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42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, informative documentary on corporate control., 13 Mar 2005
This is a documentary describing the origin, history, motivation and some inner machinations of "the corporation", that profiteering, money hungry and powerful institution that has been permitted to pervade so many aspects of life for rich and poor alike. The psychology of the corporation is explored, comparing the pathological pursuit of profit to clinically pathological individuals. This is a fair comparison because in the US large corporations derive many of their rights from legislature permitting them to act as "individuals". The documentary is also packed with interviews with prominent campaigners trying to raise awareness of the way that corporations function, their negative influences (sweatshop labour, agressive marketing aimed at children, pollution and sustainability, etc). Amongst these are Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein and Michael Moore, Elaine Bernard (although the documentary doesn't revolve around them). Case studies in the documentary involve the actions of IBM during the holocaust of WWII, Pfizer's privatization of security in small town America, Monsanto's RBGH (bovine growth hormone) scandal in US milk products as well as the attrocities arising from their product Agent Orange being sprayed in Vietnam, Shell's exploitation of the Niger delta, and FOX's attempted cover up of the truth over Monsanto's RBGH scandal. It is worth noting that this is far from a documentary only focusing on the negative aspects of corporate control. A significant portion of the film is dedicated to bringing success stories from around the world of people reclaiming natural resources, spreading awareness, and pushing back the all-dominating corporation towards responsibility. Some of the stories, such as the struggle of the people of Cochabamba, Bolivia against the Bechtel Corporation of San Francisco (who sought to privatize and thereby control the public water supply) are inspirational. There is also an interview with Ray Anderson, CEO of the largest manufacturer of carpets in the world, and his vision for a more sustainable manufacturing industry, inspired by his realisation that a company exploiting the environment merely to make profit is nothing but a "plunderer". The documentary discusses and reinforces many of the concerns that are becoming more prominent in the public eye. And although the well evidenced indictments about the horrible reality of the control and power that large corporations have leave one resigned, the last section of the documentary offers much support and encouragement. It stresses the possibility that democracy and freedom for people is a viable alternative, if people get up and do something about it. The box actually contains two DVD discs, one with the main feature and some additional bonus material and interviews, and the other disc which contains ample information regarding how the issues raised can be addressed, where to go, who to contact and how to start going about dismantling the corporate dictatorship that we find ourselves in the midst of. This is an extremely enlightening documentary and I would readily recommend it to one and all. It is very difficult, I think, for anyone not to learn something from it.
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