Kissinger (2011)

Over the past two years, Chimerica Media have been given exclusive and unparalleled access to conduct a series of interviews with Henry Kissinger and to film him on a series of foreign ... See full summary »

Director:

Adrian Pennick

Star:

Henry Kissinger

Cast

Credited cast:
Henry Kissinger	...	Himself

Storyline

Over the past two years, Chimerica Media have been given exclusive and unparalleled access to conduct a series of interviews with Henry Kissinger and to film him on a series of foreign trips to China, Israel and Russia. This feature documentary will combine excerpts from the extensive interviews with extraordinary contemporary archive. The result will be a unique insight into the mind and personality of the man who, more than any other single individual, shaped the foreign policy of the United States - not only during his time in office, but afterwards, when he continued to act as consigliere to successive presidents as well as to governments around the world. A man who remains the most controversial figure in American public life.

---

Plot Keywords:

united states | henry kissinger | foreign policy | american politics | u.s. foreign policy | 

---

Genres:

Documentary | History

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 April 2011 (USA)

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chimerica Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Fascinating & Beautifully Told Documentary

Kissinger like you've never seen him before. I believe this is the most honest and forthcoming interview he has ever done. He was candid yet unapologetic about his decisions and role in some of the most controversial events and issues that took place during his time in the Nixon White House. I was born half a decade after President Nixon resigned from office so I didn't really know a whole lot about his Presidency (apart from Watergate). Therefore, there were many things in this documentary that I had no knowledge of. One of the most interesting stories that came out of Kissinger's retelling was his trip to China and the real reason for this trip to China. Nixon and Kissinger's rationale was based on the idea of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" (referring to our contentious relationship with communist Russia). This was such a huge gamble because China was a self-contained closed country at the time, which made intelligence gathering almost impossible. Kissinger saw China as the answer to all of our problems. Making them our ally could force Russia to come to the bargaining table and end the Cold War. China could also facilitate some kind of peace treaty and help end the war in Vietnam as well. That is two VERY BIG birds with one heavy ass Chinese stone (lol).

One of the most shocking things in the documentary came right at the end of Kissinger's interview. When asked about having regrets, he said no, and he would do the exact same thing if given another chance under the same circumstances (paraphrased). I don't want to give away everything he said in his interview because you need to watch it. I commend the director/interviewer for not focusing on Watergate. That story has been told a million times in a million different ways. Instead, the focal point of this documentary was Kissinger's experiences told in his own words from his unique perspective. Throughout the documentary, Kissinger delivers his story with spellbinding narration in his trademark gruff baritone voice. It's compelling, it's informative, it's intriguing, and it opens a door into the mind of one of the most fascinating figures in US history.