The Manchurian Candidate Movie Review 2004

Political cynicism is at its most sinister in this updated take on the 1962 John Frankenheimer classic. Remake changes Ben Marco (Washington) and Raymond Shaw (Schreiber) from Korean War to Gulf War I vets. Shaw is now a New York congressman, with mom, Sen. Eleanor Shaw (Streep) pulling his strings. Marco comes to believe that his men were brainwashed by mega-corporation Manchurian Global who, with Eleanor's aid, are positioning Shaw to be a vice-presidential candidate who they can control via microchip. Washington is properly heroic and tormented while Schreiber is tormented and forlorn. Streep has fun with her power-hungry, mother-knows-best viper. Based on the novel by Richard Condon.

Distribution

Paramount Home Video, 5555 Melrose Ave., 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, Phone: (323)956-5000, URL: http://www.paramount.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on DVD
Running time 130 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Psycho-Thriller, It's a Conspiracy, Man!, Politics, Sniper, Books to Film: Richard Condon, Veterans, Corporate Shenanigans, Brainwashed, Capitol Capers

Screenplay

Dean Georgaris, Daniel Pyne

Cast

Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, Kimberly Elise, Vera Farmiga, Jon Voight, Jeffrey Wright, Sakina Jaffrey, Simon McBurney, Pablo Schreiber, Ted Levine, Bruno Ganz, Dean Stockwell, Miguel Ferrer, Jude Ciccolella, Zeljko Ivanek, Obba Babatunde, Charles Napier, Roger Corman, Robert Castle, John Bedford Lloyd, Anthony Mackie, Paul Lazar, Tom Stechschulte, Be Be Winans, Robyn Hitchcock, David Keeley, Dan Olmstead, Walter Mosley

Cinematography

Tak Fujimoto

Director

Jonathan Demme

Music

Rachel Portman, Wyclef Jean

Other

Carol Littleton, Craig McKay, Teresa Carriker-Thayer, Albert Wolsky, Kristi Zea

Producer

Scott Rudin, Jonathan Demme, Ilona Herzberg, Nancy Sinatra, Clinica Estetico, Paramount Pictures