CSA - The Confederate States Of America details
| Format: | 12 DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Shaun Toub, Ryan L., Ryan L. Carroll, Charles Frank, Sean Blake, Rupert Pate, Rhonda Stubbins-White, Gloria Stuart, Jeris Poindexter |
| Director: | Ken Willmott |
| Genres: | Documentary - Entertainment, General, Drama - Comedy |
| Studio: | PALISADES TARTAN |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
CSA - The Confederate States Of America |
12 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 29 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 13 Nov 2006 |
| Main languages: | English |
| Subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
compulsory viewing
By aneurin (19 reviews) from Oxford , 25 Apr 2007[Highly rated reviewer]
Throughout, the satire is incredibly close to the bone, and all the better for it. It should alarm anyone that all the archive footage this fictional documentary uses is in fact real, including scenes of black slaves penned with cattle and vicious police brutality meted out to black rioters. That this alternative history seems so alien and yet is so recognisable eloquently makes the film’s many points about contemporary America.
The makers are clearly aware of how the documentary genre can disable our critical faculties, with experts wheeled out to make prosaic statements sound grave and important, irrespective of how ludicrous they are. This is certainly an important corrective to the Michael Moore School of documentary-making where truth becomes malleable and subject to some fairly wacky political views.
For the first time ever, I actually sat through the whole DVD commentary in which the director explains a lot of the history behind his alternative version and his reasons for shaping his counter-factual as he did. This constitutes almost a film in itself, and is well worth a look.
In all, a highly intelligent and often darkly amusing take on American society, politics and history. Seeing one interviewee after another blithely accept slavery and show off-hand disregard for the idea of abolition should make us think carefully about the ideas that are our own golden calves.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(48)could have been better
By bikerdominator (15 reviews) from london , 30 Sep 2011The idea is really a good one for an 'if what' histrory case.
Unfortunately the outcome is very slow,with a lot of still images poor links from potential scenario to next developement,mainly about the potential 20Th century 'possible' politics of CSA.
On what base should CSA had to ally with the Third Reich?- Was this review helpful to you?
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A competent and mildly amusing mockumentary
By Jammy74 (67 reviews) from Felixstowe, UK , 27 Jun 2011As 'mockumentaries' go, CSA is put together very well. It even has fake commercials. It's a decent idea and tries hard to shock at just how the US (and the world in general) would be a very different place if the American Civil War had turned out differently.
It's also quite funny, although I suspect not as funny as it thinks it is. The film made me chuckle, but at times it perhaps tries a little too hard to shock.
CSA won't change your life and it's trying to entertain more than educate. At this it mostly succeeds, so give it a watch if you fancy something that will make you think just a little bit.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Death is funnier
By whohasnicknamesthesedays (1 review) , 17 Jun 2011Didn't even crack a smile, this was awful. Watching a family member die would be funnier or receiving a massive shotgun blast to the face- Was this review helpful to you?
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See essay
By Emjay69 (327 reviews) from Kidlington, Oxford , 28 Apr 2011Very disappointing but at least the description was honest. It said funny which I assumed meant humorous. But of course, funny could mean peculiar, queer or odd.
Nope, this 'ere film aint fer me!- Was this review helpful to you?
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know your history
By zedcopter (18 reviews) from lincoln , 13 Feb 2011if you dont know your american history you are going to struggle with this film. This is a nasty , biting satire aimed at adults. It is not funny or any where near accessible to to a general punter. it is shocking- Was this review helpful to you?
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