Silver City Director John Sayles on 'liberal' Hollywood

Things are happenin, and the movies are finally addressing the news and politics that surround them. Recent documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11 and Control Room have opened the door for hot-topic d

Sep 15, 2004 at 2:06 pm
Steve Ramos


John Sayles



Things are happenin, and the movies are finally addressing the news and politics that surround them. Recent documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11 and Control Room have opened the door for hot-topic dramas like filmmaker John Sayles' Silver City.

Inspired by George W. Bush's campaign for Texas governor, Silver City addresses politics, media and the struggles of the American voter. Chris Cooper is candidate Dickie Pilager, a corporate puppet devoid of speaking skills. Danny Huston is an investigator out to find the truth behind Pilager's support.

Speaking recently at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sayles describes his need to make Silver City and see it in theaters before the November election: "This is not a studio movie. This was made independent of Hollywood. Because people talk about the liberal media, but Hollywood is more conservative than liberal. The lifestyles of the people who work there may be liberal, but the business is conservative. Remember, Hollywood has given us Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger."