This incisive cinema vérité documentary, inspired by Thomas Frank's popular book of the same name, delves into political and cultural contradictions in Kansas during the 2006 mid-term election. The state has been hit hard by farm failures, layoffs, and environmental woes, and while once a hotbed of radical-liberal sociopolitical movements, today's Kansans have a reputation as right-wing Bible-thumpers who practically declare Republicans the party of God. Certainly the fundamentalist element is more than adequately represented here—a “creationism” museum equates the teaching of evolution with school shootings—but filmmakers Laura Cohen and Joe Winston overlay the archival and contemporary footage with a wide diversity of opinions, from abortion providers to Operation Rescue activists, from a misanthropic folk artist to Kansas Farmers Union President Donn Teske, who mourns his country becoming “a society of aristocrats lording over a peasant population, that is basically what my ancestors [left] Germany to get away from.” The Christian right, meanwhile, fixates on cultural-wedge issues (such as gay rights) and the launch of a church-connected Wichita theme park. [Note: a 56-minute abridged version suitable for classroom use is also available with public performance rights—priced at $79.95: high schools & public libraries and $295: colleges & universities—from www.neoflix.com/store/TAL12]. Sure to spark discussion, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)
What's the Matter with Kansas?
(2009) 90 min. DVD: $24.98. Passion River (avail. from most distributors). Volume 26, Issue 2
What's the Matter with Kansas?
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