Stars: Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Heche, Denis Leary, Woody Harrelson, Sean Masterson, Craig T. Nelson, Willie Nelson, Andrea Martin, Suzie Plakson, Kirsten Dunst, William H. Macy, Harland Williams, John Michael Higgins, Harland Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Michael Belson, Jason Cottle, Suzanne Cryer, Bernard Hocke, David Koechner, Pops Staples, James Belushi, Merle Haggard, Jay Leno, James Belushi

Director: Barry Levinson

Summary: The president of the United States is caught up in a scandal so his White House advisor decides a war is needed tp divert attention. Unfortunately there is no war - so they decide to fake one...

When a Firefly Girl accuses the president of sexual misconduct in the Oval Office less than two weeks before the upcoming election, White House official Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) is told to bring in Conrad Bream (Robert De Niro) to fix the situation and save the president's chances for reelection. This mysterious "fixer" fabricates a conflict with Albania in an effort to detract attention from the sex scandal, bringing in legendary Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to "produce" the war. When the CIA foils the initial plot, the creative team turns to a new story line, creating the saga of a U.S. soldier left behind enemy lines whom the president vows to find and return to American soil. Directed by Barry Levinson (DINER, RAIN MAN) and loosely based on Larry Beinhart's novel AMERICAN HERO, this merging of Hollywood and politics is both thought provoking and comical. The inspired casting of Hoffman as the self-absorbed producer and De Niro as the mysterious spin doctor is bolstered by a superb supporting cast that includes Denis Leary and Andrea Martin.

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Wag the Dog(1997) is a rarity: an intelligent, sophisticated and very funny film about American politics. Just before an election the President--in an uncanny anticipation of real life--gets sexually involved with a young woman, leaving spin-doctor Robert De Niro to think of something quick. He enlists Hollywood producer Dustin Hoffman to help him concoct a war against Albania to take the public's mind off the President's peccadilloes. Both stars are in top form, with Hoffman particularly funny as the larger than life producer. Scripted by David Mamet (House of Games, Glengarry Glen Ross) and directed by Barry Levinson, (whose previous comedies include Good Morning, Vietnamwith Robin Williams and Tin Menwith Danny De Vito) Wag the Dogmanages to make you laugh even while you're thinking about how true the insights are, and how politics is getting more like the media every day.

On the DVD:The so-called platinum DVD is packed with features. There is a series of production shots, assembled in no particular order, some showing the director watching filming on his monitor. There are interview clips with Hoffman, De Niro, Anne Heche, William H Macy and Barry Levinson talking about the film, plus scrolled filmographies. There's an audio commentary on the whole film by Levinson and Hoffman, occasionally rambling but with some interesting insights. In another feature, Macy talks at some length about David Mamet. There are extensive scroll-down production notes giving useful information (such as the film's budget), and finally a 50-minute documentary in which producer Jane Rosenthal talks about the relationship between the film and real-life politics. Her comments are supplemented by such luminaries as writer Budd Schulberg, director John Frankenheimer, newscaster Tom Brokaw and Dee Dee Myers, former White House press secretary. The Dolby Digital soundtrack is good quality, as is the image in 16:9 ratio. --Ed Buscombe

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Interactive Menu, Trailer, Biographies, Interview
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1997
Release Date:	May 21, 1999
Runtime:	93 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	E D V 9009
Keywords:	Dog, Comedy, General, Wag
Genre:	Comedy