Several movies about Iraq have recently been released: Lions for Lambs, Redacted, and The War. All of them have a distinctly anti-war message. All of them have been flops at the box office.
Meanwhile, modern technology has let troops in combat take their own movies and photos, and post them on the Internet for all to see. Some of this footage has been professionally edited and produced, but much is raw amateur stuff. Some of these have become amongst the most popular video clips on YouTube – the number of views of most of these is hundreds or thousands of times higher than the viewings of the aforementioned Hollywood movies. Some examples (with links to others) here, here, here, and below.
Isn't it interesting that those movies with the anti-war message – all major Hollywood productions, with major stars, heavy marketing, and big-name directors and producers – are all losers in the market? And that the nitty-gritty, real-life combat videos are a smash hit?
What got me going on this topic was reading a note about how the Democratic campaigns are hearing – to their apparent surprise – that American voters are not the anti-war crowd that they assumed. And the campaigns are adjusting their messaging and tactics.
Interesting. I'm just saying.
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