Interviews and profiles Robert S. McNamara, former Secretary of Defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 1-MAY-2007
Media Type: DVDThe Fog of War, the movie that finally won Errol Morris the best documentary Oscar, is a spellbinder. Morris interviews Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and finds a uniquely unsettling viewpoint on much of 20th-century American history. Employing a ton of archival material, including LBJ’s fascinating taped conversations from the Oval Office, Morris probes the reasons behind the U.S. commitment to the Vietnam War–and finds a depressingly inconsistent policy. McNamara himself emerges as–well, not exactly apologetic, but clearly haunted by the what-ifs of Vietnam. He also mulls the bombing of Japan in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, raising more questions than he answers. The Fog of War has the usual inexorable Morris momentum, aided by an uneasy Philip Glass score. This movie provides a glimpse inside government. It also encourages skepticism about same. –Robert Horton
Buy “The Fog of War – Eleven Lessons from the life of Robert S. McNamara” For Only $7.40
March 22, 2008
#1
Throughout this entire production of left wing propaganda, Robert was taken out of context and you can tell from the way they “clipped” video together all throughout. In addition to this, pay close attention to the part where he talks about the fire bombing of Japan. You hear the number “100,000″ but look at his lips. He didn’t say it during the interview but they dubbed the audio in. It’s worth rewinding and playing over again to see it. It’s a shame to hear the kid at my video store in Queen Anne, Seattle, WA tell me how good this video was.
March 22, 2008
#2
After listening to the inept, revisionist McNamara ramble on in this film, one wonders what’s next — a documentary from Jimmy Carter on how to be a great president? Step one: create double-digit interest rates. Step two: stand impotent in the face of terrorists holding Americans hostage for 444 days in Tehran…
What a shame America abandoned the people of South Vietnam, who were then steamrolled by the Soviet-backed North Vietnamese army, where millions of South Vietnamese were then murdered in communist “re-education camps,” or died while fleeing into the open sea in small boats to escape the communist onslaught from the North.
The film gets two stars because it’s at least instructive to observe the failed McNamara flailing about.
March 22, 2008
#3
Man, I can’t believe all these positive reviews. To call this documentary a masterpiece is insulting to any intelligent human being. It’s like saying “Plan 9 From Outer Space” is the greatest sci-fi film ever made! Throughout this film, many images are shown for barely a split second, one right after another in quick succession. Is this crap what they call “artistic”?!? I had to take Aspirin pills for God’s sake! Anyway, the only truly compelling thing about this documentary is the original recordings of conversations between McNamara and Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Otherwise, I was either totally bored by the sluggish pace or annoyed by the so-called “artistic” filming technique. And speaking of McNamara, calling him a “war criminal” is about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Did he make some bad choices? Yes. Do his lessons make any sense? No. But at least in my opinion bombing Vietnamese terrorists is nothing compared to what went on in 1930′s and 1940′s Germany. The very fact that this film won an oscar is only further proof that the Academy Awards is filled with complete morons. My advice is to stay clear of this snoozefest and look elsewhere for a compelling documentary about Cold War politics.
March 22, 2008
#4
Mr. McNamara, inarguably the worst secratary of defense in the history of the US, demonstrates perfectly that learning is not equal to wisdom.
His many disasters, miscalculations and blunders helped make the Vietnam conflict into the mess that people & historians recollect today.
March 22, 2008
#5
Well, it was only a matter of time when the history of WWII is re-written. This film manages to make the United States he bad guy in WWII for bombing Japan. I guess it will be forgotten that Japan attacked the U.S. first and Japan even after being beaten so badly refused to surrender until it was shown that they could be really be wiped fom the face of the earth. But according to this film the U.S. is the bad guy in WWII. Also, it is fascinating that Mr. McNamara is able to remember the end of WWI when he was 2 years old but he was not able to remember if he authorized agent orange spraying in Vitenam. Selective memory sure is convinient. Finanlly, I would like to congratulate Mr. McNamara for the fact that less than half of American soldiers died in Vietnam under his watch. For the record, approximately 58,000 American soldiers died in Vietnam. McNamara stated approximately 27,000 soldiers died under his watch. Technically it is less than half, but not by much. But really good point to emphasize Mr. McNamara.