's just no way around it, on us. The dramatic soundtrack illustrates but doesn't annoy. Eric Woods songs are also poignant. The use of fading blackness to highlight various quotations is also to good effect. Pappas lets his subjects do the talking during interview clips, but intensely narrates the whole thing. Every word is compelling, every sequence a twist of the knife. See it with a money-grubbing whore. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Orwell Rolls in His Grave

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Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmakers examine the media's effects on democracy.
Director
Robert Kane Pappas
Producer
Robert Kane Pappas
Screenwriter
Robert Kane Pappas, Thomas W. Blackburn
Production Co
Sag Harbor-Basement Pictures
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Box Office (Gross USA)
$19.3K
Runtime
1h 24m