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

User Rating:

9.1/10   

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

Great documentary on contemporary history

A most satisfying documentary. Whether one agrees or not with the main argument of the filmmakers or not, there is much to learn from the well documented facts assembled here. This is the best true documentary I have seen in a long time. I particularly enjoyed its sense of humor and the clips from feature films such as Ali Baba and the 40 thieves. The film does only ring true; if one is alive, one has been a witness to much of what the film assembles to make its points. Notwithstanding, be prepared to be surprised by the bold argument the film makes. This is a very fair-minded presentation of one key aspect of our contemporary history.