Documentary Alleging Widespread U.S. 'Torture' Wins Oscar

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Poster of "Taxi to the Dark Side"Left-wing blowhard Michael Moore didn't win an Oscar last night but the Academy of Motion Pictures didn't dissappoint the PC crowd, giving its award for best documentary to "Taxi to the Dark Side," a film by Alex Gibney and Eva Orner which accuses the U.S. military of engaging in torture around the globe:

The harrowing film throws the spotlight on US interrogation techniques at military facilities and investigates the death in custody of a Afghan taxi driver - Dilawar - at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in 2002. [...] Gibney, who also produced hit documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," said in his acceptance speech that his wife had wanted him to make a romantic comedy.

"But honestly after Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and extraordinary rendition that simply wasn't possible," the film-maker said, before dedicating the film to Dilawar and his own father.

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"This is dedicated to two people who are no longer with us - Dilawar, the young Afghan taxi driver, and my father, a Navy interrogator who urged me to make this film because of his fury at what was being done to the rule of law.

"Let's hope we can turn this country around, move away from the dark side and go back to the light."

The other films that were up per Oscar.com:

"No End in Sight." Analyst and scholar Charles Ferguson examines the process behind the Bush Administration's decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Evidence of errors in judgment, ignored intelligence information, and a lack of any follow-up plan on the part of those in the government who orchestrated the invasion are presented within the context of the history of U.S./Iraq relations.

"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience." The experiences of Iraq War veterans are seen through their writings, accompanied by news footage and photographs. Eleven men and women who have served in the conflict chronicle the war and its effect on their lives in their letters and journals, and through works of fiction and poetry, while interviews with veterans of other wars express the common themes of all soldier's lives. [Note: This was a politically neutral film.]

"Sicko." Michael Moore's look at American health care explores the reasons behind the adoption of a for-profit system and profiles individuals whose lack of proper care and battles with insurance companies have drastically affected their lives. Moore compares the U.S. system unfavorably with the free, government-sponsored systems in other countries as he takes a group of Americans to Cuba to seek treatments they were unable to obtain at home.

"War/Dance." Chief among the victims of the ongoing warfare in northern Ugandan are the country's children. Three students in the Patongo refugee camp, all victims of terrible violence and losses, nevertheless prepare to enter a music competition that offers them a lifeline of hope. For Nancy, Rose, and Dominic, a former child soldier, the contest provides a welcome respite from the desperate circumstances of their daily lives.

Where were the conservative or libertarian documentaries in this list you say? It's not soley a problem of liberal bias, actually. It's also a problem that elite right has not taken an interest in funding and creating these types of films. This topic came up in my earlier discussion with "Indoctrinate U" filmmaker Evan Maloney who made some very relevant points:

There's no right-wing George Soros handing out millions upon millions of dollars to groups like a conservative MoveOn.org so I think that part of the thing is that people on the right-of-center side I don't think a lot of the guys who have the money don't really understand film. I don't think-I think they probably don't watch a lot of movies, they are probably generally repulsed by pop culture and even when they're not, I don't think they see pop culture or film or any visual medium like television as a realm in which they can compete. And I understand why they feel that way.

They feel that way because every time someone from Hollywood opens their mouth we know that they're not necessarily sympathetic to our views. And we see the kinds of films that Hollywood puts out about the war and about terrorism and things about that and it's always coming from one perspective. But I think because of all that, people who are on the right side of the aisle they don't even understand that they can compete in film.

I don't think they get the medium of film, I think they only understand books and magazines and that's why, if I wanted to start another think tank or another magazine or something or put out a book on the topic, I'd probably have people beating down the door to give me money to do it. But as a filmmaker, as someone who can actually reach a different audience and a new audience and convert minds, I really don't understand why it's so difficult to find people who understand the power of film. If there is such a thing as a vast, right-wing conspiracy, I don't think it's nearly as vast as people claim it is. [...]

I think maybe they view it as not an intellectually rigorous enough medium perhaps. But what you need to do in order to introduce someone to a new idea, you've got to get them while they're paying attention.

If they're not already reading your books and magazines, they're not going to start reading your books and magazines if they haven't been introduced to why the idea matters to them to begin with. And I've noticed this from my web site that I can reach a whole different group of people who would not spend five minutes reading an article that I've written but they will spend the exact same five minutes watching a video that I put together. Now, those people, if they're not in the mood to read stuff online or they're not inclined to read stuff about ideas or politics or business online, they're just not going to read it. So if you want to communicate with them, you're wasting your time if you're communicating with them in the wrong medium. You've gotta get them in the medium that they want to use. And you can talk to people in film in a much more emotionally direct way, it has a lot more impact on people, people remember it better because they're not just remembering words, they're remembering the expressions on the faces of the people who are talking. And that's very important if you want to relate to them directly.

So I hope people begin to get it because you really can change minds and change different minds that you wouldn't have reached in other ways if you hadn't embraced the medium of film.

Any wealthy conservatives out there reading this: here is where you should be spending money to build your legacy.

—Matthew Sheffield is the creator of NewsBusters and its Executive Editor.


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→ Say what?

"I don't think they get the medium of film, I think they only understand books and magazines"

Let me get this straight.  Because we can read, we don't understand pictures?

How f'in silly is that?  Raise a generation of illiterates, and now the losers are those who progressed beyond "Dick and Jane"?

The inmates are truly in charge of the asylum.

♣ a seal

Cool, I don't think he's

Cool, I don't think he's insulting anyone's intelligence.

I think what he means is that those on the right don't realize the power of films. They are missing a huge opportunity to reach millions of people.

He says (emphasis added):

... if they're not in the mood to read stuff online or they're not inclined to read stuff about ideas or politics or business online, they're just not going to read it. So if you want to communicate with them, you're wasting your time if you're communicating with them in the wrong medium. You've gotta get them in the medium that they want to use.

 

 


→ motherbelt

I disagree.

My take is that we are less easily herded away from our beliefs by special effects.  Obviously Libs are easily swayed by the film medium.

Let me tell ya.  Saving Private Ryan was a great movie.  Schindler's List was a great movie.  We Were Soldiers was a great movie.

Inconvenient Slideshow?  Not such a great movie.

The day After Tomorrow?  Not so great either.

♣ a seal

I agree, Cool Arrow, and

Let me tell ya. Saving Private Ryan was a great movie. Schindler's
List was a great movie. We Were Soldiers was a great movie.

I agree, Cool Arrow, and that's essentially what Maloney is saying:

And you can talk to people in film in a much more emotionally direct way, it has a lot more impact on people, people remember it better because they're not just remembering words, they're remembering the expressions on the faces of the people who are talking. And that's very important if you want to relate to them directly.

So I hope people begin to get it because you really can change minds and change different minds that you wouldn't have reached in other ways if you hadn't embraced the medium of film.

Think about how moved you were when you saw Private Ryan. That's the only time I ever saw my husband, a 20 year AF vet, tear up at a movie.

That's what Maloney is saying. He thinks those on the right should use film the way the lefties do with their anti-America rants, to make pro-America films. Films like the ones you mentioned, that show the greatness of America.

But they don't, and because of that, they are missing a huge audience.

→ motherbelt

I think they know they're missing an opportunity to relate to Conservatives, but their own obstinance stands in the way.

Let's see?  Part company with the Hollywood establishment and go with my gut?  Or go with the flow and hope for a bit part in this one party town.

♣ a seal

Maybe no one on the right

Maybe no one on the right is ponying up to make these kind of movies because the ROI isn"t there, and I don"t mean ROI from a money aspect. They know their films won"t get the play and publicity that those films made with a liberal point of view do, and, as such, won"t have the impact the makers intend them to have, meaning they"re just wasting their time and money.

Think about it: since liberals control Hollywood, do you really think they will be playing up, promoting and nominating for awards a movie made by someone on the right titled "An Inconvenient Truth: How The World Is Being Bamboozled On Global Warming"?

I think not.

→ right ckc

And they go straight to spitting nails when "Juno" gets lots of attention  from the public.

♣ a seal

People will watch it less

People will watch it less and less.

Followed by thinking of the people of Hollywood that goes like this line I saw on line this morning:

But Myers noted too that declining ratings for awards shows are part of a broader fall off in network audiences. "Everything is suffering, not just the awards shows, from a slow erosion over time," saidMyers.

 

We “the people” are voting with our feet and wallets. The  sad part is that they don’t have to make money doing these movies with the likes of Soros backing them. On top of that the world looks at these and uses them for recruiting against us.

 

I don’t know about anyone else but I hate these people with a searing passion.

To sit around and complain about freedoms lost as they make movies slamming the very country they are free to crap on. Then scratch their empty heads and wonder why America will not eat the $hit sandwiches they feed us.

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Wow, USA4freedom

Excellent post.

Thanks, I hate these people

Thanks, I hate these people with a passion.  

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party,the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

I understand what he is

I understand what he is trying to say.  The fact is, we don’t have big leftist backing. No one to put America in better light. Hollywood is so leftist that anyone that even appears in a movie like that, is back balled. (they always talk about black balled in the 1950’s)

Hollywood is like High School on steroids. Every one talks about every one else, every one is jealous, if you step out of line politically, (you can do ANY THING ELSE) you are domed, to a life time of back stabbing and lies. Ending your career.

It is not like we on the right don’t understand movies, I think that we see them for what they are, propaganda (when they are done for apolitical angle rather then entertainment). My biggest worry is the rest of the world does not see it that way. There is a certain something about us on the right, our desire for the individual, not collective thought, or that you should not have to be tricked into believing that a conservative answer to the problem is the only solution, that works. Maybe its just our hatred is so deep that we do not want to have anything to do with Hollywood.

This is perfect set up for people like Soros, he gets to play God, use the idiots in Hollywood, to spew world wide hatred for our great country, while standing on the side lines laughing at our own demise. 

 

I wonder, the next poor uneducated man that watches American troops in a movie (that is made to look like a news broadcast) rape a 14 year old girl, and want to strap a bomb on their chest and walk into one of our schools. Will Hollywood look in the mirror? Nope, they will blame the right for going to war and stirring these people up. Its sad, Hollywood talks all the time about how we made the world hate us because we went to war but.. some how the anti American movies they put out are not a problem, they are put out to teach us the unwashed, the uneducated, the ignorant. The odd part is we conservativesare none of above, but every person that straps a bomb to themselves are.

 

Maybe I am too Pollyanna, but I feel the largest part of America gets it. They do not support Hollywood.

The conservative movement is the thinking persons movement. Its easy to think that big government will fix everything. It makes you “feelbetter”. It is conservatives that fix things.

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party,the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Taxi to the Dark Side?

Never heard of it. Did not even know it existed.

They wonder why no one watches the Oscars.

can't really say i disagree that conservatives feel pushed out

i don't think it's because conservatives read over watch, it's because they don't think they will get a fair shake and an open mind to producing cinimatic media that is favorable to their point of view.

but to touch on something here that still burns me, ENRON? why is it that conservatives are still carrying the scarlet letter of enron and worldcom? were'nt these companies built in the clinton era, weren't they making all their profits in the clinton era, weren't they at their peak during the clinton era, and shortly after that they fell during the early bush watch. so liberals and the media painted it as bushs fault right, all his fault right. just like 911 was his fault, it's was the outrage at the bush policies around the world we were told that brought 911 on us right, except the world trade centers were attacked when clinton was president too. but it's always bushs fault. this is why we need conservative film makers to counteract the scams and lies of hollywood.

lunaticcringeradio

They Had The Troops On Right Before This Award

Not a coincidence IMHO. Right after soldiers in Iraq appear to announce nominees, they had this anti war crap on.

 http://michellemalkin.com/2008/02/24/the-oscars-open-thread/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1975757/posts 

Biasfighter - I agree having the troops on was manipulative and

their feeble attempt at saying that they support the troops but they couldn't even bare to say that they supported them! Tom Hanks said something really weak about them not being able to be here with us, but there was no thanks for their hard work and courage. The only thanks came from the soldiers to the Academy! It's pathetic enough that they don't even appreciate them but then they have the nerve to use them.
They were trying to give the impression that the troops support their one-sided U.S. bashing documentaries. Hollywood is so manipulative, pathetic, and shallow that it blows the mind.

I can read!

It is too bad there are not more of us who love to read. Although I think it is much more tilted to the right. That's one way I view the Libs--- they are too lazy to read, they want to be assaulted by movies and not have to do any work. Lemmings. But as far as movies are concerned, it would be nice to see some that are not anti-American, but the MSM would just ignore them and I think the media has a lot to do with how movies are viewed.

Liberals are too lazy to

Liberals are too lazy to read...nice.

Bal

There are aways comic books.Lot of pictures.

I read and comprehend pictures

 except those published by the MSM and hollywood. This is just more anti-war garbage. The same rehashed shit I was when I came back from Vietnam.

Your right, Slickster. But

Your right, Slickster. But we tortured and killed babies when they wouldent talk. I read somewhere once, that we were skinning prisoners alive to get information.

Hollywood must think this is a kinder, gentler Army. That, or they know they cant push the lies that far again.

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

Dark Side Taxi - perspective context

1.) Rendition:

Bill Clinton and AL Gore set up the US program of rendition, back in the 90's. Al Gore said (quoted from Richard Clark):

"That's a no-brainer. Of course it's a violation of international law, that's why it's a covert action. The guy is a terrorist. Go grab his ass." 

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall last night and had managed to flash that quote across the big screen at the Kodak Theater.2.) Guantanamo. Following a quick education from DCIA Gen Hayden, Nov. 2007, PBS's leftie Charlie Rose came to the following obvious conclusion - the context is: now since we have Gitmo, Clinton's program of rendition is not as necessary: 

ROSE: I think most Americans would prefer detention or Guantanamo, I think, because you're putting people in the hands of other people and you're just going on just a promise. 

Thank you President Bush for effectively ending the old program of rendition. I suspect that is what Rose was wanting to say. 3.) Abu Ghraib - What happened there cannot be defended. It was extremely unfortunate. Bush condemned it. The military was already investigating it long before the media became aware of it. People were charged and sentenced. Worse things have happened in our prisons here in the states.Let's keep our eye on the ball.

The Oscars were last night?

The Oscars were on last night? Some of us have a life or, at least, discriminating taste when it comes to entertainment. Watching pathetic, leftist, sycophants purr in each others ear, for me, and numerous others, is nauseating.

So, another unabashed, America-bashing, film or alleged documentary was handed a statuette, which will, likely, be given a place of honor somewhere in the fetid bowels of Tehran.  

Ratings for Oscars

http://www.theglobea...

Found this interesting.