The Manchurian Candidate

by Greil Marcus

Book Overview

"It may be the most sophisticated political thriller ever made in Hollywood," film critic Pauline Kael wrote of John Frankenheimer's terrifying 1962 political thriller about an American serviceman brainwashed in Korea and made into an assassin. Sophisticated to be sure, it's also a headlong fall through the looking-glass of American politics and the most deeply prophetic film of the second half of the American century. As Greil Marcus reconstructs...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1838719644
• ISBN13: 9781838719647
• Release Date: May 2020
• Publisher: British Film Institute
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.4" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

"Marcus on movies"

Few writers can blend American history, politics, pop culture, and "high art" more skillfully than Greil Marcus. Starting with his columns for _Rolling Stone_ in the 1970's, I have followed his writing career as he taken on subjects ranging from punk music to prophecy. He brings all his skills to bear in this lean, thought-provoking analysis of the classic 1962 political thriller.

"A Little Solitaire And Then Some!"

I'm not too sure what to make of some of these negative reviews of Griel Marcus' brilliant analysis of "The Manchurian Candidate"...maybe these folks were reading another tome or turned over over the Queen of Diamonds in mid page... Marcus' contribution to the BFI film series contains one of the most insightful looks at a classic motion picture I've ever read......... Marcus begins by explaining how John Frankenheimer's 1962 masterpiece has become part of American folklore... His examination of the performances, Frankenheimer's direction, Axelrod's screenplay, Dick Sylbert's set decoration and David Amram's amazing musical score is right on the money... Of course he felt obligated to discuss the "Candidate" in the context of the American history that both surrounded and followed it (ie: McCarthy, the assassinations of the 60's; coupled with the fact that for a number of reasons the film was taken out of circulation for many years). Marcus concludes that in the case of this amazing Cold War relic, everyone involved was 'working over their heads'...propelled by the material that was given them............ A conclusion that's impossible to argue with since Sinatra, Harvey, Lansbury, Frankenheimer et al subsequently never did another project that equalled what they did in the remarkable film.

The other reviewers are Communist dupes

Okay, The Manchurian Cendidate is one of my favorite movies, and Greil Marcus is one of my favorite popular culture writers. So I suppose I have a bit of a blind spot. But I'm mystified by the venom of the other reviewers. The observation that the participants did their best work in this film didn't originate with Marcus...the same has been said of CITIZEN KANE. I thought the marriage of film and reviewer was inspired. So there.