Songs of War: Music as a Weapon (2010)
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon (2010)
Music is a Weapon
Music elates, touches the soul and bypasses reason. Music is magic. But precisely this magic can turn it into an insidious weapon for music and violence belong together. The brutal power of African war dances, the ferocity of Maori Hakas, the earth-shattering roar of US sound guns blasting Metallica at Taliban hideouts the principle is always the same: Aggressive sounds demoralise the enemy and whip the allies into a frenzy. In Songs of War, director Tristan Chytroschek explores the extraordinary harmony between music and violence. Sesame Street composer, Christopher Cerf, always wanted his music to be fun and entertaining. But then he learned that his songs had been used to torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. He is stunned by this abuse of his work and wants to find out how this could happen.

User rating:


Cast

Christopher Cerf Christopher Cerf As: Presenter
Thomas Keenan Thomas Keenan As: Human Rights Project, Bard College, New York
Chris Arendt Chris Arendt As: Former Guard, Guantanamo Bay
Herb Friedman Herb Friedman As: Psychological Operations Expert, US Army
Mike Ritz Mike Ritz As: Former Interrogator, US Army
See More

Storyline

Music elates, touches the soul and bypasses reason. Music is magic. But precisely this magic can turn it into an insidious weapon for music and violence belong together. The brutal power of African war dances, the ferocity of Maori Hakas, the earth-shattering roar of US sound guns blasting Metallica at Taliban hideouts the principle is always the same: Aggressive sounds demoralise the enemy and whip the allies into a frenzy. In Songs of War, director Tristan Chytroschek explores the extraordinary harmony between music and violence. Sesame Street composer, Christopher Cerf, always wanted his music to be fun and entertaining. But then he learned that his songs had been used to torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. He is stunned by this abuse of his work and wants to find out how this could happen.


Tagline: Music is a Weapon
Certification: Unknown

Details

Genres: Documentary

Language: English

Release Date: 25 February 2010

Country: DE

Runtime: 52m

Company Credits

Company: A&O Buero, ZDF, ARTE

External Links

Cast

Christopher Cerf

Christopher Cerf

Presenter

Thomas Keenan

Thomas Keenan

Human Rights Project, Bard College, New York

Chris Arendt

Chris Arendt

Former Guard, Guantanamo Bay

Herb Friedman

Herb Friedman

Psychological Operations Expert, US Army

Mike Ritz

Mike Ritz

Former Interrogator, US Army

Nathalie Gosselin

Nathalie Gosselin

Music Psychologist, Université de Montréal

Moazzam Begg

Moazzam Begg

Former Detainee, Guantanamo Bay And Bagram

Morag Josephine Grant

Morag Josephine Grant

Musicologist, University Of Göttingen

Mike Luce

Mike Luce

Drowning Pool

C.J. Pierce

C.J. Pierce

Drowning Pool

Vahan Simidian II

Vahan Simidian II

CEO, HPV Technologies

Directed By

Writing Credits

Not currently known.

Production Crew

Not currently known.

Edited By

Costume and Makeup

Not currently known.

Sound

Ole Förster

Ole Förster

Sound Engineer

George Parashakis

George Parashakis

Sound Engineer

Max Kielhauser

Max Kielhauser

Sound Engineer

Alexander Joksimovic

Alexander Joksimovic

Sound Engineer

Visual Effects

Not currently known.

Camera

Knut Sodemann

Knut Sodemann

Camera Operator

Christian Eichenauer

Christian Eichenauer

Camera Operator

Igor Martinović

Igor Martinović

Camera Operator

Bernhard Wagner

Bernhard Wagner

Camera Operator

Lighting

Not currently known.

Art Department

Michael Bamber

Michael Bamber

Art Direction

Other Crew

Susanne Mertens

Susanne Mertens

Commissioning Editor

Reviews & Recommendations


Video Gallery

Coming Soon...

Photo Gallery

Coming Soon...

If you like Songs of War: Music as a Weapon, check these movies out...