Theaters of War (2022) User Reviews

A Very Important Documentary

[joekay-59388 · 9/10 · 31 March 2022]

The film, which is based on a brilliant book by Matthew Alford and Tom Secker, scrutinizes a very important issue of the US government's direct involvement in Hollywood, from influencing production to major script changes or even scrapping of certain projects.

Over the years, the United States has created a particular image of itself and its government agencies. This image of a superior and virtuous nation has been manifested very diligently all across the world. According to polls by Pew Research Center, the image of the United States both domestically and around the world is largely positive, especially among the younger generation, and it's not only in the West or the Global North, but also, quite surprisingly, in Asia, Africa and even Latin America (there was a significant drop in international support for POTUS during Trump's presidency, but that has now bounced back).

What's seen in particularly high regard are the US tech, entertainment and military. It's pretty obvious that the US entertainment industry with the leading role of Hollywood has played a major part in propagating this image, especially with regard to the US military. The little-known fact that the DoD alone has been involved in supporting around 2,000 titles over the years, both big-screen and TV is mind-blowing. As the producer of Theaters of War, Matthew Alford, who also stars in the film said: "the Pentagon operates like a slickly oiled PR machine that's advertising the most violent and powerful organization on the planet."

As is the case with marketing schemes designed to sell particular products, the depicted image has little to do with reality. The more accurate portrayal of the US government's role in world affairs can be found in commonly available literature, yet books don't generate multi-billion dollar revenues. What's dangerous about the corporate media-entertainment tandem is that it conditions us to approve and condone the destructive war machine and it deliberately obscures our perception of the consequences.

Certainly a must-see for every blockbuster fan.

Interesting and informative doc.

[chris-h-3 · 2 September 2022]

A very interesting film. Perhaps not the most dynamic or best made documentary you will see but one which has a lot to reveal about its subject and about pretty much all 'big budget' Us films made today.

While I think people are generally aware that the US military has always been keen to throw its weight and money behind films which show it in a positive light the story here of just how widespread and ingrained it has become in all manor of television and film production and how much control it has over that was genuinely enlightening.

It was surprising to me to find out that scripts with false or selective narratives are being written and promoted to film producers by the military itself and the ongoing efforts to hide this from the public was quite surprising too.

There is a fine line between propaganda and promotion and this documentary clearly shows just how far into propaganda US film and television has slipped. It was certainly sad to hear of both live and dead soldiers who had been written and presented in degrading ways to either massage someones ego or because the military was not happy that they were injured or died in their service. What a crappy thing to do.

Respect to those film makers who did not agree to have the US military rewritten their scripts and still managed to get their films made.

Must-See Documentary about State (Entertainment) Media

[Jaws528491 · 10/10 · 1 December 2022]

This is a very well-made documentary about how far-reaching the military is in its propaganda. The filmmakers wisely give example after example of the military's involvement (heck, taking over might be a better term) in virtually every Hollywood movie and TV show, using the government's own documents.

If any other country did this, the American people would correctly call it "state (entertainment) media." It's a testament to how well-orchestrated this whole operation is when every person I mention this subject matter to, says "that's not true," NOT "how do you know this?" or "based on what evidence?" The American public is blissfully unaware of the state's heavy hand in the entertainment they watch everyday. Also, if you read authors like Chris Hedges, then you see how many people watch movies, are encouraged to enlist in the military, then try to reenact scenes they have watched. The military's image is all powerful. The propaganda is effective when Americans are unaware of the fact that a major poll was done for the countries of the world and the United States was listed as the biggest threat to world peace. A reading recommendation I would pair with this doc is "Manufacturing Consent" by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky.

I hope these filmmakers make a documentary about the military-intelligence agencies involvement in social media, or journalism next.

I'm shocked, shocked to find that the military cares about its image!

[stevebesley · 2/10 · 10 July 2022]

As I began watching this I was amazed at all these folks who seemed surprised and scandalized that the US military would insist on approval and even control over the message of any film that used their hardware and resources. As a film maker you don't have to agree, but then the military will not cooperate and lend you their toys.

How could this possibly be news to anyone? If you don't like the US, or the US military, or US government affairs that's fine. Make whatever movie you like - just without their help. But how naive can you be to expect that the US military will cooperate with your project if they don't like your message?

Documentary and Scholars Preach Moral Idealism

[KeyLargo2019 · 8 October 2022]

This documentary is as propagandistic as the military it criticizes. It moans about the DOD's content-based intervention or "censorship," but doesn't recognize that Hollywood's filmmakers are the people who should be registering their objections. The documentary interviews an artist here and there like Oliver Stone, but where is the strong outcry from those directors/producers who supposedly oppose any form of government "censorship" of their work? Surely if they refuse any assistance by the DOD, then this whole operation would be shut down.

So, the documentary says filmmakers continue to cooperate because they want "realism" (whatever that means) and box-office sales. Then Hollywood is just as culpable as the federal government. The DOD's program cannot function without Hollywood's cooperation.

Surely other federal and state agencies perform the same function with Hollywood. Filmmakers have long cooperated with the CIA, FBI, NYPD, and even the US Forest Service and National Park Service. Perhaps scholars should complain about their intervention as well.

These scholars are naive to think there's any real solution to this (other than the obvious that if they are offended by content-based censorship, tell Hollywood to not enlist the DOD's assistance). But academics pretend to protect our own best interests. They want Hollywood to place some kind of a "notice" in the front credits to alert audiences that the DOD has intervened so viewers won't be "duped" into thinking they're getting a truthful depiction of the military. Oh, come on. Most Americans know that movies are an illusion and watch them to be entertained. Americans don't really care about what might be propaganda. They want to see big spectacle effects and military hardware. Nothing these academics complain about will ever change that.