Some bits of history are particularly disgusting--the U.S. government's use of unknowing GIs as guinea pigs for atomic experiments is one of them. This sobering film documents the devastating physical and mental consequences for the veterans of the Nevada Site Bombings, Bikini atoll, and other post-war military operations. Cancer, paralysis, digestive and neural disorders plague these vets and their offspring. Anthony Guarisco, a sailor in the U.S. Navy in 1946 who took part in two nuclear experiments, is the main talking head in the production. When Guarisco notes that "it [atomic testing] was really unfair," you wish for something a little stronger. You also wish that the producers had interviewed more than a few veterans. The first part of Experimental Animals contains a government-produced newsreel whose snappy narrator makes nuclear testing sound like an exciting, progressive event. As provocative as the subject matter may be, however, the video is uneven. A more tightly woven, far-reaching account of the issue would have made for a better film. Still, you can bet this piece wasn't created with a grant from GE. An optional purchase. (A. Laker)
Experimental Animals
(1994) 35 min. $79. The Connecting Company (dist. by The Video Project). PPR. Color cover. Vol. 10, Issue 5
Experimental Animals
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