I saw this documentary in New York its second week in the theater, and I doubt it will get a lot of play elsewhere in the country. Some interesting things were done, such as the usage of Asian pop-songs and translations to quotes to give the film a more international/global feel. However, this doc is no where near as good as Manufacturing Consent, what I think is a masterpiece and a true showing of the brilliance of Chomsky. Yes, this film is important, but it focuses solely on Chomsky speaking. Now I love Chomsky, but he is not a dynamic speaker, the power in his oration come from his well structured syntax and ideas. Listening to 74 minutes of Chomsky monologues is wearing. Nobody spouts the truth like Chomsky, and this film didn't show that as well as Manufacturing Consent. 8/10... only because it was about one of my intellectual heroes. 5/10 for filmmaking.
11 Reviews
Chomsky's Power is his Restraint
groggo13 January 2008
'If you want to stop terrorism, then stop initiating it and participating in it.' So says the irrepressible Noam Chomsky, who takes U.S. power brokers to task in this film when they pretend that everybody ELSE engages in terrorism, but not them.
I'm slightly biased, because I would pay to hear Noam Chomsky read a menu. He is sublimely interesting despite his low-key manner. But, as others have noted on this board, this film is not exactly his finest hour. It's disjointed and a little unfocused. He shifts back and forth from California to Boston and the Bronx. Since he gives countless lectures around the world in a given year, it's not surprising that the venues would change so frequently.
What makes Chomsky so unique is that he lays out his arguments like a stone-mason lays stone -- each idea follows from the other. His theses are so well-ordered, thoughtful and profoundly articulate (befitting a linguist, he uses precise and powerful words) that he is difficult to refute, which is a major reason why he's officially more or less persona-non-grata in the mainstream media. There are very few pundits who relish the opportunity to challenge Chomsky. He really does know whereof he speaks. His encyclopedic memorization of data from actual government records (some going back hundreds of years) are things to behold.
It matters little to me that he's not a so-called 'dynamic' speaker. He doesn't need to be. He's much more persuasive using soft and often witty techniques to indict monopoly capitalism and the illusion of democracy.
What this film shows quite clearly is that Chomsky is not anti-American or a gloomy pessimist, two charges regularly levelled against him by his opponents. He cares more about his country than most of those loud, cartoonish Americans who think wrapping themselves in the flag is the ultimate display of patriotism. Chomsky is a regular messenger of optimism and hope; he doesn't hide behind pillars of doom. He tells people constantly to resist, to never capitulate to lies and propaganda, to return America to the democratic control of the people. As he has said many times, it's all up to us.
I'm slightly biased, because I would pay to hear Noam Chomsky read a menu. He is sublimely interesting despite his low-key manner. But, as others have noted on this board, this film is not exactly his finest hour. It's disjointed and a little unfocused. He shifts back and forth from California to Boston and the Bronx. Since he gives countless lectures around the world in a given year, it's not surprising that the venues would change so frequently.
What makes Chomsky so unique is that he lays out his arguments like a stone-mason lays stone -- each idea follows from the other. His theses are so well-ordered, thoughtful and profoundly articulate (befitting a linguist, he uses precise and powerful words) that he is difficult to refute, which is a major reason why he's officially more or less persona-non-grata in the mainstream media. There are very few pundits who relish the opportunity to challenge Chomsky. He really does know whereof he speaks. His encyclopedic memorization of data from actual government records (some going back hundreds of years) are things to behold.
It matters little to me that he's not a so-called 'dynamic' speaker. He doesn't need to be. He's much more persuasive using soft and often witty techniques to indict monopoly capitalism and the illusion of democracy.
What this film shows quite clearly is that Chomsky is not anti-American or a gloomy pessimist, two charges regularly levelled against him by his opponents. He cares more about his country than most of those loud, cartoonish Americans who think wrapping themselves in the flag is the ultimate display of patriotism. Chomsky is a regular messenger of optimism and hope; he doesn't hide behind pillars of doom. He tells people constantly to resist, to never capitulate to lies and propaganda, to return America to the democratic control of the people. As he has said many times, it's all up to us.
insightful but boring
Gandhi192 January 2003
Noam Chomsky appears to be a very intelligent person, and this country would benefit if his message was widely spread. Power and Terror is only segments of about 4 speeches and interviews with Noam Chomsky. Attending a live discussion would have been more exciting.
Although I agree with almost everything Noam has to say, this documentary could have done a lot more to entertain us. Not to mention Mr. Chomsky speaks in a very soft and monotone voice. You may need to bring a pillow for this one.
Although I agree with almost everything Noam has to say, this documentary could have done a lot more to entertain us. Not to mention Mr. Chomsky speaks in a very soft and monotone voice. You may need to bring a pillow for this one.
uninspired lifeless documentary
vincent-2727 June 2003
I went to this movie expecting something similar to "Manufacturing Consent", which took Chomsky interviews and interspliced them with interesting film clips to create a compelling film about the power of the Media to shape our perception of the world. Instead what we get is one Chomsky lecture after another interspliced with a Japanese rock song.
Chomsky is not the most dynamic speaker at the best of times, and he is getting older (he's 73) and speaks slower and even more monotone. What he has to say is still some the most revealing and bravest ideas expressed in the United States by an American about the extreme hypocrisy of the U.S. government's foreign policy. But I've heard it all before, Nicaragua, Vietnam, North Korea, that's old news, albeit import pre cursors to events such as 9-11, but this is hardly touched upon, which is what I was hoping to hear.
My biggest complaint with Chomsky is that he is preaching to the converted and the reason for this revealed in the film. He disagrees with the idea of confronting power with the truth because he feels they already know the truth and therefore it's a waste of time. However, talking endlessly to college students who all agree with what you are saying anyway is just as much a waste of time. It's more of the typical academic intelectual masturbation. For once I'd love to Chomsky in a debate with some articulate right wing person and see him dismantle him/her with his obvious intelligence and encyclopedic memory. Alas, until this happens, it's just more of the same, and a waste.
Chomsky is not the most dynamic speaker at the best of times, and he is getting older (he's 73) and speaks slower and even more monotone. What he has to say is still some the most revealing and bravest ideas expressed in the United States by an American about the extreme hypocrisy of the U.S. government's foreign policy. But I've heard it all before, Nicaragua, Vietnam, North Korea, that's old news, albeit import pre cursors to events such as 9-11, but this is hardly touched upon, which is what I was hoping to hear.
My biggest complaint with Chomsky is that he is preaching to the converted and the reason for this revealed in the film. He disagrees with the idea of confronting power with the truth because he feels they already know the truth and therefore it's a waste of time. However, talking endlessly to college students who all agree with what you are saying anyway is just as much a waste of time. It's more of the typical academic intelectual masturbation. For once I'd love to Chomsky in a debate with some articulate right wing person and see him dismantle him/her with his obvious intelligence and encyclopedic memory. Alas, until this happens, it's just more of the same, and a waste.
The man is the message.
lastliberal27 May 2008
This particular documentary is not the greatest one to recommend for pleasurable viewing. It is basically 74 minutes of Chomsky speaking. He is a quiet man and not a great speaker, but what he has to say is very important.
Lately, his position is to questioning how the U.S. can be engaged in a "war on terrorism" when the mountains of civilian corpses we've left in Southeast Asia, Central America, the Mideast, and western Africa qualify our most sanctimonious of nations as Champion Terror-Monger.
His grasp of the facts and ability to recall information and present it in a fashion that all can understand serves to recommend this as a valuable 74 minutes to listen, learn, and ponder.
Lately, his position is to questioning how the U.S. can be engaged in a "war on terrorism" when the mountains of civilian corpses we've left in Southeast Asia, Central America, the Mideast, and western Africa qualify our most sanctimonious of nations as Champion Terror-Monger.
His grasp of the facts and ability to recall information and present it in a fashion that all can understand serves to recommend this as a valuable 74 minutes to listen, learn, and ponder.
excellent material, but sloppy editing
jasonsensei27 May 2003
I'll admit up front that I'm a Chomsky fan and it is always wonderful to listen to this man speak. Having read many of his political books he didn't say anything that I didn't already know, but I still enjoy watching footage of his lectures because I don't have the chance to attend any. As he always does, Chomsky delivers straight forward, common sense deciphering of the events unfolding around us in easy to understand words. Unfortunately however the film isn't edited all that well. Many times they show Chomsky ending his lectures and the film feels like it is going to end. Then it starts up again at another lecture. I think 'Manufacturing Consent' was much more successful in the way they edited his various lectures together.
Powerful Message - Weak Presentation
newsalor4 December 2005
In this documentary Noam Chomsky shares with us his crispy clear view of the world and how it is being ruled. Chomskys oratory superb and his views about the world are founded upon sound facts. However, the documentary itself isn't anything special.
I recognize the difficulty of using the medium to make Chomskys message stronger, because Chomsky himself doesn't come on strong with his message. He is the kind of guy who says his thing quietly and calmly so using gimmicks to enhancer the presentation would probably drown out his voice.
Anyway, I urge everyone to watch this documentary. It was great.
I recognize the difficulty of using the medium to make Chomskys message stronger, because Chomsky himself doesn't come on strong with his message. He is the kind of guy who says his thing quietly and calmly so using gimmicks to enhancer the presentation would probably drown out his voice.
Anyway, I urge everyone to watch this documentary. It was great.
A poorly made film resting entirely on the powerful subject
sc_uk_200830 March 2003
This film did little to advance an idea of Chomsky as a person, or even to interestingly frame any of his ideas. It provided no thesis or direction and was satisfied instead to aim the camera at the man as he travelled college campuses speaking to audiences. It seemed to be little more than one man and a handycam, which is fine in principle, but, in this case anyway, terrible in practice. If it weren't for the thoroughly compelling nature of the man himself and his views, I would consider this an utter waste of time.
Sloppy and Bad
joseywales197029 July 2003
I got into Chomsky in a big way in the past year, with his 9-11 book and then reading his older stuff. I saw a documentary on TV in Canada called "Noam Chomsky: Rebel Without A Pause" which I thoroughly enjoyed. So when I saw this film advertised in Vancouver I went to check it out when I was there and was thoroughly disappointed. For a film that is playing in the theatres, this seemed sloppy and poorly done. Its Chomsky giving a lecture for a while, Chomsky in an interview, and Chomsky giving another lecture. Meanwhile there is some Japanese pop music which makes no sense at all and seems to come from nowhere. Chomsky really just talks about September 11th and that the US did things elsewhere and before that lead to this horrible event. "Rebel Without A Pause" is a much better and more in-depth look at Chomsky's views (including Iraq which "Power and Terror" doesn't mention). "Rebel Without A Pause" also looks at Chomsky the man as seen through his wife Carol Chomsky who also manages him
(which she tells in a great story as to how that little relationship came about) and through the eyes of other people who know him. "Power and Terror" just seems like a lazy attempt to cash in on Chomsky's new celebrity in a post-September 11th world. Skip this film and try and get "Noam Chomsky: Rebel Without A Pause" if you want to learn a lot about several relevant topics and more about Chomsky as a person.
(which she tells in a great story as to how that little relationship came about) and through the eyes of other people who know him. "Power and Terror" just seems like a lazy attempt to cash in on Chomsky's new celebrity in a post-September 11th world. Skip this film and try and get "Noam Chomsky: Rebel Without A Pause" if you want to learn a lot about several relevant topics and more about Chomsky as a person.
Amazing "Documentaries" like this continue to be produced
jimchape19 May 2011
Noam Chomsky is the greatest example of the blatant dishonesty and subversive nature of the political left in the world today. His only redeeming attribute is to identify fellow travelers, useful idiots and radical revolutionaries through their support and praise for him and his philosophies and writings. Unfortunately many of Chomsky's acolytes now hold significant positions in the media, academia and politics and use their positions to brainwash the young and push for adoption of his radical ideals on a largely uneducated and, thanks to those media acolytes, uninformed public. Indeed, we currently have a student and advocate of Chomsky occupying the White house.
Even more unfortunate is that Chomsky and his supporters continue to produce so-called "documentaries" like this that celebrate Chomsky as one of the greatest minds in the world today, claim America and our ideals of individual freedom and liberty are history's greatest evil, and praise political systems that enslave and murder millions of their citizens for the Socialist/Communist ideal.
Chomsky's greatest crimes are his denial, support and praise for most of the genocide of the twentieth century. He has supported and collaborated with Holocaust deniers then denied his actions despite public confirmation of his actions by the deniers themselves. He claimed the mass murders of an estimated 8-10 million Asian civilians by the Japanese in World War 2 was the reaction to America's entry into the War but never explained how half of these murders occurred before Pearl Harbor.
Chomsky (as one would expect from a self-proclaimed radical Socialist) saves his best efforts for communist mass murderers. His actions usually follow the same pattern: First deny the events ever happened; When that becomes impossible due to the truth leaking out, minimize the numbers while, at the same time, disparaging and attempting to discredit those reporters and historians attempting to report the truth; Finally, praise the perpetrators and their actions for actually benefiting the people and countries where the genocide happened. Chomsky followed this pattern with Lenin, Stalin, later Soviet leadership, Mao, Ho Chi Min, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Nicaragua's Ortega, and numerous other third-world communist backed dictators.
What continues to amaze me are those who produce propaganda like this "documentary" pushing the Chomsky mindset that, "Well, yes, socialism has resulted in the murders of well over 100 million people over the last 90 years, but that's just because they didn't do it the right way. Once we get it right everyone will live in a peaceful paradise because we will have taken all those evil right-wing radical capitalists out and killed them!"
The only reason I'm giving this film any rating at all is it serves as an example of the Socialist propaganda still being pushed in the world today.
Those wishing to know more about Noam Chomsky should check the following sites:
Paul Bogdanor, The Top 200 Chomsky Lies Documentation of 200 egregious lies about communist mass murderers, modern history, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, 9/11, Latin America, the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Holocaust denial, etc. Also lists misquotations, numerical distortions and worthless sources used in his writings. (The original 100 lies are also available in Spanish.)
Paul Bogdanor, The Wit and Wisdom of Noam Chomsky Quotations the Chomsky cultists would like you to ignore.
Stefan Kanfer, America's Dumbest Intellectual
Charles Kalina, Noam Chomsky and His Critics Illuminating guides to the mental dungeon of Chomskyism.
J. Bradford DeLong, My Very, Very Allergic Reaction to Noam Chomsky
Oliver Kamm, Noam Chomsky Ridiculing Chomsky's statements about Bosnia, Holocaust denial and the Khmer Rouge.
Keith Windschuttle, The Hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky Overview of Chomsky's disgraceful ideological career.
Oliver Kamm, Chomsky Recollects Chomsky wrote that Americans were no better than Nazis. Then he lied about it.
Even more unfortunate is that Chomsky and his supporters continue to produce so-called "documentaries" like this that celebrate Chomsky as one of the greatest minds in the world today, claim America and our ideals of individual freedom and liberty are history's greatest evil, and praise political systems that enslave and murder millions of their citizens for the Socialist/Communist ideal.
Chomsky's greatest crimes are his denial, support and praise for most of the genocide of the twentieth century. He has supported and collaborated with Holocaust deniers then denied his actions despite public confirmation of his actions by the deniers themselves. He claimed the mass murders of an estimated 8-10 million Asian civilians by the Japanese in World War 2 was the reaction to America's entry into the War but never explained how half of these murders occurred before Pearl Harbor.
Chomsky (as one would expect from a self-proclaimed radical Socialist) saves his best efforts for communist mass murderers. His actions usually follow the same pattern: First deny the events ever happened; When that becomes impossible due to the truth leaking out, minimize the numbers while, at the same time, disparaging and attempting to discredit those reporters and historians attempting to report the truth; Finally, praise the perpetrators and their actions for actually benefiting the people and countries where the genocide happened. Chomsky followed this pattern with Lenin, Stalin, later Soviet leadership, Mao, Ho Chi Min, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Nicaragua's Ortega, and numerous other third-world communist backed dictators.
What continues to amaze me are those who produce propaganda like this "documentary" pushing the Chomsky mindset that, "Well, yes, socialism has resulted in the murders of well over 100 million people over the last 90 years, but that's just because they didn't do it the right way. Once we get it right everyone will live in a peaceful paradise because we will have taken all those evil right-wing radical capitalists out and killed them!"
The only reason I'm giving this film any rating at all is it serves as an example of the Socialist propaganda still being pushed in the world today.
Those wishing to know more about Noam Chomsky should check the following sites:
Paul Bogdanor, The Top 200 Chomsky Lies Documentation of 200 egregious lies about communist mass murderers, modern history, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, 9/11, Latin America, the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Holocaust denial, etc. Also lists misquotations, numerical distortions and worthless sources used in his writings. (The original 100 lies are also available in Spanish.)
Paul Bogdanor, The Wit and Wisdom of Noam Chomsky Quotations the Chomsky cultists would like you to ignore.
Stefan Kanfer, America's Dumbest Intellectual
Charles Kalina, Noam Chomsky and His Critics Illuminating guides to the mental dungeon of Chomskyism.
J. Bradford DeLong, My Very, Very Allergic Reaction to Noam Chomsky
Oliver Kamm, Noam Chomsky Ridiculing Chomsky's statements about Bosnia, Holocaust denial and the Khmer Rouge.
Keith Windschuttle, The Hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky Overview of Chomsky's disgraceful ideological career.
Oliver Kamm, Chomsky Recollects Chomsky wrote that Americans were no better than Nazis. Then he lied about it.
Changing the World
tommyg26 January 2003
`In Our Times' was an odd experience. I mean, who would have thought that a venture to view a film screening of a college professor giving a college lecture would or could draw a crowd on the celluloid screen?
Well, I went and did that and experienced the genius of Noam Chomsky. I even walked away with some positive thoughts about the future of the United States of America and the global network of nation states. I saw a hope, that maybe there is a nibble of survival of our US society and that of the world, if we all listen and speak out against tremendous odds of failure in directing our own country(s) in its governance -- which we symbolically call democracy.
I felt a very optimistic future that I can be a part of and which can change the workings of the US government and things evil -- that often takes a path of its own and much in the design of a dictatorship that give lip service to its subjects.
This Japanese film was wonderful.
Yet, I cannot rate it on a scale of 1-10.
The future is with the people of the world to make democracy work
Well, I went and did that and experienced the genius of Noam Chomsky. I even walked away with some positive thoughts about the future of the United States of America and the global network of nation states. I saw a hope, that maybe there is a nibble of survival of our US society and that of the world, if we all listen and speak out against tremendous odds of failure in directing our own country(s) in its governance -- which we symbolically call democracy.
I felt a very optimistic future that I can be a part of and which can change the workings of the US government and things evil -- that often takes a path of its own and much in the design of a dictatorship that give lip service to its subjects.
This Japanese film was wonderful.
Yet, I cannot rate it on a scale of 1-10.
The future is with the people of the world to make democracy work
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