The Pentagon's grip on Hollywood

[zboy1]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT4JyhZg ... re=g-all-u[/youtube]

The military entertainment complex is an old phenomenon that binds Hollywood with the US military. Known as militainment, it serves both parties well. Filmmakers get access to high tech weaponry - helicopters, jet planes and air craft carriers while the Pentagon gets free and positive publicity.

The latest offering to come from this relationship is Act of Valor and it takes the collaboration one step further. The producers get more than just equipment -- they have cast active-duty military personnel in the lead roles, prompting critics to say the lines have become so blurred that it is hard to see where Hollywood ends and Pentagon propaganda begins.

[TruthOrConsequences]

I don't really see anything wrong with that. They're being patriotic and I suppose they're trying to recruit more people as well.

I don't know if you've noticed but there aren't really any good realistic movies about the post 9/11 wars i.e. OIF and OEF. And haven't you seen those regular Hollywood flicks about the military? The movies where women are in special forces, subordinates talk back and act buddy-buddy with their superiors. Them movies where one squad (6-8 guys) goes out on their own with like one E5 sergeant and does whatever the f**k they want without communicating with the HQ or reporting to anyone higher up. Then they end up losing half of their guys and go on a rampage, killing civilians and blowing stuff up. Like that ever happens in real life. And frankly, in some of the movies they can't even accurately pick out uniforms and insignia. For example, in all WW2 movies it is very commonplace to see German Wehrmacht troops wearing black SS uniforms with huge black swastikas and iron crosses. WTF?? The Soviet paratroopers are always shown sporting old militia uniforms with red shoulder boards and red bus driver caps. What in the f**k is up with that? Why spend all that money on explosions and tanks and shit when you can't even find the right uniform for the troops?

I personally think the Hollywood and the British filmakers seriously need to work on the realism part in all their military movies. Don't get me wrong - there are some good war movies, but they're few far and between. That way there will be at least someone to unfuck all those Hollywood yuppies and tell them how shit would really go down in the military world.

[zboy1]

I don't really see anything wrong with that. They're being patriotic and I suppose they're trying to recruit more people as well.

I don't know if you've noticed but there aren't really any good realistic movies about the post 9/11 wars i.e. OIF and OEF. And haven't you seen those regular Hollywood flicks about the military? The movies where women are in special forces, subordinates talk back and act buddy-buddy with their superiors. Them movies where one squad (6-8 guys) goes out on their own with like one E5 sergeant and does whatever the f**k they want without communicating with the HQ or reporting to anyone higher up. Then they end up losing half of their guys and go on a rampage, killing civilians and blowing stuff up. Like that ever happens in real life. And frankly, in some of the movies they can't even accurately pick out uniforms and insignia. For example, in all WW2 movies it is very commonplace to see German Wehrmacht troops wearing black SS uniforms with huge black swastikas and iron crosses. WTF?? The Soviet paratroopers are always shown sporting old militia uniforms with red shoulder boards and red bus driver caps. What in the f**k is up with that? Why spend all that money on explosions and tanks and shit when you can't even find the right uniform for the troops?

I personally think the Hollywood and the British filmakers seriously need to work on the realism part in all their military movies. Don't get me wrong - there are some good war movies, but they're few far and between. That way there will be at least someone to unfuck all those Hollywood yuppies and tell them how shit would really go down in the military world.

I do have a problem with the U.S. military getting too close to the Hollywood entertainment industry because the end result is movies become just another propaganda piece for U.S. foreign policy and imperialism. In fact, many movies cannot be made without the consent of the Pentagon, otherwise they block the use of military equipment (ships, planes, and bases) and personnel from being shown in the film. Essentially, movie studios become hostage to the whims and desires of the United States military.

Did you know after the movie Top Gun became a hit, military recruitment skyrocketed and after seeing the wave of interest among young people, the military decided to use the movie as a recruitment tool to lure people to join the military. In fact, part of the reason why Top Gun was made (with the help of the Navy and Pentagon) was to glorify military life and increase the number of enlistment to the armed services! That was one of the stated goals that the military imposed on the director and Paramount Studio before the film ever got started!