Best of Enemies
- Documentary
- History
A documentary about the legendary series of nationally televised debates in 1968 between two great public intellectuals, the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Intended as commentary on the issues of their day, these vitriolic and explosive encounters came to define the modern era of public discourse in the media, marking the big bang moment of our contemporary media landscape when spectacle trumped content and argument replaced substance. Best of Enemies delves into the entangled biographies of these two great thinkers, and luxuriates in the language and the theater of their debates, begging the question, "What has television done to the way we discuss politics in our democracy today?"
Best of Enemies is a 2015 documentary that explores the legendary 1968 televised debates between liberal intellectual Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley Jr. The film examines how these explosive encounters shaped modern political discourse and media culture, tracing the moment when spectacle began to eclipse substance in public debate.
When does Best of Enemies come out?
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Gore VidalSelf
William F. Buckley Jr.Self
Kelsey GrammerVoice of William F. Buckley
John LithgowVoice of Gore Vidal
Dick CavettSelf
Christopher HitchensSelf
Noam ChomskySelf (archival)- Reid BuckleySelf
Andrew SullivanSelf- Todd GitlinSelf
- Brooke GladstoneSelf
Paul NewmanSelf (archival)
Arthur MillerSelf (archival)
Muhammad AliSelf (archival)
Sam DonaldsonSelf (archival)
Trailer
Best Of Enemies - Official Trailer
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Best of Enemies — frequently asked
When was Best of Enemies released?
Best of Enemies was released on July 31, 2015.
What are the main subjects of this documentary?
The film focuses on Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr., two prominent public intellectuals whose nationally televised debates in 1968 became defining moments in American political discourse and media history.
What is the central theme of the documentary?
Best of Enemies examines how television transformed political discussion in America, exploring the shift from substantive argument to media spectacle and its lasting impact on contemporary democracy.
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