Fog of War

February 29, 2004

On the eve of its imminent Oscar victory, I finally saw Fog of War, Errol Morris’ fascinating documentary about Robert Strange McNamara, former Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and LBJ. Involved with firebombing of Tokyo in WWII and as the Secretary of Defense during Vietnam and the Cuban Missile Crisis, McNamara has a lot to look back on and his hindsight reveals his thought processes as well as his regrets. Despite his reputation as a stubborn know-it-all during his career, the 85 year old McNamara is able to recognize and acknowledge his mistakes. His theories remain frighteningly topical, and it’s not hard to see the parallels between the past and the present. There remain a few topics that McNamara won’t open up about, which is unfortunate, as I’m sure there are many insights left to glean, but probably wouldn’t paint anyone in a favorable, or even defensible, light.

From a cinematic standpoint, Morris is able to patch together the narrative with stock footage and symbolic montages that push the story underneath McNamara’s voiceovers. Philip Glass contributes an eerie score that lends an overwhelming sense of dread to the whole affair. When Morris chooses to focus on McNamara’s talking head, his patented INTERROTRON lets McNamara speak directly to the audience, which is an unnerving experience as an audience member. I HEART INTERROTRON.

Posted in Moving Pictures