harvbenn
"President's Analyst" distills 60's culture, popular ("total sound") and hippie (the promiscuous "Snow White" handing out LSD) and urban neurotic (urgency of couch psychiatry). Not to leave out the Cold War co-dependence, even camaraderie of the Soviet and U.S. spy agencies and the struggle of the smaller players (even Canada!) to make the big scene. It exposes and satirizes the FBI-CIA schism and then there's unseen but pervasive corporate dominance over both. Don't forget academic myopia {"I need to write a paper for the Institute on this")and racism (wounds of being called a "nigger" in childhood). Never heard of this James Coburn, Godfrey Cambridge gem? This film is still too hot to handle for most film lists and libraries. One of the very best!
ppilf
This movie made me realize that I had something of a talent for appreciating great motion picture production. I fully agree with nearly all professional movie critics, directors, screen playwrights, authors, etc. that this satire is one of the most underrated films ever made. In fact I regard it as the most underrated film by the general movie-going audience in motion picture history, along with four other films close behind. "The President's Analyst" has always held a very high position on my list of 100 favorite movies, holding the #15 position for the past 12 years. I remember being dismayed and shocked when many of my friends said they didn't consider it very good, ranking it with James Coburn's "Our Man Flint" B-movies. I was absolutely flabbergasted that anyone would categorize this film with those ridiculous spy-action-thriller children flicks. I hate those movies. I remember thinking, "am I the only person on earth who understands and appreciates this beautiful film?" Then I started reading the reviews of well known critics and accomplished film makers, acclaiming it as a cold-war era classic political satire, highly underrated. I remember feeling much better, relieved and vindicated. I personally loved this film from the first time I saw it in 1971, to present; it hasn't lost any of its luster to me. I don't know if anyone could have done a better job playing Dr. Sydney Schaefer than James Coburn. In fact the whole casting was genius as far as I'm concerned. This film attests Coburn's remarkable Oscar-winning spectrum as an actor. I further agree with critics that this film was far "ahead of its time". I consider it a modern turning point in movie satire and comedy style. It somehow applies a light-hearted ambiance to very grim but important modern political subjects, and not only gets away with it, but creates a whole new beautiful style. It mixes everyday people of all walks with heavy big-government international drama. Character development, dialog, acting, editing, screenplay, soundtrack, camera work.. everything is excellent, making a very entertaining and beautiful movie.
noneabve1947
Simply one of the funniest movies ever made......I just watched my DVD of this and I'm amazed at all the new stuff I pick up and a lot of stuff nobody did or ever would.OK....it's a satire, but some of it is too clever for it's own good. For example, the head of the FBR is named "Henry Lux". Fine. "Lux" is also the name of a brand of vacuum cleaner. Another brand of vacuum is a "Hoover". Um, who was director of the FBI when this was made? J. Edgar Hoover. Accident? I don't think so but you can't watch this and not be paranoid.I have a sick fantasy. No, not the ones involving Ms. Delaney and whipped cream. This involves a high tech room where this movie can be shown on all four walls plus the ceiling and floor, a sound system that can crank up to 130 decibels, and locking Dick Cheney in it for 24 hours. Somehow I don't think YouTube would post that video......
whpratt1
Enjoyed this great comedy film starring James Coburn, (Dr. Sydney Schaefer) who is a very successful analyst in New York City and he is contacted by government agencies to inform him that he has been hired to become the analyst for the President of the United States. Dr. Sydney enjoys his position dealing with the President but after a few months he becomes completely worn down mentally by all the problems the President has to deal with everyday. Sydney eventually packs his bags and winds up with a group of flower people during the 1960's and becomes a love person who enjoys the freedom of free love with very young gals. Foreign Governments become interested in Dr. Sydney because of all the secrets the President has told him during his analyst meetings and he is hunted down by all kinds of government agencies who want to capture him and some want to kill him. There is plenty of laughs and this is really a gem of a great film.
