The Weather Underground

This is a great documentary that starts with the SDS and how some of there members formed the weather underground movement. It is not a one sided story glorifying the movement which you can get with many films that deal with subjects like this. It actually made me sad because a lot of these people had good intentions but just did not get it together. This definitely broadened my understanding of the weathermen

Perhaps the best documentary I have ever seen. I was reminded of the words of Jack Palance as Jesus Raza in the wonderful film, 'The Professionals [Blu-ray]', as he mused on the revolution:

"La Revolucion is like a great love affair. In the beginning, she is a goddess. A holy cause. But... every love affair has a terrible enemy: time. We see her as she is. La Revolucion is not a goddess but a whore. She was never pure, never saintly, never perfect. And we run away, find another lover, another cause. Quick, sordid affairs. Lust, but no love. Passion, but no compassion. Without love, without a cause, we are... nothing! We stay because we believe. We leave because we are disillusioned. We come back because we are lost. We die because we are committed."

I was in law enforcement during this period of time. This documentary seems to be very well done, factual and accurate in all matters.

I am very excited to witness how our nation will change (my hope is for the better) during the next four years under the leadership of Barack Obama.

However, it is my hope that our "President-Elect", Barack Obama will distance himself from all former Weathermen members, especially William (Bill) Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn.

Respectfully,
R. Greenleaf - Utah

Still wide-eyed and bushy-tailed in 2004 as they were in the 60s and 70s when they bombed the establishment, these '60s burnouts tell their tale effectively in this documentary with nice stock footage of the era and a good soundtrack featuring the likes of '60s jazzer Gil Scott Heron. Though similarities to today's climate are argued in the commentary track, the idea of overthrowing the government seems as unlikely now as it did 40 years ago. Kids today don't get this earnest, and crazy. The human waste of David Gilbert, in prison for 75 years, is one of the film's most powerful images. He is clear and precise and could have been a great contributor to society. Were they all crazy? No, but the things they did seem so quaint and futile and misdirected today, just as they did then. Great film.

The Weather Underground is a flop of a movie attempting to romanticize murderous, barely lucid idiots. It stars Barack Obama's best friend William Ayers. For the purposes of this review I am forced to give it at least one star. Nuff said.