Network (1976) Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: A news anchor reaches a state of enlightenment, or madness, as his rants land him the highest rated show on television.

Review: This is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful films to come out of the '70s. Although this is a satirical look at the media during a time when TV mattered, it covers all kinds of material regarding the political, societal, and philosophical. You do need a certain working knowledge of '70s America to fully appreciate the passing dialogue and the weight of some of the comparisons, but the heart of the story is universal. I like to think of this film as more of a peek behind the veil of propaganda--a glimpse at the kind of soulless individuals who run the show. One unfortunate aspect worth mentioning is that Peter Finch, who plays the central character of Howard Beale, died while promoting the film in early '77. While he rightfully earned his Academy Award for this performance, it would have been great to hear further insights regarding the character.

To quickly sum things up, Howard is a news anchor who goes off the rails when the network intend to fire him for low ratings. The cast is more of an ensemble, and they do turn in spectacular performances as well, but Howard's character arc is what truly makes this film shine. First Howard says he will commit suicide on air which draws attention to his show. This is followed by other instances of him going on profanity-laced rants. While the network is trying to figure out what to do with Howard, he has an epiphany or reaches a state of enlightenment...somehow. It is unclear as we can assume anything from he's gone insane to becoming one with the force (he really does mention the force before Star Wars!). Regardless of the cause, Howard decides to use his platform to vent the frustrations of society on behalf of the average citizen. This is the point when the famous line "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore" is uttered. You could say this was sort of the anthem of an era when people weren't completely brainwashed yet. Again, the references in this scene are specific to the time and place, but you can apply the general message to any time period or country in the world quite readily.

Eventually Howard is given a show, that becomes the highest rated, where he can go on similar anger-fueled rants. The "I'm as mad as hell" line is most remembered, but I think there are two scenes that easily eclipse it in importance. In one scene, Howard discusses the illusion of the media and how controlled and manipulated it is. This is especially important nowaday since it has become impossible to decipher what is real and what is propaganda--what's the agenda at hand. And that's if you can even sort through all the bullshit and fluff pieces we simply refer to as "clickbait." No longer are these shenanigans relegated to America or even the Western countries. Propaganda and bullshit have spread like a plague across the globe creating a swarm of mindless drones to engulf the planet in idiocy. To further cement the hopeless situation we find ourselves in, Howard finally pisses off higher ups in the system when he rallies people behind protesting an insider business deal. This is when we come to the third main scene and probably the most powerful in the film overall. The guy who runs the entire company wants to meet Howard face to face in order to explain to Howard how things really work and that he's angered "primal forces." This character addresses that money controls the world under the guidance of conglomerates, banks, and corporations working in tandem. As he elaborates, there are no more countries or people...there are only companies and their business transactions. After this, Howard is manipulated into becoming, more or less, a shill for the corporations, but his ratings slip as the public does not like his defeatist shift in philosophy. The network executives then plot to have Howard assassinated on live TV to get rid of him and boost the ratings in the process. This is the one part of the story I found to be stupid, but I get the emphasis on the kind of lengths these people will go to for money and ratings.

A few other things worth discussing: the bizarre terrorist organization the network recruits to make a lame TV show. The way these terrorists sell out and become fixated on their own ratings and shit is hilarious! The dysfunctional affair with Max and Diana is weird to say the least. For me, I look at it as more of an old school meets new school. Max, while often laughing at the notion of things being better in the past, actually does represent the integrity of an industry. Diana, on the other hand, represents the shift toward things being bigger and louder instead of focusing on substance. This metaphor can be extended into their own fates. Max mentions he will even have that classic happy ending while Diana will probably end up taking a swan dive out her window in the next 10 years; Max's ending is cliche while Diana's fate is "edgy." In regard to Diana, her character perfectly represents the way pandering works in the industry: no one gives a fuck about the causes...just push the agenda and make money. Hell, this movie should be shown in schools and colleges, but I suppose we can't have pawns realizing their role on the board, right?

As you can probably guess, there is a lot going on in this film, and it's hard to do the material justice. This is one of those movies you're better off simply watching, but be aware of the era and the pacing if these things bother you. Honestly, I haven't watched this movie in years, and, yet, the parallels to modern time never cease to amaze me. In as few words as possible, this film is thought-provoking--it touches on a great many themes and satirizes them incredibly well. The acting is solid from everyone, the story is engaging, and it's surprisingly very funny. The only major detriment I have ever had with this film is the lack of clarity on Howard's enlightenment and the ridiculous nature of the ending. I understand that younger people will probably not want to give this film a go given the emphasis on '70s life and culture, but the insights alone are worth exploring.

Notable Moment: When Howard meets with the head of the corporation. The sinister lighting and over the top condescension in order to get Howard's attention is brilliant. I also think Howard's palpable fear represents the average person's reaction to learning the truth about how the world really works.

Final Rating: 9/10