"It should come as no surprise that the real scene-stealer here is Streep, who appears to be paying tribute to Angela Lansbury's performance in the original, as well as mimicking Hillary Rodham Clinton." Jeff Vice DESERET NEWS SALT LAKE CITY "Presents a world awfully close to the one we live in, which makes everything that happens all the more disturbing, helping turn this Manchurian Candidate into a winner." Brian Webster APOLLO GUIDE "A frightening update to John Frankenheimer’s war-as-game scenario—except the battle now is for our very souls." Keith Uhlich SLANT MAGAZINE "It's a mesmerizing mind-teaser that finds its own way into the material, adapted from Richard Condon's 1959 novel." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE "Some will see it as a thriller. Others will view it as social satire. Almost all will be entertained." Alex Sandell JUICY CEREBELLUM

"...coldly gripping, if not down right scary." Gerry Shamray SUN NEWSPAPERS OF CLEVELAND "A gripping and intelligent thriller that has both an immediacy and a timelessness." Steve Rhodes STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS "Absolutely riveting entertainment, a chilling portrait of human paranoia also posing as an engrossing and visually vibrant political thriller. This is one arresting film." Dustin Putman, THEMOVIEBOY.COM "This political thriller about a brainwashed soldier being positioned for the White House provides a delectable network of dramatic tripwires that teases the mind and quickens the pulse." Todd McCarthy VARIETY "A crackerjack thriller, full of great performances and different enough from its source material to keep educated viewers on their toes." Marc Mohan OREGONIAN

At A Glance

"The wonderful work of Washington and Schreiber keeps it all real." Stan James ADELAIDE ADVERTISER

It appears that Denzel Washington can not put a foot wrong and "The Manchurian Candidate" bears witness to that. I've noted from time to time that Washington is one of the major african american actors today, but his performance in this film has probably tipped the scale in his favour for grabbing the title of best american 'black' actor of all time and thereby ensuring he is certainly one of the modern day cinema greatests. OK, so I'm baised and yes, I did pick him for his second Academy Award ® when he appeared in the energy charged "Training Days", something I will continue to gloat over till my dying days thanks in large to the 'beat-up' that follwed his success from so-called critics who couldn't see how 'glory'ous he was in the role of police officer Alonzo Harris. Which brings me to "Glory" that iconic film by director Ed Zwick which should be compulsory viewing for fans of great cinema. A film critically aclaimed and one which garnered Washington his first Academy Award ® in the category of Best Supporting Male Actor. Of course there have been many other brilliant roles in front of the camera, such as "Remember the Titans"; "The Bone Collector"; another acclaimed performance under director Ed Zwick in "Courage Under Fire"; the tension packed "Crimson Tide" with one of my greatest all-time actors Gene Hackman; "Devil In A Blue Dress" and "Man On Fire" to name a few. But hands up those who knew Denzel Washington was an accomplished stage actor or knew that he appeared in the television series "St Elsewhere", playing a Doctor? Yes over the years Dr Phillip Chandler has come a long way. Picking up an OBIE Award for his off Broadway performance in "A Soldier’s Play", an Academy Award ® nomination for "Cry Freedom" to starting his own production company Mundy Lane Entertainment and more recently slipping into the directors chair while at the same time appearing in the true life story, "Antwone Fisher". Fortunately The Manchurian Candidate isn't just a good watch because Denzel Washington appears in it. Three acting roles drive this thrilling drama, the second of which is thirteen times Academy Award ® nominee, the two time Oscar ® recipient (1980 & '83) and recent recipient of the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award Meryl Streep. Here I must make a confession, I always sort of 'liked' Miss Streeps work, but it wasn't until the she appeared in 1995's "The Bridges of Madison County" with Clint Eastwood in that [even though I openly admired her achievements and work] I became one of the converted. I don't know what it was, but something grabbed me and it obviously grabbed others too. Streep was nominated for an Academy Award ® for her role as Francesca Johnson. While she missed out that year, she did win the Screen Actors Guild and GOLDEN Globe Awards. Streep is by any stretch of the imagination a concumate artist at home on the big screen, theatre and television. Streep has had many memorable years but in more recent times the one which most readers will remember is 2003 when Streep appeared in "The Hours" and "Adaptation", either of which would have, in any other year guaranteed an Oscar ®. Not this time though. Streep would share the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival with her co-stars Academy Award ® winner aussie Nicole Kidman and one of the finest American dramatic actresses in recent times Julianne Moore for "The Hours" and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in "Adaptation". With a reputation highly regarded wordwide it's little wonder that last year "Streep received an Honorary César for Career Achievement in Paris, where she also was accorded a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the highest civilian honor given by the French government?" That leaves just one to go. A man whose face is familiar but not always deserving of the recognition it warrants. Liev Schreiber, producer, big screen actor, a man with impressive stage credits, who has as well, appeared on television and is currently directing his first film for Warner Independent Pictures. He has enjoyed a great deal of success I might add. Schreiber has already starred alongside Washington. The film? "The Hurricane" which was based on the life story of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who was wrongly incarcerated for a two murders he did not commit. Liev Schreiber has won critical acclaim on stage appearing in productions such as "Shakespeare in the Park"; opposite Sigourney Weaver in "The Mercy Seat"; "Hamlet"; "Macbeth" and was the recipient of an OBIE award for his starring role in "Cymbeline". Schreiber is currently working, directing on the film "Everything Is Illuminated". He evidently read extracts of the Jonathan Safran Foer novel in "The New Yorker, secured the rights himself, wrote the screenplay and subsequently brought the project to Warner Independent Pictures." Based upon the Richard Condon best-selling classic novel and first released as a film in 1962 "The Manchurian Candidate" is every bit as scary today as it was back in the cold war days of the sixties when it starred 1954 Oscar ® winner Frank Sinatra ("From Here To Eternity") as Major Bennett Marco and six time Golden Globe winner Angela Lansbury as Mrs Iselin. By the way, it was three time Golden Globe winner Sinatra who bought the film rights. Early in 1991 daughter Tina asked late father Frank whether a remake was a worthwhile project. His reply was that he thought "it was smart and would have greater audience appeal today." Some 13 years later this production is proof that Frank Sinatra was right. What They Had To Say "With the nation’s eye focused on a presidential election this year," director Jonathan Demme says, "I couldn’t think of a better time to address darker themes about the political process and the forces that try to undermine it."
Densel Washington. "I chose not to look at the original movie so that my ideas about Marco would be completely my own."
"I just love the way Ellie Shaw is described in the screenplay, ageless with soft curves that conceal razor claws and a titanium backbone," says Meryl Streep. "How could I possibly not relish portraying a juicy character like that?"
Costume designer Albert Wolsky on Denzel Washington. "He’s really a brilliant actor, and being so good at what he does, he wants to offer his input as to how the character is going to look."
Production designer Kristi Zea speaking on the design of Marco's apartment. "I based the outside of his place after the typical mock Tudor residential buildings I found in the D.C. area, but the interior design had a lot to do with Denzel Washington’s input."
Albert Wolsky says when it came to Meryl Streeps character, "we wanted to give her a look that reflects someone accustomed to having money. Therefore, she’s dressed in attire of the highest quality and wears fine jewelry from the prestigious Fred Leighton collection."
"The film is essentially a very human tale about how the spirit wins out," says Densel Washington. "In a nutshell, what the story is saying is that the heart is stronger than anything."
"I think people will walk away from this film having lost themselves in Marco’s emotional experience," says screenwriter Daniel Pyne.
Crew Bytes "The Manchurian Candidate" was .......
directed by Academy Award ® winner Jonathan Demme ["The Silence of the Lambs", "Philadelphia", "Married To The Mob" and "Melvin and Howard"]; screenplay by Daniel Pyne ["Pacific Heights", "White Sands", "Doc Hollywood" and "The Sum of All Fears"] and Dean Georgaris ["Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" and "Paycheck"]; costume design by two time Academy Award ® winner Albert Wolsky ["All That Jazz", "Bugsy", "Sophie’s Choice" and "Road to Perdition"]; production design by Kristi Zea ["The Silence of the Lambs", "Silverado", "Terms of Endearment" and "Fame"]; edited by Craig McKay A.C.E ["Cop Land", "K-PAX", "Married to the Mob" and "Maid in Manhattan"] and Carol Littleton A.C.E ["French Postcards", "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial", "The Big Chill" and "The Truth About Charlie"]; director of photograhpy Tak Fujimoto A.S.C ["The Silence of the Lambs", "Philadelphia", "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" and "Gladiator"]; original music by Academy Award ® winner Rachel Portman ["Emma", "Beloved", "The Cider House Rules", "Chocolat" and "Mona Lisa Smile"] and Wyclef Jean ["The Agronomist"]; produced by Scott Rudin ["Iris", "Angela’s Ashes", "The School Of Rock" and "The Stepford Wives"], Tina Sinatra [TV's "Young at Heart", "Sinatra" and "Sinatra 75 – The Best is Yet to Come"] and Ilona Herzberg ["The Truth About Charlie", "Thirteen Days", "Dante's Peak" and "The River Wild"]. Casting About "The Manchurian Candidate" stars .......
two time Academy Award ® winner Denzel Washington ["He Got Game", "The Bone Collector", "John Q" and "Out of Time"]; two-time Academy Award ® winner Meryl Streep ["The Deer Hunter", "The French Lieutenant’s Woman", "Falling in Love" and "Postcards From the Edge"]; Liev Schreiber ["A Walk On The Moon", "Sphere", "Kate & Leopold" and "Scream I, II & III"]; AFI Award winner Jeffrey Wright ["Boycott", "Critical Care", "Shaft" and "Ali"]; Chicago Film Critics Best Newcomer Award winner Kimberly Elise ["Beloved", "Set It Off", "Bait" and "John Q"]; Ted Levine ["The Silence of the Lambs", "Georgia", "Heat" and "Wild Wild West"]; Simon McBurney ["Kafka", "Tom & Viv", "Mesmer" and "Onegin"]; Vera Farmiga ["Dummy", "15 Minutes", "Autumn in New York" and "Down to the Bone"]; Robyn Hitchcock ["Storefront Hitchcock"]; Bruno Ganz ["Nosferatu", "Wings of Desire" and "The Last Days of Chez Nous"] and Academy Award ® winner Jon Voight ["Midnight Cowboy", "Coming Home", "Runaway Train" and "Ali"] as Senator Thomas Jordan. The Story

"Jonathan Demme, updating John Frankenheimer's classic exercise in cold war liberal paranoia, has made a witty, anxious thriller for a new age of political uncertainty." ..... A O Scott NEW YORK TIMES

Former Sergeant Raymond Shaw is a hero, awarded the Medal of Honor for saving all but two of Major Bennett Marco's patrol when it came under enemy fire during the first Gulf War. Now he's somehow managed to pop up as the Vice Presidential candidate in the US elections. But Marco, who spends his days retelling the tale about that night and praising Shaw, isn't certain. He's under treatment for his injuries, No, not the physical kind but those of the mind. He has a reoccuring dream of what happened that night and it doesn't fit the story he tells to the numerous group function he attends. Shaw too has his doubts but hasn't admitted them to anyone, least of all his controversial mother, powerful Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw. Marco believes there is something evil and sinister hanging over the heads of those involved in the presidential race and that Shaw holds the key. Then he finds an implant under the skin on his shoulder. Does Shaw have one too? The Verdict "A solid cast delivers solid performances which hallmark this remake of the 1962 classic, "The Manchurian Candidate". Washington and Schreiber may be the main focus but it is Meryl Streeps performance as Senator Eleanor Shaw that really standouts. Evil, manipulative, possessive, dangerous. Elenor Shaw is one woman you wouldn't want to cross swords with. "The Manchurian Candidate" is a well done, very entertaining production indeed." The Cast

Denzel Washington Meryl Streep Liev Schreiber Jeffrey Wright Kimberly Elise Jon Voight Vera Farmiga Ted Levine Miguel Ferrer Bruno Ganz Simon McBurney Tom Stechschulte Pablo Schreiber Anthony Mackie Dorian Missick Jose Pablo Cantillo Teddy Dunn Joaquin Perez-Campbell Tim Artz Robyn Hitchcock Antoine Taylor Joseph Alessi Ray Anthony Thomas Bill Irwin Al Franken Paul Lazar Danny Darst

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Ben Marco Senator Eleanor Shaw Raymond Shaw Al Melvin Rosie Senator Thomas Jordan Jocelyn Jordan Colonel Howard Colonel Garret Richard Delp Dr Atticus Noyle Robert Arthur Eddie Ingram Robert Baker Owens Villalobos Wilson Atkins Jameson Laurent Tokar Boy Scout #1 Boy Scout #2 Scout Dad Scoutmaster TV Commentator Gillespie Ellie's Mysterious Aide

The Crew Directed by Jonathan Demme From the 1959 novel by Richard Condon Original 1962 screenplay by George Axelrod 2004 screenplay written by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris Original Music by Rachel Portman Cinematography by Tak Fujimoto Film Editing by Carol Littleton and Craig McKay Casting by Kathleen Chopin and Laura Rosenthal Production Design by Kristi Zea Art Direction by Teresa Carriker-Thayer Set Decoration by Christine Moosher and Leslie E Rollins Costume Design by Albert Wolsky Production Manager Denise Pinckley Produced by Jonathan Demme/Ilona Herzberg/Scott Rudin/Tina Sinatra Run Time 130 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2004 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2004 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages - All Rights Reserved