Narayan Radhakrishnan's Interview with
Michael Asimow
Co-author of
Reel Justice

Narayan:
Michael Asimow, Professor of Law is the co-author of an interesting & detailed reference book which examines some of the finest courtroom dramas ever produced for the silver screen. So my first question is: when did you first get the idea of such a compilation?

Michael:
My co-author, Paul Bergman, came up with the idea back in 1994 or so when we did our first edition. He had been using movie clips in teaching his courses on evidence & trial advocacy & realized there was no existing guidebook to courtroom movies. I loved the idea & so we worked together to produce our first edition & again for this new 2006 edition.
     It is definitely a labor of love as both Paul & myself really love movies & the law & we feel privileged to have written the one & only guide to courtroom films.

Narayan:
As a joint venture, how did you & Mr. Paul Bergman divide & share the work?

Michael:
We each see all of the films but we agree on who will write the first draft of the book treatment of that film. Then we each edit the other's work until both of us are satisfied with the final product.

Narayan:
With every third Hollywood movie being a legal thriller or courtroom drama, what was the criterion for inclusion of some movies & omission of others, & how did you edit & compile this volume?

Michael:
In this our second edition, we tried to be a little stricter on genre than we were in the first one. We treat films that have significant screen time devoted to courtroom scenes. The trial must be one conducted by government in some sort of courthouse (or at least hearing room). This excludes private trials, vigilante trials, celestial trials, & other variations. We did not include silent movies.

Narayan:
In your Introduction, you have said that Reel Justice is a study in law & popular culture. Could you tell us what exactly that is?

Michael:
Law and Popular Culture is the study of law, lawyers, & the legal system as it appears in the media of popular culture -- including film, television, & novels. It seeks to understand how such pop cultural products affect the people who consume it. Those of us in the law & popular culture movement believe that “law” is much more than law in the books (statutes & court decisions) it also includes what ordinary people think about law & lawyers. We think that “law” is what people (such as jurors, judges, contract-makers, etc) actually do as opposed to what is in the books (so-called legal realism). Viewing law in that way, what people learn from pop cultural treatments of law becomes very significant.

Narayan:
As a lawyer myself -- I have seen many lawyers (& law teachers) focusing on corporate law, or intellectual property rights or environment, seldom devoting time for popular culture…at least here in India. What attracted you to law & popular culture...in an academic sense?

Michael:
In American schools, law & literature is a very well developed subject with courses at virtually every school & probably hundreds of professors who teach & write about the subject. Law & popular culture is similar but newer & perhaps not yet as well as accepted as law & literature. However, there are dozens of law teachers at American schools (as well as many in other countries including Britain & Australia) who now teach & write about the subject. What attracted me...simple, I simply love courtroom movies.

Narayan:
You have also mentioned an online journal Picturing Justice. What is the same all about & what is it’s objective?

Michael:
Picturing Justice welcomes articles about law & popular culture -- whether reviews of new television shows or movies or other articles about typical subjects in popular culture (such as the way divorce is shown in film or the way that gay lawyers are depicted). It publishes a very broad range of opinions & articles on these subjects. The objective is to get more people involved in the law & pop culture movement.

Narayan:
Now, a somewhat mischievous question -- after the book was finished did you ever get any “Oops I missed that” feelings? Can we expect re-revised editions in the near future?

Michael:
Oh, of course! When you cover so many films you're bound to make mistakes or omit a worthy one, or two. Who knows -- perhaps in another ten years we'll do a third edition, but we're happy enough to have completed the second one.

Narayan:
That you are a movie buff there is no doubt -- could you give us your choice of the top ten books & movies a courtroom/legal thriller enthusiasts should not miss?

Michael:
Well, among the top 10 movies, based on my personal choice I would list:
Anatomy of a Murder
Witness for the Prosecution
To Kill a Mockingbird -- also Harper Lee's book
Inherit the Wind
A Man for All Seasons
Breaker Morant
My Cousin Vinny
12 Angry Men
A Few Good Men
As to books, I would particularly recommend Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent & The Laws of Our Fathers, John Osborn's Paper Chase, John Grisham's A Time To Kill (but not any of his other books).

Narayan:
In the last ten years, we've seen many a law professor taking up fiction writing in particular Stephen L. Carter & Alan Dershowitz. Can we expect an Asimow thriller or better still an Asimow courtroom movie in the near future?

Michael:
No, no current plans for that. But I do hope to write many more books & articles in the law & pop culture field. I'm currently working on a piece relating to legal ethics in the movies.

Narayan:
Thank you, sir, for spending your valuable time with us. Looking forward to reading your future works.

Michael:
Thank you, Narayan!

Narayan:
Do catch my review of Michael Asimow's Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies - I hope it makes you go out & buy yourself a copy!

Narayan Radhakrishnan
2006©Narayan Radhakrishnan
Published 06/04/06