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PROGRAMMING THE NATION?Movie Reviews
Documentary examines the history of subliminal messaging practiced by American advertisers, pop-culture, corporations, military, and politicians. Cast:Eldon Taylor, Howard Shevrin, Geoff Tate, August Bullock, Noam ChomskyDirector:Jeff WarrickRelease Date:August 19, 2011DVD Release:November 11, 2011From:IFCLength:1 hr 45 min
NOVEMBER 11, 2011
Programming The Nation?, Weak Reviews (Doc) Limited
Programming The Nation? played in limited release to weak reviews. • David Lewis wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "...an overstuffed documentary about subliminal messaging in America..." • And John Anderson wrote in Daily Variety, "...follows too many tangents, including film editing, sound and the purportedly evil effects of rock lyrics, to adequately consider any of them." More Reviews Below...
Programming The Nation? Positive Reviews (10 Reviews, reviews below)
Programming The Nation? has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (5 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: POOR "...takes a jaundiced look at so-called subliminal techniques in advertising and mass media.... a creaky parade of conspiracy and paranoia... one indigestible lump."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 285 words, 08/19/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...thought-provoking but overlong doc wins points for being all-inclusive.... Worth a viewing if it pops up on TV -- the right medium for these messages."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 107 words, 08/19/11
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...profoundly disturbing, as ambitious as it is provocative.... There seems to be no end to the malaise that can be ascribed to the emergence of an Orwellian society."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 09/23/11
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "A research dump... as diligently as filmmaker Jeff Warrick lines up his facts like so many boxcars, he undercuts their impact with amateurish aesthetic choices."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 216 words, 08/17/11
KEY CITIES (2 Reviews)
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: WEAK(cg) "Fascinating because its rich topic is subliminal messages... Infuriating because its agenda is so obviously partisan, and its approach frustratingly haphazard."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 514 words, 08/19/11
David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...an overstuffed documentary about subliminal messaging in America... rambles in so many directions that its ultimate message gets diluted."(See all of David Lewis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 137 words, 10/28/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "A research dump... as diligently as filmmaker Jeff Warrick lines up his facts like so many boxcars, he undercuts their impact with amateurish aesthetic choices."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 216 words, 08/17/11
Noel Murray, AV Club: FAIR(cg) "...it looks cheesy... because filmmaker Jeff Warrick couldn't get anyone from the advertising world to talk to him, his interview subjects tend to be left-wing politicians..."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 418 words, 08/18/11
Bill Weber, Slant: WEAK(cg) "A wandering commitment to the topic and shortage of hard evidence about the scale of subliminal communication undermines the film's integrity..."(See all of Bill Weber's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 467 words, 08/15/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: POOR "...takes a jaundiced look at so-called subliminal techniques in advertising and mass media.... a creaky parade of conspiracy and paranoia... one indigestible lump."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 285 words, 08/19/11
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...profoundly disturbing, as ambitious as it is provocative.... There seems to be no end to the malaise that can be ascribed to the emergence of an Orwellian society."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 09/23/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
John Anderson, Daily Variety: WEAK "...follows too many tangents, including film editing, sound and the purportedly evil effects of rock lyrics, to adequately consider any of them."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 259 words, 08/07/11
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...profoundly disturbing, as ambitious as it is provocative.... There seems to be no end to the malaise that can be ascribed to the emergence of an Orwellian society."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 09/23/11
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: POOR "...takes a jaundiced look at so-called subliminal techniques in advertising and mass media.... a creaky parade of conspiracy and paranoia... one indigestible lump."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 285 words, 08/19/11
18.8 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Programming The Nation?'s reviews are separated by an average 18.8 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Programming The Nation? (10 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Programming The Nation?'s reviews cover 10.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 2,806 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 281 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 10 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Programming The Nation?'s reviews on average broke 10 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Programming The Nation?'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Programming The Nation? (10 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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