The subjects are still passionate about their involvement and. 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. Over a million americans were members of the communist party at one time or another between 1920 and 1960. 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. The documentary film looks at the political activities and activism of americans who were members or supporters of the american communist. Having seen service he had had a good war holmes returned to wellington, his eyes opened about the world.
Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north, who became caught up in new zealands own red scare. A unique documentary that looks at the political activities of the american communist party in the early to midtwentieth century. 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 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. 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.
Fighting for the causes of unionization, unemployment. Her other films include union maids, which was also nominated for an. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature. These socalled reds fought for labor rights, tenants rights, food security, and racial equality, and in many cases won victories. Stories of american communists 1983 filmmakers james klein and julia reichert hear the stories of about 400 past or present u. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north, who became. 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. New day films a documentary about the history of the american communist party from the thirties onward. Seeing red, an affectionate documentary by julia reichert and james klein about the history of american communism, works best on the level of anecdote. 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.
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. The top 12 communist movies every film buff should see. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature synopsis. 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 party members, reichert and kleins. 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. It is one of the first nonfiction films to examine the role of. Sanders,78, is a selfdescribed democratic socialist, believing in marxistbased collectivism, who runs as an independent. Oscar winning filmmaker was once nominated for film about. Exceptionally well researched, fair and unbiased, it is a balanced and thorough look at the american communist party. The top 12 communist movies every film buff should see share this article.
Pages in category films about communism the following 56 pages are in this category, out of 56 total. From more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, the filmmakers. 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. 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 is a well rendered portrait of individuals who were members of the us communist party. Cecil holmes was a young talented new zealander, born in palmerston north who became caught up in our countrys own red scare. Were presenting a beautiful new 4k restoration of reicherts oscarnominated documentary seeing red, an eyeopening film about the members of the american communist party. Communist front groups abounded in america, but the authors poohpooh them as socalled communist front organizations.
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. 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. 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. After making union maids, reichert and klein wanted to further explore the history of communism in america. In seeing red, a dozen of them reminisce about their fight for unionization, unemployment insurance, social security, civil rights and the eighthour day. About 400 known and unknown american communists were interviewed during this fiveyear documentary project, and the results culled down to an intriguing. 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. 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.
In 1983, her film seeing red was nominated for best documentary at the oscars. 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. From more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, the filmmakers continued. Seeing red az conservative political views from a red state.
The stories of american communists provides a very sympathetic portrayal of the political activities of a group of former communistsand a few current party members all of whom came of age during the 1930s filmmakers james klein and julie reichert, themselves veterans of the new left, have frankly admitted that they sought political lessons from. 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. 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. In english the forgotten history of ordinary americans who joined the communist party during the worst depression years of the 1930s and the. What hollywood lost in the communist purge the new. 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. Stories of american communists uc berkeley library. The big sky documentary film festival celebrates the art of nonfiction film by giving voice to the powerful ideas that come forth in documentary. 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. 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. 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. Seeing red is an exceptional film codirected by reichert, one of the directors honoured with hot docss outstanding achievement retrospective for her.
Red scared also deploys the fevered vocabulary of blacklist boilerplate virulent anticommunism, redbaiting, and, of course, witch hunting. American communist party members look back at their lives in this essential film about political activism in the united states. 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. 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. Seeing red streaming video washington county cooperative. Seeing red is an absolute must, must, must watch for any american communist, socialist, or other leftist party member. With oscar hunter, rose podmaka, sylvia woods, howard stretch johnson. 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. Because america turned so harshly against the communist party, their collective memory seems to be especially cohesive. 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 is a documentary directed by jim klein, julia reichert. Seeing red is a 1983 american documentary film directed by jim klein and julia reichert.
Boldly countering traditional myths through engaging interviews, the personal accounts take on a new resonance in todays charged political climate. 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. Readers learn that stalin killed thousands, not millions. A film enthusiast, he worked at the newly formed national film unit, established to provide news on the war efforts, abroad. The documentary film looks at the political activities and activism of americans who were members or supporters of the american communist party. 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. The documentary film looks at the political activities and activism of americans who were members or supporters of the communist party.
Photos from 1949 depict the historic moments when ccp soldiers from chinas rural heartland occupied the nations sophisticated cities. He suffered a heart attack in october and doctors inserted two stents in one of sanders blocked arteries. 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. Oscar winning documentary maker was once nominated for film. 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. In 1983, reichert was nominated for best documentary for another one of her films, entitled, seeing red. On sunday, the director won best documentary for her film, american factory a film about a chinese companys purchase and. Director of obamabacked oscar winning doc once nominated. Top 10 films that expose the chinese communist partys true colors. 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. 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. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current members of the party, the film delivers an engaging, funny, and.
A documentary about the history of the american communist party from the thirties onward. Filmmakers julia reichert and jim klein in person directors julia reichert and jim klein. Most prolific in their republican films, after the russian soviet federative socialist republic, were armenia, azerbaijan, georgia, ukraine, and, to a. Director of obamabacked oscar winning doc once nominated for. Compiled from more than 400 interviews with former and current party members, reichert and kleins film. Having seen service he had had a good war holmes returned to. Seeing red is a 1983 american documentary film directed by jim klein and.
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