Customer Reviews

The End of America: Director's Cut

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This movie is no joke. It is a documentary about how this past administration have abused their power and have engaged in slowly taking away our rights and liberties. After seeing this film, you will want to start taking action and fight for your rights immediately after the credits. It is almost unbelievable to witness some of the horrifying actions legal and physical that this past administration has performed against citizens of America and innocent individuals across the world. No matter what political slant you may be, I highly recommend purchasing this dvd and spreading the word about these obscenities.

I really thought President Obama would substantially dismantle the Bush rush to what will may well end up as a right wing dictatorship, just as this movie portends. Hasn't happened. Not one bit. If not Mr. Obama, then whom? One thing's certain. Left to drift, with our politicians kicking almost every can down almost every road and all the decisions being made behind closed doors as faits accompli, we the people are left adrift and bereft. So we edge towards more disorganization, more fear and therefore a great chance of the end of our civilized, educated, democratic and functional society. As she said, this is not a "Left vs. Right" situation. This is about the fabric of culture itself. Scary stuff.

My only criticism of the documentary is that there is perhaps too much stage time and not quite enough field work. But the points are well made nonetheless.

This was one of those books that I knew was going to upset me but I had to read it. Ms. Wolf makes a strong case that we are at the brink of losing our democracy; it is justifiable to compare the current neo-conservative movement in America to past repressive regimes. Some of her points:

Black Water, the vigilante group with billions of dollars in their war chest has the ability to take down third world governments and yet owes no allegiance to our constitution.

Countless laws have been broken by our White House and yet no one is held accountable (illegal wire tapping of Americans; misleading Americans into the Iraqi war; torture; outing a CIA agent for political gain; etc.)

Corporations controlling all our media and therefore the flow of information "We The People" receive.

The tampering of our free elections (voter machine fraud, the Supreme Court illegally over riding our democracy and appointing George Bush President; the selective removal of Americans from voting lists; etc.)

Ms. Wolf's point is that these attacks are done boldly and deliberatly to frighten and intimidate Americans into doing nothing.

I found this book to be most terrifying because most Americans aren't even aware that there is a problem. There is a deliberate move in this country to wipe out middle class America (unaffordable educatuion, the end of pensions, the attempt of President Bush to convince Americans that Social Security is bad; unaffordable health insurance, etc.) I hope this DVD release acts as a wake up call to all Americans.

This is a great movie, and also made a great book. Wolf basically goes over the 10 steps every would-be dictator implements to close down an open and free society. Very scary stuff, especially when she went into the burning of the Reichstag, the "disappearances" of journalists, and the putting of people on the "watch list." Highly recommended movie.
There was an Amazon reviewer that said this was nothing but "liberal drivel." I completely disagree. It is not right-wing nor left-wing. Those things don't matter...they are only there to blind us from the truth, methods of control put in place so that Americans will bicker and argue with each other, pitting brother against brother. For what it's worth, it is a warning, not only to the "young patriot" described in the title of the book, but to all people living in the U.S. Dictatorial government is coming - count on it. This will give you a historical perspective on what happens when people don't intervene in time and put a halt to fascism.

I recently saw the screening of Naomi Wolf's "The End of America" and if I wasn't already frustrated enough with this past administration this film put me over the edge. This documentary depicts how Bush, Cheney, and many others of the past administration have abused their power,taken away many of our liberties, and deceived the citizens of our nation. The film is done very well and depicts some horrific images that arouse the senses, yet also includes a few humorous clips that show the ridiculousness of our ex-president, George W. Bush, and his administration. I highly recommend this movie to those that care about your freedoms and rights as a citizen of this country, no matter what political standpoint.

In her 2007 book THE END OF AMERICA, Naomi Wolf listed the ten steps regimes such as the Bush Administration took to lead a nation away from democracy. The steps are in CAPS followed by examples of the Bush gang's methods:

1) INVOKE AN EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL THREAT
The "War on Terror"

2) ESTABLISH SECRET PRISONS
The "Extraordinary Rendition" program

3) DEVELOP A PARAMILITARY FORCE
Blackwater

4) SURVEIL ORDINARY CITIZENS
Warrantless wiretapping, which Bush started before September 11, 2001, and not after, by the way(despite what the corporate media says)

5) INFILTRATE CITIZENS' GROUPS
The film FAHRENHEIT 9-11 depicts one example, the peace organization that learned a member was undercover law enforcement

6) ARBITRARILY DETAIN AND RELEASE CITIZENS
The 2004 Republican convention, where New York City police arrested people just for being on the street

7) TARGET KEY INDIVIDUALS
Bush administration whistle-blowers lost their jobs and careers

8) RESTRICT THE PRESS
The moneyed interests controlling governments such as Bush's have bought up major media

9) CAST CRITICISM AS "ESPIONAGE" AND DISSENT AS "TREASON"
This relates to step 8, press restriction, as the corporate-controlled media follows Bush administration-dictated talking points, personally attacking Bush critics because it is impossible to refute their arguments

10) SUBVERT THE RULE OF LAW
George W. Bush has misused the presidential signing statement privilege hundreds of times as an excuse to violate the law; the corporate media (step 8, again) barely reports it, as pleasing the Bush gang means further deregulation and greater profits

One year later Naomi Wolf followed up with another book, GIVE ME LIBERTY, where the author applied what she taught in THE END OF AMERICA. You could consider THE END OF AMERICA the theory class and GIVE ME LIBERTY the practicum. The second book reported on modern-day patriots standing up to American government oppression.

Now the documentary THE END OF AMERICA comes, as if to combine the two books. The film features author Wolf explaining the ten steps governments take to close down an open society and includes clips that support each claim. As you view footage from Germany under Hitler and America under the "War on Terror," how much difference do you see?

THE END OF AMERICA D.V.D. is available for purchase here. Netflix customers can view THE END OF AMERICA on-line and you can also watch it on the I.M.D.B. web site.

From my point of view as a political activist and a writer who has battled the paranoia of the Bush Administration and the zeitgeist that accompanied it, this is a balanced and intelligent portrayal of a very powerful social phenomena - suppression of dissent.

I caught the film at a sold out screening at the Hamptons International Film Festival and was blown away. I am a huge fan of the book because it is provocative and an easy read but often a little dry BUT the film has been adapted brilliantly and it is gripping and brilliantly crafted. Even with the election behind us this film is even more important now because ... what now?

A lot of people are saying that Wolf's points aren't important now that Obama is in office, but they are. Everything isn't fixed. The patriot act is still in affect. Now is our chance to speak up for change. Watch the film and learn! Better yet check out the director's edition, which is fabulous!

This movie is great. With the recent Bush Administration blunders, this is the kind of movie people need to see. A movie that will shake you from your comfort zone just enough to make you want to do something. A must for any revolutionary mind.