Money Men are Movie Villains

Here’s something to think about when you go to some of those holiday blockbusters (NOTE–Subscribers can still listen to this show): Movies COST lots of money, but they MAKE lots of money too–they’re one of this country’s major exports. Since filmmaking is such a high dollar business, you’d think films would show capitalists as heroes, but they don’t–most money men in movies are villains.

Many of our greatest films, such as "Up in the Air," "Wall Street," "Trading Places," "Chinatown," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Citizen Kane" and "The Social Network," center around making money, but the people who do it are rarely portrayed in a good light.

In the November 21st edition of the Financial Times, Luke Johnson writes: "I have rarely been to a place more obsessed by money and business than Hollywood–and that includes the creative types, not just the financiers. The former just hide behind their agents. It feels a touch hypocritical that the town likes to bite the hand that feeds it so well."

And show business types tend to overwhelmingly support the Democrats, rather than the Republicans. Johnson writes: "Does this rather negative image of capitalism in show business actually matter? Yes, because the media influences hearts and minds, and can make an impact on consumer support and government policy."

We have lots of holiday treats for our subscribers, like great coupons, one of which gets you a beautiful, hardcover copy of Whitley’s wonderful novel Hybrids for only $5.

Not yet a subscriber? New subscribers who subscribe for one year will get a FREE unknowncountry.com tote bag, and if you subscribe for two years, you’ll get a FREE 2013 Crop Circle calendar (but these offers are good ONLY while supplies last!)

And just in time for the holiday season (when we all overeat), now EVERYONE can get the download of Anne Strieber’s famous diet book for $2 off (it now costs less than $3).