Harold Crooks Movies
- 2009
Filmmaker Bob Coen ponders the terrifying possibilities of chemical and biological warfare in this chilling documentary. Taking as his launching point the 2001 anthrax attacks that occurred in the U.S. during the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Coen sets out on a global journey that encompasses the FBI's investigation of that case; the documented use of germ warfare on black South Africans by the apartheid government; the mysterious deaths of biological-weapons experts David Kelly and Bruce Ivins; and the burgeoning yet unregulated bio-defense industry. ~ Sandra Bencic, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harold Crooks, Bob Coen, (more)
- 2005
Its title is a literal one: the televised documentary program Black Coffee investigates the history, legacy and multifaceted cultural relevance of that black liquid so omnipresent that it now qualifies as the most widely-consumed beverage in contemporary western society. As produced in 2005 and screened on the TVOntario network in Canada, this limited run miniseries emerged at a point when fair trade between the First World and the Third World gained tremendous importance in the global economy, and coffee sat at the forefront of this issue. As the series itself denotes, the beverage caused a tremendous schism between those who perceived it as positive (for its creative stimulus, economic boon and (in the case of shade-grown beans) a de facto habitat for various species of wildlife), and those who perceived it as negative, tracing it to the historical proliferation of slavery and rainforest destruction. The program utilizes a thematic structure, wherein its episodes charts five themes relevant to coffee within a historical framework: "Colonialism and Justice," "Community and Social Bonding," "Revolution," "Environmental Degradation," and "International Business and Politics." ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
In the mid-1800s, corporations began to be recognized as individuals by U.S. courts, granting them unprecedented rights. The Corporation, a documentary by filmmakers Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott and author Joel Bakan, delves into that legal standard, essentially asking: if corporations were people, what kind of people would they be? Applying psychiatric principles and FBI forensic techniques, and through a series of case studies, the film determines that this entity, the corporation, which has an increasing power over the day-to-day existence of nearly every living creature on earth, would be a psychopath. The case studies include a story about how two reporters were fired from Fox News for refusing to soft-pedal a story about the dangers of a Monsanto product given to dairy cows, and another about Bolivian workers who banded together to defend their rights to their own water supply. The pervasiveness of corporate influence on our lives is explored through an examination of efforts to influence behavior, including that of children. The filmmakers interview leftist figures like Michael Moore, Howard Zinn, Naomi Klein, and Noam Chomsky, and give representatives from companies Burson Marsteller, Disney, Pfizer, and Initiative Media a chance to relay their own points-of-view. The Corporation won the Best Documentary World Cinema Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Akre, Raymond L. Anderson, (more)
- 2003
In the '80s, political unrest in Nicaragua became a leading news story around the world after the left-wing (and Socialist influenced) Sandinista rebels gained control of the nation following the collapse of the corrupt regime of Anastasio Somoza. The United States, who had backed Somoza, was unhappy with this turn of events and attempted to unseat the Sandinistas by giving financial and military support to the Contras (right-wing guerillas loyal to Somoza), largely through illicit means. The media took it upon themselves to put Nicaragua's trials in the spotlight, and in 1987, the documentary The World Is Watching examined how the international attention given to the story by the media impacted the battle between the Sandinistas and the Contras, as well as offered the perspectives of the reporters covering these events. At the dawn of the 21st Century, however, press coverage of Nicaragua had all but vanished while the nation's problems continued to grow in the face of dire poverty, poor education, disease, and continued unrest. The World Stopped Watching picks up where the earlier film left off as filmmaker Peter Raymont and his crew travel to Nicaragua to explore what became of the nation's revolution, how the people feel about the struggle of Right versus Left (and Ronald Reagan's role in the conflict) over 15 years later and speak with those who witnessed the turmoil first hand. Produced in part by the National Film Board of Canada, The World Stopped Watching has been released in two versions -- a 57-minute cut for television and an 82-minute edition for theatrical release. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The Champagne Safari was a foolhardy 1,200 mile expedition across Northern Canada backed by millionaire entrepreneur Charles Bedaux. To make the 1934 journey Bedaux brought along five Citroen half-track tanks, 130 pack horses, kegs of champagne and tons of gourmet French cuisine. He also brought along an entire library of books, a crew and Oscar winning cameraman Floyd Crosby. The expedition was a bust and the resulting film footage was lost until 1984 when Canadian filmmaker George Ungar found it in a Paris basement and used it in this fascinating biography of the enigmatic, megalomaniacal American industrialist, entrepreneur and WW II-era traitor Charles Bedaux, a man who had a tremendous effect on the rise of the Nazis to power. The film took over 16 years to make and is narrated by actor Colm Feore. In addition to Crosby's fascinating footage, the story is told via reenactments, archival photos and interviews with historians, writers, and relatives. The Champagne Safari was but one incident in Bedaux's life. He earned his fortune by using scientific methodology to create the "Bedaux System" of worker management. Other American corporations liked the methods and he became wealthy. Bedaux soon became known for his exotic expeditions. But there was a dark side to Bedaux, and his close ties to the Nazi party are also explored in the film. It was this shadowy relationship that ultimately caused the downfall and suicide of Bedaux who died just before he was to stand trial for treason in the US. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colm Feore
