Death of a President

Theatrical Release Date: 2006 10 27 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 012236212300

Studio: Lionsgate

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Profanity]

Summary: The assassination of the most powerful leader in the free world is examined in this controversial mockumentary from British filmmaker Gabriel Range. On October 19, 2007, president George W. Bush is visiting Chicago when he impulsively stops to shake hands with supporters en route to a meeting, while a throng of protesters demonstrate nearby. Shots ring out, and Bush is fatally wounded. As America and its allies deal with the tragic loss of their leader, vice president Dick Cheney is sworn in as the new chief executive, and while he takes the reigns of the nation and pushes new and aggressive anti-terrorism legislation through Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation steps into action to track down the gunman. As Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers share their thoughts on how the murder of the president could have been avoided, and people around the globe discuss how Bush's death has tipped the delicate balance of relations between the United States and the Middle East, a Syrian Muslim activist living in Chicago, Jamal Abu Zikri (Malik Bader), is charged with the murder of the president. While no "smoking gun" connects Zikri to the crime, a wealth of circumstantial evidence points to him as the gunman, and he's tried, found guilty, and executed in short order. However, lingering questions persist as some wonder if the F.B.I. found the right man with the right motives. Created using a combination of newsreel footage, computer-generated images, and newly staged material, Death of a President (aka D.O.A.P.) received the International Critics Prize at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, despite negative reaction from many American political commentators, many of whom were deeply offended by the film's depiction of the assassination of Bush, the sitting U.S. president at the time of the picture's production and release. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: FIPRESCI Critics Prize – Toronto International Film Festival Film Presented – Rotterdam International Film Festival

Features: cc
Director's commentary
Filmmaker's commentary
Interviews
Trailer gallery

Death of a President

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 04/03/2007

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 97 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Death of a President
1. Stopping to Think [5:54]
2. Chicago Hates Bush [3:24]
3. Security Breach [3:42]
4. Tension Rising [4:44]
5. The Meaning of Justice [4:23]
6. Not a Big Fan [7:00]
7. Sniper Suspect [3:21]
8. Person of Interest [3:39]
9. Strong Heart [9:23]
10. Sources Say [8:38]
11. Syrian Influence [5:09]
12. Patriot Act [7:19]
13. Promising Evidence [4:12]
14. Devastating News [9:58]
15. A Desperate Man [6:22]
16. Leaking Sources [9:37]

-1

When conservative pundits first heard of this faux documentary, they likely thought it was some kind of hardcore partisan tactic -- or else just a sick joke. But Death of a President doesn't have nearly the political agenda you might imagine. Yes, it presents a fictitious scenario in which the actual sitting president actually gets assassinated, on a date a full year after the film's release -- which gave it an air of eerie possibility for those who saw it in theaters or soon after. Such a project was unheard of at best, in poor taste at worst. But through the fond recollections of witnesses and other involved parties, Death of a President actually manages to lionize George W. Bush more than it vilifies him, saving its sharpest implied criticisms for the teeming protestors, whose vitriol helps enable the fatal security breach. What may be even more surprising is that there isn't a hint of a wink from British director Gabriel Range. The events that transpire are entirely plausible, and are presented with an unnerving straightforwardness, often involving the controversial use of real speeches and news footage, its audio and video manipulated to the context of the film. The thing is, even though the whole shebang is carried off with total verisimilitude, aided by an anonymous cast disappearing into their roles, Range can't elevate D.O.A.P. above the level of curiosity. It's an exceedingly watchable curiosity, but not an important one. There may be the underlying implication that Bush's policies could drive a person to murderous lengths, but otherwise, Range fails to produce any discernible message. Whether that's to soften a tough sell, or owing to a lack of conviction, it's hard to say. What he ends up with is basically an elaborate gimmick, with more value as a publicity stunt than art. ~ Rovi

Cast and Crew: Richard Harvey  Composer (Music Score) 
Ed Guiney  Producer 
Peter Carlton  Executive Producer 
Robin Gutch  Producer 
Liza Marshall  Executive Producer 
Gabriel Range  Director 
Gabriel Range  Producer 
Gabriel Range  Screenwriter 
Simon Finch  Producer 
Simon Finch  Screenwriter 
Hend Ayoub  Actor 
Brian Boland  Actor 
Becky Ann Baker  Actor 
Robert Mangiardi  Actor 
Jay Patterson  Actor 
Jay Whittaker  Actor 
Michael Reilly Burke  Actor 
James Urbaniak  Actor 
M. Neko Parham  Actor 
Seena Jon  Actor 
Christian Stolte  Actor 
Chavez Ravine  Actor 
Dawn Newton  Actor 
Patrick Clear  Actor 
Malik Bader  Actor 
Tony Dale  Actor 

Country: UK