Seeing red streaming video washington county cooperative. Seeing red az conservative political views from a red state. The film contributes to an understanding of the role of communism in the shaping of the collective memory of the lincoln brigade and of american citizens. Photos from 1949 depict the historic moments when ccp soldiers from chinas rural heartland occupied the nations sophisticated cities. On sunday, the director won best documentary for her film, american factory a film about a chinese companys purchase and. The film raises a number of issues that are of relevance today questions on how history is told, the relationship between filmmaking and its funding, and the right of government to use public money.
New day films a documentary about the history of the american communist party from the thirties onward. Feb 21, 2020 reichert brings to light the forgotten history of americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid for their beliefs. Compiling more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, the filmmakers deliver an engaging, funny, and human portrait of 50 years of red activism and. The top 12 communist movies every film buff should see. Oscar winning filmmaker was once nominated for film about. From more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, the filmmakers continued. Seeing red is an absolute must, must, must watch for any american communist, socialist, or other leftist party member. Over a million americans were members of the communist party at one time or another between 1920 and 1960.
Ever since the rise of the soviet union and the ensuing cold war, there has been a fascination with communism across politics, society and the arts. Red hollywood mainly features clips of films made by communist writers, directors, and actors in hollywood, many of whom were targets of secret government investigations and. Compiling footage from more than 400 interviews with former and current members, reichert and klein deliver an engaging, funny portrait of 50 years of red activism and attackfrom the partys salad days in the 1930s and 40s. Seeing red recounts the forgotten history and adventures of ordinary americans who joined the communist party, and the high price many of them paid during the red scare in the 1950s. It is one of the first nonfiction films to examine the role of a third political. Aug 29, 2019 in october last year, the armed forces of the philippines afp accused 18 metro manilabased colleges and universities of being involved in the red october controversy, a supposed plot to oust president rodrigo duterte that was allegedly organized by communist groups such as the communist party of the philippines cpp and the new peoples army npa.
Communist front groups abounded in america, but the authors poohpooh them as socalled communist front organizations. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature synopsis. The communist party has complained that seeing red adopted the political perspective of the john gates wing of the party, which largely left in the late 1950s, and has criticized the movie for leaving the impression that the presentday cpusa is no longer relevant. About 400 known and unknown american communists were interviewed during this fiveyear documentary project, and the results culled down to an intriguing 100 minutes of screen time. Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north who became caught up in our countrys own red scare. Seeing red, an affectionate documentary by julia reichert and james klein about the history of american communism, works best on the level of anecdote. The film makers interview a number of longtime radicals who describe why and how they first joined the communist party, how they were affected by the 1956 revelations about stalinism and. Seeing red is comprised mostly of archival materials and oral remembrances from members who were active in the communist party from the 1930s to the 50s. The directors of the film sit down with communists, marxists, and leftists aged into their 60s and above, who share stories of their experience joining the communist party in america. Sanders,78, is a selfdescribed democratic socialist, believing in marxistbased collectivism, who runs as an independent. Through insightful interviews, longtime radicals reflect on how and why they joined the communist party between the great depression and the cold war, a calamitous era in history, to say the least. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, reichert and kleins film. Compiling footage from more than 400 interviews with former and current members, reichert and klein deliver an engaging, funny portrait of 50 years of red activism. Seeing red tells the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid in the 1950s during the red scare.
Having seen service he had had a good war holmes returned to wellington, his eyes opened about the world. Compiling footage from more than 400 interviews with former and current members, reichert and klein deliver an engaging, funny portrait of 50 years of red activism and attackfrom. In 1983, reichert was nominated for best documentary for another one of her films, entitled, seeing red. Seeing red is a documentary directed by jim klein, julia reichert.
Boldly countering traditional myths through engaging interviews, the personal accounts take on a new resonance in todays charged political climate. Exceptionally well researched, fair and unbiased, it is a balanced and thorough look at the american communist party. A documentary about the history of the american communist party from the thirties onward. Apr 21, 2019 seeing red is an exceptional film codirected by reichert, one of the directors honoured with hot docss outstanding achievement retrospective for her movies tracking radical activism and ideas. Reichert brings to light the forgotten history of americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid for their beliefs. Oscarnominated for best documentary feature of 1983, seeing red recounts the experiences of ordinary americans who joined the communist party, and the high price many of them paid during the red scare in the 1950s. A film enthusiast, he worked at the newly formed national film unit, established to provide news on the war efforts, abroad.
Aug 03, 2019 were presenting a beautiful new 4k restoration of reicherts oscarnominated documentary seeing red, an eyeopening film about the members of the american communist party. The big sky documentary film festival celebrates the art of nonfiction film by giving voice to the powerful ideas that come forth in documentary. Oscar winning documentary maker was once nominated for film. Seeing red is a 1983 american documentary film directed by jim klein and. May 03, 2019 made at the height of the rightwing reagan administration, this documentary about the history of the communist party in america from the 1930s to 1950s earned an oscar nomination and went on to become one of the most widely screened documentaries of the decade. Director of obamabacked oscar winning doc once nominated. A film about passionate commitment, numbing disillusionment and renewal, seeing red is an informed look at the hopes and aspirations of more than a million people who joined the american communist party between the great depression and the cold war, and were transformed by their experience. Pages in category films about communism the following 56 pages are in this category, out of 56 total. Made at the height of the rightwing reagan administration, this documentary about the history of the communist party in america from the 1930s to 1950s earned an oscar nomination and went on to become one of the most widely screened documentaries of the decade. In 1983, her film seeing red was nominated for best documentary at the oscars. Seeing red tells the forgotten history and adventures of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid during the red scare in the 1950s. May 09, 2018 seeing red, an affectionate documentary by julia reichert and james klein about the history of american communism, works best on the level of anecdote. In english the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party during the worst depression years of the 1930s and the.
It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature. In seeing red, a dozen of them reminisce about their fight for unionization, unemployment insurance, social security, civil rights and the eighthour day. Director of obamabacked oscar winning doc once nominated for. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, reichert and kleins. The subjects are still passionate about their involvement and why they left the party, or chose to continue in it after kruschevs sp disclosure of stalins reign.
Red scared also deploys the fevered vocabulary of blacklist boilerplate virulent anticommunism, redbaiting, and, of course, witch hunting. These socalled reds fought for labor rights, tenants rights, food security, and racial equality, and in many cases won victories. Her other films include union maids, which was also nominated for an. The documentary film looks at the political activities and activism of americans who were members or supporters of the american communist. Stories of american communists directed by julia reichert and jim klein seeing red is a unique documentary telling the untold stories and adventures of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the price they paid in the mid20th century. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current members of the party, the film delivers an engaging, funny, and human portrait of 50 years of activism. A unique documentary that looks at the political activities of the american communist party in the early to midtwentieth century. Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north, who became. What hollywood lost in the communist purge the new. Hefner classic american film program, netflix, and the international documentary association seeing red tells the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid in the 1950s during the red scare. Stories of american communists 1983 filmmakers james klein and julia reichert hear the stories of about 400 past or present u. The documentary film looks at the political activities and activism of americans who were members or supporters of the communist party. Most prolific in their republican films, after the russian soviet federative socialist republic, were armenia, azerbaijan, georgia, ukraine, and, to a.
Seeing red also explores the establishment of the national film unit, which was set up after a visit to new zealand by john grierson during ww2. On sunday, the director won best documentary for her film, american factory a film about a chinese companys purchase and repurposing of an american factory in ohio. The cinema of the soviet union includes films produced by the constituent republics of the soviet union reflecting elements of their presoviet culture, language and history, albeit they were all regulated by the central government in moscow. After making union maids, reichert and klein wanted to further explore the history of communism in america. Stories of american communists 1983 seeing red tells the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid in the 1950s during the red scare. Having seen service he had had a good war holmes returned to. Filmmakers julia reichert and jim klein in person directors julia reichert and jim klein. The subjects are still passionate about their involvement and. Seeing red is an exceptional film codirected by reichert, one of the directors honoured with hot docss outstanding achievement retrospective for her. Fighting for the causes of unionization, unemployment. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current members of the party, the film delivers an engaging, funny, and. Stories of american communists uc berkeley library. Nov 02, 2019 seeing red tells the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party and the high price many of them paid in the 1950s during the red scare. Seeing red is a well rendered portrait of individuals who were members of the us communist party.
Seeing red reveals the untold story of rankandfile americans who joined the american communist party to fight for social change in the 1930s and the price they paid for it during the mccarthy era of the 1950s. Because america turned so harshly against the communist party, their collective memory seems to be especially cohesive. American communist party members look back at their lives in this essential film about political activism in the united states. Were presenting a beautiful new 4k restoration of reicherts oscarnominated documentary seeing red, an eyeopening film about the members of the american communist party. Readers learn that stalin killed thousands, not millions. The top 12 communist movies every film buff should see share this article. He suffered a heart attack in october and doctors inserted two stents in one of sanders blocked arteries. Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north, who became caught up in new zealands own red scare. It is one of the first nonfiction films to examine the role of. Top 10 films that expose the chinese communist partys true colors. Conducting interviews in the 1980s, reichart and klein find subjects offering variations on the same realizationthat the communist party, like any political party, was a concise means to. About 400 known and unknown american communists were interviewed during this fiveyear documentary project, and the results culled down to an intriguing. From more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, the filmmakers.
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