Mike Church and the Defense of the American Republic: The Road to Independence The Movie-Director's Edition 2 DVD Collectors Set
UPDATE, 2 DECEMBER, 2011 THE MOVIE HAS BEGUN SHIPPING.
$29.99 available at mikechurch.com and amazon.com,
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By Bradley J. Birzer - Our beleaguered republic has been blessed mightily with the artistry, dedication, wit, tenacity, and wisdom of Mike Church. Not only does he ask the questions that need to be asked, he also talks to the best men and women of our age. Anyone who has had the privilege of listening to Mike on his radio show knows his modus operandi. He listens, he questions, he learns, he responds, and he listens some more. Behind his views stand the greats of western and American civilization.CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY OF MIKE CHURCH'S "ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE-DIRECTOR'S EDITION NOW!
Most importantly for our society, though, he reminds us—as members of this republic (Latin for “res publica” the “good thing” or the “common good”; not to be confused with the “greater good”)—what it means to be serious and meaningful citizens and what it means to be at our best. I certainly don’t mean to gush too much, but it’s hard not to do so when speaking or writing of Mike. He’s that important to our future—and, by our, I mean the citizens of the present and of the future of America as well as of the West.
In his stunning new animated film, “The Road to Independence,” Mike Church challenges the prevailing notions, such as they are, regarding the American Founding. Neither Abraham Lincoln nor Ronald Reagan, he notes, were of the Founding generation, but, within the political right especially, these two men greatly have fundamental shaped our understanding of 1776 and 1787. And, from the opening of the film to its end, Church points out that the prevailing interpretations of the Declaration of Independence—especially if focused on “all men are created equal”—are, at best, misinterpretations of the text and of the historical moment in which the text was written. He does this through Jefferson’s own words from a 1821 interview. Indeed, the entire film is based on original research and primary documents, all of which reveal the essence of the Revolution.
"From a cinemagraphic standpoint alone, there is much to love in this movie. Some of the visuals are simply stunning, as are many of the camera angles and movements. " - Brad Birzer
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Disc 1 - Contains NEW "Director's Edition" of the film |
The backgrounds, especially, are always interesting. In one modern scene, for example, an eager, intelligent student attempts to answer a question. Near this bespectacled boy sits a cynical girl, chained to her cell phone, a slave to texting, while the teacher professes what is true and best about the American Founding. In the background of this classroom, the famous picture of Friedrich Hayek, taken at the Institute for Humane Studies in the 1970s, hangs on the wall. It’s a nice and important touch; he looks friendly and bemused.
In the scenes from the 1770s, the animators have captured the essence of the time and of the Founders. John Adams is brilliant, driven, anxious, and full of integrity. He clearly loves Abigail (presented as extremely attractive), and teases her. Jefferson is pompous and stern, learned. Franklin is befuddled and dumpy. Dickinson is handsome and overly confident. Washington is, naturally, ramrod straight, and he suffers no fools. Mason is bright, inquisitive, and argumentative. John Quincy Adams is young, eager to please his father. Martha Washington is fearsome and wise. Colonel Patterson is effeminate and sniveling.
Discussions or laws, rights, balance, and sovereignty abound throughout the movie. Virtue and manhood matter as well. Only those who are willing to fight for their rights (God given or not) have the right to enjoy liberty and independence. Church does an excellent job of making the ideas real; he also shows how important struggle and integrity are to any struggle and especially the willingness not to compromise for the sake of convenience or expediency.
The animators have chosen to focus on the eyes and the mouth of each person—capturing his or her personality—while leaving the bodies rather stiff. The effect works, as it forces the viewer to consider the deep character of each participant of the story. Much of the animation reminds me of Japanese anime. Perhaps the best animation, though, comes from the opening credits. As the words of the Declaration scroll onto the screen, the name of all of those involved appears, then disappear, as the correct words of the Declaration continue. It’s a brilliant and captivating effect—again, reminding me of Japanese-style animation, especially parts of Batman: Gotham Knight.
If the estimate given at the Internet Movie Database is correct, Founding Father Films spent over 125,000 dollars producing this film. After watching it, I have no doubt this is true.
This is a film worth watching over and over again. There are many layers to it, and, while it moves quickly in terms of story and visuals, it also demands an intelligent eye and an active mind to enjoy it fully. It will prove equally effective as a movie in classrooms, in church and civic meeting halls, and in family rooms. It is certainly scholarly and well researched, but it is also, at times, properly mischievous and intelligent, artful as well as direct. It is, clearly, a reflection of the soul, the mind, and the person of Mike Church; all to the good. He’s the writer, the director, and the producer of the film, and, blessedly, it shows in every frame and in every word of dialogue.
The Born Historian
As Warren wrote in 1805, should decadence ever rule the United States,
let some unborn historian in a far distant day, detail the lapse, and hold up the contrast between a simple, virtuous, and free people, and a degenerate, servile race of beings, corrupted by wealth, effeminated by luxury, impoverished by licentiousness, and become the automatons of intoxicated ambition.
In every way, Mike Church is that unborn historian Warren described.
With his life, his honor, and his fortune, Church has done all in his power to remind us of what is most important in the American founding, and, consequently, in the American character. Now reminded, it is up to the citizens of this republic to make good on what we have inherited, to embrace it, to exercise it, and, importantly and vitally, to pass it onto the rising generation.
God bless Mike Church.
[Read Full Review at The Imaginative Conservative]
