The Corporation (2004)
This highly engrossing documentary begs the question – “Can Corporations be Moral in their Pursuit of Profits?” Judging from the state of the environment, the general health of the people and the widening gap of the rich and the poor, we have reasonable cause to worry.
If this is the situation, who is to blame? Is it the Government for not enacting laws to reign in these increasingly aggressive and powerful Corporations? Is it the fault of the Corporations for not acting responsibly? Or is it the general population across the globe for not making responsible choices in the products and services they use?
Joe Balkan, a law professor notes that today’s Corporations are "singularly self-interested and unable to feel genuine concern for others in any context." (pg. 56). This documentary is inspired by the works of Joe Balkan’s book - “The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power” (2004).
Dr. Robert Hare, a consultant to the FBI on psychopaths, draws parallels between a psychopath and the modern Corporation. In the documentary, it is revealed that his findings corroborate the following behavior:
- Callous unconcern for the feelings of others
- Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships
- Reckless disregard for the safety of others
- Deceitfulness: Repeated lying to and deceiving of others for profit
- Incapacity to experience guilt
- Failure to conform to the social norms with respect to lawful behaviors.
To be frank, though the arguments put forth in this DVD documentary may not as forceful as many other recent documentaries (see below), it does nonetheless, reward those who are prepared to sit through a nearly 3 hour exposé on the history and activities of Corporations since the birth of America.
The film touches on a variety of issues, such as sweatshop labor, the world bank, free trade, environmental problems, health and safety problems, corporate media control, anti-trust and monopoly violations, child advertising and corporate propaganda, genetically modified (GM) foods, et cetera.
This documentary is crammed with dense theorizing, it requires concentration, but viewers are rewarded by a thorough and well-argued film which doesn’t feel the need to couch its message in comedy.
Watching this DVD, one cannot help but feel sorry for the anti-Globalization protesters as their frustrations and desperation turn to violence.
The following recent documentaries overlaps some of the topics covered in "The Corporation" documentary:
Al Gore’s “The Inconvenient Truth” (2006)
The documentary won an Oscar Award this year and Al Gore got a Nobel Prize for bringing global warming message to the fore.
A Must-See for everyone who is concerned about the environment by Director Davis Guggenheim with Al Gore as the poster boy of global warming. An Inconvenient Truth makes the compelling case that global warming is real, man-made, and its effects will be cataclysmic if we don’t act now. Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way: often humorous, frequently emotional, and always fascinating. In the end, An Inconvenient Truth accomplishes what all great films should: it leaves the viewer shaken, involved and inspired.Morgan Spurlock’s “Supersize Me” (2003)
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, rejected five times by the USC film school, won the best director award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival for "Supersize Me" - a irreverent look at obesity in America and one of its sources - fast food corporations.
Michael Moore’s “Roger & Me” (1989)When General Motors Chairman, Roger B. Smith closes down a profitable auto factory in his home town, Michael Moore embarks on a journey to interview Roger hence the title "Roger & Me". Michael Moore’s sharp wit and working class roots endears him to his audience and me as he goes on a quest to find out: "What is Corporate America’s responsibility to the country’s citizens?". A question no one at GM wants to answer, certainly not Roger.
Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight (2006)
Why We Fight is the provocative documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger) and winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
Why We Fight goes far beyond the headlines of various American military campaigns in the last half a century to the deeper questions of why America is seemingly so pre-occupied with war. What are the forces – political, economic, and ideological – that drive America to battle against an ever-changing enemy? This documentary challenges viewers to examine the mechanizations of the secretive and ever persuasive military-industrial complex and its influence on the US government decisions.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, this is a multidimensional study of one of the biggest business scandals that rocked Corporate America. The Enron documentary takes a look at one of the greatest corporate disasters in history, in which top executives from the 7th largest company in the USA walked away with over one billion dollars, leaving scores of investors and 20,000 employees with nothing in 2001.
Jamie Johnson’s “Born Rich” (2002).
Jamie Johnson, 20-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire, made this documentary about the lives of the children of the wealthiest families in the world. You would expect these Born Rich children from the elite of our society to have something important to say or do. Or at least get a glimpse of their glamorous lives. Instead, what you get is an insight of the aimless lifestyle of kids Born Rich. Paris Hilton, where are you when we needed you?
Here are some short streaming video trailers of 'The Corporation" on YouTube:
Dangers of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods:
© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - - The Corporation (2004)
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