#585 - Manchurian Candidate (2004): Brainwashing Denzel Washington - WatchThis W/RickRamos

Remakes, Re-Imaginings, Expansions. In 2004 Director Jonathan Demme would explore the world of Politics, Espionage, and Cold War Brainwashing with a new and novel take on John Frankenheimer's 1962 Cold War Classic The Manchurian Candidate. Demme would expand and manipulate Richard Condon's source material (a best-selling novel from 1959),  replacing the Korean Conflict with an updated Persian Gulf - and a replacement of Soviet and Chinese Communist manipulation with International Global Corporations holding the strings. Demme's update would be both more timely, relevant, frightening, and - somehow - reveal the problems with both films (at least in the mind of one of your hosts). This week Mr. Chavez & I discuss this very important film, its predecessor and its relevance in the current global environment. We discuss great performances from Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, and - a criminally underused - Meryl Streep. Take a listen and decide for yourself if we are correct, misguided, missing the point, or if we don't go far enough with our assessments. We'd love to hear from you - [email protected] - Many, Many Thanks.  For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.