Wag the Dog (1998)
“A comedy about truth, justice and other special effects.”
During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.
The film establishes its central universe, introducing the protagonists into an escalating conflict. Directed by Barry Levinson, this opening movement establishes high visual and thematic stakes that set the narrative journey into motion.
The protagonists navigate escalating complications, ethical dilemmas, and formidable challenges. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, the middle act intensifies dramatic momentum toward an inevitable turning point.
The dramatic arcs converge in a decisive climax, resolving interpersonal conflicts and delivering the auteur’s resonant thematic conclusion.
Dustin Hoffman
as Stanley Motss
Sammo Hung
as Sammo Law
Robert De Niro
as Conrad Brean
Gretchen Egolf
as Amy Dylan
Anne Heche
as Winifred Ames
Kelly Hu
as Chen Pei Pei
Woody Harrelson
as Sergeant William Schumann
Arsenio Hall
as Terrell Parker
Denis Leary
as Fad King
Willie Nelson
as Johnny Dean
Andrea Martin
as Liz Butsky
Kirsten Dunst
as Tracy Lime
William H. Macy
as CIA Agent Charles Young
David Koechner
as Director
Michael Belson
as President
Suzanne Cryer
as Amy CainCinematographic negative, aspect ratios & laboratory mastering sheet
| Aspect Ratios | 2.39:1 |
|---|---|
| Camera Systems | Arri Alexa LF / Panavision Millennium DXL2 |
| Negative Format | 35mm / 65mm / Digital Master |
| Printed Film Format | 70mm / DCP Master |
| Sound Mix Formats | Dolby AtmosDTS:X5.1 Surround |
| Laboratory / VFX | Technicolor / Double Negative (DNEG) |
| Color Processing | Color (Rec.709 / DCI-P3 Mastering) |
| Official Runtime | 43 min |
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Weighted consensus from 100K+ verified global cinephile ratings
The pipe organ composition from Hans Zimmer at the edge of Gargantua is monumental. Nolan masterfully balances the vast coldness of relativistic astrophysics with the intimate, multidimensional bond of family. A transcendent achievement of cinema.
"Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Michael Caine reciting Dylan Thomas resonates throughout the entire odyssey. Pure cinematic grandeur.
