A stimulating, somewhat ambiguous new documentary about the changes in intelligence gathering since Sept. 11, 2001.
Secrecy (2008)
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Reviews Counted: 10
Fresh: 10
Rotten:0
Average Rating: 7.4/10
Theatrical Release: Sep 12, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: The “classification universe” is invisible to most of us, yet the production of governmental classified secret documents involves millions of people. And government secrecy is growing, vastly outpacing the circulation of open... The “classification universe” is invisible to most of us, yet the production of governmental classified secret documents involves millions of people. And government secrecy is growing, vastly outpacing the circulation of open information. The statistics, as much as can be gathered, are staggering. In a single recent year, the United States government classified about five times the number of pages added to the Library of Congress; the cost is about eight billion dollars a year--just to keep secrets secret. Now, 70 years after the builders of the bomb created a national information security system and just a few years after 9/11, a government secrecy crisis is looming. The combination of a declared war on terrorism and the curtailment of civil liberties sets the stage to ask some critical questions. When does security erode, rather than enhance, democracy? Can burying too much information actually undermine national security? Secrecy, the stylistically elegant and provocative new film by Robb Moss and Peter Galison, explores the hidden world of national security policy by examining the many implications of secrecy, both for government and individuals. Combining animation, installations, a mesmerizing score, and riveting interviews, the film takes us inside the inverted world of government secrecy as we share the experiences of lawyers, CIA analysts, and the ordinary people for whom secrecy becomes a matter of life and death. --© Sundance Film Festival [More]
Director: Peter Galison, Robb Moss
Director: Peter Galison, Robb Moss
Producer: Peter Galison, Robb Moss
Composer: John Kusiak
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Reviews for Secrecy
This one is not about secrecy per se, but about the strangely compelling people who fight for or against it.
In this age of political docu mentaries, it's always nice to come upon one that strives to be even-handed.
This exceedingly "fair and balanced" (in the true meaning of the phrase), densely layered scrutiny of the nation's "disappeared" knowledge warrants viewing--even repeated viewing.
If the movie follows no single thread of inquiry, nor sustains any argument or research in depth, it nevertheless explores some chilling corridors of the clandestine.
Secrecy brings a serious commitment to its content, making it a valuable challenge to those who would place total openness above all.
In addition to historical footage, the film employs a series of pulsating animated drawings, with the white ink against the black background injecting an appropriately unsettling, even sinister tone.
Secrecy might have had a different kind of resonance, for I grew up with the understanding that there is much that is not my place to know. Some questions are not to be asked.
A sharply produced, thought-provoking documentary that makes compelling arguments on both sides.
Layered with all types of visual decoration to make the torrent of discussion play cinematically, and, though the device is now a familiar one, certain touches such as B&W animation lend a creepy and effective mood.
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