by Mimi Lu

Created on: November 28, 2007   Last Updated: November 30, 2007

Why does a dog wag its tail? Because a dog is smarter than its tail. If the tail were smarter, the tail would wag the dog.'

Barry Levinson's film Wag the Dog' thus begins with these opening credits, an early indication of a dark socio-political satire that would unfold to criticise the vulturous mass media and fickle public opinion, but most importantly, the abuse of power by political leaders. Wag the Dog' also satirises the naivety of society and how people's unquestioning absorption of propaganda only encourages the media to exploit them on a higher level.

Conrad Brean is a retired political consultant, a spin doctor' who resurrects the support for the US President's after his disastrous scandal with a teenage girl just eleven days before the election. In order to smother the sparks of rumour ignited by the media, Brean invents an international crisis to sway the people's vote he fakes a war on Albania. The president heroically ends the war' and his compassion and exceptional leadership qualities are presented through the mass media to the people, winning back their faith.

Through satire, the visual piece also enforces the jaded belief that politics is merely the art of media manipulation, an image that intensifies when Brean enlists the help of Stanley Motss, a Hollywood producer. Politics is presented as a species of show business, and as opined by Motts, It's all a change of wardrobe.' The audience watches Wag the Dog' incredulously, inevitably recognising the parody of their own folly, as the American public devours the created scenario and rises to the call of blind patriotism. Wag the Dog' repeatedly exemplifies society's complete trust in the imagery of media presented to them, and subsequently their seduction by political propaganda.

Wag the Dog' was released in 1997, ironically preceding the sex scandal of President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, and the hasty bombing of some minor' African cities. Wag the Dog' was based on Larry Beinhart's book American Hero,' which argued that the Gulf War was filmed by Hollywood producers hired by the first Bush government to boost support for his failing presidency. The film is full of acerbic allusions to the Gulf War Gulf War? Smart bomb falling down a chimney, 2500 missions a day, 100 days, one video of one bomb. And the American people bought the war. War is show business,' as Brean justifies his war' by blurring the line between politics and Hollywood, between truth and perception.

The plausibility of the

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