If the guy killed someone, (which he had) then the extent he violated someone elses rights, he loses his. If Eastwood kills him, and he turns out to be guilty (the guy murdered) then that’s justifiable. If it turns out, he was innocent, then Eastwood becomes the murderer..
*Just for others, if you’re recommending someone - try mention why, what category etc.
Why: (Spoiler Alert) The movie is about a cop, Dirty Harry (Eastwood), who “doesn’t play by the rules”, and does anything to get the job done. He’s after a sniper, and when he finally gets him (after shooting him, and previously beat by the sniper), he gets “rough” to get information on a missing person who doesn’t have any time left. The sniper is let free in court due to Dirty Harry being to harsh on him (one of his superiors asked him if he’s ever heard of Miranda after the case). Even though they have the gun, and all the evidence they need, the sniper is let go due to a legal technicality (Eastwood being rough). Eastwood watches him for some time, and eventually as Eastwood predicted, he ends up going back to crime and takes control of a school bus filled with kids. After Eastwood gets him again, he shoots him in the shoulder and the sniper falls off a deck into a river. Eastwood then takes his badge and throws it into the river to end the movie.
The movie portrays the nonsense in the courts and in law enforcement and how enefficent they can be (in actually putting real criminals in jail). As for what category, I guess I would have to put it in law/courts, or maybe if you want to get deeper, how privatized security would be different or more effective in handling criminals compared to now, etc etc.
I haven’t seen the other movies in the Dirty Harry series, but I love his westerns, and Gran Torino and Alcatraz are awesome.
Yeah, definitely a possibility - although I don’t think it’s as clear to non-libertarians etc. But that initial “anger” / “outrage” about him being let free, courts, no justice etc.. could be useful indeed.
As already mentioned here, Law abiding citizen too had some very fine lines. But of course. no movie would be with a good end. Anarchists must be demonized.
The Russians Are Coming is a good one. It is this over the top comedy from the 60s. It is good from three aspects. 1.) It satirises the Soviet scare, the people the most gung ho are the most made fun of 2.) It is a cold war movie that shows Russians as just ordinary people much like the Americans and with whom it is possible to get along and 3.) It shows that a militia is a formidable form of defence.
It is not in the 50 most important libertarian movies or anything like that (since it is into fun, not into making a philosophical point), but it is really the sort of flick you can put on and watch relaxed as it will never frustrate you with anything pro-state while it will do plenty of things that will be appealing.
Yeah.. 
Anyway, Bog Murphy offers a movie - “Burn After Reading”
A month or so ago Jeff Tucker urged me to watch Up in the Air (which I still haven’t done). I said that if he wanted to see another movie with George Clooney that had an outstanding appeal for Rothbardian viewers, he should check out Burn After Reading.
I just watched it again and I think it’s fantastic. If you liked the humor of The Big Lebowski, you may end up thinking this movie is in your top ten. (Warning, there are a lot of F-bombs.)
I hesitate to say much more, since part of the greatness of the movie is trying to figure out what the heck it even is as you watch it develop. All I will say is this: My model of government officials was fundamentally altered after I watched this movie. I thought, “Of course that’s how things must be if we could see these guys behind closed doors.”
I’ll check out Burn After Reading too.
This description of Burn After Reading, which I loved, makes me think of Conrad’s book The Secret Agent. In that there are all these plotters and no one really understands what is going on - except the reader. I was wondering why they hadn’t made a good movie version of it. In a way Burn After Reading is a slapstick version of it.
This book has an amazing discussion of The Secret Agent and it is funny how similar Burn After Reading is http://mises.org/books/literature_and_liberty_cantor.pdf
I love Burn After Reading. I was able to get the posters for it from the theater I work at.
I too am a big fan of Burn After Reading
I think Recount is good too, shows how corrupt elections are. Anything that shows what politics looks like is a liberty minded movie in my opinion. [:D]
That’ s a documentary though, right? I made a thread over at RPF ages ago, just like this one… except I haven’t reproduced it, because updating the OP (editing) is impossible after a while… which is frustrating.. since people click it - then see the origional massive list, not in any order, nor anything discarded. The main thing is in the middle of the thread. So if I find some better alternative / option - I may do that.
No it was a made-for-HBO movie staring Kevin Spacey (who was nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe for the role) and the movie itself won the Emmy for best made-for-tv movie.
Just watched Burn After Reading.
I started out really slow and got funnier as it went along. A couple of shock-moments later. But all-in-all it’s just a really random movie. Murphy says it’s a look into what’s behind government doors, but I disagree because what they were dealing with was totally random. So I don’t think it says much about anything except that all the main characters were sad, empty and pathetic.
This movie is not something I would recommend to someone else. These are gifted actors and they can do actual great things instead of this.
this is all you need to know:
I saw Burn After Reading before realises that is what Murphy was referring to. Funny, good, it is up there - but probably not worthy of the list imo.
Though there are good moments.
Logans Run - Boring mostly. Hard to keep my attention. The Island is probably far better. Up there, as classic but not worthy of the final list.
Europa, Europa - Fairly good. Though lower end of the category. Takes both the communists and fascists to task.
Captain Blood - great. Many good moments.
Spartacus - quality. Old school gladiator, with the message being a little clearer.
The Man Who Would Be King - A good adventure movie. British Imperialism. A tinge of anti-primitivism. And what happens when you become king, and act like a God.
Furthermore, half the movie might as well have been written by Szasz…it’s a brilliant, explicitly libertarian movie.
I’d recommend Gran Torino. Hey, we have one major screenwriter who is a libertarian, we might as well take advantage of him…
I am not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but when I watch a zombie movie it reminds me of a metaphor for collectivism. The zombie horde ( the collective will) out numbers a small group of individuals. Zombies do not produce they are dead and numerous, they try to feed off of the living.
I know zombies were meant to be metaphors for consumerism, especially in Dawn of the Dead.
Anyways anyone else notice this?
Edit: SP
I always though that zombie movies where a metaphor for homophobia. “Ah, they want to bite me!”, “if they get you you’ll become one of theirs” and all that as well as the share pleasure of mowing down someone different.
Yes, that’s a fairly good one.
The Boys from Brazil ?