Don't ask, don't tell?

Went to see Burn After Reading yesterday and wasn't sweating that I was running late. After all, I really didn't care if I missed the commercials. (Rant on paying to see commercials is another blog) I made it to the theater to catch one full commercial, and oh what a masterpiece of cinematic persuasion it was. It was for the National Guard and very different from the simple 'the few, the proud, The Marines' commercials we're used to. This one was more of a propoganda video for the red neck set featuring uber americans Kid Rock and Dale Earnhart Jr.

PC Disclaimer: Before I get too far into this I feel the need to explain myself a little bit, becuase frankly I never get political here. I don't really intend to now, think of this more as social commentary. While I do not support the war in Iraq, I do totally support our troops. Anyone who is wiling to defend this country on their own accord is a hero in my eyes and I thank you all.

That said, I was completely thunderstruck by what I saw last night. The featured song is Kid's Warrior which was no doubt commisioned by the Guard. He sings of being an "American Warrior, a civilian in peace" while images of helicopters and hummvee's swoop by on screen. There are two stories being told here, one of good looking loyal americans going off to battle in the middle east. The other features Earnhart struggling to break through the pack in a Nascar race. I know, balanced right? They never really show the soldiers in the video actually doing anything violent, you know, becuase war isn't really violent. They do however show the troops busting into a cave and throwing the clever burlap 'disguise' off of a crate of guns they 'discover' - mission complete! The whole thing is very intense and at one point a hummvee even stops on a dime to keep from running over a cute little middle eastern boy as he chases his soccer ball into the dirt road, it was endearing really.

Now call me cynical, but my mind immediately skyrocketed back in time to a talk I saw some fifteen years ago in college about the film Triump of the Will. Yes, this National Guard commercial smacked of the same cinematic quality and production values, with a huge emphasis on a powerful muscial background. The themes were generally the same too, the grandiose nature in which they display their parties power, hardening themselves for the sacrifice that lies ahead. The only thing missing was George W., but we all know even Kid Rock can't sell that guy to the American public anymore. The Guard didn't steal every idea from WWII propoganda flics though, the whole time they had the National Guard logo translucent in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. We all know that they stole that little subliminal trick form the networks. (N-B-C!)

Just as the commercial was about to end I leaned over to husband and said, "Nothing about this appeals to me". I wasn't surprised, I don't think it was supposed to, but we were there to see a Coen brothers movie for fucks sake. I couldn't imagine it appealing to anyone there. I mean the very next thing we were to see was a trailer for the movie MILK (which looks excellent by the way). Wasn't that more this crowds speed? In preparing for this I read this quote by the director of Triumph of the Will on line. She was discussing how she tried to feign ignorance of the Nazi party to get out of shooting the movie but that it didn't work becuase "He wanted a film which would move, appeal to, impress an audience which was not necessarily interested in politics." -- Leni Riefenstahl Her disinterest made her the perfect candidate becuase she was his target audience.

Ah, check mate! I suppose if similar lures worked on you and you are regretting your decision you can always claim the twinkie defense. Natch.

Note: Kudos, brothers Coen, Burn After Reading is magnificent!