Review of Dinesh D’Souza’s Death of a Nation
Currently in wide release
by Walter G. Tarrow
Why?
What is the intent, the purpose, the expected and desired outcome of a project like this? What were they thinking?
What do the filmmaker, Dinesh D’Souza, and his backers expect to gain from the production, distribution and exhibition of this documentary?
And what classifies a film as a documentary?
According to an entry on Wikipedia (the prime depository of the truth online), “A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record.”
And the online dictionary via Google defines “documentary” as “a movie or a television or radio program that provides a factual record or report.”
A plethora of articles, essays, books and even movies and television and radio programs have been produced about what constitutes a documentary from many perspectives examining a multitude of aspects. Without diving into an in-depth treatise on the form, one basic element seems to be expected for all documentaries, the nonfiction side of the medium.
Truth. It is assumed every documentary have at least an element of truth, the facts, substantiated evidence, and be based in reality.
The degree to which documentaries adhere to the truth varies widely, and wildly, and always has. One of the first documentaries, Robert J. Flaherty’s “Nanook of the North,” was staged for much of the production with Flaherty re-enacting much of the “reality.”
With the exception of “actuality” films, those where the camera is basically left alone to record whatever is before it (think nature or historical documentaries of events as they occur), documentaries will have the filmmakers’ prejudices built in. Even “actuality” films are biased by where the camera is chosen to be placed and how the footage is to be edited, and even how the finished product is musically scored.
And more so, in this day and age, it appears, with sophisticated technological tools, the images can be “photoshopped” to extremes resulting in a total, yet believable, distortion of the original “reality.” So, if documentaries can become totally fiction, why call them documentaries? Why present “Fake News” as fact, as truth, as gospel? Unless you don’t want to make a documentary, but rather solely an opinion piece, or even propaganda, a preaching to the choir, a recruitment pitch, a call to arms.
And how much truth, what percentage of nonfiction, needs to be present for a documentary to be believable, to be accepted as fact? With Dinesh D’Souza’s “Death of a Nation,” it appears 57%. Good enough? I don’t think so. But to true believers, of which all but me in the audience were…
Unsurprisingly, Dinesh D’Souza’s “Death of a Nation” is a vanity project, as are his books and his previous films. D’Souza will not let you forget this is HIS project. He narrates the entire film, appears throughout and even, through the magic of digital effects sorcery, places himself in historical settings such as the Nuremberg Trials.
He reverse engineers his conclusions back from primarily two historical realities, the eras of Abraham Lincoln (a very, very good person) and Adolf Hitler (a very, very bad man). Opening with a “sore winner” gloat fest montage of televised clips of liberal media pundits shocked at Donald Trump winning the presidential election, and followed by an enactment of Adolf and Eva committing suicide (because Trump won the election?), the film accompanies D’Souza on his trek to historical locations, along with his interviews of experts who do little more than agree with him as he coaches them to his forgone conclusions, in search of his truth.
And what is his truth? Primarily, through a smattering of select historical events, he postulates that two major politicized forces, fascism and racism, are creations of today’s Democratic Party. Mussolini and Hitler created fascist and racist regimes after admiring and then patterning their nations after such influencers as FDR, progressives, Woodrow Wilson’s screening of “The Birth of a Nation” in the White House (which led to the revival of the KKK) and Margaret Sanger.
Really? You’ve got to be kidding, right? Why would he say such outlandish things unless he wants us to despise Democrats (by the way, close your eyes and picture a Democrat. What does he, she look like? Do you think you could recognize one on the street?)
D’Souza equates socialism, à la the “Nazi” National Socialist” Party, with the Democratic Party, and attributes racism to the policies of the Democrats which are evidenced in the “plantations” of today, the poverty stricken, almost exclusively black descendants of slaves, urban centers of America.
Beyond his blatant distortions of conclusions out of context and substantiated with more falsehood than fact (and it is his conclusions that are the most outrageous), more troubling is the why. Why do this?
His assertion is that our nation is in jeopardy, in dire straits, in danger of death, because of the “tyranny of the Democrat plantation.” Why make that assertion when your regime is already, currently, in power? What Democratic tyranny? Have your rights, your privileges, your freedoms been taken away already? Have you been taken from your homes, tortured and placed in death camps by jackbooted brownshirt Democrats?
Other than his insecure vanity, his need to be seen as an important voice amongst true believers as insecure as he, the only explanation I see is payback to Trump for his pardon on his campaign contribution fraud conviction.
Most disturbing though is the incendiary nature of his film. Aside from stroking his ego, putting money in his pocket, being the sycophant by lionizing Trump, this film intends to fire up the mindless masses who will not question anything, ANYTHING, in the film. Outraged and looking to vent their frustration on a straw man Democrat, they will applaud (which my audience did…scary…), nod in agreement, then take to Facebook and social media to continue the attack.
Make no mistake about it. Pseudo academics like D’Souza are the real threat. And their singular intent to incite riots, to incite war are the threats to our nation. They would have us believe that the “other half” is “out to get us.” And like Nero, will toast their gilded marshmallows while the nation burns to death.
Is there really a war goin’ on in this great nation of ours, founded in the true spirit of humanity, equality and just plain gettin’ along?
If we are at war, and I don’t believe we are, I for one, being an aging Vietnam vet, intend to sit this one out.
Peace.