MovieChat Forums > Bitter Lake (2015) Discussion > What happened to the soldiers?

What happened to the soldiers?

posted 9 years ago by tom245-32-153383
5 replies | jump to latest

First of all, the documentary is phenomenal. I'm really going to have to watch it few more times to digest it. There are some really haunting images: the soldier with the bird in his hand, ISIS fighters pulling a trailer full of bodies, even the dancing arab.

One of these moments is near the 10:00 mark where the soldiers who "feel pretty good right now" after "going against order" by using 24 unapproved rounds. Any idea what happened to them?

I'm glad he didn't milk 9/11 (like most documentaries do when they get the chance), and the use of Carry on Up the Khyber is superb 😀.

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

I loved it too.
It could have done with some judicial editing since a few of the scenes seemed to be thrown in there for effect, like the ones that you mentioned above.
Haunting images are fine, but unless they have any relevance to the story being told then they are superfluous in my view.
And only released on iPlayer? I've read Adam's blog and there doesn't seem to be a reason why it wouldn't be shown in its entirety apart from the fact that it would almost certainly upset quite a few of the British and American and Israeli and Saudi and Afghan politicians if it was.
He doesn't say that explicitly, but it's clearly implied.
Maybe it will turn up on http://topdocumentaryfilms.com so more people will be able to watch it, but right now it seems to be in stealth mode, which is a shame.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] rregiukas 9 years ago

Haunting images are fine, but unless they have any relevance to the story being told then they are superfluous in my view.

I think that at least some of the images play a role of showing the viewer that neither of the sides at war are truly evil or good.

As for broader audiences, the film (as well as more of Adam Curtis's work) is available online at https://thoughtmaybe.com/bitter-lake/

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

I think that at least some of the images play a role of showing the viewer that neither of the sides at war are truly evil or good.

I'd agree with that, but the consensus among my friends that have tried to watch it is that there are too many of those images which meant nothing to them, so they were put off (basically bored) during the first 40 minutes and didn't have the willpower to struggle on to the end. It's a shame and I've persuaded them to start from 40 minutes again since I think that it's worthwhile doing so.

In this case then cutting out most of those images would make the documentary easier to watch for most people, and the message is important enough to justify deleting a lot of the fluff which we have to endure during the first half (or 40 minutes) to make it more palatable without dumbing it down.

Basically, it needed a better or more self confident editor.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] TheZoolooMaster 9 years ago

Then it's a shame that those people simply don't have the sensibility for archival footage of such value.
Indeed what sets this documentary apart from others on TV is that it was not set restrictions.
Of course, if you start the movie at 40 minutes then you'll have missed the critical political moves that led to what has happened today.

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

Of course, if you start the movie at 40 minutes then you'll have missed the critical political moves that led to what has happened today.

That's not what I suggested. Read my post more carefully.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?