How better to capture the Looney Tunes happenings of the infamous Chicago 7 trial than with animation?
For those not old enough to remember, the Chicago 7 were a group of Yippies put on trial for causing the police to riot at the 1968 Democratic convention. Absurd charges lead to one of the great performance pieces of the 1960's, lead by that old prankster himself, Abbie Hoffman. It was great theater which makes for great cinema.
Using animation and actual footage events, Brett Morgan captures a time and feeling which now seem almost trivial, but was then the trial of the sixties.
And, yes, it was the Chicago 7 (and for a little while 8), the title of the movie includes the three defense attorneys who were charged with contempt.
Get out your flag shirts and enjoy the circus. |
