Watch Red Hollywood

Red Hollywood is a thought-provoking and insightful feature-length documentary film, directed by Thom Andersen and Noel Burch. It takes a closer look at the Hollywood blacklist era of the late 1940s and early 1950s, during which many of the industry's most talented and respected writers, producers, and directors were labeled communist sympathizers and blacklisted from working in the film industry.

The documentary includes interviews with some of the era's most significant figures, including Paul Jarrico, Eric Johnston, Ring Lardner Jr., and John Howard Lawson. These men were all accused of being members of the Communist Party and blacklisted as a result.

The film gives a deep and intimate look into the lives of these people, and it explores the effect that the blacklist had on them and the industry as a whole. It reveals the immense toll that the blacklisting took on the careers and lives of many of these artists, including the loss of friends and colleagues, the end of promising careers, and even the death of some.

The documentary also takes a wider view of the industry and its relationship with politics. It examines the way in which the industry, particularly during the height of the cold war, looked upon politics and how it used its influence to shape popular opinion.

Red Hollywood is a powerful and important film, one that sheds light on a dark chapter in American history. It offers a nuanced and complicated view of the blacklist era and its legacy, and it serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of infringing on freedom of speech and thought.

Filmed over a period of several years, Red Hollywood is a deeply researched, expertly assembled work of cinematic journalism. It is both a testament to the strength and resilience of those who were affected by the blacklist and a warning to future generations of the dangers of political censorship.

Overall, Red Hollywood is a film that offers a compelling and powerful view into the workings of Hollywood and its place in American society. Its examination of the Hollywood blacklist era is multifaceted and profound, and it offers a unique perspective on the enduring legacy of this controversial and troubling period in American history.

Red Hollywood is a 1996 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0.