All too often, the phrase "corporate free press" is something of an oxymoron. Whether to maximise sales, to attract advertisers, or simply to promote the interests of their wealthy owners, the mass media open strange, self-serving and grossly distorted windows onto the world.
This website is another window. Here you'll find documentaries, lectures and interviews following a different editorial line.
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Posted by Dave (The Void) on December 3, 2007
Most of us have no direct experience of war. Most of what we do know of war comes from films, and overwhelmingly American films. Tonight we bring you not one, but two documentaries, via Michael Greenwell, that show how Hollywood’s portrayal of war is influenced by the American military.
Hollywood and the Pentagon
Operation Hollywood
Posted in censorship, cinema, documentary, empire, film, hollywood, military-industrial complex, propaganda, USA, video, war | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Dave (The Void) on October 1, 2007
La Bataille d’Algiers
In this vivid 1966 film (121 mins, in French and Arabic with English subtitles), Gillo Portecorvo puts a human face on the resistance movement that drove the French out of Algeria.
The film enjoyed a special showing at the Pentagon in Summer 2003, advertised as follows:
How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas. Children shoot soldiers at point-blank range. Women plant bombs in cafes. Soon the entire Arab population builds to a mad fervor. Sound familiar? The French have a plan. It succeeds tactically, but fails strategically. To understand why, come to a rare showing of this film.
… which, strangely enough, brings me to Iraq.
Hidden Facts: a message from the Iraqi Resistance
Purporting to be the work of the Resistance group 1920 Revolution Brigades, this is an insightful and compelling video (16 mins) with surprisingly high production values. I can’t guarantee it’s real, but I can guarantee it’s worth watching.
(click here to watch both parts)
Transcript in English and Arabic available here.
Posted in algeria, cinema, colonialism, film, history, iraq, media, middle east, occupation, resistance, terrorism, video, war, war on terror | 2 Comments »
Posted by Dave (The Void) on September 21, 2007
A dramatic portrait (87 mins) of radical broadcaster and human rights activist Jean Dominique, and of the political struggle in Haïti. (h/t Fanonite)
Speaking of Haiti, here‘s a shocking piece of news conveniently buried by the disappearance of Madeleine McCann a few months ago.
Posted in america, caribbean, cinema, colonialism, democracy, documentary, film, free speech, haiti, human rights, media, politics, protest, radio, resistance, video | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Dave (The Void) on July 28, 2007
A fascinating look at America’s bizarre and highly secretive film ratings system. (98 mins, 2006)
Posted in censorship, cinema, film, free speech, media, USA, video | Leave a Comment »
