War Inc. John Cusack's C&L Thank you
By John Amato Wednesday Jun 04, 2008 8:00pm 
I think the above picture says it all. Sgt. Brent Sammann took this from his overseas Army base, location not divulged, where he wrote in to congratulate Cusack and Co. about the movie. NOTICE THE KBR FLAG, just under the American flag. You gotta be kidding me. On an ARMY BASE? And a very humble thank you for your service, Brent. It took a lot of courage to do this, but hey, you're a soldier. A very excited John Cusack emailed C&L from London yesterday to thank us bloggers and readers, for supporting War, Inc. in NY and LA. The ticket giveaway really helped. Apparently the movie is, so far, a phenomenal success that is shocking both the film's distributor and the industry. The film had no real advertising, just bloggers and it ran all viral baby–and yet the per screen numbers of War, Inc. have consistently been close behind the two big budget blockbuster movies of the summer. The producers emailed me this info:
For instance, the per screen average of the new Indiana Jones movie, which also opened last weekend, was approximately $24K, War, Inc. was $18K and the next closest per screen average trailed behind at $7K. This weekend was the same with Sex and the City opening huge at around $18K, Indiana Jones at $11K and War Inc at $10K.
This is a film C&L has gotten solidly behind, as did with MoveOn, because it aims right at the core of the corruption in Cheney/Bush enterprises. Plus---it's very funny, even though nothing can totally lift the spirits about the whole Iraq debacle. I've supported the movie because I thought it was important to talk about the Blackwater-type militias winning multi-million dollar contracts. As I said, the film industry is taking notice.
While the big-budget, large studio movies about the Iraq war all have tanked, John Cusack's intensely personal film, "War, Inc.," has survived bad reviews to find an audience in its very limited theatrical release.
Since "War, Inc." opened May 23 in Los Angeles and New York on only two screens in each city, the film about the privatization of war has been briskly attended, prompting First Look Studios, a small independent company, to expand the movie's release. It's adding 10 theaters in both cities Friday, as well as opening the film June 13 in Chicago; Boston; Seattle; Austin, Texas; Berkeley and San Francisco. And it will open June 20 in Washington, D.C.
I've received a few calls at the C&L bat cave from the film industry too---impressed by what we've all accomplished here and to ask me how we did it. Big props to John Cusack and his team for taking a major risk and telling it like it is.
JAN SCHAKOWSKY, Rep (D-IL). House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence says this:
Extend the current practice of outsourcing the 'business' of war as far as you can reach, and what do you get? WAR, INC. the first 100% privatized war. John Cusack's film may be seen as just a wild fantasy, but I saw it as a decision to laugh rather than cry about the harsh reality of Bush-era, oil-driven, profit-reaping corporate warfare. And laugh I did. See it!"
The film industry and movie reviewers panned the movie, but the simple truths about the military complex have struck a chord. If you can--check out the film on War, Inc. on Myspace.
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yes!
GO John..that is great that we can help him...and the film- want to see this ASAP...perfect timing too...should be shown before ALL McCain events..( the KBR Flag ???ugh)
I saw it last night.
Funny yet distressing. Entertaining yet depressing. A true look at what is really going on with American foreign policy.
When will it be available on dvd?
Ron @ 4:
I am buying, too!
Thought you'd all like to know that I interviewed John a week ago, talking about the movie & politics in general.
You can catch the entire podcast (three hours) HERE, or listen to just the interview HERE.
Jim
The KBR flag disgusts me. It's all big business to them and their criminal buddies in the whitehouse.
It's good to know that C&L is doing so much to promote this film ... and your efforts are making a difference.
Thanks, John. Bravo !
Netflix says it will be released on DVD in October
That looks like Camp Bondsteel!!!
Why is this movie not playing in the SF Bay Area?
thanks cusack for taking charge.
unrelated, but i was just thinking today how much you and jack black cracked me up in "high fidelity".
p.s. what's gina gershon like?
calgarylady @ 7:
Ain't that the truth!
I wonder if the troops and/or contractors take a separate oath to protect it?
Has the Bush/Cheney Purge begun?
First it was Admiral Fallon.
Now the heads of the USAF Deputy SecDef and USAF CINC.
Are Bush Cheney removing any obstacles to an attack on Iran ?
- Chuck
the kbr flag says it all: corporate america indeed.
KAREN-
In regards to War Inc not playing in SF Green960AM is hosting a showing that you wan win tickets to for free.
JIM-
I listened to your podcasts and the movie sounds great! I have not heard of your site before but it seems like you have a great group of people working on it and you do a great interview!! I see some more interviews that I will check out later.
Joe in San Mateo
Karen @ 10:
I believe that's one of the cities coming next week.
I watched the movie on the internets (don't worry I bought a ticket on fandango for a NY showing to make up for it) and I must say it wasn't very good. They had so many ways they could have gone with it and they made it really cheesy and predictable. I had hoped for a well done satire or something that would enlighten me on what a future where wars are waged by corporations might look at. Instead I saw a poorly written comedy? with bad acting.
Is there any chance this film will open in London (UK)?
OT, but interesting story on Guantanamo trials, blocking of certain torture references by defendants, from PBS Newshour tonight:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/jan-june08/gitmo_06-05.html
nickelking @ 16:
Ahh, kewl. I had company last weekend, and we all wanted to see it. We were stunned to find out that it had been released, but not here. Of all the markets not to tap, we thought. But if it's making its way, woo hoo! John Cusack rocks!
I saw "War, INC." and it's great. War torn "Turaqistan" has Tamerlane Corporation (insert Haliburton or KBR) there to help rebuild the country in to a democracy after the same corporation/country helped bomb the country back into the stone age. This is a dark comedy that hits too close the truth. Definitely getting the DVD when it comes out.
It needs to run in central PA. I saw a car outside of Harrisburg this afternoon that had so many magnetic ribbons on it that I honestly could not tell what color it was at first glance.
I will pick up a DVD copy in October and make my documentary class watch it next spring if need be.
(damn long hair librul hippie professor...)
Dvd supposed to be available July 1st from Amazon.com
So when does it come to New Orleans?
Senate intelligence committee says in a long-awaited report that Bush and his top aides repeatedly exaggerated Iraq's impact before the war.
That's even better!
localroger @ 24:
movie chains owned by the carlyle group are blocking distribution.
Liberty(appeaser)Lover @ 23:
When will it hit the hollywood video stores or blockbuster.
that kbr flag is just sick.
when frank miller wrote "give me liberty" in the eighties i thought it all was supposed to be a joke.
kellog-brown-root / fat boy burger corporation, same difference...
This all reminds me of Catch-22 - my favourite book (the movie wasn't as good as the book) of all time. Joseph Heller pinned it then, I reckon he'd have a field day with what's going on now.
Ron @ 28:
I'll consult my crystal ball... :)
Liberty(appeaser)Lover @ 31:
It wouldn't hurt to start calling your local video store and requesting it, that way if there is enough interest, they will stock lots of them instead of the one copy that blockbuster usually buys for independent films....
WTF is a KBR flag doing flying on a US Army base????
Liberty(appeaser)Lover @ 31:
Good, you can just channel it to me.
Justice? 'A legal brief has been sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging former (Australia) prime minister John Howard committed a war crime by sending troops to Iraq.' 6/6
Ron @ 28:
same day
Fed_Up @ 33:
wtf is kbr doing with it's own flag?
CoIntelPro against Repug DoucheBaggery @ 36:
Gee, that was quick. You must be the channel for Libertyappeaser.
joe cantwell @ 14:
Visons of Rollerball -- the 1975 (good) version.
..waiting for War, Inc. in PDX...
BuddyGoodness @ 17:
you work for kbr?
Ron @ 38:
channel 7
One gets the impression that most of the real military are none too impressed with having to work alongside the likes of KBR . And one wonders if someday , with the future of the country at stake, the two sides may face off against each other .
CoIntelPro against Repug DoucheBaggery @ 40:
blogging for McCain.
miss_kitty @ 43:
LOL :<[)
Why do the troops hate the troops?
Ruthless People @ 45:
....and America
CoIntelPro against Repug DoucheBaggery @ 37:
Paying down the American debt to China?
Some Chinese firm is probably licensed to make all KBR merchandise...
iraqhusseinconcilable @ 42:
My uncle quit the military when they started privatizing the quartermaster. They are shit. They do little or nothing to earn their money.
I saw it and thought it was great. It's satirical and needed a vehicle to insert its satire, so people panning it for a supposed weak or contrived story don't know what they are talking about (although they are entitled to an opinion).....
More importantly, I was mobilized from the inactive reserve after 9-11 and butted heads constantly with fellow officers on what we were doing and why I thought it was wrong... I then served about every other year until I earned my reserve retirement in 2007 and elected to retire (which they still have not officially granted yet, but they can't take my 20 years away and I'm not going back until the Bush Twins go too)..... but my point is that in the few years from 9-11 to 2007, more soldiers and officers approached me and started to see the line of reasoning that they, at first, automatically ridiculed.... and the reason for that comes from movies like this, the great participation in democracy by people like Cusack and Sean Penn, documentaries by Robert Greenwald and others and websites like this one.....
Okay, that's my two cents.... Thank you SGT Sammann and stay safe, brother.
miss kitty @ 43, I suspect there are quite a few of those ugly little trolls lurking in their parent's basements ... and their numbers will be sharply increasing in the near future ... sad, frightened, desperate losers.
Fed_Up @ 33:
This is why http://iraqforsale.org/halliburton.php http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Cheneys_stock_options_rose_3281_last_1011....
As a Navy, I am can name that base and it is a base that is known but the details of its operations are secret.
Christopher Turkel @ 52:
hmmm....ok...so you think you can name that base huh...ok....
NAME. THAT. BASE!
Ron @ 38:
I swear I've never even seen his channels.
Uhm, KBR has a flag? Like a country? Wow, we're moving closer and closer to Snowcrash...
an excellent film. as funny as the reality to which it alludes is tragic.
My Space is a Rupert Murdoch enterprise.... Please don't post links to My Space.
If our beloved fascist dictator doesn't start disappearing folks like this, he won't be around long enough to finish his crusade !!!
War, Inc from start to finish is a solid film. Hopefully a part II is in the works.
Dammit.. which traitorous army contractor tells the enemy know how to cut off all base communication?
Christopher Turkel @ 52:
Wow, you are a Navy all by yourself??
I'm not messin' with you........ :)
KBR owns Iraq They have their name on everything in that country.
I saw War, Inc. and thought it was pretty good. The critics however have not been very kind.
Here's Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/war_inc/#
27% is pretty low for them, 50-60 is average.
Metacritic: A bit better at 34% http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/warinc
Boxofficemojo has it's 10 day take as 74k in 23 theaters:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=warinc.htm
Second weekend box office dropped 43%, not a good sign.
There are also several good DVD screener quality torrents already, not a good sign either.
It's too bad because the film is very well made and the cast is outstanding. I'm afraid it's going to get the same sort of treatment Mike Judge's brilliant film Idiocracy got from Fox. Let's hope it does better in rental and DVD sales.
the only mistake the movie made, was in not having tomei and duff take their tops off...sex sells
that wouldve given the movie a wide release
its still good tho
and cusack is great
Fed_Up @ 33:
I can't get past that kbr flag either. I've been on bases all over the states, Europe, the Pacific, and never, NEVER has any flag other than an American flag or an American military flag flown over a base.
A fucking corporate flag??? Are you fucking kidding me? Do they have colors for the corporate flag too? Do American troops have to salute it? Do the raise and lower it with the American flag? Do they follow proper flag etiquette for the corporate flag?
What's next? At funerals for our fallen troops, will they offer the grieving family a folded corporate flag to go with the American flag?
What's really bad is that this cannot be done without the ok of a base's commanding officer, unless they have been ordered to fly the corporate flag by Washington. I can't think of any officer I ever served with who would disrespect the American flag in such a way. I can't think of any officer I ever served with who would not have been deeply offended by the insult to his command and his authority that flying such a flag next to the American flag would represent.
The more I think about this, the more enraged it makes me. The American flag on a base represents our country and the authority of the command. On foreign soil, it represents the fact that being on the base is the same as being on American soil, just as at an American embassy. No other flag, no private flag, certainly no corporate flag, has any business flying next to the American flag.
I wonder if Senators Jack Webb and John Murtha know about this? If they don't, they should. I believe a call to our Senators is in order.
What's next, a Halliburton flag flying over the White House?
Although, for accuracy's sake, maybe the corporate flags should be draping the troop's coffins. Just to keep it real.
Sometime in the not so distant future, the majority of US "soldiers" performing military functions overseas and at home may be essentially private mercenaries, hired out goons, or corporate armies. We may be soon witnessing the divvying up of America into corporate fiefdoms protected by their private armies.
It's already happening, and that's not a conspiracy theory.
[Deleted-Sitemonitor]
rooth hussein @ 65:
I wonder if they have to take down that KBR flag at sundown?
kbr flag is a big pr mistake at the very least. What, they provide meals and fuel so they get a flag? Lockheed Martin probably wonders where their flag is...
Now that I think about you, you watch... some right wing asshole like Michelle Malkin will take that photo and photoshop the sign to say, "John Cusack, why do you hate our troops?" then send it all over the Internet on email like all the bullshit I get from my Right-wing Republican Knothead friends... friends, mind you, that will never realize or acknowledge that the burdens and hardships they are forced to endure now were brought on more by shit weasels like Bush and Cheney than any terrorists....
The third flagpole is empty. Maybe the Golden Arches would be a nice touch.
Karen @ 20:
Karen, here's the theater it will be at on the 13th:
San Francisco
Embarcadero / San Francisco, CA
One Embarcadero Center, Promenade Level San Francisco, CA 94111
There's also a TBA theater in Berkeley opening that weekend as well.
My preferred title for the movie would have been "War Criminals, Inc."
Because this is what the members of the Bush administration are who lied us into this insane and costly war in Iraq, war criminals.
Hah... note that the two worst reviews collated on Metacritic are from two Murdoch-owned sources (WSJ & NYPost). Who'da thunk?
What you are seeing in that photo is an act of courage. That's something I have a lot of respect for.
On the other side, I cannot believe that the base commander is allowing a KBR flag to fly. Just proves to me something I've been saying for a long time: that these mega-corporations view themselves as being sovereign entities, entitled to the same rights preveiously reserved solely for sovereign nations. It puts the idea of an intended fascist takeover of OUR government in a little clearer perspective.
BTW, when do I get to see this in my local theater?
John "McBush" McCain is like the biggest idiot to EVER run for office. Surely nobody is taking Dictator Bushes "mini-me" seriously, are they?
Doolittle
Is your ISP watching you?
Great pic!!! Now when someone says that Big Fat Rich WarMongers, Inc are not the ones running this country and the occupation of Iraq...just whip out this picture.
Now if we could just get these morons to stop enlisting in the first place!!!!!!!
It kills me to see these guys have their "awakening" once they have already enlisted.
Get some brains you idiots, and quit serving the military industrial complex.
PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mls @ 68:
Exactly. That's what I meant by "colors" and flag etiquette. Those are the rituals and traditions that define how the flag is raised, lowered and treated.
The flags of two countries may be flown together as a sign of mutual respect when leaders meet, but a corporate flag flying next to a US flag at an overseas base? No, no, no, no, NO!
The flag is supposed to represent the nation, it's authority and it's sovereignty, especially when flying over a US facility in a foreign land. This is what gets the GOP's panties in a wad over flag-burning, that it is an assault on all that the flag represents. And yet, while the GOP can't wrap their brains around the concept of Freedom of Speech when it comes to the flag, of course they see no conflict in placing a corporation equal to all that the flag represents. It's all about facism - the merger of state and corporate power.
I still can't believe any base commander in a foreign country willingly goes along with making his troops muster and salute under a corporate flag. It's just wrong.
Underground Pirate @ 80:
Paul @ 76:
When was it that the Supreme Court declared that corporations were "entities" with rights? Was it under Reagan? Anyway, that was the start of the slippery slope, giving a corporate entity civil rights equal to an actual citizen. Last year the Supremes declared that a local government's right to condemn property through eminant domain could be utilized not just for the civil needs of the community, but could now be used to simply condemn property for no other purpose than to turn it over to developers for profit.
So many reasons to hate Republicans, so little time.....
Underground Pirate @ 80:
My son is not a moron. He is a Marine. John Kerry, Al Gore, Jim Webb, my father, my daughter, my brothers, etc. were not morons for serving. Neither was I. You need to apologize and I'll tell you why: there are morons in the military as in every other job in the world, but to make such a blanket statement is moronic of you, and insulting to the people who serve honorably and demand the highest standards from their commands and their country, often at great risk to themselves.
There is such a thing as an honorable warrior. That is someone who truly understands the concept of honor, not the movie cliche. Who understands the futility of thoughtless aggression and the wisdom of thoughtful and non-agressive defense. You need people in the military like that, people who are not blind followers and morons and who will stand up to their own, as the soldier in this picture is doing, and call upon their fellow countrymen to reach a higher moral standard in the defense of their country.
Insulting this soldier demeened you. You don't know if he had an "awakening" after he joined or if he had a strong moral center all along. Either way, this is precisely who we need to stay in our military and hold it accountable when it goes wrong. And he needs us in the states to speak up for him and protect him, not call him names.
Otherwise the military becomes the refuge of criminals, rapists, murderers, mercanaries and pyschopaths. The kind who will not protest the worst atrocities because they'll be the ones commiting them instead of "providing for the common defense".
iraqhusseinconcilable @ 42:
Its my opinion that once the revolution starts, the volunteer forces will side with the people and constitution they are told they are protecting now.
With any luck, the corporate forces will be too busy standing watch at the chicken shit elitist's gates to pose any real threat.
Just seems that Arthur Jensen (Ned Beatty)'s pitch at the end of "Network" has become all too real:
There is no America; there is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those are the nations of the world today.
There are no nations; there are no peoples. There are no Russians. There are no Arabs. There are no third worlds. There is no West. There is only one holistic system of systems; one vast, interwoven, interacting, multivaried, multinational dominion of dollars.
:(
FYI, our flag--the Stars and Stripes--was modelled after the East India Tea Company's flag. Look it up. We've always flown a corporate flag.
The KBR flag flying on a US military base gives me the creeps.
It's already that:
More felons allowed to enlist in Army, Marines
Both the Army and Marine Corps are struggling to increase their numbers
updated 3:34 p.m. CT, Mon., April. 21, 2008
WASHINGTON - Under pressure to meet combat needs, the Army and Marine Corps brought in significantly more recruits with felony convictions last year than in 2006, including some with manslaughter and sex crime convictions.
Our military is being destroyed day by day. Yes, there are honorable warriors and in general all our soldiers are doing an incredible job under horrific circumstances. But make no mistake, no matter how honorable the individual soldiers may be, the overall enterprise in Iraq is a complete and utter tragedy. Soldiers don't get to pick and choose where they will fight; they are told to go and they are expected to go, trusting that they are being used in a just cause for the good of their country. When it is known that the cause is unjust, how can anyone advocate enlisting in the military when it is quite clear that all that will do is further the unjust cause?
I would hope that no one would volunteer to join the military anymore, as long as the military is involved in Iraq under the current circumstances. Don't join up and then try to "work within the system" to change the mission; that doesn't work, the military doesn't decide what the mission is and soldiers are expected to follow orders (even the Geneva Conventions can be circumvented by Presidential order, apparently). What needs to happen is to change out the people giving those orders, putting in leaders who know right from wrong and won't commit our military forces on messianic, quixotic, apocalyptic fantasy missions. Only after we restore honorable behavior in the leadership will I be able to advocate military service as an honorable option for Americans looking to serve their country.
CD @ 87:
Maybe KBR should pay for their war. After all, they're the only ones benefiting from it.
Lovely. A Christian terrorist tells us all to go see a movie covering his own crimes and atrocities? Amazing.
Re#88,
I don't like what's going on in today's military either, but not everyone who joins is a moron. And those who dare to speak up need our support, not insults.
Kids who joined 6 years ago because they made the mistake of believing Bush after 9/11 are still being kept in, even if their original enlistment is up. That's bad enough, but to call them morons, as that earlier poster did, is unacceptable.
"Soldiers don’t get to pick and choose where they will fight; they are told to go and they are expected to go, trusting that they are being used in a just cause for the good of their country"
That's right, and WE are often the only voice they have, if we don't stand up for them, they're fucked.
Fredric L. Rice @ 90:
Watch out, you could strain something jumping to conclusions like that.
RE:#91
In case #92 was too obscure for you:
1. You have no idea if he's a Christian, you're assuming it.
2. You most certainly don't know if he's a terrorist, he could be a dental hygenist for all you know.
3. Wearing the uniform is not ipso facto proof of having committed atrocities. You could just as easily have assumed that there have been potential atrocities avoided because one moral person in a company can sway the others NOT to commit an atrocity. You're choosing to conclude the worst.
4. You're also choosing to ascribe the war crimes of Bush and Cheney to the lowest ranks in the military. Easy mud for you to sling. What have you actually gotten off your keyboard and done to stop Bush and Cheney, besides attacking some kid who is standing up to their crimes in a way that could come back and cause him real trouble?
Do you understand that if this kid has the wrong kind of commanding officer at his base and if he is recognized, he could be brought up on charges for this picture? Or worse.
What real-life risks are you taking to stop Bush's war crimes?
The history channel actually interviewed pilot on bombing run before D day and were told to hold off bombing of targets 30 seconds. More fuel for the fire. Surviving German soldiers said that they were untouched.
Karen @ 10:
Originally, it opened only in NY and LA. I believe John Cusack said it was only in 7 theatres, during the interview I watched on Democracy Now!, along with Jeremy Scahill who wrote the definitive book on Blackwater. It will get there. I'm sure it will. If not, contact the distributor. I've got it in my Queue in Netflix already.
Burn that KBR flag---NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's the Patriotic thing to do!
meanwhile some moron in the chain of command is gonna charge the good NCO with using "the Army's image" (tm) to endorse a commercial product cuz he didn't incorporate some kind of disclaimer..
The movie was the worst I've seen in years. Which RNC spy was putting drugs
in the absinthe.
IRAQ CAN NOT BE SAVED
ask darth vader
duncanidho @ 96:
Heh.
I still hope it plays in Peoria.
I have looked everywhere to SEE THIS FILM in Florida. Silence.
I can see speedracer Indiana jones or sex in the city.
Looks like i can only see the important films in Florida.
Big companies have done their best to keep WAR INC quiet.
I think it is a LITTLE TO REAL for some.!
JJ
Re: Cusack's quote:
That's funny. That's how I feel about Hollywood.
As for the Soldier in the picture, one word: CLUELESS.
SFC Cheryl McElroy US ARMY (RET)
Iraq War Veteran
Oh and one more thing:
Cusacks little 'film project' is headed straight to the shitpile of obscurity.
'very limited theatrical release'....Heh.
[ but with an unusually high turnout at those theaters,Site Monitor]
Great job Cusack and Friends. Worth every minute of the time you spent battling to get it out to audiences. It is too politically savvy to gain sufficient and deserved appreciation but will become cult viewing over the years. Which of you has spent enough time in the Middle East to create the Yonica character so cannily? Incredible film which was crying out to be made. Thank you Mr Cusack you clever, clever man....
PHILLIE, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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