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Network (1976) is director Sidney Lumet's
brilliant criticism of the hollow, lurid wasteland of television
journalism where entertainment value and short-term ratings were
more crucial than quality. Paddy Chayefsky's black, prophetic,
satirical commentary/criticism of corporate evil (in the
tabloid-tainted television industry) is an insightful indictment
of the rabid desire for ratings. Indignation toward the network
executives by an unbalanced news-anchorman (Finch) ("I'm mad as
hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore") is manipulated by
ruthless VP programming boss (Dunaway) for further ratings. One
of the film's posters correctly proclaimed: "Television will
never be the same." |
