Julia and Jim have done a great historical and artistic service towards helping round out the larger story of the American political heart. This is so important for all generations to witness and learn from. The sordid fear-mongering that passes for "saving" America from all sorts of changes that threaten those in false and temporary power is indeed the shadow side of our history. This film cuts through that fog to show an important aspect of our grassroots seeking for justice, better ways of self government, working to learn from history and from those who thought and think deeply outside the lines, and does so in a very human way. So that both the ignorant and the educated, those who lived the times and those who came later, can integrate with perspective a very scary time and understand more about the tendency to follow the crowd. A fine film to show in history, government, etc. classes, starting in early high school. Should be available in every library.
3 Reviews
Behind the Stereotypes
dougdoepke22 July 2012
For those of a certain age, the thought of a humanized communist is almost a contradiction in terms. Cold War movies and TV shows like I Led Three Lives (1953-1956) invariably portrayed party members as either hapless dupes, at best, or unfeeling monsters, at worst. Such images, when repeated often enough, become fixed and enduring. Moreover, whatever their relation to the real world, the stereotypes were very effective in indoctrinating an entire generation.
Happily, this documentary helps debunk that propaganda imagery. Viewers get a thoroughly humanized look at about a dozen rank and file party members from Depression era times to about 1983. Each interviewee has something of a story to tell about those times and their life in the party. Whatever one thinks of communist politics, it's hard to visualize any of these folks as either dupes or monsters. If anything, they seem more idealistic and sensitive to injustice than the average citizen.
Two of the better-known subjects are folk singer Pete Seeger and radio personality Dorothy Healey. Apart from them, however, are ordinary party members with ordinary work backgrounds. There is some voice-over, but I could have used more, especially to identify times and places like that boisterous Madison Square Garden rally from some unspecified date. There's also brief stock footage of leading political figures, such as Hoover (FBI), Nixon, Reagan, et al., along with clips of parades, rallies, and other party events that lend color to the proceedings.
All in all, Seeing Red provides an invaluable glimpse of the reality behind our popular bogeyman of the time. And anyone who thinks that sort of propagandizing ended with the Cold War is as credulous, I'm afraid, as those good folks who put their trust in Stalin.
Happily, this documentary helps debunk that propaganda imagery. Viewers get a thoroughly humanized look at about a dozen rank and file party members from Depression era times to about 1983. Each interviewee has something of a story to tell about those times and their life in the party. Whatever one thinks of communist politics, it's hard to visualize any of these folks as either dupes or monsters. If anything, they seem more idealistic and sensitive to injustice than the average citizen.
Two of the better-known subjects are folk singer Pete Seeger and radio personality Dorothy Healey. Apart from them, however, are ordinary party members with ordinary work backgrounds. There is some voice-over, but I could have used more, especially to identify times and places like that boisterous Madison Square Garden rally from some unspecified date. There's also brief stock footage of leading political figures, such as Hoover (FBI), Nixon, Reagan, et al., along with clips of parades, rallies, and other party events that lend color to the proceedings.
All in all, Seeing Red provides an invaluable glimpse of the reality behind our popular bogeyman of the time. And anyone who thinks that sort of propagandizing ended with the Cold War is as credulous, I'm afraid, as those good folks who put their trust in Stalin.
Stirring portrait of courageous individuals and what participating in the USCP meant in their lives
msyvon28 February 2000
Seeing Red is a well rendered portrait of individuals who were members of the US Communist Party. The subjects are still passionate about their involvement and why they left the party, or chose to continue in it after Kruschev's (sp) disclosure of Stalin's reign. These people embody some of the noblest qualities we can aspire to. Thank you to Julia Reichert and partner for giving light to a much maligned and misunderstood group. The film reflects their thorough research and amazing finds. The stock footage is hilarious and horrible. There is a lot of heart in this film.
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