Scathing satire from a master director at the peak of his powers. Network skewers the new corporate television mentality of mediocrity without integrity.
     At a floundering national network, the news ratings have been precipitously. Veteran anchor Howard Beale is about to be terminated from his prestigious place at the head of the news desk. Max Schumacher, head of news for the network, must glad hand his friend the bad news. Both men have seen the glory days of television news, coming up from the ranks of journalism pioneered by the Ed Murrow's of the industry. Howard is burst out. Max is scorched around the edges from battling against the new corporate powers. 

     Enter Diana, an ambitious programmer from the new generation of commercial vultures. She bright, beautiful, and she captures Max Schumacher's heart. Meanwhile Howard Beale gets to go on the air for his last show and goes bezonkers, ranting against the frustrations of society. Before they can permanently dislodge Beale from the news show, he captures the imagination of the public with his new signature slogan "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," and the network quickly adapts to public sentiment, leaving Beale on the air to rant. Behind the scenes corporate hot shot Frank Hackett battles for control of the network and Max Schumacher flounders. Lumet puts it together with amazing dexterity working from a brilliant script from Paddy Chayefsky.
       William Holden, Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch are Max, Diana, and Howard, with Robert Duvall in the pivotal role of Frank. Finch and Dunaway won the Best Acting Oscars©, but Holden, nominated, gives a mature, thoughtfully subtle performance and is the performance of 1976.
     Another anamorphic DVD presentation from MGM of a classic film that looks quite good. Director Lumet is not known as a visual stylist and Network, while workmanlike visually, doesn't make the greatest looking DVD in the world. You can be sure that this is by far the best Network has looked since it's first print were delivered wet to theaters in its explosive debut run. The image is always sharp and there is little element marking. Color is accurate. There is a bonus interactive quiz game included and the packaging provides a informative production booklet.

The Feature Archive has articles ranging from A Western is a Western is a Western to Screen Voices, The Heistmasters,  Akira Kurosawa, film preservationist Robert Harris and Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont.

Catch the Hollywood take on Blonde Bimbos by clicking on the image above. 

Check out the Movie Poster   Archive for short bios and images of Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglas, Katharine Hepburn and many more. This month's featured star is  Clark Gable.

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