NETWORK

This movie, although made in the late seventies still holds a very important part in dealing with important issues today. Namely the issue of the sociological effects of television of children and young adults who actually spend more time interacting with a screen than they do with other people. It delves into the cultural and generational rift of those raised on tvs and those who grew up prior. It also delves into the ever present and ever neglected role of corporations in what actually gets played, and told, and how it is spun politcally before it is even presented to an audience, who is then free to twist it whichever way they so choose. It is important to note that there is one scene in which an ex tv exec is talking to his affairess, and explains that she is the manifestation of television in physical form. Everything that she touches dies, but not him, for as long as he can feel, and smile, and cry then she has no hold over him. "He chooses life." One of the other great things that the director/storywriter(s) did well was to allow the audience of the film to decide for themselves the extent to which Howard Beale (the main character) is insane or not. Overall I thought the film had a very important message and among those is the danger of believing and taking for granted what you see on tv to be the truth.