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The Revolution
This is a revolution. If you want to shut an airport then stop flying.
Want an end to factory farming? Grow your own. An end to pollution?
Change to renewables. An end to war & poverty? Microgenerate. Life
for your childen? Stop needing oil. YOU have THIS Power. You do not
need Government. Seize the initiative. Bring democracy to your
community. Be an example to your children. Take responsibility.
Change for good today. |
Essential DVD's
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We know many of you
like to sit down to a good movie. So on this page we have
selected a small range of movies that relevant to the Carbon
Cutter. There really isn't much to choose from. Sure there are
many documentaries out there with a 'green' tinge of
environmentalism. However for those of us who like out visual
entertainment to be a little more related to Peak Oil and
Climate Change then the pickings are slim.
So here is what you
get. Of course there is Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" -
everyone knows about that. It one an Oscar. But where are the
Oscar winning movies about Peak Oil. Mad Max? Well, maybe not.
We will keep looking for relevant material but we hope you find
our pickings here to be enjoyable.
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DVD's You Must See
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Here are the DVD's you must see. There is
quite a variety here, from Children's animations to serious
documentary, from Hollywood Disaster Spectacular to a
subversive documentary on Corporations. Something for
everyone. Obviously there are only a couple of works of
fiction here. Generally Hollywood hasn't woken up to Peak
Oil and Global Warming as themes for great works of fiction.
Maybe it is all too real or all too scary. Is Hollywood for
escapism alone? |
How Cuba Survived Peak Oil
|
A 53 minute Documentary from the "Community Solutions"
Organisation operating out of Ohio, USA. It is incredibly
unusual to find a Documentary about Peak Oil. Indeed it is
quite rare to find a Documentary that is sympathetic to
Cuba. Here we have both. Often we see Cuba as a basket case.
A dinosaur Communist Country in a World where Capitalism
won. If this is your view then maybe this film will just
change your mind. Whilst Cuba has suffered from an illegal
and unjust economic blockade by the USA since the 1960's
(not including the illegal military intervention and
terrorist attacks) their world collapsed with the downfall
of the Soviet Union in 1989. Suddenly their Oil Imports
dropped by 90%. Due to their enforced economic isolation
Cuba then became a model of what will happen when Peak Oil
hits everyone else. Falling outside the neo-liberal models
of the West they didn't cut the schools, universities and
health-care programs. Cuba today has a higher-life
expectancy than America does. It has higher literacy rates
too. So how did they manage without Oil? Well, they called
in Permaculture experts from Australia. They made a million
bicycles. They broke up the Universities and Healthcare
services and based them in the communities. They introduced
food rationing. They expanded public transport with
ingenious measures. Oxen reappeared on the land. In short,
their leadership responded to the crisis in a fashion right
out of the Carbon Cutters Ten Step Plan: - they organised,
they powered-down, they recycled and substituted, they moved
and stayed, invested and generated, they made do and grew
their own food. It was a text-book example. People returned
to the land and farming became a prized skill. They learnt
to grow all their food organically - no pesticides, no
fertilizers. This is a message of hope for all of us.
We can cope with Peak Oil. Watch the faces in this movie -
they are
not the middle-class, muesli eating, Guardian readers,
worrying about Climate Change. Global Warming is NEVER
mentioned once in this entire documentary. These are people
who's Communities responded to change with grass-roots
activity. The people didn't wait for the Government to solve
their problems. They voted with their feet. If you know
anything about Cuba, its people or style of democracy you
will know this is typical. At no point do any Government
officials appear in the movie. It isn't clear how much
guidance they supplied or whether any censorship was
applied. However, it appears genuine. Cuba is a test-tube
experiment and we must all learn from it. What is more -
Cuba deserves our sympathy and help. To learn more about
Cuba and Peak Oil go to
www.communitysolution.org/cuba. You can buy your copy of
this movie from
www.green-shopping.co.uk. |
A Crude Awakening
|
This hit the cinema screens at a few selected places in the
UK in November 2007 and was hyped considerably.
Unfortunately it was unable to top the "Crude Impact" work
released around the same time. Coming out maybe a little
later the Indy movie crowd had warmed up to Peak Oil as a
documentary theme which probably guaranteed greater exposure
for this lesser work. It obviously lacks much of the globe-trotting human element of its
elder and wiser sibling. Produced and Directed by Basil
Gelpke and Ray McCormack this movie takes you to Baku,
Azerbaijan to look at the origins of the Oil Industry with
some great vintage footage. The movie is set to a specially
written score by Phillip Glass but it is not particularly
inspiring and it doesn't set this movie aside. You will get
the usual assortment of talking heads - everyone from Colin
Campbell to Matt Simmons. The usual suspects. However, there
is probably just a little too much opinion and not enough
graphics to make this generally palatable to a wider
audience. Indeed, most of the extra material on the DVD just
consists of extended interviews with these people. The
general population is simply not going to sit through this.
The subject matter is handled in a straightforward and
non-sensational manner. There is plenty of illustrative
stock-footage to amuse the eye. Most of the movie is spent
ruminating over Oil and War. We learn that one of the
talking heads believes that the Bush administration sees
"democratisation of the Middle East" as a way of liberating
their Oil Supplies.... But then there is plenty of attention
given to the shady relationship between Washington and the
Saudi Royal Family. The documentary does make pains to tell
the audience that American support for corrupt and
un-democratic regimes in the Middle-East is the reason for
their mass unpopularity in those parts of the world. That is
putting in mildly. Some of the talking heads rather
gleefully tell us that Oil comes from the places that are
full of "terrorists". This is putting effect before cause.
These subtle contradictions in the opinions, between the
experts, will only serve to confuse the audience. This work
should have been edited together in a more cohesive fashion
to deliver a clear message. All-in-all this is just TOO tame
to awaken Joe Public. Otherwise it is a pick'n'mix of
vaguely related ideas designed to confuse the issue. It all
ends in a whimper when we fade with the picture of some
crofter digging her garden and herding her goats as the Wind
Turbine turns in the background. When asked to consider life
after the oil crash we cut to a short and pointless section
on the Amish running around in horse-drawn buggies. This
goes largely without comment and we assume the audience is
meant to draw their own conclusions? This is really
expecting too much. Then we cut to a talking head who tells
us that we can't return to an agrarian existence because it
would be against "evolution".
 On
what evidence does he base this? I am sure the Romans
thought the same way 2000 years ago. We are treated to a
vague ramble through the hydrogen economy although no one
properly points out the technological challenges that, as
yet, remain unsolved. Likewise, bio-mass fuels are not given
a proper review and we are left guessing whether they are
good, bad or indifferent. Too subtle by half. This
movie has no end and no conclusion. A run-of-the-mill
documentary. Obtain
your copy from
www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net or
www.dogwoof.com. To
learn more go to
www.oilcrashmovie.com. |
The End of Suburbia
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Since World War II Suburbia has become the American Dream which
is why Peak Oil strikes at the very heart of that way of
life. In terms of the word 'dream' this is quite an alien
concept outside of the US as few countries have had the
luxury (or short-sightedness maybe) to follow this model. It
is a product of seemingly endless cheap energy and boundless
post war optimism. The automobile replaced the community -
roads replaced pavements. Ironically, whereas Europe was
destroyed by bombs the post war American Urban landscape was
demolished by the wrecking ball in what Kunstler calls the
'greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the
world'. Europe and Japan neither had the space nor the
energy for this experiment. This 78 minute 2004 documentary
is accompanied on the DVD by two whimsical 1950's
educational films - interesting but hardly essential - and
an audio commentary. The Director, Gregory Greene, started
the project thinking he would make a documentary about 9/11.
However, the more he studied the 'war on terror' the more he
realised it was about Peak Oil. Outside of the US it is hard
to image why Americans are willing to close their eyes to
the evil done in their name. Why is the American way of life
non-negotiable yet everyone else's is? It is the myth of
suburban life that is under the skin of the America. It is a
living breathing cult. No one in the documentary is scared
to say this. There is one architect who is trying to promote
"The New Urbanism" in places like Denver and the documentary
does steer clear of the darker side of Peak Oil theory. Food
production is mentioned at length but the Directory
describes this work as "peak Oil-lite" but at the same time
said that this film scared his wife. If Peak Oil-lite is
this frightening God help us all. The expert talking heads
appearing in the movie is a who's who of Peak Oil guru's.
Anyone who is anyone gets extended interview slots: Richard
Heinberg, Julian Darley, Michael Klare, Colin Campbell,
Michael Ruppert and James Howard Kunstler. In fact
the film-makers were criticised because all the participants
were men. This movie is a far better introduction to the
topic than Greene's later work but it is still too long.
Some points are too laboured and it could have been edited
down to a more punchier 60 minutes. However, it is all good
and probably one of the best documentaries we have seen so
far that should be shown to a general audience on the basis
that it could hold their attention. All the main themes are
there. All the characters are in place. It is still NOT Peak
Oil's "An Inconvenient Truth"
 but
it is half way there. It doesn't overly shock nor numb and
audience. Buy this and show it to everyone you know. And
hundreds you do not. The makers are so convinced of the cause
that they grant open license. You can show this movie to
whoever you want. They originally talked to major
Distributors to finance the work but no one wanted to make
the documentary in the form proposed. It was seen as too
depressing. So the makers decided to make it independently.
The world is a better place for this. Get your copy from
www.powerswitch.org.uk/order.htm |
The Great Warming
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Much like Al
Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" this documentary relies upon
Celebrity for its appeal and makes no mention of Peak Oil
whatsoever. Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morrisette provide the
commentary voice-overs. It is clear that it is not quite
their forte but they make an adequate job of it. It does
make a very good job of showing how bad Global Climate
change could get and it also paints a stronger moral and
ethical overtone than you will have previously seen. This
overtone comes from the strong involvement of several North
American Church Organisations (primarily Evangelical) in the
production. Their involvement is hardly mentioned for the
first half hour before it slips in under the radar and
starts to dominate the whole show. The involvement of
American Evangelicals sounds very scary on the face of
things but any secular viewer would be enjoy this movie. The
only irritation in the church's involvement is that they
can't quite put their finger on why Global Warming is a very
bad thing. They wax lyrical about what Gods tells them in
scripture and rarely voyage back to the real world where
real people are really suffering. They talk about God's
creation in entirely abstract terms without recognising that
this creation is full of Human Souls who will suffer a
dreadful torment for lack of food and water - whatever god
they worship. This torment will be made worse because
mankind will not fairly share its resources in a
compassionate fashion. The chief prosecutor of this crime is
the current US regime who now hold the reins of power
through the votes of the Bible-Belt. There is no irony. No
apology. No concept of Global Justice or acceptance that a
crime has been committed. What are we to make of this? They
are Republicans through and through. They do recognise this
and it is this very point that makes this significant. When
the Bible Belt believes in Global Warming George W Bush is
in trouble. Of course the American Churches are not
monolithic and its does have its fair share of good people,
but even these reflect shades of opinion that suggest that
the Apocalypse is coming therefore they need do nothing
about the suffering of mankind. They also freely confess
their enormous distrust of environmentalists because a "tree
hugger" loves trees more than God. We appreciate that they
have finally come to the right conclusion but their
underlying 'logic' seems at odds with enlightened rational
thought. The rest of the movie remains a good walkthrough of
the facts about global warming. There is little science not
covered in "An Inconvenient Truth" however we get lots of
new examples and a great section on New Orleans filmed
before the Hurricane struck. Not as good as
 Gore
but watchable. The end concludes with some quite fantastic
inventions such as a machine to suck Carbon Dioxide out of
the atmosphere. They claim it is better to build these than
Wind Turbines. No it is not. Not if you want electricity.
Wake up. There is way too much faith in technology here.
Powerdown an option anyone? The DVD comes packed with entire
extra hour of featurettes that, together, make an entirely
new documentary all by themselves. They were not short of
material! To find out more and order your copy go to
www.thegreatwarming.com. |
The Oil Factor
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"The Oil Factor" is far less about Peak Oil and far more
about the State of the World and the so called 'War on
Terror'. Readers of Chomsky, Ruppert or Vidal would find
this pretty familiar territory and there is nothing new
here. However, if you are not familiar with the topic and
like a nice 90 minute DVD Movie to watch then this is the
Documentary for you. It is made by Gerard Ungerman and
Audrey Brohy who won't be familiar names to many. However,
the professionalism and style of the Movie means you could
easily see this playing on terrestrial TV. Although overly
long it is a proper documentary and seemingly well funded.
The Directors spent three months in Iraq, Pakistan and
Afghanistan filming this work which exposes the terrible
human cost behind the war on terror. They reveal how the
'war' has very little to do with the 'terror'. It is,
obviously, all about pursuing control over the last
remaining oil supplies on the planet. This is a fact that is
so obvious now it seems a truism. However, to an American
audience this is probably subversive stuff. There is a
surprising combination of characters interviewed including
Zbigniew Brzezinski, Noam Chomsky and Gary Schmitt. Sadly
Noam's
 contribution
is too short whilst we get to hear quite too much of the new
world order fantasy of the Director for the "Project for the
New American Century (Schmitt). "Taliban" author Ahmed
Rashid appears as does someone called Karen Kwiatkwoski who
used to work at the Pentagon. If you want to make sense of
the endless wars being waged across this planet then watch
this. If you despair of the mounting body bags flying home
at midnight and it makes you angry then show this movie to
your friends. Recommended but it isn't that punchy or
exciting. You can order yourself a copy at
www.freewillprod.com/Order.htm and read more about the
movie at
www.theoilfactor.com. |
Money as Debt
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'Money as Debt' would not seem to be a title of immediate
relevance to Peak Oil or Climate Change. We were put onto
this by the people behind the UK Transition Towns Project so
we were intrigued as to its relevance. It is a 47 minute
animated documentary - which, at first, sounds dreadful.
However, give it a minute. It is relevant to the flawed
paradigm of infinite growth. It shows, through simple
illustration, how our money supply has been conjured out of
thin air and is only serviced by Debt. If there is no debt
then there is no money and our Financial Institutions would
collapse. The entire monetary system only perpetuates itself
because a small number of Loans actually foreclose to inject
real world capital into the system. This all seems
counter-intuitive as we personally experience an increase in
our fortunes when we pay off our loans as it gives us more
money. However, for Central Banks and the Governments who
entrust our Economic welfare to these centralised systems,
the system only works if we keep borrowing money. This means
that the economy cannot be static. It keeps having to grow
to service the debt and make the money that makes the world
go around. This pushes the paradigm of endless growth.
Endless growth pushes the requirement to continually extract
more and more mineral resource from the Planet, ie, Oil. Oil
is specifically illustrated if only briefly, with a Peak Oil
graph. Hence the entire house of cards comes tumbling down.
We cannot grow infinitely on a Finite Planet hence the
monetary system cannot continue to exist in its current
form. At this point several alternative systems of money are
discussed. We were previously aware of the fiscal weakness
of the system as it has been illustrated in a couple of
works on Peak Oil already. Continual expansion of energy
supplies continues to pump up the Economy and Population.
This is unsustainable therefore it has to come to an end one
day. If this all sounds like some kind of Marxist conspiracy
theory then stop right there. The producers of this
 DVD
sprinkle in liberally with quotes that back them to the
hilt. The quotes are from some of the World's leading
Bankers and US Presidents - all of whom openly admitted
that the system could not be sustained and would be -
someday - in need of reform. To learn more go to
www.moneyasdebt.net.
This DVD is only available from its artist & videographer in
Canada - specifically Paul Grignon at the above web site.
The animation is not for kids. You may not like it. It isn't
for al tastes but it delivers the message very well and is
sometimes amusing. |
Wind Power in the UK
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How serious is climate change? Why do we need wind farms?
How economic are wind farms? Are wind farms a risk to birds?
Are wind farms noisy? Presented by Country-issue TV
Presenter Kate Humber this DVD Documentary runs for about an
hour and was created with the help of various organisations
including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, The Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds and World Wide Fund for Nature.
It includes interviews with various members of these
organisations and other experts (including Sir Jonathan
Porritt CBE) to answer the questions everyone asks about
Wind Turbines. The picture is positive. Wind Turbines are
quiet and people more often fall in love with them rather
than learn to loath them. You may obtain your copy from
www.windpower-dvd.org
 which
is administered by the British Wind Energy Association.
Sadly, at the point of writing, you cannot order or pay for
this on-line. Instead you have to download the order from,
print it, fill it in and then fax it back to the BWEA (if
you have access to a fax machine). Surely they can do better
than this? The production is quite slick and workmanlike.
There are no special effects or fancy graphics but it is
easily watchable and will be well understood by most people.
It is pitched at the vast majority of the population so if
you are really keen on wind turbines, in your environment,
then there is not much here that you will not already know.
However we recommend that every Carbon Cutters group get
hold of a copy and lend it out to their neighbours. An
invaluable tool in promoting wind energy for all our
futures. |
Ice Age II - The Meltdown
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Yes, it's a kid's movie! Or is it? Sure it is the modern brand
of Computer Animation like "Toy Story", "Monster Inc" or
"Robots", which makes it top-notch family entertainment.
However, and almost bizarrely, this is just a little subversive.
If you want your small children to become used to concepts of
Global Warming or species extinction then this is something you
should make sure is in your child's collection. Our Milla will
watch the opening sequence with Scrat transfixed to the spot.
Adults will enjoy its quirky tale. Fans of the first movie will
remember how it ended - with a Sid throwaway line about how he
was tired of the Ice Age and how he looked forward to Global
Warming. That one throwaway joke has turned itself into an
entire sequel. Sure there are no cute
 babies
in this one and some may not think this as good as the first
movie. However, like all good sequels it is very different and
should be treated in its own right. The oddest moment of the
movie is when the mini-sloths kidnap Sid, worship him as their
Fire King and then throw him into a volcano (don't worry kids -
he survives!). Their leader makes a brief and intelligent speech
about the reasons why Global Warming was happening. Sid replies
that he thinks that TOGETHER they can work out a solution. The
mini-sloth leader replies: "We have one - sacrifice the Fire
King." With that they push him into the lava... I think there is
a subliminal message their somewhere about our own inappropriate
actions when faced with disaster. Maybe we should all do what
our Fire King says as well..... |
I'm not taking it any more!
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Post-Carbon Man is on the warpath again.
You'll find him everywhere. Don't get him started on
our rights and responsibilities! He has had enough and he isn't taking it any
more.
Learn what he has to
say by clicking right
here Make sure you have
enabled popups! |
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Escape from Suburbia
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"Escape from Suburbia - Beyond the American Dream" is a full
length feature running to 95 minutes. It is Directed by Gregory
Greene and is his sequel to "The End of Suburbia - Oil
Depletion and The Collapse of The American Dream". 2007's
"Escape...." picks up where the previous work left off. This is North
American-centric. In the U.S. the problem of Suburbia has
reached its ultimate absurdity but there is nothing here that
would not be familiar to the people of the industrialised
Nations of Europe or Asia. In our more crowded confines our
Suburban nightmare finds expression in the trips to the
out-of-town Supermarket. Maybe the difference for Europeans is
our population density. Whereas Americans look to retreat into
their wilderness there is nowhere for the average Britain to run
to. We have to make a stand. Greene's first movie was criticised
for not having enough women in it. With this follow-up he
redresses the balance because this movie is about what ordinary
people are doing rather than what the Oil Geologists say. It is
about practical examples and leadership. This move was an indie
success story, winning major festival awards and attracting major media
attention. Such a
movie can be used to raise awareness but it does run for too
long. It follows the stories of various communities and
activists in various locations in the U.S. Their story is one of
either running away or making a stand. Either way
they are getting ready for a low-energy world and relocalising.
The documentary is littered with expert talking heads with both
Matthew Simmons and Michael Ruppert given extensive opportunity
to express their opinions. However, if that doesn't impress you
then the other experts on hand is a who's who of shakers and
movers in the Peak Oil world. In fact everyone bar Colin
Campbell makes an appearance. The movie describes itself as a
'wake up call'. It challenges the paradigm of infinite growth
and shows the alternatives that citizens are pursuing.
 There
are countless thousands coming together to discuss Peak Oil and
to work to relocalise their communities to ensure their
survival. An inspirational work. Special mention must be made
for the section on the LA Community Farm that the local
authority had bulldozed to build a warehouse. They claim it was
needed for 'jobs'. Do jobs come before food? What a tragic waste.
What a setback. The delusion of never-ending growth will have
these occasional victories over sustainability but the ball is
rolling. Let it gain momentum. Show this movie to your friends,
family and community. Relocalise now. Get your copy from
www.powerswitch.org.uk/order.htm |
Crude Impact
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"It's worse than you think... but it's not too late." Without a
doubt the best Peak Oil documentary made to date. Both moving,
emotive and entertaining this 98 minute extravaganza hit the
screen during 2006. It won a string of awards at various Indy
film festivals and stands head and shoulders above the similarly
titled "A Crude Awakening". It gets off to a cracking
start although the opening comment by Matt Simmons could have
been better chosen. The production is so slick that it will
easily draw in even the most disinterested of viewers. Whilst many of the talking heads
appear in many of the Peak Oil movies, you see on this web site,
this movie is far more visually thrilling. The makers got out of
their Director's chairs and actually traveled the globe to
supply probably the most holistic view of the ill effects of
Oil upon the nations of the world. Unlike other Peak Oil movies
this one looks more closely at the effect upon the environment,
people and climate. The effect upon our
population is touched upon in quite a sensitive fashion. It is
well scripted and easily understood. We even get treated to an
amusing slot on the lack of coverage of these matters in the
U.S. Media. News has been replaced by "infotainment" after the
networks were deregulated. God help us if this happens anywhere
else. Americans don't get to see what is "really happening in
the World" as their airwaves are filled with trivia. Instead the
media are in bed with the corporations. The most touching piece is
the section on the protestors in Nigeria who fought the
Government and the Shell Oil Company only to have their leaders
tried in a kangaroo court and executed. The fight goes on in
their name. Here we see, not only the link between Oil and War but
also Oil and Poverty. Apart from a few western countries who
were in on the ground floor of the Industrial Revolution, all the
other latecomers have not benefited from Oil at all. It lead
to more poverty not less. We get to see the opinions of Richard
Heinberg, Michael Klare, Matt Simmons and Kenneth Deffeyes. This
is the best documentary you will see on the subject.
 You can get
your copy from either
www.peakoilstore.com
or
www.powerswitch.org.uk. Recommended. Learn more about this
movie at
www.crudeimpact.com. This is close as we have got so far to
Peak Oil's "An Inconvenient Truth". It ends on a really lame
song for the end credits which is really disappointing. Al Gore
got an Oscar winning song by Mellisa Etheridge that could just
move you to tears. A Peak Oil Movie should and must move its
audience to tears. We just haven't seen that quite yet. |
IF... The Oil Runs Out
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This DVD is exclusive to
www.oildecline.com/store.htm and has all the hallmarks of
being a pirate copy. Clearly it is one episode from the 2006 BBC
Enterprises Production. The lack of any printed packaging, menu
structure, end credits or onscreen license/copyright data
clearly shows this has been copied from somebody's private video
collection. The people at "Oildecline" are welcome to challenge
this perception but they haven't done themselves any favours. I
am sure the BBC Lawyers would have a field day if this is not
properly licensed. Not that it MATTERS but it does leave Carbon
Cutters in an awkward situation regarding public screenings.
This will need clarifying. Putting all of these mundane matters
to one side what do you get for your money? Anyone familiar with
the 2005/2006 UK BBC Television Series will know the format of
this. Each show presented a possible future scenario concerning
the British perspective to a variety of topics such as the
Pensions Crisis or Energy Security. Rather than a simple
documentary, with talking heads, the points made are actually
dramatised through a central story with actors performing the
lives of ordinary people caught up in unfolding events. This
sounds dreadful but is surprisingly effective. Especially this
show. The story focuses on a husband & wife in the UK of 2016.
She is an Oil Geologist and he appears to be working on wave
power (although his work is never specifically mentioned). She
flies off to Alaska, to drill for oil, and drops in on her
parents in Minneapolis. It is the US-side of the tale that
dominates. Her father is a truck driver about to lose his job.
It shows their struggle to fill up their shopping trolley and
SUV. Gas Station violence ensues. Clearly illustrated is the
breakdown in society that occurs when people have to do without.
Every expected outcome is dramatised in some way that effects
the central characters. In the background spoof TV News Reports
and Radio shows provide supporting information and 'feel' for
the wider world events behind the individual's perspective.
 For
good measure we get to see plenty of real expert opinion
including Matthew Simmons (he gets everywhere!). It is
interesting to note that the entire program is shot on location
in the UK with the BBC making a credible job of dressing up
parts of Britain as the USA & Alaska. It doesn't quite work but
they get points for trying. This program is thoroughly
recommended and runs for an hour. The drama is entertaining and
poignant. It brings the message home. These are real ordinary
people caught up in something we can only imagine today. We
connect with, and empathise for, them in a way that no other
documentary can achieve. Required viewing for people NOT
interested in Peak Oil. It will terrify them. |
Oil, Smoke & Mirrors
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"There is no War on Terror". This documentary really grows on
you. It is not aimed at a mainstream audience because it is
primarily concerned with the link between Peak Oil and the War
on Terror. Although practically everyone makes this link this
movie goes right for the jugular on 9/11. It launches this as a
surprise half way through the documentary. We get a good
assortment of talking heads - everyone from Colin Campbell and
Richard Heinberg to Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed (author of the
wonderful "War on Truth") and Michael Meacher MP. The first half
hour is a decent representation of the problem of Peak Oil but
then we hit the 9/11 Conspiracy Theory section. This is so
highly controversial that even the program makers print a
disclaimer saying that not everyone participating in the movie
would agree with each other on the matter. The makers have taken
a big risk with this approach and they do carry it off
remarkably well. (And they all do it without one mention of
Michael Ruppert. Very clever.) It is all glued together with a
wonderful red firework graphic motif that illustrates the curve
of Peak Oil and a suitable piece of hypnotic music. It is slick
and convincing. The 9/11 Conspiracy section could have sunk this
documentary. Indeed, many will still find this unpalatable.
However, the talking heads carry this off with such tremendous
authority that you just have to pay attention. It is so
matter-of-fact it opens your eyes. It still stretched
credibility as to why it would be necessary to actually demolish
and implode the twin towers with thermite explosive. This is all
so unnecessarily complex. However, to fly four hijacked
airliners around the skies of the most heavily defended airspace
in the world for an hour without interception is till a
mind-boggling fact that defies all explanation. Was it all setup
to provide a convenient excuse to take over the world's last
remaining Oil fields? We'll probably never know. However, the
fact is that it was all too convenient. This can be coupled to
the fact that there is plenty of historical precedence for
democratic Governments conjuring up terrorist outrages in order
to exercise undemocratic control of domestic population and to
pursue aggressive foreign policy. You need only look at the
burning of the Reichstag. As long as the powers-that-be can
maintain public incredulity that such a crime could be committed
against them then no further cover-up is required. It is a
surprise in this movie to see how passionate Richard Heinberg is
about this topic. It is not the sort of thing that you would
associate him with as he is the great Peak Oil guru and not seen
as a political animal prone to flights of fancy. This can only
be evidence of just how many 'peak oilers' are viewing world
events differently now. Has 9/11 Conspiracies gone mainstream?
It remains a dirty word to many. Many will close their eyes and
minds to the very concept. Whatever the truth you don't have to
believe a word of it to
 look
at the world differently from now on. In ten years, when Oil
and Food Prices are spiraling, unemployment is at 15% and your
country's Army is sending its dead back at midnight by the
plane-load, you will be seeing Peak Oil. Of course the Media and
Politicians will blame terrorists or lack of investment or
anything else-but-peak-oil. You will know the truth. When the
history books are written they will label the period 'peak oil'
in retrospect. To learn more about this movie and order your
copy go to
www.oilsmokeandmirrors.com. Recommended. |
Energy Crossroads
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The subtitle of this documentary revels in the pun "A Burning
Need to Change Course". It is not unlike "The End of Suburbia"
but this work, as the name suggests, is more interested in where
North American Energy Supplies will come from in the next 100
years. They line up talking heads from various fields of
expertise which includes alternative energy, energy
conservation, hydrogen energy, wind power, recycling and so on.
We get to see what is possible with a well designed passive
solar house. Every now and again Climate Change is dropped into
the conversation for good measure but it is clear that this is
not the major driving force behind this movie. The result is not
overly fascinating or engrossing. It all reminds you of the sort
of worthy documentaries we were made to watch at school when the
teachers couldn't be bothered to do a proper lesson. At least it
isn't as scary as some of the apocalyptic works you can see on
these pages. It has a more upbeat and positive mood whilst being
realistic about the impact of energy poverty upon North America.
Educational but dull. If you have a crowd of sympathisers who
want a decent hour's primer on alternative energy options then
this is the DVD for you. It comes packaged with extra sections
on Cuba and a "Green Home" whatever that is. There is also a
very dated (and seemingly ironic) US Energy educational Film
called "Energy: Critical Choices Ahead" which was made in 1974
right after the first
 Oil
shock in 1973. Clearly nothing was learnt and nothing was done.
As much a testimony to the never-ending foolishness of our
American Cousins. Like so many of these US-centric Movies you
get the clear impression that, since America wastes so much of
its energy, then they have so many 'easy-wins' in the
conservation area. There is no clear lesson for Europe or Japan
who are often held up as a glowing examples of low-energy usage
in comparison to the US. Wouldn't it be great to see work like
this filmed for Europe? You can learn more at the maker's web
site at
www.energyxroads.com where you can order your copy. |
The Day After Tomorrow
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The Day After Tomorrow is a disaster movie. You are probably
familiar with it. The plot revolves around the catastrophe of
sudden climate shift. Of course it is science fiction. The
events it depicts are plausible in periods down to about 14
years but not possible in 14 days as depicted in this movie. But
hell! It is Hollywood and we love this movie. It is extremely
well made by the guys who bought you "Independence Day" and most
of the science is plausible. It is widely accepted now that the
north Atlantic Conveyor is unlikely to collapse and has only done
so under extraordinary circumstances in the past. That doesn't
stop Al Gore from discussing it as a realistic possibility in
"An Inconvenient Truth". The plot concerns a Climate Scientist
who warns that sudden shifts in the Earth's climate is possible.
To his surprise it actually happens as a superstorm develops
over the north of the planet burying everything
in snow. His son is trapped in New York so he goes on a rescue
mission to save him. It has a top notch cast and the
performances of solid. Dennis Quaid is just great in this as is
Ian Holm. The music score is mesmerising and the special effects
just stunning. You will never bore of this film. We haven't.
They do soft-pedal on the matter of Climate Change Denial a
little but they tackle head-on the hawkish elements of the US
Government who put their economy first. If you listen to the
audio-commentary you will realise that the Director Roland
Emmerich featured two plot lines that he later removed
concerning America threatening to invade Mexico by military
force and the arrogance/criminality of American Businessmen
(read Oil men). He obviously got cold feet on that. A US audience
probably wouldn't have found that entertaining but we would love
to see a 'Director's Cut' of this movie one day. Wrap up warm
when you watch this movie. |
An Inconvenient Truth
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Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth". What can you say about
this movie that hasn't already been said? If you are reading
this then you have probably seen it a hundred times and know
the story by know. Al Gore ran for President again George
Bush Jnr and lost (or rather had the election stolen by
neo-con elements of the Supreme Court). Even today (2007)
many in America call for him to stand again and they will
vote for him. In a world lacking any leadership on Climate
Change here is one man who offers hope. The fact that he
refuses to stand speaks volumes about his probable belief
that no change will ever come from the Whitehouse. Instead
he takes his message to the people. It is people who will
make the difference. Not politicians. He is probably the
greatest President they never had. A hero. The fact that he
exists, made this movie, won an Oscar and a Nobel Peace
Prize is sure to make his profile so high in the USA that
Climate Change is on the agenda for good. That is his
contribution. US Politics can no longer ignore this
inconvenient truth. Did he make a difference? Watch the
new independent Movie "Everything's Cool" to find out. This
is coming out in 2007/2008. |
The Corporation
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Many reading this page may have never heard of this movie.
Many will find its anti-corporate message a bit too
left-wing to be acceptable or interesting. However,
there is much material here that is relevant. Whilst it
doesn't exactly tackle Peak Oil there are many participants
who talk about depletion of resources by Global (read
American) Corporations who operate in the manner of a
psychopath. For this we often read 'immoral' but that would
be a mistake. A psychopath is 'amoral' he, she or it has no
morals. A Corporation is a machine to make money and it will
do it in any fashion it sees fit. As such there is nothing
surprising with this. The damage is done in a system (such
as the US) where 'Corporate Capitalism' (or worse 'Corporate
Democracy') is in place. Where the decisions that effect our
lives and those of our children are not made by us in open
debate but are made by Corporations behind closed doors and
then acted upon by Governments. This movie calls for the
reining-in of Corporate Power. This is highly pertinent if
we look at how ExxonMobil has funded Climate Change Denial
programs in the US. However, most Business is small-business
run by good people for the benefit of their workers and
communities. So don't get too caught up in anti-business
fervour! |
Peak Oil - Imposed by Nature
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This 28 minute documentary is by Norwegian Producer/Director
Amund Prestegard. For your money you get a bunch of talking
heads as Amund stitches together a series of interviews with
the likes of Geologist and ASPO Chief, Colin Campbell, and
well known author and Energy Consultant, Matthew Simmons -
who wrote "Twilight
in the Desert". For good measure we get a thankfully
short slot for Michael C Ruppert, to peddle his usual slant
on conspiracy theories, before an even shorter slot for a
canned George Bush speech. The other talking heads are
authoritative but largely unknown. The camera-work is mostly
fly-on-the-wall-documentary-style as Amund appears to have
no camera tripod. There are no funky graphics and no
comforting voice-over to string it all together. It all
looks like a cheap Corporate Marketing video. We get to see
Colin Campbell present his case in a Speaker's Committee at
the House of Lords. Nobody in the Government turned up.
Colin dominates the half hour. At times his story is quite
touching as he introduces the sad
 tale
of the extinction of a mollusc by way as analogy for the
position of mankind. At the end we see him shuffling into
his home with some logs to add them to his wood-burning
stove. He takes the end-of-oil seriously. This work is
educational, accurate, brief and unexciting. It won't score
high on the entertainment stakes so will not prick the
public consciousness to any significant extent. We still
await Peak Oil's "An Inconvenient Truth". DVD
Available from
www.troposdoc.com/006.htm |
What A Way To Go
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An enormous 123 minute movie that is more art than science.
It is so unnecessarily long that it comes with an opening
statement that suggests the audience let the experience just
wash over them at the first watch. Quite why there are so
few good movies about Climate Change and Peak Oil when so
much money has been spent on this project in unfathomable.
Despite the high production values and the slick packaging
this comes over as a film-school project for one of their
more pretentious doom-merchants. It is the kind of thing you
will sit through once and then never watch again. The maker
admits that he interviewed some of his friends and
neighbours to make this. At the same time he has conjured up
a broad spectrum of the authors of all the books he has
read. Of note is the inclusion of the Richard Heinberg.
However, as Richard appears in practically every Peak
Oil-related film on this web site then this is nothing new.
Practically nobody else appearing here is of note outside of
the small circle they inhabit. There is not much here about
Peak Oil or Climate Change. Instead you get a doom-laden two
hour recitation of poetry ("a personal essay") interspersed
with occasional talking heads who wax lyrical about the
reasons
 WHY
mankind has drifted into this state of affairs. It seems we
all went wrong when we stopped being hunter-gatherers and
started agriculture. Really helpful insight (not). This
won't help you at all. It is occasionally thought-provoking
but seldom does it warrant the praise that the cover sleeve
quotes suggest it received. It will leave most audiences
cold - and that is if they stayed awake or didn't walk out
in the first ten minutes. The LAST movie you would ever show
the uninitiated. Not recommended. Learn more at
www.whatawaytogomovie.com. |
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