Libertarian Film Critics in the Late Twentieth Century: A Brief Introduction

Abstract

Movies are uniquely American and over time have become a part of our shared cultural heritage. So too then has the film critic had his or her own time in the spotlight, offering sharp barbs or delightful praise on those films deemed worthy. During the latter half of the twentieth century, film critics saw both their precipitous rise and fall. Libertarian magazines and publications were not exempt from adding their own takes to the array of voices already in the fray. Men like Murray Rothbard, John Hospers, and David Brudnoy are just a few of the libertarian names who aimed to bring film criticism to the readers of libertarian literature like Reason, Libertarian Forum, and the Libertarian Review. A closer look at these men and their understanding of American cinema and culture sheds light on libertarianism as well as a better understanding of what unified and differentiated libertarian film critics from each other and their peers.