Words are their swords and TV their arena

Posted to: Movies Spotlight

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Video: Watch the trailer for "Frost/Nixon."
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Michael Sheen, left, is David Frost and Frank Langella is Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon," a dramatization of Frost's 1977 television interviews with the former president. (Universal Pictures)

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By Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 24, 2008

Movie producers are gambling heavily, both at the box office and for the upcoming Academy Awards, that old news can be dramatic news.

Opening in theaters this holiday season are, among others, recreations of the assassination of a gay political activist ("Milk"), an attempted assassination of Hitler ("Valkyrie") and, most intriguing of all, a debate involving former President Richard Nixon.

It seems that Hollywood is asking if we really want serious films, or do we just say that while buying tickets for mindless comic book computer shows.

"Frost/Nixon" - an adaptation of a London and Broadway play - is mostly talk and hinges perilously on the precept that seeing Nixon apologize will be enough of a payoff to fill movie theaters.