Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Land of the Dead

While editing K.P.’s interpretation of Land of the Dead, it occurred to me that another way to see the film is as the movie adaptation of What’s the Matter with Kansas?, that book favored by liberals all across America.

While her piece didn’t make me want to actually see the movie (I live outside DC—I need to go spend money for liberal rage?), the quick review from Tim Cavanaugh at Reason has made me think again. With Romero, it’s not just politics. It’s personal. And apparently, it’s funny and manages to overcome its propaganda.

Cavanaugh: “. . . [I]f you’re going to stick with authorial intent, you have to be content with some strong though not doctrinaire lefty politics. I say if you’re going to do an anti-market screed, this is the way to do it. . . . I have to admit, Land of the Dead reminded me of how invigorating full-throated lefty agitprop can be in an entertaining movie.”

Considering we’re already getting alternative interpretations in our comments, it sounds like a meta success to me.