This week I found on Netflix (UK) a documentary called the Best of Enemies. I had never heard of it, and had no real reason to want to watch it, but that is the joy of Netflix these days you can just take a punt on a program and see what you think. I loved it. It is a fantastic documentary and well worth a watch.
It revolves around events that are taking place during the 1968 US Presidential debate. A war in TV news in taking place and CBS news is near the bottom (well 3rd) in the pile of the main players at that time. They decided to change the once traditional format to that of a debate. Not between the politicians but commentators from either side of the debate.
Gore Vidal from the left and William F. Buckley from the right. When I heard the names (being the age I am), I recognised Gore Vidal but had no idea why. I had never heard of Buckley before and knew little about either persons personalities or politics.
It was an explosive time in the US party politics system with the Vietnam war in play causing massive tensions between protesters, police and politicians.
The documentary does well to provide a background to the situation and the people who were making the most waves in politics. It paints the picture of each debate on a daily basis and how they were interacting to the events of the day. From what we see, the debates, like many panels on news programs today, was much shorter than people may have wanted. It had argument and two polarizing characters that bred the controversy the channel needed for ratings. Gore Vidal was everything William F. Buckley loathed in the republicans and Vidal was as close to the anti-Christ as Buckley could imagine.
This story is shown beautifully through the archive footage; as well as interviews from friends, colleagues or commentators from the time. It showed how CBS changed the face of reporting for this cultural US event and how the TV debate grew into a antagonistic forum because it was so well received.
Gore Vidal from the left and William F. Buckley from the right. When I heard the names (being the age I am), I recognised Gore Vidal but had no idea why. I had never heard of Buckley before and knew little about either persons personalities or politics.
It was an explosive time in the US party politics system with the Vietnam war in play causing massive tensions between protesters, police and politicians.
The documentary does well to provide a background to the situation and the people who were making the most waves in politics. It paints the picture of each debate on a daily basis and how they were interacting to the events of the day. From what we see, the debates, like many panels on news programs today, was much shorter than people may have wanted. It had argument and two polarizing characters that bred the controversy the channel needed for ratings. Gore Vidal was everything William F. Buckley loathed in the republicans and Vidal was as close to the anti-Christ as Buckley could imagine.
This story is shown beautifully through the archive footage; as well as interviews from friends, colleagues or commentators from the time. It showed how CBS changed the face of reporting for this cultural US event and how the TV debate grew into a antagonistic forum because it was so well received.
The documentary develops each character and gives the viewer an insight into who they were and why they were so diametrically opposed. It takes you through the the event and why this shift in television news made such an impact at this time in broadcast journalism.
From my own personal politics, I quickly chose a side to support for the debates (as many would have done at the time) and when the debates reach their tipping point, I found the insults hilarious in their absurdness for what we hear today. What was said can not be forgiven, even back in 1968, and the documentary explores the later ramifications of these events but the way some of the speech is phrased reminds me now of a Michael McIntyre stand up routine.
When Buckley attacks Vidal as a response to being called a Nazi, he threaten to sock him in the face, and he would stay plastered (watch the documentary for the full context and quotation). It was this that strangely dated the documentary (aside for the quality of the archive footage) the most. The language was more intellectual and less dumbed down for the masses.
It is a very well produced and interesting documentary, it may not be the most riveting television for a 10 year olds Saturday night television (but I guess that will depend on the 10 year old), but now I am a little older and wiser than I was at 10, the subject matter while nearly completely irrelevant to me (not a US voter) it shows how politics can be made into a very interesting subject and one that can create such divisions in people.
From my own personal politics, I quickly chose a side to support for the debates (as many would have done at the time) and when the debates reach their tipping point, I found the insults hilarious in their absurdness for what we hear today. What was said can not be forgiven, even back in 1968, and the documentary explores the later ramifications of these events but the way some of the speech is phrased reminds me now of a Michael McIntyre stand up routine.
When Buckley attacks Vidal as a response to being called a Nazi, he threaten to sock him in the face, and he would stay plastered (watch the documentary for the full context and quotation). It was this that strangely dated the documentary (aside for the quality of the archive footage) the most. The language was more intellectual and less dumbed down for the masses.
It is a very well produced and interesting documentary, it may not be the most riveting television for a 10 year olds Saturday night television (but I guess that will depend on the 10 year old), but now I am a little older and wiser than I was at 10, the subject matter while nearly completely irrelevant to me (not a US voter) it shows how politics can be made into a very interesting subject and one that can create such divisions in people.
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