"The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear" (2004) TV series

Director:

Adam Curtis

Writer:

Adam Curtis (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

20 October 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A series of three documentaries about the use of fear for political gain.

Plot Keywords:

Gulf War | Saddam Hussein | War On Terrorism | Post WWII

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Adam Curtis

...

Narrator (unknown episodes)

Also Known As:

The Power of Nightmares (UK) (short title)

Runtime:

180 min (3 parts) | 157 min (theatrical version) | Hong Kong:157 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: In the past, politicians promised to create a better world. They had different ways of achieving this, but their power and authority came from the optimistic visions they offered their people. Those dreams failed and today people have lost faith in ideologies...

Movie Connections:

Features "Perry Mason" (1957)

Soundtrack:

The Big Ship

Few can claim to know about the clash of the US/west versus Muslim fundamentalism and the interaction of US politics in that clash without seeing this video.

This is a superb 3-part BBC documentary about how gov'ts overblow

threats to create "nightmares" which can then be used for domestic

purposes/control. It traces the US neo-cons back to the Cold War days

and examines how both the neo-cons and Islamic fundamentalists falsely

claim credit for destroying the overblown threat of the USSR. The film

then examines the so-called War on Terror (WoT). It includes

outstanding "evidence" of the terrorist "sleeper cell" trials in the US

(you have to watch and see this evidence to believe it!!). This is an

extremely well done, insightful look at the post-9/11 reactions by the

US and UK and will challenge propaganda about the WoT (e.g. the US

gov't named Al Queda not Bin Laden; nuclear scientists and the Pentagon

both say a "dirty bomb" would most likely not kill anyone) with

reasoned and well-sourced logic and arguments.

For more information, see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/3755686.stm

The first episode is not the most exciting, since it does the

historical background to set up the last two episodes. (You can get

the gist of the entire documentary just by watching the last two.

Viewing the BBC's link above will give some add'l info.) Few can claim

to know about the clash of the US/west versus Muslim fundamentalism and

the interaction of US politics in that clash without seeing this video

-- it's that good!