Heroes: The Films of John Pilger 1970 - 2007

Synopsis

"HEROES..." is the first, definitive collection of ground-breaking documentaries from John Pilger’s career as a world renowned film-maker, author and investigative journalist. The title, Heroes, is taken from one of his films and his seminal book (1986), which celebrates the struggles and heroism of ordinary people all over the world. Beginning as a journalist in his native Australia before moving to London, John Pilger is the recipient of multiple awards, including Britain’s highest award for journalism, twice, and television academy awards in both the UK and the United States. He has been a foreign correspondent and frontline war reporter, and is a regular contributor to international media, including the ITV Network, the Guardian and the New Statesman. An incisive and rare critic of Western economic and military power, Pilger’s humane eyewitness reporting has been described as a unique presence on British television that explores where others dare not go.

This 16-disc set brings together almost four decades of landmark journalism, including, for the first time, The Outsiders, Pilger’s Channel 4 series of interviews, along with the award-winning cinema film The War on Democracy and an updated edition of Anthony Hayward’s filmography of Pilger’s work.

Special Features:
The War on Democracy - John Pilger’s latest film, made especially for cinema, inverts the propaganda of the "war on terror" and reveals that Washington is actually waging a war on democracy around the world, with Latin America as both the historical model and the inspirational source of democratic resistance.
All nine films of The Outsiders, including rare interviews with Martha Gellhorn, Wilfred Burchett, Jessica Mitford and Costa Gavras.
Breaking the Silence: the television reporting of John Pilger - a specially updated edition of Anthony Hayward’s book on John Pilger’s body of work.
Introductory booklet on John Pilger’s films written by the historian Mark Curtis.
John Pilger in conversation with Anthony Hayward at the Guardian Hay Literary Festival 2006.


Disc One:
YEAR ZERO - THE SILENT DEATH OF CAMBODIA (1979)
The shocking state of Cambodia after Pol Pot’s murderous regime.
NICARAGUA - A NATION’S RIGHT TO SURVIVE (1983)
How can a country survive when its jungle borders hold 4000 hostile troops?
BURP! PEPSI V COKE IN THE ICE COLD WAR (1982)
A look at the worldwide struggle for soft drink supremacy.
FLYING THE FLAG - ARMING THE WORLD (1995)
An investigation of the world of international arms dealing.

Disc Two:
VIETNAM - THE QUIET MUTINY (1970)
The incredible account of the break-up of the US military in Vietnam.
DEATH OF A NATION - THE TIMOR CONSPIRACY (1994)
An exploration of the situation in East Timor - a country ruled by bloodshed and fear.
INSIDE BURMA - LAND OF FEAR (1996)
An undercover investigation of slave labour in Burma.
WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA (1999)
An examination of the exclusion of Australia’s Aborigines.

Disc Three:
PAYING THE PRICE: KILLING THE CHILDREN OF IRAQ (2000)
An analysis of the effect of economic sanctions on Iraq.
PALESTINE IS STILL THE ISSUE (2002)
An assessment of the problems endemic to the West Bank and Gaza.
BREAKING THE SILENCE: TRUTH AND LIES IN THE WAR ON TERROR (2003)
An inquiry into the "war on terror" and its affects on ‘liberated’ countries.

Disc Four:
STEALING A NATION (2004)
The scandalous story of the expulsion of the Chagos Islanders.
JOHN PILGER AT THE GUARDIAN HAY FESTIVAL 2006

Disc Five
THE MEXICANS: John Pilger reports on political repression in Mexico.
STREET OF JOY: How can product marketing methods be applied to politics?
PYRAMID LAKE IS DYING: An investigation into the lamentable state of a Paiute reservation in the Nevada desert.

Disc Six
A FARAWAY COUNTRY: An examination of the Czech Underground known as the Charter 77 Movement.
DO YOU REMEMBER VIETNAM? Three years after the fall of Saigon, Pilger returns to examine the new regime.
VIETNAM: THE LAST BATTLE Nearly twenty years after the Vietnam War, Pilger returns to review those two decades.


Disc Seven
THE TRUTH GAME The worldwide propaganda surrounding the nuclear arms race is scrutinised.
JAPAN BEHIND THE MASK A look at Japanese society and its emergent nationalism.
APARTHEID DID NOT DIE An analysis of South Africa’s new, democratic regime.

Disc Eight
THE LAST DREAM: HEROES UNSUNG An examination of the land stolen from aborigines by British settlers.
THE LAST DREAM: SECRETS An investigation of the massive racial inequalities in Australian society.
THE LAST DREAM: OTHER PEOPLE’S WARS A look at the complicated relationship that Australians have with war.

Disc Nine
WORLD IN ACTION: Conversations with a Working Man
DISMANTLING A DREAM: Spending cuts highlight the shameful neglect of the NHS.
AN UNFASHIONABLE TRAGEDY: The plight of the Bangladeshi during the horrors of the famine.
A NOD AND A WINK: The use of Conspiracy laws in British justice.
SMASHING KIDS, 1975: Hunger and malnutrition - directly caused by the welfare state.
THALIDOMIDE: THE NINETY-EIGHT WE FORGOT: Why are 98 of the affected families not allowed compensation?

Disc Ten
VIETNAM: STILL AMERICA’S WAR: Investigating the aftermath in Vietnam following the ceasefire.
MR. NIXON’S SECRET LEGACY: COUNTERFORCE: the prosecution of a flexible, acceptable nuclear war.
THE SECRET COUNTRY - THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS FIGHT BACK: The shameful history of persecution of the Aborigines in Australia.
ZAP!! - THE WEAPON IS FOOD: An investigation of the US policy that makes food more powerful than oil.

Disc 11
NOBODY’S CHILDREN: The plight of mentally handicapped children held in appalling circumstances.
THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICIAN IN AMERICA: A revealing portrayal of bigoted Alabama governor George Wallace.
ONE BRITISH FAMILY: Viewing the racial minefield of British society through the eyes of a black family.
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT: Highlighting the issue of innocent people confined to prisons on remand.
HEROES: The shabby treatment of returning combat soldiers from Vietnam is investigated.

Disc Twelve
THE OUTSIDERS: Interviews with Sean MacBride, Helen Suzman, Martha Gellhorn, Jessica Mitford, Wilfred Burchett, David Williamson, Salman Rushdie, Costa-Gavras and Patsy Spyby

Disc Thirteen
TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US: Reaction to a Vietnamese refugee camp constructed outside an American town.
PILGER IN AUSTRALIA: A candid look at the highs and lows of Australian society.
THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH IN WARTIME: A look at the changing face of war reporting.
THE TIMOR CONSPIRACY: The betrayal of the east Timorese by the international community.

Disc Fourteen
AN UNJUSTIFIABLE RISK: An investigation of the risks and rewards of plutonium usage.
CAMBODIA: YEAR ONE: The effect of aid to Cambodia and the extent of the country’s new-found stability.
CAMBODIA: YEAR TEN: An examination of how the unprotected and revitalised the Khmer rouge.
CAMBODIA: YEAR TEN UPDATE: The British government and U.N. react to the outcry over the situation in Cambodia.

Disc Fifteen:
WAR BY OTHER MEANS; An investigation of the crippling levels of debt paid by third world countries.
CAMBODIA: THE BETRAYAL: The plight of a people who have struggled to rebuild their stricken country.
CAMBODIA: RETURN TO YEAR ZERO: John Pilger shows how the Khmer rouge has grown stronger due to the U.N.
THE NEW RULERS OF THE WORLD: Is global power actually in the hands of large multi-national corporations?

Disc Sixteen
THE WAR ON DEMOCRACY

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2008

Year of production

1970-2007

Subjects

History; Media studies; Politics & government

Keywords

Australia; Cambodia; journalism; television documentary films

Credits

Writer

John Pilger

Contributor

John Pilger

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£30.00

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

2538 minutes

Year

2014

Production Company

Name

Granada

Distributor

Name

Network

Email

shop@networkonair.com

Web

http://networkonair.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

01992 657707

Address

19-20 Blythe Road
Berghem Mews
Hammersmith
London
W14 0HN

Notes

Founded in 1997, Network specialises in distributing niche television programmes, predominantly licensed from Granada Ventures and Fremantle. They have recently branched into feature film distribution. Sale via retail outlets or direct via Network’s website, which has some’web exclusive’ offers.

 

Available from retail outlets