Palin Team Criticizes Elitist "Subscription-Only" HBO Movie

Game Change, HBO Films' soon-to-be-released docudrama about the rise of Sarah Palin in the latter months of the '08 presidential election — or, as SarahPAC describes it, "a subscription-only television movie sensationalizing 40 pages of a three-year-old book about the 2008 presidential election" — won't premiere for another three weeks, but it's already coming under fire from the Palin's people, who (probably correctly) are assuming that it will be a somewhat unflattering portrayal of Sarah Palin.

Though, to be fair, one can make an argument that Sarah Palin is a somewhat unflattering portrayal of Sarah Palin…

"I haven’t seen HBO's latest effort at manipulating history," [SarahPAC treasurer Tim] Crawford said. "However, based upon the description and reports from people who have viewed the film 'Game Change,' HBO has distorted, twisted and invented facts to create a false narrative and attract viewers. They call it a docu-drama; there is little "docu" in it. HBO must add a disclaimer that this movie is fiction."

Look, it's bad enough that they're portraying her negatively. But everyone does that. What must be really galling is that they're "distorted, twisted and invented facts," when that's clearly her thing. Have these scoundrels no honor?

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Tags: Books, HBO, Julianne Moore, Movies, Sara Benincasa, Sarah Palin, Super PACs, Tina Fey

From the Pork Barrel: Country First

* Just getting our first look at Ed Harris in make-up as John McCain from HBO's Game Change. Pretty impressive. I assume they'll be doing the bending-over-backwards with CGI.

* You'd think Bill Clinton would have a better understanding of how the Internet works considering how his VP invented it.

* Glenn Beck promises "Restoring Courage" rally in Jerusalem this summer, which has got to be fulfilling at least one of those prophesies from the Book of Revelations.

* Newt Gingrich is large. He contains multitudes.

Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO

Tags: Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Glenn Beck, HBO, Internet, Israel, John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Pork Barrel, Religion, The Bible

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin

HBO just released a photo of Julianne Moore in costume as Sarah Palin from their upcoming movie Game Change…

Not bad. She's got the mannequin smile down, but I'm still sensing a bit too much intellect around the eyes. Though, I imagine they'll eventually digitally replace Moore's eyes with shark ones. Once they do that, I'm sure she'll be a dead ringer.

For some reason, though, this other photo that shows Ed Harris in make-up as John McCain out on the campaign trail in getting less coverage. No idea why.

Tags: HBO, John McCain, Julianne Moore, Movies, Sarah Palin

HBO's Miniseries on Dick Cheney Will Almost Certainly Be the Best Thing Ever (How Can It Not?)

Every time I get tired of waiting for that new Game of Thrones series to get going and I start thinking about maybe canceling HBO, I find out that they're making a movie about about Sarah Palin or — like today — that they're making a miniseries about Dick fucking Cheney…

The mini, which will be based on the bestselling book [Barton Gellman's Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency] and the Frontline documentary The Dark Side, tells the story of Richard Bruce Cheney from his early days as Donald Rumsfeld’s protégé in the Nixon administration, to the nation's youngest Chief of Staff under President Ford, to serving as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, through two controversial terms as Vice President under President George W. Bush. According to the producers, the project will center on Cheney's "single-minded pursuit of enhanced  power for the Presidency (that) was unprecedented in the nation's history."

Rick Cleveland (Six Feet Under), who shared a writing Emmy with Aaron Sorkin for NBC's White House drama The West Wing, is writing the mini…

I know it's a longshot, but I'm really hoping they cast Michael Clarke Duncan in the lead role. He and Cheney don't look exactly alike, but I really liked him in The Green Mile, and I'm a strong proponent of casting against type.

Tags: Books, Dick Cheney, HBO, Movies, Television

Julianne Moore to Play Sarah Palin in HBO Movie Sarah Palin Will Rail Against on Fox News

I loved the HBO movie Recount. If I was flipping through the channels and Recount happened to be on, that was the end of me flipping and the beginning of me sitting there for two hours or whatever.

So, I'm very psyched to hear about this upcoming HBO film, though a bit surprised by the casting choice…

Sarah Palin is getting the movie treatment with HBO Films' Game Change. Julianne Moore is set to  portray the former Alaska Governor in the project, directed by Recount helmer Jay Roach.  The movie is based on Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s book about the 2008 Presidential elections and follows John McCain’s presidential campaign, from his selection of Palin as his running mate to their ultimate defeat in the general election.

Danny Strong, who previously wrote the Roach-directed HBO movie Recount, about the aftermath of the 2000 Presidential elections, penned the script for Game Change. Roach is executive producing, with Strong co-executive producing.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's bad casting — I'm sure Julianne Moore will be good in this role, the same way she's good in every role — it's just that I wouldn't have thought of her. Who would I have thought of? I have no idea. (God! I'm sorry I even brought it up.)

I can't wait to find out who they'll cast for the rest of roles. It's too bad Popeye passed away several years ago, 'cause he would have been a great McCain.

Any thought on who you think should think should be cast to fill out the rest of the characters?

Tags: Books, HBO, Julianne Moore, Movies, Sarah Palin