Product Details

• Actors: Norman Finkelstein, Noam Chomsky, Alan Dershowitz
• Directors: David Ridgen, Nicolas Rossier
• Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Typecast Releasing
• DVD Release Date: May 18, 2010
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0038GQRLO
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,961 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Review

American Radical is a powerful film brave, bold, incendiary. I highly recommend it! --Michael Moore, award-winning documentary filmmaker

American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein' is a cautiously respectful documentary portrait of a political firebrand who presents himself as a beacon of moral truth in the murk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. --New York Times

Surprisingly entertaining...a compelling portrait of a difficult man. --The Jewish Daily Forward

Product Description

CUFF/IFP AUDIENCE AWARD
- CUFF

AUDIENCE AWARD
- Cinema Politica

Official Selection
- HOT DOCS

Official Selection
- Sheffield, DOC FEST

A devoted son of Holocaust survivors and ardent critic of Israeli foreign policy, the polarizing American political scientist and author Norman Finkelstein has been called a lunatic and self-hating Jew by some, and an inspirational revolutionary by others. Uncompromising even in the face of his denial of tenure at DePaul University, Finkelstein is revealed as a complex, politically isolated figure who puts the pursuit of justice above the security of his academic career. Exploring the difficult and deeply-felt issues at the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American Radical is the insightful and enraging documentary that follows Finkelstein around the world as he attempts to negotiate a powerful voice among his impassioned critics and supporters.

"For us, Norman Finkelstein is the consummate documentary subject: a complex firebrand, principled to the end, at the apex of some of the world's longest conflicts. He rarely appears in mainstream media, yet always ends up in controversies. Finkelstein's life is about focus, through a prism of his upbringing by Holocaust survivors. The dogged, relentless pursuit of his principles and foes can both inspire and repel. At once agitator, comedian, and merciless scholar, Finkelstein creates as many storms as he enters. Few will go where he does a Jew deliberately walking into Hezbollah headquarters, into a Palestinian refugee camp, or into a room filled with those who vehemently oppose his views to speak his mind. When radicals collide, does it create more understanding? Some would argue that it does. Others would claim that Finkelstein's principled but too often bitter advocacy does much to discredit the cause of a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audiences can decide for themselves."
- Directors David Ridgen & Nicolas Rossier

DVD EXTRAS:

Theatrical Trailer

Deleted Scenes

Typecast Movie Trailers

Language: English

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Radical, April 16, 2010

By 

A. Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Radical: Trials of Norman Finkelstein (DVD)

I recently got a chance to watch the documentary "American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein" and I'd have to say that this is such a poignant documentary that was put together remarkably well. It maintained an impartial and balanced objective as it managed to allot equal air time to both those who are on Finkelsteins side and those who believe that he is completely wrong.
How rare is that in documentaries?

Its very brave to be so bold and stand up for what you believe in, even when it costs you dearly...
That is completely respectable in my book, definitely turned me into a fan of this man.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent film for anyone wanting to uncover the truth about the conflict in the Middle East, April 16, 2010

By 

evolutionlondon "Aliya" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Radical: Trials of Norman Finkelstein (DVD)

Having listened to Norman Finkelstein speak at King's College last year, I was very much looking forward to seeing this film, and I was not disappointed. Leaving aside the politics, this film takes a deeply personal look at Finkelstein's life and analyses the roots of his beliefs regarding the Israel-Palestine question, exploring his mother's influence, her experiences in Auschwitz, and consequently, her inherent, all-pervading sense of justice.

Essential viewing for an objective view of the conflict, and it sends a strong, inspiring message for anyone wishing to uncover the truth. It certainly doesn't shy away from controversy, but the subject matter is handled with respect, as it includes commentary from both Finkelstein's advocates and opponents, including Alan Dershowitz (author of The Case for Israel). Simply a must for anyone who's ever needed inspiration to stand up for what they believe in.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different source of media, April 16, 2010

By 

S. Amer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Radical: Trials of Norman Finkelstein (DVD)

I really liked it. The current state of the media got to a point where the claim of "fair and balanced" can not be true. The bias in the mainstream media gets to its worse degree when it comes to the Israel-Palestine issue. This documentary might be considered biased in its own way, however, it's far more balanced than your typical "mainstream" media. The dedication Dr.Nnorman Finkelstein shows in this documentary is a good lesson to whoever wants to work in this field (raising awareness among Americans).