Four More Weeks

October 6, 2004 10:55 AM

The almost-president who never was. Sixteen years ago Robert Altman and Garry Trudeau created a fictional Democratic candidate for president, along with a satirical comedy series -- "Tanner '88" -- that documented Jack Tanner's run for the White House. Now Sundance is premiering "Tanner on Tanner," a sequel that revisits Tanner, his daughter, Alex, and others from so long ago as a four-week follow-up in this election season. In "Tanner '88" (just released on DVD from the Criterion Collection) the primary target for satire was politics. But with "Tanner on Tanner," it's the media -- self-absorbed, self-deluded and all-invasive -- that gets most of the lampooning.
"When my students ask about '88," declares Tanner "I always tell them the only thing worse than the indignity of campaigning back then is the horror of campaigning now." (more inside)
posted by matteo (3 comments total)

UK Mefites will be able to watch the new series on BBC Four
posted by matteo at 10:57 AM on October 6, 2004

"Excersiiiiize your right to vote..."

I thought it was strange to see Michael Murphy and Cynthia Nixon together on the floor of the DNC this summer. Now I know what they were doing there.

(As always, great post, matteo.)
posted by jpoulos at 1:18 PM on October 6, 2004

The future is NOW!

I still have my Tanner campaign posters and buttons from 1988. I remember wishing I could actually vote for him. He was fictional, but hey, nobody's perfect.
posted by chuq at 2:00 PM on October 6, 2004