Big Noise Tactical Media Vol. 2 – 5 – The Jena
6/Deserter/The War of 33/Venezuela - Revolution From The Inside Out (PM Press/Big House Films/MVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C- Main Programs: C+/C/C-/C-
There is
definitely a new movement of Left and far Left political leanings that is
coming from a highly disenfranchised new generation who feel that the
government and especially the second Bush Administration find them disposable
and worthless. As was the case in the
1960s, they feel there is nowhere to turn, Capitalism is easy to overgeneralize
as evil and have revived approaches that feel like they are being handed down
to them by survivors of Vietnam. Big
Tactical News Media is releasing a series of titles supposedly addressing and
educating the viewer on current ideas and outrages on DVD.
Unfortunately,
the programs for the most part can be populist, only last a half-hour each
(unacceptable for all the room on DVD) and are sometimes more shallow than
expected. At the same time, they are
pushing a political agenda they may not be coming forthright with, in part
because they have something to hide and also by assuming everyone is on the
same page with them. Both are mistakes.
Of the
four volumes we looked at, the one of The
Jena 6 is interesting in interviewing those who have been ignored by the
media in showing the amazing, ignorant institutionalized racism this small town
has and how it is a microcosm of America as encouraged by default via The Bush
Administration in their typical inaction.
Unfortunately,
the program does not go far enough. Deserter offers the tale of several
officers who went AWOL since 9/11, another highly censored story. Again, we do not get a deeper exploration
except to say that these persons did it, were correct in their mind to not take
place in what they see as a sham (that part has not been censored by the media
as much) and the road again leads to Canada.
Again, Vietnam déjà vu.
War of 33 shows how bad things are for the
helpless in Beirut, but with a decidedly anti-Semite approach. It reminds me that Communism was initially
against such hatred, but became the opposite when it degenerated into
Stalinism, which is what begins to happen here.
Venezuela - Revolution From The
Inside Out simply becomes a metaphor for overthrowing government and
capitalism, as if the Chavez dictatorship is some kind of good idea.
The naïve
sense of these releases would be funny if the implications were not so ignorant
and for those brainwashed into believing them, a dead end. But then, it reminds us in yet another way,
those who do not know the mistakes of the past repeat them.
The
various aspect ratios (including some which are slapped on very
unprofessionally) are surprisingly consistent in low def on-the-fly picture
quality if not often accurate. Some of
the footage is interesting unintentionally.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 is barely stereo and varies throughout in quality. The only extras include two featurettes on Revolution and an interview with an
AWOL soldier on Deserter.
- Nicholas Sheffo
