Response for 11-16

1. State the Haaretz argument against the politics of the film in your own words. How does Gideon Levy support his argument with details from the film? What else does he use to support his argument, outside of the film?

Levy argues what is portrayed in Bashir is all false and made up propaganda. He talks of the soldiers singing in the film about how Lebanon is beautiful and then they destroy the country, killing men, women, and children. The protagonist filmmaker visits a psychologist and they relate his interest in the Palestinian camps to the concentration camps his parents were in during WWII, forcing him to realize he acted like the Nazis.

2. State the Commentary argument against the politics of the film in your own words. How does Hillel Halkin support his argument with details from the film? What else does he use to support his argument, outside of the film?

Hillel argues the background story, or context, of Bashir is not properly explained. The other battles and massacres before the events in Bashir are not even mentioned. Also nothing is said of Bashir’s assassination or of the PLO.

3. Respond to Levy's or Hillel's critique of the politics of the film. Support your argument with details from the film, as well as with details as you understand them about the conflict and the region.

In my opinion, any film with a political message is propaganda. In response to Levy’s argument, I do feel using art, especially comic-like drawing and violence, is a strong form of propaganda. It can be used to relate a subject to an audience and it’s easier for the audience to accept than the harsh reality of documentary footage or journalistic photos alone. It gives a buffer to get the message across without being too aggressive. Most of Bashir looks as though it came from a comic book, which detaches us from the reality of the situation; however at the end we are brought into the harsh reality of the event with the images of documentary footage of the aftermath. This punch line at the conclusion of the film strikes the message home that this really happened, these horrible things actually happened and Israel let it take place.