Satyajit Das on Subtle Political Undertones in Cinema
Satyajit Das delves into films rich in political themes in his essay, building on an earlier conversation about those with subtler political messages. He analyzes cinematic works by directors such as Hal Ashby, Warren Beatty, Bernardo Bertolucci, Stanley Kubrick, Istvan Szabo, Barry Levinson, and Costa-Gavras. Notable films discussed include Ashby's 1979 'Being There,' Beatty's 1998 'Bulworth,' Bertolucci's 1970 'The Conformist,' Kubrick's 'Dr. Strangelove' (1964) and 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971), Szabo's 1981 'Mephisto,' Levinson's 1997 'Wag the Dog,' and Costa-Gavras's 1969 'Z.' These films challenge political systems and social issues, prompting audiences to scrutinize their leaders. The essay appears on Naked Capitalism, and Das's book 'The Everything Bubble' is set for release in 2027.
Key facts
- Satyajit Das is a former banker and author of works on derivatives and finance.
- His latest book, 'The Everything Bubble,' is scheduled for release in 2027.
- The essay is part 2 of a series on political films.
- Films discussed include 'Being There' (1979), 'Bulworth' (1998), 'The Conformist' (1970), 'Dr. Strangelove' (1964), 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971), 'Mephisto' (1981), 'Wag the Dog' (1997), and 'Z' (1969).
- 'Being There' stars Peter Sellers as Chance, a gardener who becomes a presidential advisor.
- 'Bulworth' stars Warren Beatty as a senator who decides to speak his mind after hiring a hitman on himself.
- 'The Conformist' is directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and stars Jean-Louis Trintignant.
- 'Dr. Strangelove' is directed by Stanley Kubrick and satirizes Cold War nuclear policies.
- 'A Clockwork Orange' is also by Kubrick, exploring violence and state control.
- 'Mephisto' is directed by Istvan Szabo and stars Klaus Maria Brandauer as an actor collaborating with Nazis.
- 'Wag the Dog' is directed by Barry Levinson, with a script by David Mamet and Hilary Henkin.
- 'Z' is directed by Costa-Gavras and based on the 1963 murder of Greek deputy George Lambrakis.
- The essay is published on Naked Capitalism.
- Das has also written on ecotourism, including 'In Search of the Pangolin' (2006) and 'Wild Quests' (2024).
Entities
Artists
- Satyajit Das
- Hal Ashby
- Peter Sellers
- Jerzy Kosinski
- Melvyn Douglas
- Shirley MacLaine
- Jack Warden
- Warren Beatty
- Oliver Platt
- Halle Berry
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Jean-Louis Trintignant
- Alberto Moravia
- Dominique Sanda
- Stefania Sandrelli
- Vittorio Storaro
- Ferdinando Scarfiotti
- Stanley Kubrick
- Terry Southern
- Sterling Hayden
- George C. Scott
- Slim Pickens
- Malcolm McDowell
- Patrick Magee
- Istvan Szabo
- Klaus Mann
- Klaus Maria Brandauer
- Karin Boyd
- Leni Riefenstahl
- Harvey Keitel
- Barry Levinson
- David Mamet
- Hilary Henkin
- Anne Heche
- Robert De Niro
- Dustin Hoffman
- Willie Nelson
- Kirsten Dunst
- Woody Harrelson
- Costa-Gavras
- Yves Montand
- George Lambrakis
Institutions
- Naked Capitalism
- The South First
Locations
- United States
- Italy
- France
- Germany
- Russia
- Albania
- Greece
- Paris
- Beverly Hills