Controversy Ahoy!

Normally all too happy to support the status quo and happily fall at the feet of whichever self-serving power freak's temporarily inhabiting the White House, Hollywood's not exactly the first place you'd look for an incisive critique of civil liberties in the modern world. In fact, we'd safely bet, it might well be the last. OK, there's been the political satires of Primary Colours and Wag the Dog popping up in the relatively recent past but – with perhaps the exception of the one-man missionary of the left-wing, Michael Moore - no filmmakers or studios have had the bravery to take on Dubya and his actions since September 11th. That is, not until today. Studio goliath MGM has teamed up with smaller production company Mosaic Media Group to produce political thriller Camp David which will centre on a U.S. president who is taken hostage and put on 'trial' for signing an anti-terrorist bill that allegedly violates American civil liberties. What's the bet this president might possibly originate from Texas, does a fine line in manly leather jackets and displays a grasp of world geography even schoolkids gasp at in horror? Mosaic Media Group's Eric Gold made clear to Variety today that oh yes, this is going to be one very timely movie indeed – and deliberately so. "Camp David deals with all of the provocative constitutional dilemmas created by the impending passage of the Homeland Security Act and the creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security," Gold said. "We've been championing this project and look forward to working with MGM in creating a film which does not simply entertain but provokes heated discussion about the Bill of Rights and the liberties we enjoy as Americans." Whether it'll enjoy any kind of decent release on the other hand is, of course, another matter entirely.