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| Why We Fight (2005) |
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List Price: $24.96
Buy New: $19.45
You Save: $5.51 (22%)
Buy New/Used from $12.74
Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 36 reviews)
Sales Rank: 127
Category: DVD
Actors: Franklin Spinney, Wilton Sekzer, Richard Perle, Gore Vidal, Karen Kwiatkowski, Dan Rather, William Kristol, Gwynne Dyer, Joseph Cirincione, Susan Eisenhower, John S.d. Eisenhower, Col. Richard Treadway, Charles Lewis (vi), Michael Valentine (vii), Naj Sheesan, Chalmers Johnson, John Mccain, William Solomon (ii), Donna Ellington, Wally Saeger
Director: Eugene Jarecki
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Studio: Sony Pictures
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
Label: Sony Pictures
Format: Ac-3, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 98 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 043396138940
EAN: 0043396138940
ASIN: B000FBH3W2
Release Date: June 27, 2006 (New: Last 30 Days)
Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Fans of Oliver Stone's J.F.K. will recognize the opening moments of writer-director Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight, in which outgoing President Dwight Eisenhower warns of the pernicious and growing influence of what he called the "military-industrial complex." But Stone's movie, which uses the same footage, was a work of fiction. While those who disagree with the decidedly leftist point of view in this documentary will probably consider it the product of paranoid liberal fantasy as well, there's enough credible material, much of it supplied by the targets of Jarecki's criticisms, to make Eisenhower look like a prophet and everyone else uneasy about the dark confluence of politics, money, and war that controls the country's fortunes. The message here is that while there may be some who sincerely believe that America's various military engagements (in Iraq, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and elsewhere) since World War II are the product of our God-given duty to spread freedom and halt the influence of evil ideologies around the world, the real reason we fight is that war is good business. This is hardly a bulletin; anyone who is surprised by allegations that politicians pander to defense contractors, or that Vice President Dick Cheney helped secure huge deals for Halliburton, the company he formerly headed, simply hasn't been paying attention (Politicians lie? How shocking!). In fact, the principal drawback to Jarecki's film is simply that there's nothing particularly revelatory or compelling about it. Only when he takes a personal approach does he go beyond the obvious; the story of a retired New York policeman and former Vietnam veteran whose son died in the World Trade Center, who wanted revenge, but who became seriously disillusioned when Bush admitted that the war in Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, adds some much needed human interest. Still, Why We Fight, which includes a director's audio commentary track and a few other bonus features, serves as a grim reminder that the world's most powerful nation has strayed far from the principles of our founding fathers, a development that does not bode well for America's future. --Sam Graham
Description
Why We Fight is the provocative new documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger) and winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
Named after the series of short films by legendary director Frank Capra that explored America's reasons for entering World War II, Why We Fight surveys a half-century of military conflicts, asking how - and answering why - a nation of, by and for the people has become the savings-and-loan of a government system whose survival depends on an Orwellian state of constant war.
The Why We Fight DVD features interviews and observations by a "who's who" of military and Washington insiders including Senator John McCain, Gore Vidal, and Dan Rather. Beginning with President Dwight D. Eisenhower's prescient 1961 speech warning of the rise of the "military industrial complex," Why We Fight moves far beyond the headlines of various American military operations to the deeper questions of why America seemingly is always at war. What are the forces - political, economic, and ideological - that drive us to clash against an ever-changing enemy? Just why does America fight? Unforgettable, powerful and at times disturbing, Why We Fight on DVD will challenge viewers long after the last fade-out.
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Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 One of the great documentaries. July 26, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Eugene Jarecki is the director of the award-winning documentary "The Trials of Henry Kissinger." His newest work is a very tightly woven essay that begins with President Eisenhower and the Cold War and helps us to understand how Eike's remonstrations against the "military industrial complex" have turned out to be quite prophetic. This is the most compelling documentary I have ever seen. Jarecki draws on archival footage, interviews with various military personnel and others from a very wide spectrum of related fields. In addition he includes statistics and historical facts that all combine to promote an even-handed and systematic exposition of the unfortunate conflict of interest in and among members of Congress, weapons manufacturers, diplomats and military brass - not to mention, of course, Mr. Cheney. One interviewee states solemnly that when war is THIS profitable to so many vested interests, we are assured that we will be involved in perpetual war.
I shall be disseminating copies of this great work to friends and family. I urge you to see this film.
AKA: A simple Unweaving of America's McWorld vs. Jhiad July 26, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Amazon Critique takes the assumption "...there's nothing particularly revelatory or compelling about it. Only when he takes a personal approach does he go beyond the obvious;..."
This is taking an assumption that we all understand the complexities, or even more, have taken the time to focus and study American policies. MOST DO NOT, and therefore this film serves as a great and often disturbing piece to get a snapshot of the intertwining Military Industrial Complex (AKA: War Dept., Military Of Defense or Homeland Security.
What ever the light that US Government shines or calls our Defense or Foreign Policy, it's difficult for an Average American AKA: The Consumer, The Shopper, The Liberator) to follow the complexities of how our government engages other courtiers- whether it's for war, to consume their natural resources or exploit their peoples for our Corporations, whom seem to loose their domestic sovereignty ethics and morals when they hit foreign lands.
This film does more than show you the system, it reflects through stories from the people whom have or had direct integration within the system of fighting for America's values. Because it includes a even handed group of individuals, politicians, corporate leaders and the average Americans whom are affected by our leaders actions, or in many cases inactions. I did not feel this was tainted as a 'Leftist' or 'Right' perspective.
I am a film lover and this film motivated me to write a review for the very first time, because it is important, relevant and also because it deserves to be watched, shared and discussed among families and friends.
This film did not receive nearly enough press or buzz, like other so called pseudo docs like F*911 and it should have. From the very least of not having a Biased Voice Over from any of its filmmakers shoving their viewpoint, satire, immaturity or defensive remarks within its elegant format. This film belongs in the category of DOCUMENTARY, where other recent films on the very same subject whom have nearly destroyed the DOC format for younger viewers, should be recatagorized as SATIRE.
"Why We Fight" should be your film to serve at least as an awareness of what is already happening, when 'We Don't Fight' for our own true rights as citizens.
fascinating, well-made and deeply disturbing July 25, 2006
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
wow, i knew bush, rumsfeld, cheney and rove were liars, but i didn't know they were liars to THIS extent.. this is a very well-made documentary about "why we fight," in other words do we really fight for things like freedom and democracy, or things like oil, money, and global domination? the american public has been extremely misled, and this film shows you exactly how and why. i was shocked to see that the "highly accurate" missiles meant to kill saddam in the first strike of the iraq war actually killed no one but women and children. what, you didn't see that on the evening news? hmm, interesting. if you can watch this and not want to SCREAM, you have problems. and maybe you don't qualify as a true american. maybe we should kick you out and keep the "illegal" immigrants in. WAKE UP AMERICA. we're being taken advantage of every day more and more. it can only happen IF WE LET IT HAPPEN.
Why do YOU fight? July 23, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've seen the "Why We Fight" WW2 propoganda films for myself and I have to tell you, there was a lot of truth in them but there was still that sense of not hearing everything. "The entire German and Japanese nations are to blame for this so they all deserve the same fate" mentality is prevalent throughout them. It surprises me in some sense that troops on the battlefield, even on the battlefields of WW2 where you could make the argument of that being the last justifiable war that we've fought.
Using this as a title Eugene Jarecki looks into the reasons that we fight and ultimately says a lot of things that we know already. And he brings to life things that maybe we don't think about, such as why soldiers enlist, why this military machine exists, and what the cost is. Eisenhower knew what those costs were and would be. I wouldn't call him a "prophet" though. He saw the inevitability of what was happening within his own country and was asking the American people to be aware of the dangers surrounding it.
To here people like Karen (I won't even begin to try to spell her last name. :) ) who actually worked for the pentagon, someone who was privy to the actual information and who was told how to handle it, to here her say that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with the war on terror was actually refreshing to here someone in that kind of position.
Jarecki does the right thing by getting people like Richard Perle, I hate even writing that name, and William Kristol from the Project for the New American Century, people who created these policies and gives them a voice and equal time to present their views.
Brillantly edited and photographed. This doc shows the confusion and the behind the scenes of this very undemocratic way of conducuting war that we have found ourselves in.
A MUST!!!!! SEE July 20, 2006
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Good Lord. Every man, woman, and adolescent in America MUST see this film.
WAR is the biggest, ugliest, most immoral and insane RACKET $$$ on the planet.
If you don't think this is possible, you are in a mass media corporate controlled COMA.
ARE YOU LISTENING????
I hope so, because your immediate future depends on WHAT YOU KNOW about THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RULING YOUR LIFE.
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Copyright Runningonkarma.com 2006
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