- Circle of Power
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Circle of Power 
Executives embracing after participating in "Executive Development Training"Directed by Bobby Roth Produced by Gary Mehlman
Anthony Quinn
Jeffrey WhiteWritten by Beth Sullivan (screenplay), Gene Church (book) Starring Yvette Mimieux,
Christopher Allport,
Cindy Pickett,
John Considine,
Walter OlkewiczMusic by Richard Markowitz Cinematography Affonso Beato Editing by Gail Yasunaga Distributed by Media Home Entertainment,
Qui Productions,
Televicine InternationalRelease date(s) 1983 Running time 98 minutes Country United States Language English Circle of Power is a 1983 film, co-produced by Gary Mehlman, Anthony Quinn and Jeffrey White, and based on the book The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled. The film is also known as Mystique, Brainwash and The Naked Weekend.
Contents
Plot synopsis
Yvette Mimieux, as chief executive of "Executive Development Training"
Yvette Mimieux plays the chief executive of a giant corporation called "Mystique"[1], but the organization is also known as "Executive Development Training", or EDT.[2] Christopher Allport plays Jack Nilsson, a decent all-American young executive.[3]
Top management executives are required to spend a weekend with her at a hotel, where they are put under psychological pressure.[1] As a prerequisite to the training course, participants must sign a waiver giving the company the release to physically and psychologically abuse the individuals in the course.[3] The participants struggle with their shortcomings, such as obesity and alcoholism.[3] Another individual is a closet homosexual, and a fourth is a transvestite.[2] At one point in the film, the obese trainee is forced to eat trash and discarded food in front of the other seminar participants.[2] Eventually, the seminar executives and their wives lose their inhibitions later on in the "consciousness-raising" coursework.[4]
Cast
Actor Role Yvette Mimieux Bianca Ray Christopher Allport Jack Nilsson Cindy Pickett Lyn Nilsson John Considine Jordan Carelli Walter Olkewicz Chris Morris Leo Rossi Buddy Gordon Carmen Argenziano Tony Annese Reception
The film won a Dramatic Films award at the 1982 Sundance Film Festival.[5] Circle of Power played under the title: Mystique, at the 1981 Chicago International Film Festival.[1]
A review in The New York Times described Roth's Circle of Power as an "attack on monolithic belief systems", and stated that the film was "a worthwhile movie".[3] Allmovie compared the psychological nature of the techniques utilized by Executive Development Training to Erhard Seminars Training, calling them "EST-like excesses".[2] Roger Ebert gave the film three-stars, and wrote that "..it's an entertaining film with serious intentions.."[1]. Ebert's review of the film also compared it to events reported in Boston newspapers about a man who died during a Werner Erhard and Associates seminar, commenting: "Art anticipates life."[1] Ebert further questioned the conceit of the film, asking the question: "Could a major corporation get away with this brainwashing?"[1] However, the authors of the book upon which the film was based, concluded their preface by stating: "And please remember as you read - it's true."[6].
References
- ^ a b c d e f Ebert, Roger (1983-09-28). "Naked Weekend / Mystique". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19830928/REVIEWS/309280301/1023.
- ^ a b c d Erickson, Hal., Brainwash, Overview, Allmovie, retrieved 4/20/2007.
- ^ a b c d Van Gelder, Lawrence (March 2, 1984). "Screen: Corporate Pressure". The New York Times. http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?res=9A03E4D91439F931A35750C0A962948260.
- ^ Staff (June 2, 1984). "Showtime: Circle of Power". The Chronicle Telegram, Elyria, Ohio.
- ^ Brainwash, Dramatic Films, 1982, Sundance Film Festival, Allmovie, [1]
- ^ Church, Gene; Conrad D. Carnes (1972). The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled. New York: Outerbridge & Lazard, Inc.. pp. 161. ISBN 0876900872.
External links
- Reviews
- Review, Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
- Review, The New York Times
- Review, Stomp Tokyo
- Circle of Power at the Internet Movie Database
- Circle of Power at AllRovi
See also
Categories:- American films
- English-language films
- 1983 films
- Films based on non-fiction books
- Films directed by Bobby Roth
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