Talk:Bob Roberts

Is This An Encyclopedia Article?
This article about the film 'Bob Roberts' comes off as a favorable review/promotion instead of an objective encyclopedia article. For example, an actual conservative may find Robbins' portrayal of his subject snide, manipulative, and unrealistic. Further, there is an unquestionable agenda at work in this film which is strangely undiscussed in the article: the conception that Republican politics has reduced itself to corrupt demogougery. Obviously, this movie was made before the Clinton era, which unmasked the same behavior in Robbins' compatriots. I will not edit the article just yet, but until some mention of these failings is made the article can under no circumstances be truly called NPOV. 162.33.128.142 19:15, 19 January 2006 (UTC)

The article is about the film Bob Roberts, not the minor mischievous behavior of Bill Clinton. If you add that to the article then you will be applying the same methods of writing an article that you deride; I believe that's called hypocrisy.

But you're missing the true point of the film; it's not designed to demonize Republicans or Democrats, it's a dire warning of what can happen in a democratic society when the image of a politician is held in higher regard than the politicians intents or policies (as a British citizen the last 9 years has taught me this all too well!)

I plan to alter this article too to get across the true message carried by this film, which has nothing to do with the political views of Tim Robbins. Please, don't mention Bill Clinton! He is a popular scapegoat of the American right, but he has nothing to do with the plot, or the message of this film. The message is that democracies can become police states if people aren't careful who they elect, not that a rich middle aged man may get a blowjob from an intern. In all probability that's an event that occurs on a daily basis!

--Miller 23:25, 22 February 2006 (UTC)[[Image:Signature george.PNG]]

Proposed Changes
The article has several grammatical errors and errors of bias. An example of an apparent error of the second type is that Robbins' politics are described as involving "radicalism and leftist beliefs". This seems to betray a point of view, and I plan to correct this after a period of public comment and review. Also, the article is not yet Wikified.Azlib77 09:32, 3 September 2006 (UTC)

Response
It claims neither Paiste nor Roberts' political parties are named but we can more than imply for Paiste. During a news broadcast watched by the Roberts bus, the station's banner clearly reads Paist's name and "D-Pennsyvania" It is possible but very unlikely that this movie breaks real-world news nomenclature or that Robbins invented a political party he never mentions by name. Unfortunately I find it easier to write my own pieces than edit others' and retain their spirit. Any volunteers?

Levelistchampion 05:46, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

nonpartisan?
Its rather ridiculous to argue this is a "non-partisan film" which criticizes both the left and the right. It completely demonizes Republicans as supposed drug dealers, hypocrites, frauds and criminals while the Democrat's (Paiste) only failing is that he fails to communicate, (due largely to the shortcomings of popular media and the gullibility of the public), his inherent goodness and saintliness and the righteousness of his political philosophy. Given the admitted allowance of Vidal to ad-lib his lines, giving his character his own personal "real life" political leanings, while having Robbins portray the other side, given his well publicized sympathies for Democrats and near fanatical hatred of President Bush and Republicans, its just ludicrous to suggest any balance or fairness here.

Robbin's intent is obvious and this article is dishonest in the extreme not to recognize that intent. The message I came away with is Republicans manipulate the media to hide their basic evilness, and holy Democrats, with only the public's well-being in mind, are victims of the collusion of the media to shield the Republicans and play up spectacular stories, plus the stupidity of a majority of the American public, and that's the only reason a Democrat is ever defeated in elections and the only way Republicans win. Which is ironic since the only convictions for vote fixing, fake voter registration and campaign hq tire slashings in the last election have been of Democrat operatives.

Its fair to make a propaganda film, but its shameful to enable its propaganda by claiming its non-partisan and critical of both sides. All the references to such should be deleted from this article and this film should be called for what it is. Next I'm sure we'll see the F9-11 page claiming Moore's  'docu-propaganda' is an indictment of John Kerry as well as President Bush.

Self-reflecgtive category?
Why is this in the category for self-reflective films? KConWiki 04:36, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

Production
The following is unreferenced and should not be restored until it is sourced:


 * Robbins made the film on a budget of only $4 million by enlisting many of his friends as cast members, including Gore Vidal, Giancarlo Esposito, Alan Rickman, Harry J. Lennix, David Strathairn, James Spader, Helen Hunt, Peter Gallagher, Jack Black, Robbins' longtime companion Susan Sarandon, Fred Ward, Fisher Stevens, John Cusack, Bob Balaban and Jeremy Piven.


 * A soundtrack album was never released because Robbins feared that the songs might be played out of context. The Californian punk rock band The Vandals covered the song "Complain" on their album Play Really Bad Original Country Tunes.

---  RepublicanJacobite  The'FortyFive' 17:23, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

This is Spinal Tap
The article claims that the film is influenced by This is Spinal Tap and that it echoes a scene from that movie, where Roberts gets lost trying to find his way from the dressing room to the stage. But This is Spinal Tap was a parody and that particular scene is not original to Spinal Tap but was itself a parody of the Rolling Stones documentary "Cocksucker Blues" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocksucker_Blues

On Catering provided by Chef Jim and Mobile One
Gourmet meals prepared on location for the casting crew. 172.56.28.158 (talk) 12:56, 25 March 2024 (UTC)