Originally shown on the PBS P.O.V. series, this documentary about a 2002 state election in Texas could hardly be described as exciting, but in its low-key, almost deadpan, way it's interesting and even somewhat suspenseful. Political filmmaker Paul Stekler, a northerner who's lived in the Lone Star State for a couple of decades, focuses on an Austin-area race between Rick Green, a Republican incumbent with ethics problems, and Patrick Rose, a 24-year-old, Princeton-educated Democrat with the quietly ingratiating manner of a Dripping Springs native. Stekler was drawn to cover the contest because the district involved was once Lyndon Johnson's, and he hoped that studying the race might reveal something about the transformation of Texas from a Democratic to a solidly Republican state, while testing whether even in such ultraconservative territory a right-winger with strong church support but personal problems could be defeated by an attractive but untested alternative. Last Man Standing nicely captures the peculiarities of the region and the utterly extraneous matters that can sway voters--more than a few women swoon over Rose's boyish good looks and laidback charm---and the fact that Stekler was apparently given broad access to both campaigns makes it a rare insider portrait of a distinctly messy, unpredictable process. DVD extras include a brief filmmaker interview. Sure to be appreciated by political junkies, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Last Man Standing: Politics, Texas-Style
(2002) 85 min. DVD: $26.95. Docurama (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7670-7352-5. Volume 20, Issue 2
Last Man Standing: Politics, Texas-Style
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