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The Manchurian Candidate (2004) - Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2025-11-24 15:19:29
Edited:
2026-08-19 19:09:58
Imported:
2026-10
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Wow! This was kind of a trip to watch the remake so close to having watched the original. There were things I liked better about the original but by the end, things I liked better about the remake as well. I love a political thriller and was this idea of brainwashing the OG of the trope in the book it was based on I wonder?

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The Manchurian Candidate (2004) - Full Reaction - Popcorn In Bed

Watch the full reaction to The Manchurian Candidate on Popcorn In Bed.

Comments

Wes

I really like both versions. They both speak to the politics of the time they were made.

Paul Cox

Indeed it was the same Frank Sinatra. He had successful dual careers as both an actor and a musician.

Choof

Same director as silence of the lambs and Philadelphia

Doc Larry/old geezer

The original and the remake of The Manchurian Candidate share the same core concept but are shaped by different eras. The 1962 film reflects Cold War tensions, while the newer version updates the themes for a modern political climate. Both explore similar ideas, but each approaches them with its own style and tone.

Michael West

Great film. I appreciate the original, but I actually like the remake a little more.

Above Average Dave

Btw, Cassie — if you ever need a touch of the summer's warmth in the dead of a frozen winter (or even a cold Autumn when the kids are sick 😁), give a listen to Frank Sinatra's "A Summer Wind." It's less than 3:00 mins long but will put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart as you're suddenly transported to a lazy summer afternoon (and you'll want to grab Ben for a quick arm-in-arm dance!): https://youtu.be/tY8mf_0m2xA?si=yN1kET3cEOqBohHM

2-Can

Before or after she watches The Pope of Greenwich Village?

Rick Rodriguez

*spoilers. I love how genuinely emotional and moving it is when Raymond asks Ben, "Are we friends, Ben?" And Ben doesn't lie to him but basically says it's deeper than that, "We are connected and that's something nobody can take from us..."

James M

The term brainwashing seems to have appeared in the 50s and referred to influencing thought by controlling the ideas you see. If that sounds creepy it should because it's very close to the objections to social media and how algorithms control what you see when you use a social media platform. However this sort of control is more of an extension of fantasy/horror ideas of mind control. In that sense it's really a kind of science fiction thriller. There is no such science as this, but if there were you could make this story happen. Very creepy. I am really very pleased when you watch the original before the remake for movies. Seeing the idea as it originated and seeing what a new filmmaker and new actors do with the story stimulates a lot of thought. You become more active in watching and analyzing movies. You walk away with a great deal more to say than "good movie" which is honestly what we all want from a reactor.

James M

It feels like there are a lot of similarities between our current "who can you trust" political climate and that of the early Cold War when people genuinely feared communist infiltration. I think the increased appreciation of Cold War themes comes from this cultural parallel.

Ike

I think Jeffrey Wright (Melvin) was the best actor in this movie. I still show friends the scene when Melvin walks up to Denzel to ask him about what he remembers. His interpretation of severe PTSD was a little exaggerated, but it did convey to audiences what goes on in the mind of a haunted, broken man. Jeffrey Wright has been one of my favorite (quite overlooked) actors since then.

Chris Thom

Totally forgot this is where I first saw him. Yeah he's very, very good. He was fantastic on Westworld. And that was a really tough role to pull off.

Ike

Indeed, the man has impressive range as an actor.

Just Plain Bob

This is totally off topic, but I wanted to share this, even though it’s not movie related. Over the weekend, the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team won its 1,500th game, the most of any team in the women’s game. Most of those wins were under legendary coach Pat Summitt. Summitt took over the Lady Vols basketball team shortly after the end of her own collegiate playing career. Three years into her coaching tenure at Tennessee, she was also the player/coach for the 1976 silver medal winning U.S. Olympic team. She won the gold medal 8 years later as the coach. When Summitt first began coaching, women’s college basketball was still played on a half court. That changed in her second year at UT-Martin (she became the Tennessee coach three years later). She had been a vocal advocate for the change. During her tenure as the Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach, Coach Summitt set the NCAA record for most career wins in either the men’s or women’s game. She also won 8 national championships. Her most dominant team was the 1998 team, which went 39-0 and had an average margin of victory of 20 points. In her coaching career at Tennessee, every player she coached participated in at least one Final Four. Her teams played in every single NCAA Tournament. But, more impressively, every one of her players in her 38 years as coach graduated. Her players were required to sit at the front of the classroom and she had a standing request with their professors that they notify her if one of her players had an unexcused absence. As great as her teams were on the court, she understood that they were at the university for an education and that was paramount. Coach Summitt sadly passed away in 2016 at only 59 after battling early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Some of my best memories are of attending their games in Knoxville and at NCAA Tournaments with friends and my mother and nephew. Coach Pat was a legend that did it the right way and will always be missed. I’m thankful the current generation of players did her proud by becoming the first women’s program with 1,500 wins. GO LADY VOLS!

Chris Thom

Joel Edgerton played Luke's uncle at the end of Revenge of the Sith (he directed and wrote an interesting thriller called The Gift). This one was directed by Jonathan Demme. One of my favorite directors. Really distinct style with full faces staring directly into camera. I find it really effective. Some of his best are The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, Beloved, and The Truth About Charlie.

OddThomas

Not seen the original yet but I loved this. I saw it blind at a preview screening in 2004, knew nothing about it but was utterly hooked. The sound design and music is so good at the climax.

Chris Thom

Pretty sure the CIA and KGB have both seriously looked into it at different points to use applicably.

Chris Thom

I didn't see the original, but is the Manchurian word in the title applicable to both movies?

Ted Whalen

Bob- coach Summitt was a legend and built a dynasty at Tennessee. I always put her at the top of the coaching podium with coach John Wooden from UCLA.

Stick Figure Studios

Just finished the reaction and I have to say, Cassie, I am in full agreement with your assessment. I saw the original film as an adolescent when I was still a budding cinephile and was blown away by it. I loved the suspense and the intrigue and the performances and the terrific editing that often shifted perspective in a disorienting manner (particularly in the notorious hypnotized garden party sequences). It was just a phenomenal film directed by the late great John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra (Yes, THAT Frank Sinatra) and Janet Leigh and Angela Lansbury in a far more sinister role than I was used to seeing her in (I grew up knowing her from Disney's BED KNOBS & BROOMSTICKS and TVs MURDER SHE WROTE). So when the remake came out, I was not thrilled about the idea of it, but I still went to go see it in the theater anyway because of its terrific cast in the pedigree of its director Jonathan Demme. Much to my pleasant Surprise, the remake was actually rather good. It followed the original closely enough that I was able to anticipate multiple story beats, but then it veered off in its own direction and provided some welcome twists and turns that I did not see coming... which for me is part of the whole point of doing a remake, because if the original is already great on its own, there's really no real reason to do it again unless you're going to try something fresh and new with it. I remembered that Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, Jon Voight and Vera Farmiga were all in this movie, but I completely forgot about so many other actors including Dean Stockwell, Bruno Ganz, Ted Levine, Charles Napier, Jeffrey Wright and a very young Anthony Mackie. I also appreciate the visual style of this film. At one point you commented on how you didn't like an angle because it was and unsettling one and I agreed, which is why it is so effective. Jonathan Demme has a tendency to shoot the conversation scenes in his films with the characters looking and talking directly to camera. You can see it in some of his other movies like SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and PHILADELPHIA. It works best in a psychologically suspenseful story like this one because it unnerves the audience, puts them on edge and makes them feel like the movie is involving them in a direct manner. It's a very effective technique. I haven't seen this in quite a while and the last time I saw it, the notion of a regime change In this country from a coup (rather than from a free and fair election) to place a puppet president in the White House just seemed like a troubling fantasy rather than an actual possibility. Boy, does this film play very differently now. Well, I am still bummed we didn't get to see your reaction to the first one, but I am pleased that you did watch this one and I appreciated you occasionally commenting on the differences / similarities between them and what you preferred about the original or about the new one. Again, I agree with you that the original is the better version, but this is still a solid remake. You might consider turning this a semi regular thing: watching a classic film and then watching the remake and comparing them. You did that recently with the silent version and the 2024 version of NOSFERATU and that was quite educational (you also still need to check out the original SABRINA with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart). Anyway, great job. Keep up the good work. :-)

Stick Figure Studios

@Chris: Yes, the word is applicable in both, but it actually makes more sense in the original.

Clay F

+1 for Jeffrey Wright

Night King01

Just so you know it is that Frank Sinatra in the original. One of the Rat Pack.

Night King01

I think the whole trope of the guy not being believed by anyone is a recent trope of more modern films. It seems thats always a thing now to get cheap padding and tension out of a film instead of writing something more clever.

Night King01

If you really like the original you should watch more John Frankenheimer films. He basically created the modern thriller with the original Manchurian Candidate and also the modern action film with movies like The Train. Might I suggest one of his last films, Ronin from 1998, starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Jonathan Price, Natasha McElhone, and Sean Bean. Its an amazing 90s action thriller and has amazing car chases. I know how you like 90s action films, and this is a great one.

Chris Thom

When I think of emotionally/spiritually present outsider getting jerked around I usually think of To Kill a Mockingbird or Of Mice and Men. That's kind of a different brand of the trope. But the political version is more like Conspiracy Theory or this one.

Chris Thom

Having such a hard time picturing Angela Landsbury in that role. Grandma liked Murder She Wrote and for a long time that's all I knew her from.

Stick Figure Studios

I did too... and yet she was utterly convincing at being conniving. Fantastic performance.

Above Average Dave

Dirty little secret: Jessica Fletcher is a serial killer and every murder she "investigated" was hers. He MO was finding patsies to take the fall for her homicidal handy work.

Stick Figure Studios

I seriously think that if they were to do that show nowadays, that would be the take... unironically.

2-Can

See Angela Lansbury in The Court Jester (1955), she looks and schemes like a southern sorority girl.

Stick Figure Studios

RONIN is fantastic. One of the all-time great car chases too.

Stick Figure Studios

Love COURT JESTER. Big Danny Kaye fan. Would love to see a reaction to it.

Night King01

Hardly anyone reacts to it. I know tbr schmitt did but daniel really loves Jean Reno so it makes sense.

Chitown Livingston

Ever hear of MK Ultra? If no look it up and what they did.

MahlerEnigmatic

The ears from a Norfolk Southern engineer, yours truly, listened to this recording: "NS defect detector, milepost 79.81, no defects" 🤣 This happens about approximately 3 minutes to the end of the film where you see the scene of a helicopter approaching the island. I know you all heard it so I know I'm not going crazy. 😜🤪

2-Can

Cassie should watch the third installment of this film - Zoolander (2001).

MacGuffinStuff

Saw this back when it came out, remember liking it but didn't remember exactly why lol, but I will check out the original based on your reco Cassie. This gave me big Jacob's Ladder (1990) vibes, which, I don't know if I should recommend it for next year's Scary Not So Scary, it's kinda scary, but a Vietnam vet played by Tim Robbins having disturbing hallucinations, very similar concept but terrifying, also I think it's Macaulay Caulkin as his son. Speaking of terrifying, imagine having Mandela Effect every day, like everyone around you is saying, "No that was Monday, it's Thursday and also that never happened." That's so creepy, because the key thing about being brainwashed is that you don't know you're brainwashed. What a wild premise and imagining Frank Sinatra doing a movie about that is kind of wild. Frank Sinatra was older but not from the 20s Cass, he actually dated a very young Mia Farrow around the time she was in Rosemary's Baby, another recommendation for Scary Not So Scary, but it is also, kind of scary. But I think you can handle it, you have done well with the horror this year our sweet summer child. I was honestly more worried about your Red Wedding reaction and I was right to worry, that was physically painful to watch lol, it does get better though Cassie, season 4 is some justice, but also some more heartache, well it's GOT, 'tis what 'tis...

MattN

jen murray did a very good reaction to it like a year ago but I agree, I wish more ppl reacted to it.

K, Zachary

The original was directed by John Frankheimer you can't go wrong. Interesting fact about Frank Sinatra he used to fly Jay Sebring to Las Vegas just to cut his hair. Jay was Sharon Tate's ex fiancee and was killed that night. I do think the original was better there though. I really liked your outro The original was better and Denzel Washington is our favorite actor. There are so many books that are better then the movie Where The Crawdads Sing, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Anyway great reaction as always Cassie. You filled our night with a good movie. Thanks

Chris Thom

The last of the trilogy takes a bit of a turn. Wild shifts in tone.

Chris Thom

Yeah I kept thinking of Jacob's Ladder too! Couldn't remember what it was called, just the visuals looked familiar.

Old As Dirt Bert

Chris, Angela Lansbury was great in the original. I felt that Murder She Wrote was a (well paying) step down for her.

Old As Dirt Bert

Nice, Cassie, and your ambivalence about which was better seems right on. I'll have to play my copy of the original some time soon to refresh my perspective.

Mojo One Thousand

Jonathan Demme does love the straight to camera single actor shots, as he does in his other films like "Silence of the lambs" and also POV shots to build tension as we only see what the character sees. There seemed to have a lot "dutch" angles in those single shots to make it a bit more unsettling as well. Also brought back "Buffalo Bill", Ted Levine, as one of the higher ranking army gents above "Marko", with the late Miguel Ferrer from "Robocop". Had a big cast, with several unknowns that are more well known now, like Anthony Mackie, Jeffery Wright, and Vera Farmiga but also well established actors like Dean Stockwell. The soldier "Ingram", one of the soldiers that killed, is played by Pablo Schreiber, Liev's brother, who appeared on the channel as one of the contract soldiers in "13 hours: The secret soldiers of Benghazi". Starting to think we need "Kate and Leopold" so that Cassie can see Liev Schreiber play a nicer character, as there has only been this, "X-men origins: Wolverine" as "Sabertooth", and "Ransom" as one of the kidnappers; as far as I am aware. Also, the doctor, "Noyle", is played by Simon McBurney, who we very recently saw in "Nosferatu" (2024) as "Knock", and also earlier on the channel as the head of British Intelligence in "MI: Rogue Nation". This is only some of the people, there are so many familar character actors in the this. Oh yeah... SNL alum Al Franken, who would become a US Senator for Minnesota himself, is playing the newscaster that interviews the Senators in the newscasts shown on TVs. Lastly, I did feel like Angela Lansbury was more sinister than Meryl Streep, but that could just be because Angela Lansbury was more well known for playing kindly characters.

Above Average Dave

Given how Hollywood treats women over 40, it was an incredible opprtunity for her, and she really made it iconic for a generation.

2-Can

Jonathan Demme also directed Stop Making Sense (1984) about a band putting on a concert. It is extremely well-shot and he gets first-rate performances from the people playing the band. They did the whole thing in like 2 or 3 takes. Watch it once as a concert experience, then just play it as background music when you're tooling around the house.

Gray

First watch for me of either film so kinda wish we got the original now if it's the better film as this one was a little too long I thought with some odd song choices, great acting though Denzel always puts in a solid performance. Gotta say the story didn't feel too far fetched when you hear what goes on these days. Amused me that the guy from Onion news made an appearance as a news anchor at the the end.

Just Plain Bob

I prefer the original and I’m not much of a fan of modern acting. But Denzel belongs on any Mount Rushmore of great actors.

Above Average Dave

"A band." Talking Heads were one of the most influential bands of the late 1970s to mid-1980s.

2-Can

"A concert". I saw them on that tour - maybe my favorite ever.

Chris Thom

Ohhh the Talking Heads movie. I saw that. Good one. Think he did a follow up too. But not totally sure.

Kent Theaker

It's interesting to see him and Denzel in an entirely different dynamic in Spike Lee's latest, HIGHEST 2 LOWEST.

Kent Theaker

My favorite bit of casting? Demme put singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock in the film as Tokar. I'm looking at him, going "Why do I know that guy?" Because Demme is a fan, and directed his performance movie, STOREFRONT HITCHCOCK! Demme was the king of strange stunt-casting. (And should we talk about how Dean Stockwell had less than two words to say in the entire film?)

Clay F

Thanks for the reaction.