Princess Diana: The Mourning After (1998)

A complete suspension of reality by the British people.

Princess Diana: The Mourning After (1998) poster

In "Diana: The Mourning After" Christopher Hitchens sets out to examine the bogusness of "a nation's grief", tries to uncover the few voices of sanity that cut against the grain of contrived hysteria. His findings suggested that the collective hordes of emotive Dianaphiles sobbing in the streets were not only encouraged but emulated by the media. In the aftermath of Diana's death a three-line whip was enforced on newspapers and on TV, selling the sainthood line wholesale. The suspicion was that journalists, like the public, greeted the death as a chance to wax emotional in print, as a change from the customary knowing cynicism, to wheel out all those portentous phrases they'd been saving up for the big occasion. Sadly, they just seemed to be showboating; the eulogies, laments and tear-soaked platitudes ringing risibly hollow.

Director: Mark Soldinger
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 50 min
Release Date:

Cast

Production: Channel 4 Television
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Original Language: en

Themes

Freedom of Speech and Grip of Censorship

Keywords

journalism, mass hysteria, censorship, uncritical royalists, cult of celebrity, princess diana

More Films by Director: Mark Soldinger
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Princess Diana: The Mourning After about?
In "Diana: The Mourning After" Christopher Hitchens sets out to examine the bogusness of "a nation's grief", tries to uncover the few voices of sanity that cut against the grain of contrived hysteria. His findings suggested that the collective hordes of emotive Dianaphiles sobbing in the streets were not only encouraged but emulated by the media. In the aftermath of Diana's death a three-line whip was enforced on newspapers and on TV, selling the sainthood line wholesale. The suspicion was that journalists, like the public, greeted the death as a chance to wax emotional in print, as a change from the customary knowing cynicism, to wheel out all those portentous phrases they'd been saving up for the big occasion. Sadly, they just seemed to be showboating; the eulogies, laments and tear-soaked platitudes ringing risibly hollow.
Who directed Princess Diana: The Mourning After?
Princess Diana: The Mourning After was directed by Mark Soldinger.
Who stars in Princess Diana: The Mourning After?
Princess Diana: The Mourning After stars Christopher Hitchens.
How long is Princess Diana: The Mourning After?
Princess Diana: The Mourning After has a runtime of 50m (50 minutes).
What genre is Princess Diana: The Mourning After?
Princess Diana: The Mourning After is a Documentary film.
Where was Princess Diana: The Mourning After produced?
Princess Diana: The Mourning After was produced in United Kingdom.
What are the themes of Princess Diana: The Mourning After?
The themes of Princess Diana: The Mourning After include: Freedom of Speech and Grip of Censorship.