The War Room

Starring:James Carville, George Stephanopoulos, Heather Beckel, Paul Begala, Bob Boorstin, Michael Donnilon, Jeff Eller, Stan Greenberg, Mandy Grunwald, Harold Ickes, Mickey Kantor, Mary Matalin, Mitchell Schwartz, Sam Donaldson, Mark Halperin, Joan Silverstein, Tipper Gore, Jerry Brown (II), Dee Dee Myers, Betty Currie
Director: D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

Control room is a rate film that is both timely and timeless: timeless because it ecplores the ancient and complex relationship between the western and Arab worlds, timely because it reveals how satellite television has changed the way wars are reported- from news providers, driven by the patriotism of their audiences, to army information officers, driven by military objectives. Control room is a seminal documentary that explores how truth is gathered, presented, and ultimately created by those who deliver it.

System Requirements:

Running Time 86 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Startling and powerful, Control Room is a documentary about the Arab television network Al-Jazeera's coverage of the U.S.-led Iraqi war, and conflicts that arose in managed perceptions of truth between that news media outlet and the American military. Egyptian-American filmmaker Jehane Noujaim (Startup.com) catches the frantic action at Al-Jazeera headquarters as President Bush stipulates his 48-hour, get-out-of-town warning to Saddam Hussein and sons, soon followed by the network's shocking footage of Iraqi civilians terrorized and killed by invading U.S. troops. Al-Jazeera's determination to show images and report details outside the Pentagon's carefully controlled information flow draws the wrath of American officials, who accuse it of being an al-Qaida propagandist. (The killing of an Al-Jazeera reporter in what appears to be a deliberately targeted air strike is horrifying.) Most fascinating is the way Control Room allows well-meaning, Western-educated, pro-democratic Arabs an opportunity to express views on Iraq as they see it--in an international context, and in a way most Americans never hear about. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Nothing new here..........2007-06-13

I watched this DVD last night and had high expectations. I thought it would be very interesting to see these two news organizations critically examined. In this, I wasn't at all disappointed however, the information presented was really just a summary of all the things that everyone already knows and questions. I found my attention wandering about halfway through!

That said, there were little interesting tidbits, such as when participants in the documentary take specific stories and analyze them for accuracy, propaganda, etc. But overall, I did not think the movie presented anything new or thought-provoking.

keeping an open mind.......2007-05-17

(Actually, I had rented this last year at Blockbuster but) definitely would recommend to anyone who wants to know how our media coverage of Iraq looks from the other side. I thought that Air Force media relations guy was a genuine hero. Alas, he paid with his career.

Control Room - Insights into the Arab Media.......2007-05-04

`Control Room' was a very insightful view into the minds of the Arab media, and the construction of the Arab perspective. `Control Room' highlights the role of the media in the age of information warfare, and Al-Jazeera is a player in that war. The way the documentary was made was very political from the onset, with the montage in the intro paving the way for creating politically motivated spectacles. For instance, the shot of the birds flying in the intro montage was a politically motivated scene, meant to imply anticipation and anxiety over the coming US liberation / invasion. The documentary almost seemed to mimic the political quality if Al-Jazeera, in that shots are judged on their appearance rather than substance.
Yes, there may be a myth of objectivity, however it is the job of the journalist to attempt to be as objective as possible. Al-Jazeera does have motivations, just as Fox News does, but that does not mean that Al-Jazeera gets a pass on the question of objectivity. The head of Al-Jazeera starts of by saying a military commander should put the media at the top of his priorities; he says that propaganda is a very important weapon in the arsenal. So it is only natural to expect that Al-Jazeera is more of an agenda setter and a propagator, rather than a straight news organization.
What was evident from the film is that Al-Jazeera does not think of itself as a participant in a war, just an observer. This is not the reality. By broadcasting enemy propaganda, the parade of POW's, Al-Jazeera sets itself up for conflict with coalition forces. Airing pictures of POW's gives ammunition to enemy ambitions, and endangers troops. Al-Jazeera didn't seem to get it, that they are not just a news organization, but also an active participant in the conflict. This is the threat that journalists face when entering a war zone; the threat of being a participant in the war.
`Control Room' illustrates these points in specific scenes. One of the reports says: "We lost Baghdad." I was left asking, who is we? "We lost Baghdad," is the "we" some Baathist sympathy, some pan-Arab nationalism, or just plain old anti-Americanism. That reporter is obviously rooting for `our' defeat. Not to say that journalist cant be people with thoughts and feeling, because we certainly have biased reporting here at home, but rather that personal opinions really should be displayed or communicated when reporting events. Even the Al-Jazeera correspondents couldn't manage to muster up a hint of objectivity throughout the film.
In the age of terrorism the role of the media has come to play a significant role in the outcome of conflicts. In fact, modern terror tactics specifically play to the media. When a bomb goes off in a civilian area, the objective is not tactical but strategic. That is to say that terror bombings are often designed to attract media attention rather than say engage a specific target. The so-called "propaganda of the deed." It seems that Al-Jazeera was manipulated back in 2003, used by the enemy to broadcast tactical war propaganda.
The film also was informative to the editorial decisions that are made at the media outlet. There was one instance that stands out in particular. At one point during the film we see a young boy screaming into the camera. He is screaming about someone being a Baathist, and screaming something akin to death to America if memory serves me. What kind of editorial decision was this? Number one: a screaming emotional kid is not news (he might not realize the consequences of his speech in a wartime), number two: it is very dangerous for that child to be on television making accusations and threats (what if some insurgent recognized this kid), thirdly: its just plain exploitation (going for sensationalism and ignoring the consequences). I fault Al-Jazeera for putting sensationalistic news above the safety of the source.
Another particular scene stands out as a mimic of the Al-Jazeera style of reporting. When Baghdad is first being bombed the film give the impression that the control room was being shelled. The camera was shaky and the audience is given the impression of panic and being under attack. It was an interesting device that speaks to the creation of spectacles. The control room was obviously not being bombed; Al-Jazeera is in Dubai, not Baghdad. This is subliminal deception on the part of the filmmakers which all too appropriate for a film about Al-Jazeera.
Conclusively, `Control Room' was a interesting film that needed to made for western audiences. The film gives us a look of the world for a new perspective and makes theses `enemy propagandists' a human quality that is hard to ignore. We see Al-Jazeera as not terrorist sympathizers, but rather frustrated voices coming from a bleak world of strife. Personally, I like have the Arab perspective from Al-Jazzera, it compounds the notion that world is not so black and white and that journalist are not `outside of the event,' but rather active participants in the story.

Fascinating peek inside the world of Mid-East journalism.......2007-04-27

This was really eye-opening to me to see beyond the myths that many of us Americans raised on the polemic Fox News have about Al Jazeera. This documentary shows some of the complexity that Al Jazeera embodies and tries to portray in its newscasts. You don't see a wholly positive view of the station, but you do appreciate their admirable intent and performance in enlightening people in the Mid-East and around the world. Despite having some questions as to their judgment about what to put on the news in isolated cases (e.g., certain photos), I felt that in surprising ways it is their commitment to what used to be more in-depth and elucidating Western-style journalism that was so cool.
You see in the documentary the responses of some American journalists to the station as well and learn about the climate of the press in general. I felt as if I got a deeper understanding of the Mid-East climate than I'd get from American news.
Interesting fact: if I heard right recently (2007) in the news, one of the American military journalists interviewed in the film who was originally so skeptical about Al Jazeera's integrity was won over by the facts over time and is now working for them in their American broadcasts.
I think if more people really understood what Al Jazeera does and stands for they might be surprised and would be enlightened by their more substantive coverage of a wider range of international issues than we often see here in the States.

spin study.......2007-01-25

A fascinating documentary about how US networks and especially Al Jazeera, the satellite cable channel watched by 40 million people in the Middle East (it started only in 1996), have covered the current Iraq war. In the first few moments of the film Samir Khader, a producer for Al Jazeera, observes, "there is no war without propaganda." This film gives the lie to the common idea, constantly repeated by Rumsfeld, that Al Jazeera lies and distorts the truth whereas US media are fair and objective.

Average customer rating:

"Brilliant"
I think its been misrepresented somewhat
no title
The start and the end of political documentary...
Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps

The War Room
Starring: James Carville , George Stephanopoulos , Heather Beckel , Paul Begala , and Bob Boorstin
Director: D.A. Pennebaker , and Chris Hegedus
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002JUXDS
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Amazon.com essential video

Documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back) and Chris Hegedus shot behind-the-scenes at command central for Bill Clinton's 1992 election campaign and came up with this film. You won't find the kind of daily damage-control and skirt-chasing indirectly alleged in Primary Colors, but the filmmakers do give us a strong sense of the uphill battle of a presidential campaign. The center of the film is really James Carville, who steered the machine for Clinton's '92 run and who comes across in this film as a deeply passionate, complex, and somehow timeless man who could have fit into any chapter of American history. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

"Brilliant".......2007-01-15

This is a great film to see what is conducted behind the scenes to win a presidential campaign. Great film for students to see two political campaign managers at work. This film also showed these two guy's human side and at the same time funny.

I think its been misrepresented somewhat.......2006-12-02

This is not a film of the inner sanctum of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign as claimed but a film of his head campaign managers office. You will see some discussions on issues. Nothing very controversial. You never see any real important decisions made and you see almost nothing of Bill Clinton.

If you are interested in elections you probably will get some feel of how a modern campaign feels but little about much else.

no title.......2006-03-13

Well, I sure could have skipped this one. I well remember the critics raving over this on television, but why is beyond me. Mostly, I was just plain bored. There simply was no depth at all, just bunches of short takes and wise cracks. Bush was just downright dirty, making insults and slurs all over the place, something I do not consider an appropriate attitude in a man who would be President. And it is interesting that in one of the reviews it was noted that Mary Matalen, the deputy manager of Bush's campaign and very acid-tongued (maybe she wrote some of the slurs Bush used), is now the wife of James Carville, top strategist for Clinton's campaign, and basically the star of the movie. But all the scenes were focused on the funny quip, the bon mot, no long scenes of the nitty-gritty work, or any answers to any questions about Clinton either, for that matter.

The start and the end of political documentary..........2006-01-21

Though 'Primary' introduced the political campaigning doco, 'The War Room' surely is the apex of the genre.

Part of the highlight of the doco is Stephanopoulos, who is captured as he is - preening himself and agreeing with others ideas/suggestions.

As with the Clinton campaign, Carville steals the show. Whatever your convictions (and mine are on the other side of politics) it is impossible not to respect Carville for his character and beliefs.

I dont want to spoil it for you, but Billary wins...

Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps.......2005-12-30

While I found the glimpses into the inner workings of the 1992 presidential campaign of Bill Clinton to be interesting and well worth watching, it was a bit disappointing. Campaign manager James Carville and Communications Director George Stephanopoulos demonstrate their skills at political maneuvering. Even though Bill Clinton was a masterful politician, these two men got him elected. While both of them show their hard-boiled political fronts, they also show their human sides. Stephanopoulos openly talks about how nervous he is and Carville cries when he thanks the staff for their hard work.
There are two main weaknesses to the presentation. The first is that many parts will be incomprehensible to anyone who does not already know a great deal about the events. For example, there is mention of the relationship between Carville and Mary Matalin, but it is never truly explained. The incongruity of the political strategists of Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican George Bush having a romantic relationship in the middle of a presidential campaign is not emphasized as much as it should. If you were not aware of the depth of that relationship and who they are, then that segment will be little more than a flyby.
The second main weakness is that your perspective never reaches the level of the "fly on the wall." At all times, it is clear that you are seeing into the campaign only to the extent that they want you to see. It would have been better if they at least sometimes made it appear that you were seeing workings of the campaign staff that they would have preferred not be seen. I was especially disappointed with the response to the Gennifer Flowers incident. Clinton and his campaign staff handled it very deftly, yet we really don't see what they did. This contrasts with an incident later in the campaign when Stephanopoulos fields a call from someone who is threatening to expose what they claim is another Clinton infidelity. In this case, he supposedly fathered a child with a black woman. Stephanopoulos tells the person politely but firmly that:

*) At this point no one cares.
*) If you break the story, you will never work in the Democratic party again.

I found this video fascinating, but I remembered and understood the events that unfolded. If you for any reason do not know the fundamentals of what is happening, then you will spend a great deal of time puzzled by what you see.

Average customer rating:

"Brilliant"
I think its been misrepresented somewhat
no title
The start and the end of political documentary...
Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Politics | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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Journeys With George
Staffers '04
A Perfect Candidate
Road to the Presidency
The Candidate

ASIN: 1573624578
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

"Brilliant".......2007-01-15

I think its been misrepresented somewhat.......2006-12-02

no title.......2006-03-13

The start and the end of political documentary..........2006-01-21

Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps.......2005-12-30

Charlie Rose with Paul Begala & James Carville (February 6, 2002)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Paul Begala & James Carville (February 6, 2002)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The War Room

ASIN: B000HBL5HO
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Description

Democratic strategists Paul Begala and James Carville look back at their work on Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign in their new book, Buck Up, Suck Up…And Come Back When You Foul Up. They weigh in on Clinton's legacy, the future of the Democratic party, and the Enron scandal.

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