HuffPost Exclusive: a Scene from John Cusack's War Inc.

HuffPost blogger Paul Krassner, founder of the radical rag The Realist, has praised good satire as "a way of calling attention to the contradictions or the hypocrisy that's going on officially. That's the function of humor -- it can alter your reality."

And our current reality can certainly use some altering. Enter John Cusack, who has made a powerful new film, War Inc. that pulls off the near-impossible: finding a savage reality-altering humor amidst the tragedy of Iraq. It delivers a wicked punch in the gut, making you laugh, wince, and get outraged all at the same time.

Naomi Klein, whose writings on Iraq helped inspire Cusack, feels the same way. "War Inc. is one of those rare satires with the danger left in," she told me. "It cranks up the dial on the state of privatized war just enough that we can finally see our present clearly. As you're watching it, you can't help wondering: can these guys really get away with this? Are we all going to get in trouble? It's an extremely good feeling. It's what risk feels like."

Cusack has given HuffPost an exclusive clip from the movie at its most uncorked. I asked John why he chose the black comedy route to address such a tragic subject. "This was the only way to stay one step ahead of reality," he told me, "one step ahead of the absurdities wrought by the neo-conservative, neo-liberal experiment in the Middle East and around the world. A lot of people have been feeling what Naomi has brilliantly chronicled and what I'm trying to capture in this movie: the ever expanding war machine is completely out of control and has morphed into something far more dangerous than Eisenhower ever imagined. It is absolutely immoral to profit from making 'defense' policy."

So check out the War Inc. clip below. And if you haven't watched the video of John's HuffPost interview with Naomi about her new book, click here.

Comments

[linaya]

That looks like a great movie. I can't wait to see it!

Education is important, but we have to get people off the mainstream 'news' and onto alternative media like the Huffington Post and podcasts and alternative radio and online information portals, where the truth lies.

And remember, stupid people didn't elect Bush. He was appointed by the Supreme Court the first time and voter caging and other election manipulations put him in office the second time. We don't have enough stupid people even in the U.S. to elect a disaster like George Bush.

[longislandlol]

We need more of this genre of films depicting real tragedy- and when Hillary continues to smile after she gloats with her pro-war votes- it's time to play these films over and over to the American public. It should be released immediately in DVD- not after the primaries begin- but before they do. Hoolywood- listen up!

[phansen]

there is only one thing that can save the country and put us on the proper track. it's not health care. it's not the war in iraq or iran. it's EDUCATION. 20% of our country can't READ, but they can vote. how do you THINK Bush got himself elected... how hard could it be to dupe people who can't READ?? but, yeah, paying teachers peanuts, so that our kids are educated by the least accomplished members of society is a great idea. teachers get paid about half of what the guy driving the subway car gets paid. which equals ignorant (not stupid, don't get me wrong... just tragically deprived of the educational opportunities they deserve) americans, which equals 8 years of a president who needs hooked on phonics to read a simple speech.

[Drill]

The war in Iraq is not a tragedy...it is a bold move to introduce Democracy into the Middle East and a dividing edge in between Iran and Syria. I applaud this move! And so should all Americans embrace this revolutionary step towards peace!

[getoffmedz]

Cusack was obviously influenced by Monty Python.

Can't wait to see it.

Much thanks.

btw - Cusack acted in a little known film now rapidly becoming a cult favorite called The Contract with Morgan Freeman.

[Rescisco]

War Inc. sounds like a winner. Don't know what its impact will be. I am not confident anything can force the majority of our citizens or the MSM to deal with unpleasant realities and inconvenient truths surrounding the tragedy in Iraq. Why is it so darned near impossible for the contradictions, the hypocrisy, and the corruption associated with Iraq to be understood? Worse, even after all of it is known, the media and the public are ready to drink more kool-aid and bomb Iran! The buildup is the same, and the MSM and the public are accepting it all over again.

[LightningJoe]

"Why is it so darned near impossible for the contradictions, the hypocrisy, and the corruption associated with Iraq to be understood?"

Because it's being sold to us by believers, is why. When the Jehovah's Witnesses come to the door, we feel the need to be polite to them, as we tell them (or try to tell them) not to come back. We feel a deep need for respect, when confronted with deeply held beliefs. We fall into that same trap with the Greed Is Good folks.

Respect is a good thing, but it's being used against us. We know how utterly wrong they are. We know they are morally crippled. We know, heaven help us, that letting them run rampant will destroy all we value in our country and our world. But since they sincerely believe that destroying civil life in the interest of unbridled wealth is the proper path for humanity to take, we feel compelled to let them work out their own karma with it.

Eventually, the subtext goes, they will figure out that castrating civil government to enable unrestricted resource piracy leads to the utter despoilment of the environment and the death of any semblance of moral order. Eventually they will figure out that curtailing any criticism of their grand capitalist adventure kills what's best about this country.

The problem is, it WILL kill us, if we don't stop them. We don't have the luxury of respecting the hoodlum who's cutting our throat. It's not just us, but the world itself that's at stake. They won't stop with Iran, any more than that other crusader, the little artist guy, stopped in the Sudetenland, or in Poland. They are the distillation of the old worldview of unending "progress" to a gleaming capitalist utopia.

They are the New Crusaders, and unless they are stopped, they'll keep marching until the Earth is waste.

[Reno Raider]

Joe, I've just become a fan of yours. No cause for alarm. I'm unable to find a way to e-mail individuals on this site that I admire so I'm reduced to this. Perhaps you are in possession of knowledge regarding this matter. I would swear that I saw a video clip of Bush saying he was going after Saddam because Saddam once threatened his father. Something to that effect. I haven't been able to find out if this was a figment of my imagination or fact. If anyone reading this post knows anything about this please respond. Thanks.

[transendentilist]

I haven't seen the film yet, but from the clip, it looks downright Fellini-esque. Brilliant satire, Johnathan Swift would be proud.

As far as Naomi's book, kudos! It's a very sobering look at the real world as it is today.

[BlueBoomer]

Have to wait till I get home to view the video, but John Cusak is one of the most underrated actors of our time. You can always count on an excellent performance that never seems like a performance.

So, hopefully his special talent will be evident in this project as well, and if it's done half as well and has half the impact as the brilliant M*A*S*H film and TV show, then it is undoubtedly worth seeing.

[Elias Maxwell]

Corporate criminality is alway around when there is money to be had just for the taking!

[TankerRat]

Arianna,

Thanx for your usual excellent work. God Bless you girl.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Thank you, Mr. C, this citizen would also like to end the twisted legalized corporate bribery system we call 'lobbying' in OUR CONgress, restore fairness doctrines AND The Constitution. Your work has ALWAYS been greatly appreciated.

To paraphrase an ancient Chinese saying, ...we live in interesting 'and criminal' times.

Looking forward to War, Inc. and reading Ms. Naomi's book.

[boldtimer]

You might look at this week's program archive on Democracy Now, Naomi took on Greenspan earlier this week. Her book is excellent !

[kellygrrrl]

I agree. I'm halfway through The Shock Doctrine
I am most definitely SHOCKED!
can't wait to see John's movie

[researcher]

no stopping it until rock bottom is hit.

only then will americans have an opportunity to wake up but dont count on it.

look at history most countries refuse to accept reality and slide deeper into third world status.

the bully is about to be defeated.

we all loved it when USSR failed without realizing we were next. arrogance.

go to the street talk to the voters it will scare you beyond anything you can imagine.

of course I live in a red state that continues to elect mc cain and kyle so what do I expect.

when you make war heros out of your soldiers that bomb women and children in an illegal war you know the country has turned to imperialism mentality.

jesus was a war hero you know and loved imperialism ask any evangel or better yet ask blackwater folks they are evangels and christian folks.

[MilwaukeeDan]

researcher, I agree with you. It's unfortunate, but I think this country will have to go the way of the Soviet Union, this can't last. When historians look back at this time, they will ask how a people could be so blind to fall for such a grandiose scam that is the "war on terror". Hundreds of billions of dollars gone and what do we get for it, a few corporate billionares.

[kellygrrrl]

People are making such radical changes in their mindsets at this time, it is quite possible we will go the way of the Soviet Union.

The theory of Capitalism has been so perverted beyond recognition.
Christianity has been hijacked.
The gap between the poor and the wealthy grows deeper, with much of the middle class falling into the poverty side of the valley.
The middle class and their one-time retail power has been rendered unnecessary to an economy driven by WAR $$$$$.

Americans will be BEGGING for socialism.

[LightningJoe]

Well I've been to the bottom, and it's not pretty.

At the bottom, however, is a ladder, and each rung is the death of an illusion.

One of the big ones is the idea that bad people (here including good people who believe bad things) will not change their beliefs or stop being bad on their own. Karma may eventually get them, but I'm not willing to wait for their next life, which is how long it'll take.

Another illusion is the idea that our purpose is derailed when we take flak for our own beliefs. This leads to keeping silent, when we know that the stakes are the eventual life of the planet. So what if they call us terrorists and traitors and worms and scum. They will anyway. So frickin what? Their criticisms only make sense in the "absence of values" zones they create. What's funny is that they call US greedy for wanting THEM to be less so. To them, greed in their own self interest is a good thing, and our desire for the common good is a sin because it would limit their investment options.

Yes communism failed. That was because it was an incomplete philosophy; one pole on a contimuum. It was a beautiful idea: "From each according to ability, to each according to need." What's wrong with that? It's a beautiful concept. Only someone had to administer it, and the only administrators available were humans -- fallible, resource-hungry humans, fatally attracted to power. The drive for power and control led to every failing of that system.

Our own Church of Capitalism, at the other pole, has a complementary failure: the idea that the only pure motive capable of accomplishing great things is unrestrained greed. Between the two poles, I'd choose the beautiful over the ugly; but we aren't restricted to the poles for our choices.

Which is another big rung.

[diggs111]

This movie looks awesome. I checked it out on IMDB and saw that, besides Cusack, it also stars Ben Kingsley, Marissa Tomei, Hilary Duff, Dan Akroyd and Joan Cusack. A very eclectic cast which has me very curious.Can't wait!

Just when you think things can't possibly get more absurd...

[WFB]

If you really want absurdity, check out:

www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com

All this murder and fraud, tragedy and disgrace, and it is all (as both McCain and Obama once admitted) a waste. We responded to the deadliest single attack on American soil in this nation's history by invading the wrong stinkin' country.

[MAGLATINA]

DON'T BE FOOLED; 9/11 WAS AN EXCUSE TO GO INTO IRAQ... IT WAS IN CHENEY'S AND BUSH'S PLANS LONG BEFORE 9/11. A FORMER SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY HAS REVEALED THIS INGNOMIOUS PLAN... I THINK HIS NAME IS O'NEIL... CHECK THE FACTS!

[deminmo]

I couldn't access the link WFB

[vzn]

why is war so lucrative?
its the dark side, the dirty secret of capitalism-- there's obscene profit in calamity, catastrophe, crisis.

the public, effectively hypnotized and narcotized by the expensive propaganda machine, is unquestioning.

but, Id say, naomi klein in all her brilliance has barely even scratched the surface.

the international warmachine is basically a real, extensive, ubiquitous, globalized mafia.

more gory details on "economic warfare" in the following free paper

"fractional reserve banking as economic parasitism"

endorsed by two phd economists. printed in nexus
magazine, 60k world circulation. #1 top downloaded
economics paper. used by economics
teacher in australia as standard classroom material.

more info on request.

recent supporting material:

The Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein on the Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions

John Perkins on "The Secret History of the American Empire: Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and the Truth about Global Corruption"

Video, senator/pres candidate Dennis Kucinich at last years 2005 Monetary Reform Conference

money as debt video by Grignon

[seawolf77]

"If you only knew the power of the dark side" Darth Vader to his son Luke after cutting off his hand.

[splashy]

Money as Debt is a very good video for those of us that don't get what the whole monetary system is about. I was VERY enlightened by that particular video!

Highly recommend watching it!

[stevesrant]

The interview is an eye opener for sure. Yes its getting worse for sure. But there is no way that Democrats in Washington are ignorant or innocent in this tragic course of events.
As long as we keep thinking it's only Bush &Co. or only the Republicans we don't stand a chance of stopping it. It is every single vote in both houses and if we think the Democrats still remember the New Deal we had better call them out on it now. If they don't come clean, get a true 2nd party in power or join the current party...Or flee to Canada?