Jack Tanner's run for the White House was throughly chronicled by cameras as the politician went from state to state and city to city stumping for votes.  But if you've never heard of Tanner, don't be surprised.  He was the creation of writer Gary Trudeau, of Doonesbury fame, and maverick film director Roberrt Altman.  Together the pair skillfully interweave fiction with reality creating a show that accurately portrays the American political system and its weaknesses.  The program, Tanner '88, originally ran for eleven episodes on HBO in 1988, and has now been released by Criterion.  Just in time for the 2004 presidential race this shows comments are just as relevant today as they were a decade and a half ago.

Tanner is a liberal Democrat, an ex-senator who is running for his party's nomination for president.  He's the dark horse candidate, but when an aide videotapes Jack giving a pep talk to his disheartened staff, the resulting video gives him a boost in the polls and a campaign slogan: For Real.

The show follows Tanner from quilting bees in New Hampshire to the democratic debates and finally the national convention.  Along the way we see what it takes to run a campaign, the problems that crop up, how luck plays a large role, and the way the extent that a candidate has to 'invent' himself in order to be elected.

That is one of the main themes of the show, and the irony of Tanner's slogan, that nobody is 'for real.'  As one campaign staffer puts it:  "Ninety-one percent of Americans believe that this is the best place on the planet.  And that gives people a sense of entitlement.  The best demand the best."  In other words, they don't want someone human, with faults, they want someone who is perfect.

The show constantly reminds us that contrast between image and reality is at its peak in American politics.  The spin-miesters in Tanner's organization tell him that he can't be photographed carrying his own bags into a hotel.  That shows that he's not capable of delegating responsibility, and the voters want that in a president.  He gets lessons on how to pose with babies since Jesse Jackson is way ahead of them in baby photos.  The fact that he likes to carry his own bag and doesn't feel comfortable around babies doesn't enter into it.  It is all about how the public perceives him, not what he really thinks.

Watching the current election in the US, it is apparent that the sentiment applies today more than ever.  Political battles today are fought over perceptions, not reality, and this is one of the first shows that really examined that unfortunate trend.

The show also works as just plain entertainment.  Altman and Trudeau compliment each other in an interesting way.  Trudeau has always been more interesting in politics and he creates some interesting scenes and some great monologs.  His familiarity with the political process is evident in many of the exchanges such as the time when Tanner's pollster explains why the campaign's polls are better than the network numbers.  (Because networks just want to report a number but don't want to spend a lot of money.  But the campaigns want accurate data and are willing to spend more money for larger samplings with better cross sections.)  Altman on the other hand, makes the program seem real, with his almost trademark overlapping dialog and cinema-verité feel.

Altman's self described "mockumentary" shouldn't really be compared to other movies in the genre like Spinal Tap and Best in Show.  Tanner '88 is a different creature altogether, less frivolous, with something to say about American society.  The upshot of that is that this program isn't as humorous as other movies in the genre.  Yes there are some funny moments in each show, but there are also serious sections like the episode where a Detroit man reads a poem he wrote about watching his daughter get killed in a drive by shooting.

Though the last few episodes seemed to drag a little, the show is still an unrecognized masterpiece in American television.  Amusing, informative and thought provoking, Tanner '88 is a satire of American politics that every voter should watch.

This Criterion DVD contains all eleven half hour shows (save the first episode that runs an hour) on two DVDs packaged in a single width Amaray case with a page to hold the second DVD.  There is also an insert with two essays about the show.

Audio:

The two channel audio is a little murky in places, with a lot of background sounds and extraneous noises, but this is inherent in the way the series was made.  The dialog is clear for the most part, and though it is occasionally hard to hear some of the dialog due to several people talking at once, the movie sounds as good as when it was first aired.

Video:

The full frame image is appropriate, its biggest limitation being the source material.  Recorded on video tape, the show looks cheap.  The picture is a little soft, and though the colors are bright they feel a little flat.  It has the feel of a TV news location broadcast, but this actually helps the show feel real to some extent.  

Extras:

This set comes with an interesting conversation between Robert Altman and Gary Trudeau filmed for this set.  There are also contemporary introductions where the various cast members talk about the show while in character.  This was often amusing.

Final Thoughts:

For a two disc Criterion, this show is very reasonably priced.  The show won Altman an Emmy award for direction back in the days when cable shows rarely were even nominated.  Tanner '88 in a humorous and biting satire on the American political system that is just as relevent today as it was when it first aired.  Highly Recommended.