Wag the Dog (M) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Wag the Dog (M, 1997) Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth in partnership with RAC

When the President of the United States is caught in a sex scandal just two weeks before the election, spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro) is called in to distract the public. His solution: fabricate a war. Brean recruits Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to stage a fake conflict with Albania, complete with patriotic songs, heroic soldiers, and emotional backstories—all created in a studio. As the fictional war captures public attention and the President's poll numbers rise, the team must maintain the deception against skeptical CIA operatives and an opportunistic opponent. When their fake hero becomes inconveniently real and threatening to expose the truth, Brean and Motss scramble to control their creation. The question becomes whether reality matters anymore when the media spectacle is this convincing.

Director Barry Levinson and screenwriter David Mamet create a razor-sharp political satire that feels unnervingly prescient. The 1997 film arrived mere weeks before the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke, making its premise seem prophetic rather than absurd. Dustin Hoffman earned an Oscar nomination for his exuberant performance as Motss, a producer who treats war like any other production challenge, while De Niro plays the cynical operative with chilling matter-of-factness. The film's genius lies in showing how easily media narratives are manufactured and manipulated. The supporting cast, including Anne Heche, Denis Leary, and Willie Nelson, bring authenticity to the absurdity. Levinson's brisk pacing and the film's mockumentary-style approach make the satire cut deeper. It's a dark comedy that asks uncomfortable questions about truth, media, and democracy.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Sunday, June 14th at 4:30PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: M (Medium level coarse language)

Levinson's prescient satire exposes media manipulation - experience this unnervingly relevant political comedy in 35mm film.

Presented by: The Revival House Perth and RAC