Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (2007)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Rory Kennedy

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

An examination of the prisoner abuse scandal involving U.S. soldiers and detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison in the fall of 2003. |

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Directed by
Rory Kennedy

Produced by
Julie Gaither	....	line producer
Liz Garbus	....	producer
Rory Kennedy	....	producer
Keith Malone	....	associate producer
Caitlin McNally	....	associate producer
Jack Youngelson	....	producer

Original Music by
Miriam Cutler

Cinematography by
Tom Hurwitz

Film Editing by
Sari Gilman

Production Management
Matthew Justus	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Tony Volante	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen Kaye	....	gaffer
Ed Marritz	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Ken Yapelli	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Les Brockmann	....	music scoring mixer

Other crew
Jacob Huddleston	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Moxie Firecracker Films

Other Companies

• Kaye Lites  grip and lighting equipment

Runtime:

Brazil:78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:M18

Company:

Moxie Firecracker Films

Quotes:

[Screen Text]: In 1961, and experiment was conducted by Dr. Stanly Milgram a psychologist at Yale University.
[Fade]
[Screen Text]: Participants responded to a newspaper advertisement.
[Fade]
[Screen Text]: The purpose of their 'obedience study" was to observe an individual's willingness to inflict pain when ordered to do so.
[Fade]
[Screen Text]: The participants did not know that the "victim" was an actor and that the shocks were not real.
[Fade]
Research Subject #2: ...who's going to take responsibility if anything happens to him?
Researcher: I'm going to take responsibility. Please continue.
[...]

The Shame of America

HBO Films is currently presenting one of the nominated documentaries for a Grand Jury Prize at this years Sundance Festival: Ghosts of Abu Ghraib. This is a film that needs to be seen by every American. It is a stark lesson in what happens when we are led by individuals who have no respect for law and human rights.

Rory Kennedy's film is a masterpiece that demonstrated how and why America was shamed. It begins and ends with the lessons from the Milgram Experiment conducted in 1961. The actions of the guards at Abu Ghraib replicate the Stanford Prison Experiment of 1971. What is crucial is the fact that, as in the experiments, it has to be assumed that the soldiers were acting under higher authority. Part of the shame of what happened is that this higher authority escaped punishment for their crimes. This is, of course, the way of the world. The peons get the shaft while the higher authorities get medals and promotions.

A critical piece of evidence present might be missed: the techniques used at Abu Ghraib came from the Brazilian Military. These low-ranking soldiers would not have known of these measures. They had to be taught.

Again. all Americans need to see this excellent film to see what happens when authority is abused and law is ignored.