Search - Chicago 10 on DVD


Chicago 10
Chicago 10
Actors: Jeffrey Wright, Nick Nolte, Roy Scheider, Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker
Director: Brett Morgen
Genres: Drama, Military & War, Animation
R     2008     1hr 50min

Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/26/2008 Run time: 90 minutes Rating: R

     
9

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Jeffrey Wright, Nick Nolte, Roy Scheider, Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker
Director: Brett Morgen
Creators: Brett Morgen, Alison Beckett, Bill Pohlad, Christopher J. Keene, Diane Weyermann, Graydon Carter
Genres: Drama, Military & War, Animation
Sub-Genres: Drama, Military & War, Animation
Studio: Paramount
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen - Animated,Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 08/26/2008
Original Release Date: 01/01/2007
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2007
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 1hr 50min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Languages: English
Subtitles: English

Similar Movies

Steal This Movie
Director: Robert Greenwald
5
   R   2001   1hr 47min
Recount
   UR   2008   1hr 56min
   
The Weather Underground
Directors: Sam Green (II), Bill Siegel
9
   UR   2004   1hr 32min
Berkeley in the Sixties
?
   NR   2002   1hr 57min

Similarly Requested DVDs

In Bruges
Director: Martin McDonagh
   R   2008   1hr 47min
   
Grosse Pointe Blank
Director: George Armitage
   R   1998   1hr 47min
   
Bonnie and Clyde
Director: Arthur Penn
   R   1999   1hr 52min
   
Glengarry Glen Ross
Director: James Foley
   R   2002   1hr 40min
   
Roman Holiday
Special Collector's Edition
Director: William Wyler
   NR   2002   1hr 58min
   
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Director: Eric Brevig
   PG   2008   1hr 33min
   
Carriers
Directors: Alex Pastor, David Pastor
   PG-13   2009   1hr 24min
   
Schultze Gets the Blues
Director: Michael Schorr
   PG   2005   1hr 54min
   
The Adventures of Tintin
Director: Steven Spielberg
   PG   1hr 47min
   
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
6
   R   2013   2hr 10min
   
 

Movie Reviews

Allow me to demonstrate
D. Hartley | Seattle, WA USA | 08/28/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"In September of 1969, Abbie Hoffman and fellow radical activists Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, and Lee Weiner were hauled into court along with Black Panther Bobby Seale on a grand jury indictment for allegedly conspiring to incite the massive anti-Vietnam war protests and resulting violent mayhem that transpired in the Chicago environs during the 1968 Democratic Convention. What resulted is arguably the most overtly political "show trial" in American history.

Using a mélange of animation, archival footage and voiceover re-creation by well-known actors, Brett Morgen expands even further on the eye-catching multimedia technique that he and co-director Nanette Burstein used in their 2002 doc The Kid Stays in the Picture.

The bulk of the animated sequences are re-enactments from the trial itself, with dialog lifted directly from courtroom transcripts (and trust me, no rewrites were required because you couldn't make this stuff up). This visual technique perfectly encapsulates the overall circus atmosphere of the trial, which was largely fueled by Hoffman and Rubin's amusing yet effective use of "guerilla theatre" to disrupt the proceedings and accentuate what they felt to be the inherent absurdity of the charges. The courtroom players are voiced by the likes of Nick Nolte (as prosecutor Thomas Foran), Jeffrey Wright (as Bobby Seale) and the late Roy Scheider (in full "fuddy-duddy" mode as Judge Hoffman).

Do not, however, mistake this film as a gimmicky and superficial "cartoon" that only focuses on the hijinx. There is plenty of evidence on hand, in the form of archival footage (fluidly incorporated by editor Stuart Levy) to remind us that these were very serious times. The footage of the Chicago police wildly bludgeoning any and all who crossed their path (demonstrator and innocent bystander alike) still has the power to shock and physically sicken the viewer. There is a protracted montage of this violence that seems to run on for at least 10 minutes; sensitive viewers may find this sequence upsetting.

I have to give kudos for the excellent soundtrack; or rather, for what songs are not on the soundtrack. For once, a film about the "turbulent 60s" does not feature "Fortunate Son" by CCR, "Get Together" by the Youngbloods or (most notably) "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield (you can always re-watch Forrest Gump if you wish to wallow in trite 60s clichés). Appropriately incendiary music by Rage Against the Machine, The Beastie Boys and Eminem balances well with less-plundered period songs from Black Sabbath ("War Pigs"), Steppenwolf ("Monster") and the MC5 ("Kick Out the Jams").

If I have any quibble with Chicago 10, it is a minor one. Although some of us are old enough (ahem) to remember the high-profile media coverage of the trial and grok the circumstances surrounding it, perhaps a little hindsight analysis or discussion of historical context would have been helpful for younger viewers. Perhaps Morgen wanted to steer clear of the usual clichés, like parading a series of talking heads with gray ponytails, sentimentalizing and waxing poetically about the halcyon days of yore. Besides, if you "remember" the 60s, you probably weren't there anyway, right?
"
Great Docu-Drama About the 1*9*6*8 DNC March.
Alex Honda | Los Angeles, CA USA | 09/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The CHICAGO 10 DVD is a gripping movie about the 1968 trial of the "Chicago 8" (later the Chicago 7 when Bobby Seale was separated from the others) who were charged with conspiracy and inciting a riot, among other charges, for the massive demonstrations that took place during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. People, especially young people, from all over the USA convened to protest the Vietnam War when the massive march went awry and cops began attacking the marchers.

Anyway, the movie combines animation and archival footage of the events that took place during that August 1968. The animation is mainly in the courtroom, which is based on the court transcripts. Everything else is shown through footage either from news feeds or amateur video.

I found the movie gripping as the action switches back and forth from the court house trial to the actions happening during the marches etc., culminating in the mess that was captured by news cameras covering the convention of police unloading on helpless people.

Unfortunately there aren't any extras other than a remixed trailer for the movie. I would have liked to see some more footage of the night in question, but I guess what's in the film is enough.

Recommended for anyone who likes the 60s, history, or counter culture."
San Francisco Chronicle vs Chicago 10
Marc Norton | San Francisco, CA USA | 01/08/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The SF Chronicle movie page editors headlined their review: "Chicago 10 painted as heroes, but they come off as obnoxious." Millions murdered in a crazy war on the other side of the world by that infamous President from Texas (Lyndon "How many boys did you kill today?" Johnson, not today's imposter George W. Bush), thousands and thousands of young draftees thrown into the vortex of slaughter -- and Abbie Hoffman is obnoxious? Read more: http://www.marcnorton.us/108962/104854.html."
Excellent Film- great voice overs, and amazing stylized stor
telephone | 08/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was a fantastic film. The information itself was very interesting, but the filmmakers put a spin on it, and in a completely unbiased way, the explain what happened at the convention and the trial using state-of-the-art animation techniques, moving pictures, archival footage, and great music. A must see for any baby-boomer, people interested in politics, and modern hippies."