Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

Just watched over the weekend the film "Gore Vidal: USA of Amnesia" and I must say that I was highly impressed. The film was informative and educational and thought provoking. Though Gore Vidal was mostly before my generation I knew and heard all about his writings and works even the great essays of our time his views on life, culture, politics and the state of democracy pushed the limits. One thing I can say about Gore was he was no yes man! Vidal always would challenge and question the powerful and the establishment, he would always challenge those running the show. I was lucky enough to have saw some interviews with him in his later years before his passing and it was a treat to hear him speak his words were a world of knowledge and advice. This film tells the history of Gore's life as he grew up went to college, served in service and was educated and became an author writing great stories and essay type works on our moral state of society and culture. This was displayed in interviews and clips and it was a treat to see his debates with the right wing author William Buckley Jr. as Gore always spoke for the left more. Still he was often fighting the left as evidenced when he ran and opposed democrat Jerry Brown in 1982 for California's U.S. Senate seat. And plus during the film Gore states in interviews about the blunders of Clinton, and Barrack as he tells the truth politics is a money game it's bought and paid for thru the banks! And I like the way that Vidal stated that sex was good the feel good pleasure was a must he said it right love affairs and marriages are overrated. He was even outspoken for gay rights and he hated religion, and he was so right when he said companionship and friendship is important and critical as evidenced by him living many years with a male friend! True this film is opinionated, and you may not like or agree with Gore Vidal, but one thing is for sure he was a firestorm of truth, honesty, and down right blunt and brash for the way he saw American life as more should be like him and challenge the political and rich and powerful with more thought provoking ideas and different approaches to society and culture. As Gore was a truth seeker for all he really challenged people and democracy to wake up and live with more freedom and rights. It's clear Gore Vidal was a legend and clearly no yes man!

Pretty much your run of the mill documentary about someone who wasn't. That doesn't mean it's bad, just what you'd expect: taking heads, old footage, interviews, clips of the old man going about his life, etc. Nice overview to make you want to dig deeper.

Gore Vidal was always good value for money. Writer, polemicist, raconteur, wit and intellectual.

Vidal died in 2012, he lived to a good age and this film released a year later is a documentary of his personal and professional life with contributions from those who knew him.

Gore was a patrician who came from a political family but had complex relationships with his parents. In a roundabout way he was related to the Kennedys through Jackie Onassis and experienced the Camelot years.

Yet he was critical of both Democrats and Republicans as they served the same people, the moneyed and liked to paint himself as an outsider. For many years he lived in Italy.

Gore could be charming and also abrasive and was willing to take on all comers. Gore engaged in debated with the right wing author William Buckley Jr, got in a scrape with Norman Mailer and even turned his back to former acolyte Christopher Hitchens when he got too close to the American right and for his support of the Iraq War.

This was an enjoyable documentary, I always find it stimulating to listen to Vidal even if he might be exaggerating his stories or embellishing his own importance but I would had liked to see more focus on his writing as well.

After watching this decidedly biased bio-documentary about "Mr. Opinion-Overload" (aka. Eugene Louis Gore Vidal) - I'm now convinced that way too many Americans have clearly placed far too much importance on what this obstinate public figure had to say.

I found that for a man who never had a single, successful intimate relationship in his entire lifetime (where he remained virtually celibate) - Vidal sure had an annoying knack for mouthing-off (with such superiority) about the inadequacy of so many others.

IMO - Vidal's final 4 words in this documentary, pretty much, summed up (in a nutshell) what I think about him (and all of his high-falutin ideals and opinions) - And those 4 words were - (*quote*) "I couldn't care less!" - And, believe me - I couldn't care less, either - No. Not even if I tried.

Gore Vidal, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 86, in my opinion, possessed one of the greatest minds ever. Clearly physical aging as this documentary was being filmed, but losing none of his incredible wit, sarcastic humor, and brutal honesty, Vidal gives his version of his most remarkable life.

The movie, directed by Nicholas Wrathall, appears to be meticulously researched and is extremely well presented, utilizing vintage film clips and interviews, as it recounts the most fascinating journey of Vidal's life and career.

Overall, I don't agree with everything Vidal espouses but his anti-establishment writings and spoken words are so vital, as I see it, for any society to have. In my opinion, his genius will live on in perpetuity, and hopefully serve as lessons for the future generations to come.