The Fog Of War [DVD] [2004]

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Academy Award(r)-winner for Best Documentary Feature, THE FOG OF WAR is the story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense, under President Kennedy and President Johnson, Robert S. McNamara. McNamara was one of the most controversial and influential political figures ofthe 20th century. Now – for the first time ever – he sits down one on one with award-winning director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line) to offer a candid and intimate journey through some of the mostseminal events in contemporary American history. As leader of the world’s most powerful military force during this nation’s most volatile period in recent years, McNamara offers new and often surprising insights into the 1945 bombing of Tokyo, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the effects of the Vietnam War. Featuring newly released Oval Office recorded conversations with Presidents John F. Kennedyand Lyndon B. Johnson, THE FOG OF WAR received critical acclaim for its up-close and personal insider
Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 16:9 – 1.78:1
Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.8 x 13.6 x 1.6 cm; 100 g
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 5035822504639
Director ‏ : ‎ Errol Morris
Media Format ‏ : ‎ PAL, Subtitled
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 46 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ 23 Aug. 2004
Actors ‏ : ‎ Robert McNamara, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ Danish, English, Arabic, Czech, French, Dutch, Finnish, Spanish, Greek, Hindi, Swedish, Norwegian, English, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish
Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Studio ‏ : ‎ Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Producers ‏ : ‎ Adam Kosberg, Ann Petrone, Errol Morris, Frank Scherma, Jack Lechner
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0002849HA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

11 reviews for The Fog Of War [DVD] [2004]

  1. A. Murphy

    Finest Documentary I have seen..
    This is Robert MacNamara one of the brightest men in politics surveying his life and times. It is clear that he has reached an age where it has become important to him to attempt to clear his conscience whilst he was still among us. Like him or loath him, anyone with a fair mind must say that he makes a serious attempt, whether he succeeds or not. I have watched this video 3 times and I will be watching it again, it is an Academy Winner and deservedly so. Errol Morris who made it gets the very best out of this previous Secretary of Defense. Those who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis will see how close we came as a species, to wiping ourselves out. There is actual footage of the decision making that saved us, and later of the realisation that the missiles in Cuba were armed, which had it been known at the time would have ended civilisation the world over. If you miss this one you will never see another like it. I am no fan of macNamara, but truth to tell this film reveals him with all his intelligence caught in the web of politics. Kennedy once said, “I can’t understand why all my sisters want to sit next to Bob MacNamara when he comes to eat with us”.Well despite his faults he was among the ‘Best and the Brightest’ and its all revealed here. The Best and the Brightest

  2. tinytim

    Mack the Knife Bottled It
    How disappointing that this highly intelligent successful man who was in office during a turbulent period in history completely fails even in retrospect to acknowledge his part in the slaughter of millions of Vietnamese. He correctly advised a listening President (JFK) to get out of Vietnam and then went on to facilitate the policy of Lyndon Johnson (who never listened to anybody) to “bomb North Vietnam back to the Stone Age”. Towards the end of the the DVD he states that he saw his job as enabling the President to do what the President wanted. How pathetic is that?In another interview (not on this DVD) McNamara does acknowledge, not that the USA was on the wrong side in Vietnam but that they WERE the wrong side. I was fascinated by his acount of his learning, decades later, from his Soviet counterparts, that, during the Cuba missile crisis the Soviet commanders in Cuba not only had battlefield nuclear weapons but FULL AUTHORITY TO USE THEM IF THE THEY FELT THE SITUATION JUSTIFIED IT.If only McNamara had been willing, after realising that the USA was wrongly in Vietnam and that they were losing anyway, to speak out publicly against US policy then just possibly the war could have been ended sooner……..

  3. Phillyfan

    A different and personal view of history
    This film is by someone who was right at the centre of decision making during an important part of American history. It offers different insights and makes you think about the events in a new way. It is not an attempt by someone to justify or magnify their life. He is somebody (pretty rare) who is prepared to say they go things wrong which is refreshing

  4. B. Larking

    Clarity, finally
    The essence of tragedy is not that evil is done, or befalls by wickedness alone; it comes about by the destruction of what is good and right through mishap and hubris. Robert S. McNamara is a discredited figure today. Yet his upbringing in Depression era U.S.A., working his way through college, rising through ability and high intelligence (and as Erroll Morris’s film reveals, great personal charm) to the Presidency of the Ford company (the first non-family President) might have suggested his life was exemplary of the “American Way” in the 20th century. However, the greater part of the film is dominated by the American-Vietnam War 1960-1974 and McNamara’s leading role it that calamity. If you come to to these matters without having knowledge of the salient political background much of what the film has to say may be obscure; if you want to learn about that period this film is not the first place to come for enlightenment. It deals only tangentially with the political background of the Cold War or the strategic thinking that supposedly animated the War itself. It does however, in ways that make it something to view again and again, engross one in the texture of the time. It makes one ponder on the paradox of how three men – JF Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and McNamara, apparently committed to social progress at home, are nevertheless linked forever to a catastrophe abroad. The Cuba Crisis, Mcnamra’s first great challenge is fascinating, and McNamra’s frank assessment of the outcome, sobering. Incidental to the major themes of this documentary is a remarkable marriage and McNamara’s deep love for his wife, Margaret.

  5. kerrazoo

    Probably one of the best documentaries EVER made
    An important period of history covered, a very important player in some of the big events in America and beyond, and an interviewer able to get some things discussed that are not easy for anyone to talk about. Robert McNamara was there with Kennedy and with Johnson during some of the major events re Vietnam but this covers the time before and after as well. It’s absolutely enthralling to see his input on how some of the major decisions made during these years happened. Obviously a very smart man, but sometimes put in very difficult decisions, its hard to put yourself put into the situations he dealt with on a daily basis. An important historical record on its own, but actually a very watchable and interesting documentary.

  6. Peter Stephenson

    Terrifying Must See
    Someone who clearly knows exactly what he is talking about makes several observations about the innermost workings of the the military and war. Robert McNamara is ruthlessly honest, interesting and personally engaging throughout this journey through human darkness.I would advise watching “Lesson #2: Rationality will not save us.” last because, once you’ve taken this on board you may not be able to take any more. Entirely rational and well-meaning people may actually, and in fact nearly did (twice), start nuclear war. And it all so ridiculously sensible. We may be alive now because the Russians had the sense to climb down – when the Americans wouldn’t.We nearly didn’t make it. Find out how close we came – if you dare.

  7. Chris

    Un documentaire exceptionnel. La qualité du film mais aussi l’honnêteté de McNamara le rendent très utile pour ceux qui s’intéressent à l’histoire du monde au 20ème siècle.

  8. 多摩さつき

    マクナマラさん、告白ありがとう。日本人もぜひ見てほしい内容です。

  9. Amazon Customer

    ein ungewöhnlicher film über eine aussergewöhnliche person der geschichte des zwanzigsten jahrhunderts. robert mcnamara, geboren im jahre 1916 ist nicht nur ein zeitzeuge, sondern einer jener menschen, welche die geschichte inbesondere des kalten krieges gestaltet haben. aufstieg aus ärmsten verhältnissen. nach studium und lehrtätigkeit in harvard diente er im zweiten weltkrieg unter dem späteren kommandanten der strategischen bomberkräfte, curtis lemay, um mittels analytischen methoden die effizienz der bombardements auf den kriegsschauplätzen zu erhöhen. danach karriere bei ford motors bis zum vorstandsvorsitzenden (dem ersten, der nicht der familie angehörte). danach war er während sieben jahren us-verteidigungsminister unter den präsidenten kennedy und johnson, er war an der (haarscharfen) beilegung der kubakrise ebenso massgeblich beteiligt, wie an der eskalation des vietnamkrieges.soweit der beindruckende lebenslauf – alleine diesen zu erzählen verdient aber noch keine fünf sterne und dies wird auch in dieser dokumentation nicht getan. der mann, der mit zweiten vornamen ‘strange’ heisst (dr. strangelove lässt grüssen!) erlaubt einen langen blick hinter die kulissen der macht und dieser wird in einem wahren bilderrausch und redestakkato dieses rüstigen älteren herrn vorgetragen. die gliederung wurde anhand von elf signifikanten statements vorgenommen. mcnamara erzählte, wie er beim bombardement von tokyo in den tod von hundertausend menschen involviert war, wie er die profitabilität von ford steigerte, wie er auf die blockadelösung und die de-eskalation 1962 eingewirkt hat, wie er das engagement in südvietnam organisierte und vieles mehr.eines ist klar, es geht in dieser dokumentation um ihn und die geschichte lief nur mit ihm. er erzählt ohne frage viel, sehr viel sogar. er liefert neben der kühlen schilderung der fakten, ebenso weitgehend emotionslos die schlussfolgerungen. er nimmt sich aus der kritik in keiner weise heraus. aber er gibt irgendwann einen wichtigen hinweis (‘beantworten sie nie die frage, die ihnen gestellt wird, sondern jene, die sie gerne hören würden’), welchen man sich immer präsent halten sollte. und so drängt sich einem schon der verdacht auf, dass trotz eingeständnissen, trotz teilweiser bekehrtheit, mit uns zuschauern jenes spiel immer noch pflegt, welches er als lenker der weltgeschicke mit leidenschaft spielte. bei mir hat dies für einen zwischen zeitlichen leichten unmut gesorgt, aber es ist schwer, dem charme und der intellektuellen schärfe dieses mannes zu entrinnen. immerhin, er entzieht sich seiner kritik nicht und er gibt nicht zuletzt auch sehr offen zu, dass er weiss, wie eine grosszahl von menschen über ihn denken. wie soll man das ganze werten? zwei vorschlage in anlehnung an die lektionen: macnamara ist wohl bereit sein denken zu überprüfen (lektion acht) – oder: man kann die menschliche natur nicht ändern (lektion elf), also kann sich mcnamara auch heute nicht seinen handlungsmustern entziehen. letztlich ist es jedermanns und jederfraus sache, wie die einsichten von mcnamara gewertet werden.unbestrittenermassen ist es ein faszinierendes zeugnis, welches hier präsentiert wird – und eine der interessantesten und lehrreichsten geschichtsstunden, welche ich je erlebt habe. und wenn schon so viel darüber gesprochen wird, dass man aus der geschichte lernen soll, so sind diese lektionen ein sehr guter anfang. denn niemand, der diesen film anschaut, kommt darum herum, dies vor dem hintergrund der erreignisse der letzten rund fünf jahre zu sehen – und so kann dann gelegentlich der (paradoxe) wunsch auftreten, dass man sich mcnamara (trotz allem, was unter einer ägide geschehen ist) an stelle vieler massgeblicher personen in der weltpolitik zurückwünscht. nochmals; spannender ist moderne geschichte kaum zu erleben, um nicht zu sagen, zu geniessen.

  10. Don Diego de la Vega

    In der Doku “Ukraine On Fire” sagt der russische Präsident Wladimir PUTIN zum Oliver Stone “Ich weiß wie die Entscheidungen getroffen werden!”.Wenn man sich diese Doku anschaut… dann ist man informierter und kann sich selbst seinen eigene Meinung bilden… jedoch macht es auch sehr traurig, dass seit Vietnam manche Völker und ihre Regierungen nichts dazu gelernt haben.Ein muss für jeden!

  11. Amazon Customer

    Worth the watch!

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