The Power of Nightmares

Last night at our Museum of Fine Arts I saw the gripping 2 1/2 hour version of this documentary, “The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear.” It was introduced by the director/writer, Adam Curtis.
Curtis presents: all the cases that Bush’s government brought against US citizens in “terrorist cells” were without merit and therefore quietly dropped. Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Cheney were in Reagan’s administration promoting fear about the Soviet Union and returned to do the same today, aware of the need to promote a consolidating myth of fear to gain power. The US and britain have been fighting a fantasy with the support of the religious right. The muslim fundamentalists are fighitng an almost identical fantasy.
Originally a 3-part broadcast series on the BCC, it was cut down for the Cannes Film Festival where it screened earlier this year. I urge you to write HBO and ask them to air this three-part series, although before getting the rights to do so I’m sure the BBC will want to update it to include the bombing of the London subway.
Curtis: “I think the (US)networks won’t show it because they are frightened by possible reactions. I think this is very wrong. The reaction in Britain has been extraordinary with the overwhelming majority praising the BBC for its confidence in putting the series out.”
The LA Times gives more of the specifics.
AM