The 1993 documentary The War Room captures a transitional moment, not only in American politics, but also in popular media. Shot during Bill Clinton’s 1992 Presidential campaign, by Chris Hedegus and legendary documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (of Bob Dylan’s Dont Look Back fame), the film is a snapshot of the US political sphere, taking place after the rise of 24-hour cable news networks, but before the internet made all news instantaneous and each minor campaign moment into a headline. The film is primarily concerned with campaign managers James Carville and George Stephanopoulos; Clinton himself can barely be seen. Revisiting the film 20 years later is an interesting experience; in some ways, the shifts in the political and media landscapes are striking, but in other ways things aren’t so different at all.
The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library’s downtown branch will present The War Room as part of their ongoing Documentary Film Series, on Thursday, September 27th at 7:00pm. Admission is free and open to the public.
