Wednesday, August 20, 2014

"Propaganda" DVD (director: Slavko Martinov)

Challenging and confrontational expose on Western culture

Now, this is a challenging film on several levels. Billing itself as a forbidden video, smuggled out of North Korea and disseminated on the internet, it's actually nothing of the sort. Clever marketing aside, it was revealed to be the work of New Zealander Slavko Martinov. "Propaganda" is a curious and highly critical look at the politics and propaganda of the West (particularly the United States and England), from an outsider's point of view.

Packed with literally thousands of slices of news footage and photos, this compelling documentary is about as scathing an attack on America's corrupt,  capitalist, sensationalist, corporate, and greed-driven ways as anything I've ever seen. And the bizarre aspect is, it's all fact. I don't disagree with this film, but it is tough to admit that we are all basically slaves to the rich corporate interests that fund and fuel our entire political system -- the same system that keeps us placated with awful television, toxic food, and a need to keep us from revolting and creating a new, more democratic society. Martinov doesn't dally around with subtlety, as this film is full of disturbing images that are certainly not for the timid or impressionable. "Propaganda" may be tough for most of us to stomach, but I don't doubt it should be mandatory viewing for most Americans who are content with thinking we are truly "free".

Conspiracy theorists will find much here to align themselves with, especially those who haven't chosen a particular "side" of politics. As far as Martinov is concerned, the Bush regime is the same as the Clinton or Obama regimes. Different faces for the same bloated and manipulative entities.

Saying I "enjoyed" "Propaganda" is only halfway true. Don't expect to be coddled here, it's a journey to be made only by those "ready" for such a confrontational look at ourselves in the so-called "democratic Western world".





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