Archive for the ‘Film’ Category

War Made Easy – The Movie

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007

War Made Easy is a documentary based on the book of the same name. After reading Glenn Greenwald’s political and media criticism I doubt anything in this movie would surprise me. Nonetheless, I plan to pick up a copy.

War Made Easy – The Movie

War Made Easy reaches into the Orwellian memory hole to expose a 50-year pattern of government deception and media spin that has dragged the United States into one war after another from Vietnam to Iraq. Narrated by actor and activist Sean Penn, the film exhumes remarkable archival footage of official distortion and exaggeration from LBJ to George W. Bush, revealing in stunning detail how the American news media have uncritically disseminated the pro-war messages of successive presidential administrations.

War Made Easy gives special attention to parallels between the Vietnam war and the war in Iraq. Guided by media critic Norman Solomon’s meticulous research and tough-minded analysis, the film presents disturbing examples of propaganda and media complicity from the present alongside rare footage of political leaders and leading journalists from the past, including Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, dissident Senator Wayne Morse, and news correspondents Walter Cronkite and Morley Safer.

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Bush as Vader?

Wednesday, May 18th, 2005

Reports (see this usatoday article or this salon.com article) indicate some conservatives are crying foul claiming that the most recent installment of Star Wars takes shots at Bush & Co. The objections stem from the following (from the usatoday article):

In one scene, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader tells his onetime mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, "If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy." The line is seen as a reference to Bush’s post-Sept. 11 threat "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

And also,

People who have seen early screenings of Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith are noting parallels to the Bush administration:

• Sith plot: Seeking to strengthen security during wartime, Chancellor Palpatine persuades the Senate to give up civil liberties and elect him emperor for life. "So this is how liberty dies — to thunderous applause," Senator Amidala laments.

• Bush plot: Seeking to strengthen security after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush urged legislators to pass the Patriot Act, which opponents say infringes on civil liberties.

• Sith’s war: Palpatine starts a war to divert attention from his true political motives.

• Bush’s war: Bush persuades Congress to go to war with Iraq based on evidence that has now been largely dismissed.

I think the conservatives are being too sensitive. First, Lucas himself disclaims any intent to affect political commentary with Revenge for the Sith pointing out that he wrote the script long before Bush came to power. Second, Earth history is rife with plots analogous to those the Sith use. No doubt, the historical record influenced Lucas while he formulated the story. If there are any parallels to be drawn between Lucas’ Galactic Empire and present-day America they exist simply because present events may be paralleling Earth history not because Lucas painted his Galactic Empire to mirror the present day.

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