The political landscape of the United States has inspired some of the bestdocumentariesof all time. As a world leader who has had a major influence on the political sphere of the entire planet, it’s not surprising that U.S. political history has been a consistent subject for filmmakers attempting to unpack the global political landscape we all live in today. Whether throughthe presidency of John F. Kennedy, U.S. involvement in conflicts in the Middle East, or even whistleblowing citizens who reveal hidden corruption, political documentaries have always informed and educated viewers.
A trulygreat documentaryhas the power to enact real change, andthe best filmsexploring U.S. politics have shone a light on the aspects of social, economic, and political topics that deserve the audience’s attention. Whilemany great documentaries were made by American citizens, there are also plenty of great films made by outsiders looking in at the U.S. political system. Documentaries often make complex issues understandable to mainstream viewers, which in turn helps create a more alert and informed society.
The documentarian Michael Moore has dedicated his life’s work to unpacking the fraught complexities of the social, political, and economic landscape of modern America. With a lighthearted sense of humor that makes complicated issues understandable to the average viewer,Moore cast his sharp eye on the presidency of George W. Bush, the Iraq War, and the media’s coverage of the conflict inFahrenheit 9/11. By showcasing how the media cheered on Bush’s decision to invade, this documentary highlighted the importance of good journalism standing up against political self-interests.
Fahrenheit 9/11showcased how the media did not provide enough objective analysis around the rationale for the Iraq War and the casualties it led to. With a title alluding to the dystopian world of Ray Bradbury’s novelFahrenheit 451, Moore alluded to the way the public’s devastation over the 9/11 terrorist attacks meant the powers that be were able to engage in unchecked acts of war. As the highest-grossing documentary ever made at the time,Fahrenheit 9/11gained widespread acclaim and won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Often, outsiders are far better at analyzing major social and political events, with British documentarian Adam Curtis offering some of the most astute commentary on American politics ever seen inBitter Lake. This astounding BBC documentary highlighted how modern media was so overwhelmed by the complexities of militant Islam that it presented the story as a simple good versus bad argument. This led to Western society being unable to comprehend violence in the Middle East and the U.S. media being unable to cover the war in Afghanistan as anything but senseless violence.
Bitter Lakewas a thought-provoking documentary that peeled back the layers on American politicsand the complex decisions behind the scenes that go into the U.S.’s decision to engage in warfare. Through Curtis’s signature voiceover monologue, archival footage, and an astonishing use of music,Bitter Lakewas not only an essential piece of political criticism but also a truly beautiful example of filmmaking.
The circumstances behind Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign were powerfully explored inThe War Room. This Oscar-nominated documentary peeled back the curtain of Clinton’s presidential bid by focusing on the future president’s lead strategist, James Carville, and his communications director, George Stephanopoulos. As a look into the way the media shapes and perceives the public’s perception of political events,The War Roomunpacked the way that these spin doctors helped shape the election.
Looking back onThe War Roomtoday is a fascinating glimpse into just how much politics has changed in the decades since Clinton’s presidency. In an era where so much campaigning now happens in online spheres, it’s interesting to see how much power traditional media had back then. As a journey behind the curtain into the inner workings of the political machine,The War Roomis essential viewing for anyone wishing to understand how presidential campaigns used to work.
Few things are more intrinsically linked in this world than politics and economics, a fact that was on clear display in Charles Ferguson’sInside Job. This exploration of the 2008 financial crash showcased how systemic corruption in the United States contributed to the financial bubble finally bursting and the worldwide economic recession that followed it. With interviewers from financial figures from around the world,Inside Jobshowcased how elite groups managed to get rich while the rest of the country suffered immensely.
As disheartening but essential viewing,Inside Jobexploredhow the American housing industry set out deliberately to defraud the ordinary American investor, and the political system of the United States allowed this to happen. With a narrative as gripping as any thriller, Ferguson condensed incredibly complex issues in a way that any viewer could understand.
Black Panthers
Cast
Black Panthers is a documentary filmed in 1968, capturing the Black Panther Party’s efforts to support Huey Newton during his trial. Set in Oakland, California, it explores the party’s organized meetings aimed at transforming the trial into a platform for political discourse and gaining national attention.
The short documentaryBlack Panthersonly clocks in at a restricted 28 minutes long, yet it remains one of the most powerful documents of this civil rights organization. With a focus on the protests over the arrest of Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton, this revolutionary and political activist was arrested for the murder of the police officer John Frey in 1967. As a glimpse into political grievances that have not been resolved more than five decades later, it’s interesting to note thatBlack Panthersremains as relevant as ever.
With several interviewees and powerful footage of the protests to free Newton,Black Panthersshowcased how the oppression of Black citizens by police forces escalated to the point that activists took up arms and fought back against law enforcement. As an important historical document, the most striking thing about watchingBlack Pantherstoday is noticing how many of these issues remain at the forefront of contemporary American politics.
The documentaryPrimaryoffered a glimpse not just into the presidential campaign trails of 1960s America but was also a trailblazing piece of filmmaking that had an undeniable effect on documentary-making as a whole. Through the use of mobile cameras and lighter sound equipment,Primarywas one of the first documentaries that allowed the filmmakers to move through crowds and capture the presidential nominees in the midst of cheering crowds, in the backs of cars, and hovering through the polling stations.
Add to this thatPrimarycataloged the 1960 Democratic Party primary election in Wisconsin between John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey, and it becomes an essential document of the biggest defining figures of modern America. The influence of Primary on the evolution of documentary filmmaking was even explored inCinéma Vérité: Defining the Moment, which looked at everything from fictional found-footage movies likeThe Blair Witch Projectto innovators like Robert Drew.
The abolishment of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was a defining moment in American history that ended slavery and involuntary servitude. However, this came with one exception in the case of convicted criminals who have been forced into involuntary servitude in the form of penal labor. This exception served as the basis for Ava DuVernay’s Netflix documentary13th, which explores how slavery has perpetuated throughout the United States through this practice.
As adocumentary that explores the post-Civil War economic landscapeand addresses the way the War on Drugs has adversely imprisoned marginalized communities,13thshowcased the prison-industrial complex with a level of scrutiny rarely seen in mainstream media. By peeling back the curtain on just how much money is being made by corporations through penal labor,13thwas a powerful take-down of hidden systems of oppression.
Citizenfour
Citizenfour is a documentary directed by Laura Poitras that captures the initial meetings between her and reporter Glenn Greenwald with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in Hong Kong.
The former NSA intelligence contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden was one of the most impactful citizens in modern U.S. history, whose leaked classified documents revealed the existence of global surveillance programs. As a political scandal the likes of which the world has never seen,Citizenfourunpacked the details of Snowden’s exile from his home country through interviews with the man himself.Taking home the Best Documentary Oscar at the Academy Awards,Citizenfourpowerfully showcased how much civil liberties have eroded due to increased surveillance post-9/11.
Citizenfourwas the final installment in director Laura Poitras' 9/11 trilogy, which also includedMy Country, My CountryandThe Oath. As a filmmaker who’s not afraid to question power and showcase the corruption and hypocrisy within the modern political system, Poitras’s film allowed Snowden to speak directly to American audiences and explain his motivations in his own words.
The profit-driven agenda of corporate media and the way this aligns with political interests was central to Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman’s landmark bookManufacturing Consent, a seminal work of media criticism that explored the addressed propaganda model of communication. The themes and ideas seen in this book served as the basis for this thought-provoking documentary that also expanded upon the life, work, and cultural relevance of Chomsky.
Manufacturing Consentwas a prime example of what the best political documentaries should set out to do, as it encouraged viewers to question the news they consume and dig deeper into whose interests the dominant narratives serve. By showcasing how no social, economic, or political issues can be viewed in a vacuum, documentaries likeManufacturing Consentact as a guidebook for citizens looking to think independently and gain informed viewpoints that can withstand debate and questioning.
1The Fog Of War (2003)
Directed by Errol Morris
Documentarian Errol Morris, the man behind the thrilling takedown of a corrupt justice system, The Thin Blue Line, turned his attention toward U.S. police forThe Fog of War. This extraordinary piece of filmmaking explored the life and times of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and his observations on the nature of modern warfare. SubtitledEleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara,The Fog of Wardistilled McNamara’s philosophy into eleven sectionsand showcased the thinking that informed the presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
The Fog of Wargave insightful context to the circumstances behind the Cold War through the viewpoint of one of its major architects, and understanding McNamara acted as a microcosm for American politics as a whole during that era. With an original score by acclaimed composer Philip Glass, everything atThe Fog of Warcame together as a firm showcase of documentaries as art. As the recipient of a litany of accolades,The Fog of Warwas even awarded an Oscar for BestDocumentary.
