Movie analysis: Wag the Dog (1997) By Mimi Lu Site: Helium Entertainment Movies Movie Analysis

Why does a dog wag its tail? Because a dog is smarter than its tail. If the tail were smarter, the tail would wag the dog.' Barry Levinson's film Wag the Dog' thus begins with these opening credits, an early indication of a dark socio-political satire that would unfold to criticise the vulturous mass media and fickle public opinion, but most importantly, the abuse of power by political leaders. Wag the Dog' also satirises the naivety of society and how people's unquestioning absorption of propaganda only encourages the media to exploit them on a higher level. Conrad Brean is a retired political consultant, a spin doctor' who resurrects the support for the US President's after his disastrous scandal with a teenage girl just eleven days before the election. In order to smother the sparks of rumour ignited by the media, Brean invents an international crisis to sway the people's vote he fakes a war on Albania. The president heroically ends the war' and his compassion and exceptional leadership qualities are presented through the mass media to the people, winning back their faith. Through satire, the visual piece also enforces the jaded belief that politics is merely the art of media manipulation, an image that intensifies when Brean enlists the help of Stanley Motss, a Hollywood producer. Politics is presented as a species of show business, and as opined by Motts, It's all a change of wardrobe.' The audience watches Wag the Dog' incredulously, inevitably recognising the parody of their own folly, as the American public devours the created scenario and rises to the call of blind patriotism. Wag the Dog' repeatedly exemplifies society's complete trust in the imagery of media presented to them, and subsequently their seduction by political propaganda. Wag the Dog' was released in 1997, ironically preceding the sex scandal of President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, and the hasty bombing of some minor' African cities. Wag the Dog' was based on Larry Beinhart's book American Hero,' which argued that the Gulf War was filmed by Hollywood producers hired by the first Bush government to boost support for his failing presidency. The film is full of acerbic allusions to the Gulf War Gulf War? Smart bomb falling down a chimney, 2500 missions a day, 100 days, one video of one bomb. And the American people bought the war. War is show business,' as Brean justifies his war' by blurring the line between politics and Hollywood, between truth and perception.

The plausibility of the film is never questioned for there have been several instances in history, of wars being started or battles being faked by the media, for example the Spanish American War, or the live footage' of WWI, staged by a Hollywood director and broadcasted internationally. As well as the relevance of its political context, Wag the Dog' places a heavy emphasis on the power of media in our modern society. It represents a new level of understanding of our mediated world and induces overdue contemplation of our society's obsession with media in all its manifestations, whether it is television, music, radio, movies, books or the Internet. As citizens of the same context as Wag the Dog' we are well aware of the propaganda and moral bankruptcy of politicians, yet we place our trust unquestionably on the media, a system that welcomes corruption and exploitation by politicians. Wag the Dog' never fails to portray vividly the media system as infinitely malleable and the reality it represents to the people. Barry Levinson employed the use of a combination of satirical and film techniques to produce the satire of Wag the Dog,' including parody, irony, travesty, humour and ridicule. Parody is consistently produced in Wag the Dog' especially in its references to the Gulf War, the corruption of the government and the submissive attitude of people to media influences. The feeling of political paranoia after viewing the film is a standing testament to how closely it resembles reality. Media is a prime target for parody in Wag the Dog' the entire airport-waiting lounge grew dreadfully quiet as the news of the president's infidelity was broadcasted on the public screen. There is particular stress placed on their facial expressions and body language that indicates their conviction that the media is telling them nothing but the truth. Throughout the film, we are constantly reminded of the power of media, as many scenes depict people riveted to the television screen or intently listening to the radio. Stanley Motss: Why Albania? Conrad Brean: Why not? Motss: What have they done to us? Brean: What have they done FOR us? What do you know about them? Motss: Nothing. Brean: See? They keep to themselves. Shifty. Untrustable. Travesty, as well as parody is a dominant technique used in producing the satire in this particular scene. The nature of their conversation is of grave consequence: they are discussing

a war, and their casual attitude trivialises the discussions of politicians in general. The reference to Albania keeping to themselves' is irony in itself, for politicians are infamous for their confidential' dealings and their dishonesty towards the public. The heavily guarded conference room in the White House ridicules this secrecy by likening the elite group of the president's advisors to an illegal underground gang. The film technique of lighting is applied to produce the elongated shadows of this conference room, creating an atmosphere foreboding corruption and deception. In order to emphasise the corruption of politics, Levinson has used the satirical technique of exaggeration pedestal the government officials for public ridicule. For example, the President of the United States is presented as a trivial and nebulous figure, a product' that is sold' to the general population. The slyest farcical element of the film is the fact that the president is entirely irrelevant, aside from jeopardisng the reelection aspirations of his party. He is only shown from the back, and only ever appears to deliver a speech previously prepared by a Hollywood producer or making superfluous suggestions, such as a white cat for a war commercial, instead of calico. His structured absence diplomatically avoids naming the president the film criticises for it is more a satire of the concept of our modern politicians rather than individual targets. A subtle film technique that again underlines media's domination is the pattern in which the audience discovers a change to the plot. Somehow, it is always through the news the characters are watching, and ironically, even the government officials are not free from their dependence on the media. Brean boosts the comical parody when he mourns the war is over, I saw it on TV,' as his unscrupulous plan backfires. The impression of this statement on the audience is if television has told America that the crisis is over, then nobody would be able to argue the war is not over. This message illustrates what media embodies for our modern society integrity and reliability and here, the technique of irony is used to create the sharp contrast between this message and the reality of the perverse media. Conversely, Wag the Dog's' depiction of media manipulations creates the impression that the media and the president are mere pawns in a larger game. A crucial film technique is the plausibility of the imagery and other forms of propaganda presented to the public. Images such as a little girl and her kitten in the war-ravaged Albania are created, as are the heroic tale of a suffering American soldier left behind by his troops. These images appropriate reality so closely that it is impossible to differentiate between fact and fiction. They also instill suspicion in the hearts of the audience and induce reflective thought on the authenticity of the images and other media forms our society receives and accepts

obediently. The repetition of the playful thematic music throughout Wag the Dog' is another film technique subtly inserted in synchronisation with the action to enforce the comical elements. There are several other instances in Wag the Dog' where the dark irony and humour is harpooned to create satire. The susceptibility of the people to propaganda is enforced with the ease with which Motss seduces a nation with a patriotic song and the story of Old Shoe,' who is actually a psychopathic rapist. Brean's assistant, on the verge of deceiving millions of people, frantically demands whether the actors they employ are illegal immigrants.' This is verification to the distrust Americans hold towards foreigners through the rigidity of their immigration policy, whilst in reality; their own democratic government is betraying them. The metaphorical opening credits are also open to many interpretative deconstructions. Many argue the dog is public opinion and the tail represents the media; the dog is the media and the tail the political campaigns, or the dog is the people and the tail is the government. The expression the tail wagging the dog' alludes to any case where something of greater significance (such as a war) is driven by something lesser (such as a sex scandal). The mere fact that these credits are based on an old joke immediately establishes the satire, for it directly contradicts the seriousness implied by a political film. Wag the Dog' demonstrates the power of a combination of the essential elements of propaganda in stirring up public sympathy for the government's cause. With enervating cynicism, it satirises the hypocrisy of the government and their exploitation of the malleable media and the exasperatingly naive public. However, one positive message does emerge from the sinister skepticism of Wag the Dog'. The film is at least a demonstration of the increasing number of people who cease to fall for the selfish manipulations of the politicians, their consultants and the media, and increases the audience's awareness of the propaganda horizons of the future.