Friday 14 January 2011

EMPIRE - HOLLYWOOD AND THE WAR MACHINE



Two very powerful scenes from the Vietnam epic, Apocalypse Now.

War is hell, but for Hollywood it has been  a Godsend, providing the perfect dramatic setting against which courageous heroes win the hearts and minds of the movie going public.
The Pentagon recognizes the power of these celluloid dreams and encourages Hollywood to create heroic myths; to rewrite history to suit its own strategy and as a recruiting tool to provide a steady flow of willing young patriots for its wars.

Top Gun was shamelessly used for recruitment with registration booths set up outside the cinema. The response from young men was very high and hundreds enlisted.
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What does Hollywood get out of this ‘deal with the devil’? Access to billions of dollars worth of military kit, from helicopters to aircraft carriers, enabling filmmakers to make bigger and more spectacular battle scenes, which in turn generate more box office revenue. Providing they accept the Pentagon’s advice, even toe the party line and show the US military in a positive light.

So is it a case of art imitating life, or a sinister force using art to influence life and death ~ and the public perception of both?

Empire examines Hollywood, the Pentagon, and war.

Joining in are: Oliver Stone, the eight times Academy Award-winning filmmaker; Michael Moore, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker; and Christopher Hedges, an author and the former Middle East bureau chief of the New York Times.





I have done more detailed research and work on this topic; 
the links are below for you to educate yourself further. 
But always always always:
Remember who owns Hollywood. 

Remember who profits from the sale of arms. 

Remember who uses up North American men disposable chess pawns. 

Remember who denies them
proper care when they return home broken. 

Yes, Wall Street and the Jewish moguls of Hollywood. 

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