The Navy and Marine Corps have produced an upbeat six-minute film about the role of sailors and Marines in toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein, and if the project proceeds as planned, it will be shown in U.S. movie theaters before feature films, possibly by the end of the year.
"This isn’t a recruiting message. It’s a way for the American public to get to know the young Marines and sailors who are out there every day defending their country," said Marine Maj. John Arsenault, the project director.
The military refers to the project as the Movietone News Project, a reference to the World War II-era newsreels it is meant to resemble. The film itself is called "Iraqi Freedom: Chapter 2."
The combat scenes were shot with high-definition cameras by 18 Navy and Marine Corps cameramen during the push by U.S. forces toward Baghdad and Tikrit. With quick cuts and dramatic music, Marines are seen in firefights and being greeted by grateful Iraqi children.
No mention is made of weapons of mass destruction. Neither are there any shots of President Bush’s comment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1 that "major combat operations" in Iraq were over, a pronouncement now being criticized as premature by Bush’s critics.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
