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Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The

Universal acclaim
Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 39 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by:
Directed by:
Kim Bartley
Donnacha O'Briain
Release Date:
Theatrical: November 5, 2003
Running Time: 74 minutes, Color
Origin: Ireland
Language(s): English / Spanish (with English subtitles)
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
Starring Hugo Chavez, Pedro Carmona, Jesse Helms, Colin Powell, and George Tenet
On April 12th 2002 the world awoke to the news that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had been removed from office and had been replaced by a new interim government. What had in fact taken place was the first Latin American coup of the 21st century, and the world's first media coup. (Vitagraph Films)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site Film Forum Profile
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Variety Scott Foundas
A superior example of fearless filmmakers in exactly the right place at the right time.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
An extraordinary piece of electronic history. And a riveting movie
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
An extraordinary piece of electronic history. And a riveting movie
Read Full Review >Washington Post Ann Hornaday
Gets viewers inside these tense, emotional and occasionally terrifying events with immediacy and, given the confusion of the time, remarkable clarity.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
As riveting as a documentary can possibly be, this slim (74-minute) film is also one of the most politically aware films of the year.
Read Full Review >Premiere Aaron Hillis
While Bartley and O'Briain flat-out lucked out with this felicitous endeavor, their fearlessness, unobtrusive narration, and lack of Michael Moore man-and-microphone pandering is to be saluted.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder
More effort could have been made to fully flesh out the international perspective on this "people's president," but as a play-by-play look at a modern coup, it's an amazing, insightful film.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
A remarkable documentary by two Irish filmmakers that is playing in theaters on its way to HBO. It is remarkable because the filmmakers, Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain, had access to virtually everything that happened within the palace during the entire episode.
Read Full Review >Village Voice J. Hoberman
In addition to reporting a scoop, Bartley and O'Briain do an excellent job in deconstructing the Venezuelan TV news footage of blood, chaos, and rival crowds.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
As these tumultuous events play out in the film... they generate the suspense of a smaller-scale "Seven Days in May."
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Proves again that the best documentaries currently outshine Hollywood features as the most watchable, energizing, and relevant movies around.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
Stunning you-are-there account of a grand swindle in the making. Were the coup not such an outrageous and chilling affront to democracy, their documentary would be a gut-busting comedy along the lines of Woody Allen's "Bananas."
Read Full Review >LA Weekly John Patterson
Rough-hewn, improvisatory and contentedly lo-fi, the resulting documentary should prove warmly encouraging to embattled progressives of all stripes, and incidentally offers the best political date-movie of the week.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Their (Kim Bartley and Donnacha Ó Briain ) remarkable true-life footage makes this 74-minute film as potent as behemoths twice its size.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Merle Bertrand
A gripping example of "You Are There," on the spot journalism, even if it is a little slim when it comes to motives and back stories.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Ty Burr
Mao had it wrong; in ''Revolution,'' political power comes out of the barrel of a TV tube.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Marta Barber
A fascinating look at events mostly unknown to outsiders.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego
The sensation is dizzying, and you may feel relieved -- certainly the filmmakers do -- when Chavez re-enters the picture. There's a feeling of order restored, but the depiction of political free fall has been unnerving.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jami Bernard
The remarkable footage includes damning evidence of how the media, the people and the army were manipulated. Which leads to that eternal question - if it's not on TV, did it really happen?
Read Full Review >New York Post V.A. Musetto
A fascinating front-row seat for what could be history's shortest-lived coup.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
Both farcical and deeply troubling, it unfolds with the kind of breathless, minute-by-minute immediacy that only eyewitness reportage can bring.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck
Often gripping footage, and the finished product resembles a taut if at times confusing and inadvertently comic political thriller.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.4 (out of 10) based on 39 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Heiner F. gave it a10:
Excellent, all there is to say.
Alicia P. gave it a10:
Viva los callados! Unlike Tony and Rafael, 80% of Venezuela's poor population can't speak english nor have internet access to participate in this film review turned-into-political discussion. This documantary is not only showing the side the main media never showed, but it also shows the human side of protagonists in both sides. Not to mention that it's filming, production and editing makes a very entertaining, good paced piece. I lve in venezuela and unlike my ignorant compatriotas, I have been IN the barrios (not just near them) and for the first time something IS happening in people's life, for the first time they are begining to have dreams and there light in their eyes -not to mention food on the table thanks to Mision Mercal, Doctors nearby thanks to Mision Barrio Adentro, etc.
mairead gave it a10:
Just a note to say that Tony's "facts" are completly incorrect. During the coup the opposition/media maintained that Chávez had resigned, though no signed document to this effect had yet been produced. The coup-government prevailed upon Chávez’ attorney general Isaias Rodriguez to make a public statement attesting to Chávez’ resignation, to be broadcast live. Rodriguez agreed and began his statement according to plan, with the cameras rolling. Then, abruptly, he changed course and stated clearly to the world that Chávez had not resigned, that he had been kidnapped and that what had, in fact, occurred was a coup. He caught the media channels by surprise, but as soon as they realized what he was saying, every single one of them cut the broadcast in mid transmission, replacing him with cartoons, baseball games, and stunned newscasters forced to improvise explanations for Rodriguez’ sudden departure. As an irish sociology student who has been conducting research into Chavismo and the bolivarian revolution for my thesis, i am disgusted by the ignorant comments made by this person. it is completely untrue that this film is paid propaganda and the dirctors have only recorded what happened. If only other media outlets like CNN had been so objective.
Tony A gave it a0:
Just a couple of facts: 1.- The film neglects to show the magnitude of the opposition march on April 11th and, more importantly, its composition. In this country the majority of the people are racially mixed and there are very few "white" people. By the time of the film's events, surveys say at least 60% of the country was against Chavez, so logically most of them were not white or rich (80% of the country is poor). 2.- OMITTED SCENE: this inexplicably hit the cutting room floor (pacing?): Military General Lucas Rincón stated that night that the president HAD RESIGNED. There are two possibilities: Either this was a lie and the man was one of the conspirators, or it was the truth in which case the whole "Coup d'etat" scenario is invalid. This man was later suspiciously given an important position in Chavez's government. In view of the circumstances, the Supreme Court withdrew the charges of coup against the military men involved. Later, Chavez reformed the whole Court and forced them to reconsider what had already been judged. If you watch the first three minutes of Red Dragon, you'll get the image of a very gentle and intelligent man who appreciates art and dinner parties with his friends. If you keep watching, you get to see who this man really is. The "reality" that is portrayed in "Revolution" is similar to seeing the first few moments of "Dragon" and cutting the rest out. This so-called documentary (it's more like paid propaganda) omits facts that, if the filmmakers really had wanted to be objective, they would NEVER have left out. Please, people, seek the truth and judge for yourselves, don't let a pro-government paid lie be the ultimate truth (Chavez's people spent $ 52 million promoting it and they give it away at embassies for free!). THE PAST IS PRELUDE.
[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Brilliant and inspiring.
Hernan P. gave it a10:
This movie shows exactly what happend during the coudeta in 2002. It is very sad that some Venezuelans would sell their country to foreing interest. Do not let the media convince you.
Rafael C. gave it a1:
Ok, First of all I Live in Venezuela and i see everyday what happens in my country, and its really diferent from what chavez says and from what is shown in this documentary. You dont have to belive on what you saw on this "film" just because it says so here. Do your own research, pick a plane and come to Venezuela. Check te barrios in La Guaira just a few seconds after you get out of the Airport, Watch the kids begging for food in every corner of the citys!. I dont say that Bush is the Devil just because i saw Farenheirth 9/11 , i do my own research, and you should too!. This film is a Poor research about what happened in April 11 2002 giving all the good stuff to chavez and making the local media look like liars.
