With the exception of bloggers like Hollywood Elsewhere’s Jeffrey Wells and David Poland of The Hot Blog, the online film community tends to stay on topic and not write particularly much about politics. Now, though, in the wake of President-Elect Barack Obama’s historic election victory, people are speaking out.

In a piece entitled “Euphoria,” critic and scholar Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote the following:

“We’ve finally elected a grownup. ...The major triumph, at least potentially, isn’t left over right but unity over disunity. Which means that President Obama is bound to do some things that will distress his more progressive supporters as well as other things that will upset his detractors. His Lincolnesque brief—to end another Civil War, or at least to call a cease-fire—virtually guarantees this. But assuming that it’s still possible to think and act and feel together, it’s a hopeful start.”

For another giant of film writing, David Bordwell, his post named “A New Hope” was simply a recent picture he took of Obama out campaigning. (Tom Hall at the Back Row Manifesto, Edward Copeland and Matt Dentler also felt that images spoke more than words, with Dentler showing himself celebrating in NYC with Fred Armisen, who plays Obama on Saturday Night Live.)

Matt Dentler with Fred Armisen

The feeling of overwhelming hope was palpable as the country (including Like Anna Karina’s Sweater’s Filmbrain) absorbed the enormity of Tuesday night’s result:

“Something happened in America last night I honestly didn't think possible. After eight miserable, frustrating, wretched years of tyranny, lies, hypocrisy, ignorance, greed, corruption, and blatant contempt for those of us in the reality-based community, the American people overwhelmingly said, enough. The dark years are truly over. Last night my cynicism melted away, and for the first time in an extremely long time I felt proud to be an American. We're looking forwards for a change, not back.”

For film critic Joe Leydon, writing at MovingPictureBlog, his response to Obama’s win was placed in a historical context:

“Segregated schools. “Whites Only” water fountains. Blacks compelled to sit on the back of the bus. TV news bulletins about civil rights workers found buried in shallow graves. Newspaper ads for In the Heat of the Night that used silhouettes, so you couldn't tell a black man was a protagonist.

I am 56 years old and I grew up in the South, in New Orleans, so you know I have living memories of all these things. But do you have any idea how amazed and exuberant – and, yes, how very proud – I am tonight? Can you imagine how much more I love my country than I already did before?”

Another very personal response came from Andrew Bemis, writing at Cinevistaramascope:

“The true measure of an election is what it says about us, and tonight is, for me, resounding proof that in America, change is not only possible, it's happening. Thanks, America, and don't let this be a fluke - let it be a beginning… I can sleep more soundly knowing that the world Luna and Tommy are growing up in makes a little bit more sense tonight.”

Last but not least, at GreenCine Daily, the tireless David Hudson collects together more Obama-related links – including The Guardian’s recommendations for Obama’s moviewatching – while elsewhere on the site there's a post on the current Politics & Movies Blog-a-Thon.

[Hat-tip: Michael Tully at Boredom at Its Boredest]