cat's meow
07/03/06, 01:12 am
What real effect do films (screenplays fiction or non-fiction) and documentaries really have on the prosecution of a war? If a powerful film came out today would it help or hurt (what about 'Syriana?', did this make a difference in our perception on foriegn insterests in the Middle East and the war on terror)? Would the American public be changed by a direct 'block-buster' on the Iraq War like "Apocalypse Now" (yes, I know that came out after the Vietnam war)?
While I am generally anti-war in my beliefs but I am not naive enough to realize military action has to be mobilized in very necessary cases. The best/biggest understanding I got of the horrors of Vietnam and how big a mess it was politically is when I had read the Stanley Karnow book 'Vietnam: a History-the First Complete Account of Vietnam at War'. The PBS show/DVD that accompanies the book I still watch and have been watching more as the current confict goes on. Easily the next biggest thing that made an impression was my mother crying one night in 1973 when watching the news, Paris peace talks were stalled and the US had recently moved into Cambodia with a great deal of force. She was truly afraid both my brother and I would be drafted into a never ending war in Indochina under the reasoning of wiping out Communism. In short: A direct and lengthy documatation of the Indochina region through history back to antiquity (Karnow) and my own mother; I have always seen this as a macro and micro view when talkig about the decision to go to war. I have never been very moved to go/not go to war with anything else really. Non-fiction cold hard facts based on a lot of history and a direct witnessing that I see for my own eyes of people I know and trust.
Do anti war films work for me? (these are four of my favorite films, not necessarily at anti-pro war)
Paths of Glory
Makes a great argument for questioning the arrogance and stupidity of the military leaders and politicians who are in charge. Anti warfare, it does not impress me that much.
We Were Soldiers
Makes great argument for the importance of dedicated military personel and how they should be used wisely. Anti warfare (or pro warfare), it does not impress me.
Apocolypse Now
Very artful film about the values and morals of American Society and how that is percieve when placed in a neutral context (each stop on the 'river' pits American values against universal greater values of mankind, an acid test so to speak). Anti-war film, I did not see it that way.
The Killings Fields (the wild card here)
This impressed upon me to be the one of the best Anti (American prosiecuted) war films ever made. The pieces have to be put together, the American destabilization of Cambodia allowed Pol Pot to come into power in the most gross and incidious way. Our ands have just as much Cambodian blood on them as on the hands of Pol Pot, we are at foault for allowing over a million+ Cambodians to die at the hands of a dictatorial mad-man. Anti-war film in general(?), I did not see it that way. We could have actually helped Cambodia with military intervention in the correct way at the correct time. Much like the faulty intelligence Bush entered the Iraq War on Nixon made giant mis-steps in Cambodia based on very bad intelligence and advice, LBJ/Robert McNamara have blame in this too.
I can go through many more but I had outlined the writing of Ambrose Bierce earlier and the movie "All Quiet On The Western Front" may be the best I can some up with that really can have direct effect on promoting an anti-warfare mindset.
How do we perceive war and in what context is it best presented? Should there be a film right now and would it help?
While I am generally anti-war in my beliefs but I am not naive enough to realize military action has to be mobilized in very necessary cases. The best/biggest understanding I got of the horrors of Vietnam and how big a mess it was politically is when I had read the Stanley Karnow book 'Vietnam: a History-the First Complete Account of Vietnam at War'. The PBS show/DVD that accompanies the book I still watch and have been watching more as the current confict goes on. Easily the next biggest thing that made an impression was my mother crying one night in 1973 when watching the news, Paris peace talks were stalled and the US had recently moved into Cambodia with a great deal of force. She was truly afraid both my brother and I would be drafted into a never ending war in Indochina under the reasoning of wiping out Communism. In short: A direct and lengthy documatation of the Indochina region through history back to antiquity (Karnow) and my own mother; I have always seen this as a macro and micro view when talkig about the decision to go to war. I have never been very moved to go/not go to war with anything else really. Non-fiction cold hard facts based on a lot of history and a direct witnessing that I see for my own eyes of people I know and trust.
Do anti war films work for me? (these are four of my favorite films, not necessarily at anti-pro war)
Paths of Glory
Makes a great argument for questioning the arrogance and stupidity of the military leaders and politicians who are in charge. Anti warfare, it does not impress me that much.
We Were Soldiers
Makes great argument for the importance of dedicated military personel and how they should be used wisely. Anti warfare (or pro warfare), it does not impress me.
Apocolypse Now
Very artful film about the values and morals of American Society and how that is percieve when placed in a neutral context (each stop on the 'river' pits American values against universal greater values of mankind, an acid test so to speak). Anti-war film, I did not see it that way.
The Killings Fields (the wild card here)
This impressed upon me to be the one of the best Anti (American prosiecuted) war films ever made. The pieces have to be put together, the American destabilization of Cambodia allowed Pol Pot to come into power in the most gross and incidious way. Our ands have just as much Cambodian blood on them as on the hands of Pol Pot, we are at foault for allowing over a million+ Cambodians to die at the hands of a dictatorial mad-man. Anti-war film in general(?), I did not see it that way. We could have actually helped Cambodia with military intervention in the correct way at the correct time. Much like the faulty intelligence Bush entered the Iraq War on Nixon made giant mis-steps in Cambodia based on very bad intelligence and advice, LBJ/Robert McNamara have blame in this too.
I can go through many more but I had outlined the writing of Ambrose Bierce earlier and the movie "All Quiet On The Western Front" may be the best I can some up with that really can have direct effect on promoting an anti-warfare mindset.
How do we perceive war and in what context is it best presented? Should there be a film right now and would it help?