Top Gun: Maverick made an incredible splash this past spring, in large part due to its practical stunts and impressive military aircrafts. People are talking about the film long after its May release, including director Roger Stahl in his educational documentary Theaters of War–though not for the reasons you might think. Looking at the Top Gun franchise, Marvel movies, and war films like Lone Survivor, Theaters of War explores the influence of the Pentagon and the CIA on such Hollywood productions–from aircraft supplying to the DOD’s script rewrites–and the implications of that taboo word: propaganda.
“Hollywood knows how to sell the life of a soldier,” Vox writer Alissa Wilkinson said on the relationship between Hollywood and the U.S. Military. And Hollywood sells a particular story, according to Stahl’s documentary, because it receives in return the use of the Pentagon’s “expensive toys.” Movie-making is a costly industry, especially in the endeavor of recreating scenes of war and military training on a large scale. Without the resources of the Department of Defense, we wouldn’t have films like Captain Marvel or Black Hawk Down. But what does it mean for filmmakers and media consumers when the government gets involved in these projects?
Stahl, through research of his own and interviews with experts like director Oliver Stone and journalists Tom Secker and Matt Alford (co-authors of National Security Cinema), offers a cohesive and well-researched deep dive into the problem of military influence in the film industry and Hollywood’s self-censorship. While the U.S. military’s influence on Hollywood productions is not a secret by any means, this educational documentary sheds a light on just how widespread that involvement can be in the filmmaking process–and the lengths that have been taken to cover it up.
Stahl may not be a professional documentarian; the documentary itself works aesthetically like a classroom slideshow (betraying the director's regular occupation as a professor of communications studies). Theaters of War is certainly the work of an avid researcher, however. While the educational documentary’s call to action maybe oversimplifies a grandiose matter, the film overall does the important work of raising challenging questions and pointing to direct instances of Hollywood’s role as the DOD’s very own propaganda machine and recruitment resource. Theaters of War offers overwhelming evidence that something in the film industry needs to change. Recommended.
What academic library shelves would this title be on?
Theaters of War belongs on academic library shelves for educational documentaries on political issues, war and military history, and the film industry.
Does this film have Public Performance Rights available?
Yes. Public performance rights for educational screenings are available with a purchase of the Theaters of War DVD for $350.00.
How can teachers use this documentary as an educational resource?
Educators can make use of the film’s public performance rights purchase option for educational classroom screenings. Professor Roger Stahl’s documentary is an excellent resource for anyone seeking to learn more about the relationship between Hollywood and the U.S. Military.