Outdoor Cinema: In Defence of Satire
In Defence of Satire is a razor-sharp curated film program that presents critically acclaimed satires that dive into the absurdities of media, power and performance – inviting you to consider the continued power of the form in exposing the chaos beneath modern society’s polished surface.
All films will have burnt-in closed captions.
Presented by Fed Square, as part of Open Air at the Square.
Monday 2 February, 8pm
Stanley Kubrick’s iconic black comedy turns nuclear annihilation into absurd farce, as a rogue general triggers a doomsday scenario and the world’s leaders — including the bizarre Dr. Strangelove — scramble to contain the fallout with incompetence and paranoia.
Dir. Stanley Kubrick | 1964 | 95 min | USA & UK | English | Classification: PG – Adult themes
Tuesday 3 February, 8pm
In this scathing critique of television and corporate media, a news anchor’s on-air breakdown becomes a ratings bonanza, exposing how truth, outrage and exploitation are commodified in the pursuit of profit and spectacle. Written by Paddy Chayefsky and starring Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won four, for Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
Dir. Sidney Lumet | 1976 | 121 min | USA | English | Classification: M – Strong themes and coarse language
Wednesday 4 February, 8pm
Rob Reiner’s mockumentary follows a fictional British rock band on a disastrous U.S. tour, hilariously skewering the excesses of the music industry, rock star egos, and the absurdity of fame — all with amps that go to eleven.
Dir. Rob Reiner | 1984 | 82 min | USA | English | Classification: M – Coarse language and drug use
Thursday 5 February, 8pm
Robert Altman’s Hollywood satire centres on a studio executive (played by Tim Robbins) who becomes entangled in a murder mystery while navigating the ruthless world of pitch meetings, power plays, and self-serving storytelling – where even crime can be spun into a screenplay. Writer Michael Tonkin adapted the screenplay from his 1988 novel, winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dir. Robert Altman | 1992 | 123 min | USA | English | Classification: M – Medium level coarse language, low level violence
