Anti-war activists and hippies return to the forefront for a fresh take on political crises and cultural change in Brett Morgen’s new film “Chicago 10.”

It’s 1968 Chicago, and the Democratic National Convention is in session to select a party candidate for president. However, anti-war leaders want the world to know they prefer the U.S. leave Vietnam, but Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson has increased troop levels. Those people take their argument to Chicago to protest at the convention, where they clash with police and turn the city into the focal point of media coverage.

“Chicago 10” uses a mix of archive footage and animation to tell its story. The archive material come from the protests and speeches during the Chicago turbulence and offers a look back at the events that caused the arrest and trial of the protest organizers. The trial is told through animation and adapts its script from the transcript of the official trial.

The “The Kid Stays in the Picture” director uses the half-animation, half-documentary to convey the story of the ’60s to a new generation. The film uses songs from the era as well as contemporary artists such as the Beastie Boys and Eminem.

The title comes from the trial of eight of the protest organizers who are charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with intent to incite a riot. One of the cases was eventually separated – which made seven. Morgen uses the defense attorneys, who were later convicted of contempt – like their clients – to make it 10.

The voices, inspired by those of the real protesters, belong to actors such as Hank Azaria, Mark Ruffalo and Nick Nolte.

The movie is more potent when looking back at the protests and their conflicts with the police. “Fascists,” “pigs” and obscenities are yelled at police by demonstrators who say they just want to march peacefully – but the movie also portrays them provoking police by yelling and calling them “murderers,” among other things.

In essence, “Chicago 10” focuses on the protesters, but you can see how the city and Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley reacted as the demonstration gets closer and closer.

The movie has similarities from the 1969 film “Medium Cool,” where a TV news reporter quits his job and gets mixed into the Chicago demonstration after he finds out his TV station is lending tapes to the FBI to find suspects.

Though this film is a condensed version of the feelings and atmosphere of the time, it gets a point across. However, you essentially miss other events also occurring, such as the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Evidently, President Johnson “pretended” to feel saddened by King’s death.

Given the current political climate, this can be a reflection on 40 years ago when political turmoil was an everyday occurrence in current issues – even more than today.

– Anthony Capps is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Oskaloosa

About “Chicago 10”

Written and directed by Brett Morgen

Voices of: Hank Azaria , Dylan Baker, Nick Nolte, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Liev Schreiber and Jeffrey Wright

Tagline: “The convention was drama. The trial was comedy.”

“Chicago 10” is rated R for language and brief sexual images. The running time is 110 minutes. It can be seen at Varsity II, 2412 Lincoln Way.