DOD | Il fait toujours beau quelque part.

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Phil Strub

ClandesTime 186 – NCIS

NCIS is a wildly successful TV drama, one of the most popular series of the last 20 years. This week...

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-186-ncis/

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Copaganda

As Top Gun: Maverick Trailer Drops, Tom Cruise Lies About Why the Sequel Took So Long

Tom Cruise dropped into San Diego Comic-Con this week to premiere the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick, which is nothing short of a fan service nostalgia reel and some cheesy dialogue about how Maverick is still - you've guessed it - a Maverick. All indications are that it will be a soft reboot of the homoerotic military recruitment ad original, but more importantly,

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https://www.spyculture.com/as-top-gun-maverick-trailer-drops-tom-cruise-lies-about-why-the-sequel-took-so-long/

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As Top Gun: Maverick Trailer Drops, Tom Cruise Lies About Why the Sequel Took So Long

Tom Cruise dropped into San Diego Comic-Con this week to premiere the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick, which is nothing...

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https://www.spyculture.com/as-top-gun-maverick-trailer-drops-tom-cruise-lies-about-why-the-sequel-took-so-long/

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‘We Should be Concerned Where and How DOD Policy and Criticism of DOD Might be’ – Pentagon File on Heartbreak Ridge

The Pentagon’s Film Office file on Heartbreak Ridge is one of the more lengthy and interesting sets of documents. It tells the story of how the film was rejected by the Army but was supported by the Marine Corps, before being disowned by the DOD after they previewed a rought cut of the movie. One […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/we-should-be-concerned-where-and-how-dod-policy-and-criticism-of-dod-might-be-pentagon-file-on-heartbreak-ridge/

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‘We Should be Concerned Where and How DOD Policy and Criticism of DOD Might be’ – Pentagon File on Heartbreak Ridge

The Pentagon’s Film Office file on Heartbreak Ridge is one of the more lengthy and interesting sets of documents. It...

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https://www.spyculture.com/we-should-be-concerned-where-and-how-dod-policy-and-criticism-of-dod-might-be-pentagon-file-on-heartbreak-ridge/

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Don Baruch

‘We are Anxious to tell this Story that Showcases the Army in such a Positive Way’

The in-development film Raven Four-Two tells the story of a battle in 2005 between insurgents and a Kentucky Army National Guard Military Police Unit, during the war in Iraq. Documents released by the US Army reveal that the film is being produced by two former Army Public Affairs officers, and is explicitly designed to help with military recruitment and the Pentagon's PR mission.&nbs

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https://www.spyculture.com/we-are-anxious-to-tell-this-story-that-showcases-the-army-in-such-a-positive-way/

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‘We are Anxious to tell this Story that Showcases the Army in such a Positive Way’

The in-development film Raven Four-Two tells the story of a battle in 2005 between insurgents and a Kentucky Army National...

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https://www.spyculture.com/we-are-anxious-to-tell-this-story-that-showcases-the-army-in-such-a-positive-way/

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‘Weave in Key Talking Points’ – Pentagon Contract for Top Gun: Maverick

The Pentagon recently released the Production Assistance Agreement they signed with the producers of Top Gun: Maverick. It details the vast scale of support provided to the film, including turning over command authority to Jerry Bruckheimer, and notes that Navy officials would 'weave in key talking points' after reviewing the script.

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https://www.spyculture.com/weave-in-key-talking-points-pentagon-contract-for-top-gun-maverick/

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foia

‘Weave in Key Talking Points’ – Pentagon Contract for Top Gun: Maverick

The Pentagon recently released the Production Assistance Agreement they signed with the producers of Top Gun: Maverick. It details the...

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https://www.spyculture.com/weave-in-key-talking-points-pentagon-contract-for-top-gun-maverick/

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foia

‘Awards Shows + Mental Health/PTSD Issues + DOD Endorsement Scares Me’ – The Pentagon and the PRISM Awards

The PRISM Awards are an entertainment industry ceremony that gives out gongs for accurate depictions of substance abuse and mental health problems in films and TV shows. In 2012 the Pentagon were asked to attend and participate in the awards, which caused quite a stir within the entertainment liaison offices.

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https://www.spyculture.com/awards-shows-mental-health-ptsd-issues-dod-endorsement-scares-me-the-pentagon-and-the-prism-awards/

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Psychology

‘Awards Shows + Mental Health/PTSD Issues + DOD Endorsement Scares Me’ – The Pentagon and the PRISM Awards

The PRISM Awards are an entertainment industry ceremony that gives out gongs for accurate depictions of substance abuse and mental...

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https://www.spyculture.com/awards-shows-mental-health-ptsd-issues-dod-endorsement-scares-me-the-pentagon-and-the-prism-awards/

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Psychology

ClandesTime 183 – Fields of Fire

Fields of Fire is one of the greatest movies that was never made. A brutal but sympathetic portrait of the Vietnam War, it was denied military support despite being written by a former Secretary of the Navy. This week I examine the story of Fields of Fire using a file from the DOD’s entertainment liaison office.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-183-fields-of-fire/

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ClandesTime 183 – Fields of Fire

Fields of Fire is one of the greatest movies that was never made. A brutal but sympathetic portrait of the...

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-183-fields-of-fire/

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‘Fuck John Wayne’ – Why the DOD Prevented the movie Fields of Fire from Being Made

When James Webb approached the Pentagon to ask for assistance making his Vietnam war drama Fields of Fire he had every right to expect their support. A former Marine and short-term Secretary of the Navy he was a military veteran who had written his novel based on his own real-life experiences of Vietnam. It therefore should have met the DOD's demands for a 'reasonably realis

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https://www.spyculture.com/fuck-john-wayne-why-the-dod-prevented-the-movie-fields-of-fire-from-being-made/

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‘Fuck John Wayne’ – Why the DOD Prevented the movie Fields of Fire from Being Made

When James Webb approached the Pentagon to ask for assistance making his Vietnam war drama Fields of Fire he had...

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https://www.spyculture.com/fuck-john-wayne-why-the-dod-prevented-the-movie-fields-of-fire-from-being-made/

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Spy Culture Certified by American Journal of Economics and Sociology

Today I received an email that I thought I would share with you, from the publishers of the American Journal of Economics and Sociology. It said that the two articles I penned for the journal were among the top 20 most-downloaded articles in the year following publication, and even offered me a certificate in recognition for my work.

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https://www.spyculture.com/spy-culture-certified-by-american-journal-of-economics-and-sociology/

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Spy Culture Certified by American Journal of Economics and Sociology

Today I received an email that I thought I would share with you, from the publishers of the American Journal...

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https://www.spyculture.com/spy-culture-certified-by-american-journal-of-economics-and-sociology/

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How the DOD’s Entertainment Liaison Office Protects the Entire US Government

The DOD's directive on working with Hollywood says that they can provide production assistance if it is deemed 'in the best interest of the Nation', but as with all their criteria for deciding whether to give support the Pentagon interpret this very broadly. They use the considerable influence that DOD support (or a refusal) entails in order to protect the cinemat

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-dods-entertainment-liaison-office-protects-the-entire-us-government/

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How the DOD’s Entertainment Liaison Office Protects the Entire US Government

The DOD’s directive on working with Hollywood says that they can provide production assistance if it is deemed ‘in the...

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-dods-entertainment-liaison-office-protects-the-entire-us-government/

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Black Hawk Down, the LA Riots and Clear and Present Danger

When the producers of Clear and Present Danger approached the Pentagon to ask for military support they probably weren't expecting 6 months of script negotiations to get their film into a shape deemed acceptable by the entertainment liaison offices. Documents from the DOD show how their concerns ranged from the depiction of the Colombian government to comparisons to the military's

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https://www.spyculture.com/black-hawk-down-the-la-riots-and-clear-and-present-danger/

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Black Hawk Down, the LA Riots and Clear and Present Danger

When the producers of Clear and Present Danger approached the Pentagon to ask for military support they probably weren’t expecting...

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https://www.spyculture.com/black-hawk-down-the-la-riots-and-clear-and-present-danger/

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ClandesTime 182 – Clear and Present Danger

1994’s Clear and Present Danger is one of the most important movies in the cinema of the war on drugs, depicting black operations by the CIA and US military against a Colombian drug cartel. In this episode I do a deep dive on Clear and Present Danger, and how it set the standards for much of the war on drugs-themed entertainment since then.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-182-clear-and-present-danger/

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Documents reveal Hollywood Cover-Up of Pentagon’s Sex Crime Problem

The Military, Movies and #MeToo

(Read more...)

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https://www.spyculture.com/documents-reveal-hollywood-cover-up-of-pentagons-sex-crime-problem/

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ClandesTime 181 – The Cinema of Iran-Contra

Iran-Contra is in many ways the definitive government conspiracy – involving guns, drugs, anti-communism and black operations, it went all the way to the White House. This week I examine several films that implicitly or explicitly incorporate the Iran-Contra conspiracy into their plots, as well as movies about Iran-Contra that were never made due to government interference.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-181-the-cinema-of-iran-contra/

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‘A Complete Rewrite of the Storyline Would be Required’ – DOD File on The Presidio

1988's The Presidio wanted to film at the real Presidio in San Francisco, an Army installation. As per usual this required a full military script review, but the DOD responded demanding a 'complete rewrite' before they would approve access to the base. The resulting film bears little resemblance to the submitted script, leading to glowing feedback from the Army.

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https://www.spyculture.com/a-complete-rewrite-of-the-storyline-would-be-required-dod-file-on-the-presidio/

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ClandesTime 180 – The Politics of Monster Movies

Monster movies are one of the most beloved and distinctive genres in cinema, featuring a winning combination of exotic spectacle, ground-breaking visual effects and reflections on humanity’s relationship with nature.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-180-the-politics-of-monster-movies/

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Subscriber Podcast #30 – Starship Troopers

On this month's subscriber-only podcast I review one of my favourite films of all time - Starship Troopers. I discuss the film's dual narratives, how it is an anti-war film disguised as a piece of war propaganda, and why it was so misunderstood when it first came out. I outline my view that watching the movie is a lesson in how to identify and understand war propaganda, as well being an ultra-violent satire of fascism.

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-30-starship-troopers/

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Forrest Gump – Tom Secker on Fortress on a Hill

Chris and Danny invited me back onto their podcast to discuss the 1994 comedy-drama Forrest Gump. We talked about the original book by Winston Groom as well as McNamara's 100,000 - a project to recruit troops into the US Army who would normally have fallen below the required standards. We honed in on the differences between the book and the film, how the book is clearly anti-war while the film is ambiguous at

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https://www.spyculture.com/forrest-gump-tom-secker-on-fortress-on-a-hill/

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Why Did the Pentagon Support Godzilla and Transformers, but Rejected Jarhead?

The 2005 biographical war film Jarhead is one of a very small number of films set in the first Gulf War. Despite being based on the autobiography of a Marine who served in Desert Storm the DOD refused to provide it with military support. But how can a film based on a first-hand account not meet the criterion of being a 'reasonably realistic depiction' of the military, when Transformer

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-did-the-pentagon-support-godzilla-and-transformers-but-rejected-jarhead/

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Iraq

Iraq War

Phil Strub

How the Pentagon Rewrote Man of Steel

The Superman reboot Man of Steel launched the (now abandoned) DC Extended Universe, and put a much darker tinge on the Superman franchise than any previous incarnation, especially the Christopher Reeve classics. Man of Steel benefited from large-scale support from the military, but hidden until now are the details of the script changes the DOD […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-pentagon-rewrote-man-of-steel/

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The Pentagon, Superman and the Freedom of Information Act

In 1977 the producers of Superman and Superman II approached the Pentagon to try to obtain stock footage of missiles launching, for use in depicting Lex Luthor's dastardly plot to nuke the San Andreas fault. The Air Force and Strategic Air Command were provided with copies of the script in order to assess the request, and there were disagreements between the various DOD components as to whethe

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-pentagon-superman-and-the-freedom-of-information-act/

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Don’t Shoot the Looters – Military Script Notes on Deep Impact

Deep Impact is one of a pair of twin films released in 1998 that were based around a giant meteor colliding with earth. The film and its twin, the more successful Armageddon, were both supported by NASA and the Department of Defense. Inevitably, this meant script changes to fit in with the military's desired view of itself and of America's role in the world.

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https://www.spyculture.com/dont-shoot-the-looters-military-script-notes-on-deep-impact/

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ClandesTime 177 – Ice Station Zebra

While it is now considered a Cold War classic Ice Station Zebra was a flop when it was first released. This week, I review Ice Station Zebra and analyse the development of the film, how it differs quite radically from the book, and why the DOD rejected an early version of the script, leading to a total rewrite.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-177-ice-station-zebra/

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The Pentagon Worked on Every Major Military Movie for Over a Decade After WW2

The post-WW2 period was the zenith for military and war movies - over 200 were made in the 1950s, and the same in the 1960s. According to an entry in the DOD's Hollywood database they provided support to every major military movie for over a decade, putting an entire genre of film in their sphere of influence.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-pentagon-worked-on-every-major-military-movie-for-over-a-decade-after-ww2/

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Veteran of Sadr City Ambush Exposes The Long Road Home as Shameful Propaganda

One of the veterans of the ambush in Sadr City in April 2004 has revealed that National Geographic's film The Long Road Home is a shameful piece of propaganda that butchers history and ignored offers of help from the squad who were actually in the firefight in order to present a bastardised and propagandistic version of events.

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https://www.spyculture.com/veteran-of-sadr-city-ambush-exposes-the-long-road-home-as-shameful-propaganda/

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Pentagon Contracts Show US Army Subsidized Production Of National Geographic’s ‘Long Road Home’

Production assistance agreements released by the Defense Department show the United States military used taxpayer money to subsidize part of the production of the National Geographic series, “The Long Road Home,” and a companion documentary.

(Read more

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https://www.spyculture.com/pentagon-contracts-show-us-army-subsidized-production-of-national-geographics-long-road-home/

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Keanu Reeves Trains With Former SEAL/CIA Contractor for John Wick III

In what appears to be little more than a promo for the third John Wick film, a recently-released video shows star Keanu Reeves being trained by former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor Shawn Ryan. A veteran of the war on terror, the video shows Ryan teaching Keanu how to walk into a room with a gun, wear sunglasses and a baseball cap, and look tough. What this adds to his performance is anyone

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https://www.spyculture.com/keanu-reeves-trains-with-former-seal-cia-contractor-for-john-wick-iii/

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How the Hell is Project Blue Book so Boring?

UFOs. Probable extraterrestrials. Investigation and revelation. Nazi scientists. A military cover-up. With all these elements in place the History Channel's Project Blue Book should be an exciting, unpredictable replacement for The X-Files. Instead it is a dull-as-dishwater procedural that lacks tension, drama and political relevance.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-hell-is-project-blue-book-so-boring/

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‘Without any assistance from the military, then naturally, anything can happen’ – DOD File on Ice Station Zebra

The production of Ice Station Zebra is a great case study in just how much influence the Pentagon can have over a movie script. The initial script - by multi-Oscar winning writer Paddy Chayefsky - was rejected by the DOD for being too politically critical and culturally subversive. In the midst of the negotiations MGM's military liaison wr

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https://www.spyculture.com/without-any-assistance-from-the-military-then-naturally-anything-can-happen-dod-file-on-ice-station-zebra/

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ClandesTime 175 – An Alternative History of Al Qaeda: The Death of Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden’s death is the perfect postmodern event, in that most of the reports detailing how, where and when he died contradict all the other reports. This week I take an in-depth look at the Abbottabad raid of 2011 and the official story of Bin Laden’s death, analyzing some of the myriad contradictions and contrasting claims about what happened.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-175-an-alternative-history-of-al-qaeda-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden/

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Department of Propaganda – Spy Culture on The Statist Quo podcast

Word about the entertainment liaison offices continues to spread - The Statist Quo podcast recently did a focus episode on the DOD's film office, Phil Strub and the rewriting of movie scripts. Hosted by Matt, a US Army veteran and ex-convict, the episode focuses in on Black Hawk Down and also discusses Lone Survivor, Goldeneye, The Last Ship and other DOD-supported entertainment products.&nb

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https://www.spyculture.com/department-of-propaganda-spy-culture-on-the-statist-quo-podcast/

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Blog

The US Military Celebrate Captain Marvel as ‘the film girls need’

The US military, particularly the Air Force, invested a lot of time and resources in helping make Captain Marvel, and so far they are happy with the return on that investment. Yesterday, an article on Military.com celebrated Captain Marvel as 'the film girls need' and 'one the military community needs'. But it hasn't been long since the military were actively objecting to scen

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-us-military-celebrate-captain-marvel-as-the-film-girls-need/

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USAF

Captain Marvel: the latest propaganda collaboration between the military and the MCU

Captain Marvel opened this weekend to a monster box office haul of $153 million domestically and over $450 million worldwide. Its star Brie Larson heralded it as ‘the biggest feminist movie of all time’ but behind this glossy, progressive veneer lies a troubling connection.

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https://www.spyculture.com/captain-marvel-the-latest-propaganda-collaboration-between-the-military-and-the-mcu/

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The CIA, the National Reconnaissance Office and Ice Station Zebra

The 1968 spy and counterspy classic Ice Station Zebra was inspired by a real life event during the CIA/Air Force Corona spy satellite program. In April 1959 the satellite Discoverer 2 became the first to send a recovery capsule containing satellite surveillance imagery back to earth, but there was a problem. The capsule landed somewhere near Svalbard, Norway, but was never found. I

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-cia-the-national-reconnaissance-office-and-ice-station-zebra/

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How (and why) the Pentagon Rewrote Dennis the Menace

Of all the many, many, many projects the Pentagon has supported, one of the most surprising and seemingly innocent is the mid-century TV series of Dennis the Menace. In one episode 'Dennis at Boot Camp' the producers asked for permission for three days filming at the Naval Training Center in San Diego (the same one of Top Gun and Anwar Al Awlaki fame). In return the DOD had some demands of

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-and-why-the-pentagon-rewrote-dennis-the-menace/

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Why the Pentagon Rejected Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

In early 1977 the producers of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes approached the Pentagon about filming a couple of brief scenes at National Guard armories. Even though the National Guard Public Affairs staff thought it was a fun film and were happy to help, they were overruled by the Pentagon's Don Baruch because the film 'lampoons the office of the president'.

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-the-pentagon-rejected-attack-of-the-killer-tomatoes/

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Now Doing Military Outreach in Hollywood

Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for many things – being Mr Universe, The Terminator, the Governator and Commando. Now he’s trying to add one more to the list – unofficial military entertainment liaison. The USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy recently hosted a workshop to help Hollywood bigshots mingle with military leaders from across […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-now-doing-military-outreach-in-hollywood/

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Spy Culture in LA Magazine Article on Captain Marvel

Yesterday, LA Magazine published a piece on the military and Captain Marvel and - I'm pleased to say - they used this site as a research source. After years of researching, speaking and writing about Marvel's relationship with the military it seems the word has got out, and I for one am very glad that the relationship between the Pentagon and the world's biggest film franchise is becoming

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https://www.spyculture.com/spy-culture-in-la-magazine-article-on-captain-marvel/

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USAF

Spy Culture in Newsweek article on Captain Marvel

I was recently made aware of a Newsweek article on Captain Marvel that used this site as a source. The article ‘Captain Marvel’ Latest Superhero Movie to Promote Air Force in Trend Stretching Back to Comics is one of several that highlight how the new MCU movie Captain Marvel has re-established Marvel's relationship with the US military.

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https://www.spyculture.com/spy-culture-in-newsweek-article-on-captain-marvel/

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ClandesTime 171 – The Last Ship

The Last Ship is one of the most popular cable TV shows of recent years, as well as one of the most successful pieces of militainment. In this episode I examine the politics of the show, in particular how it depicts a conflict between the US and China.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-171-the-last-ship/

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When the US Army Decided a Chin Strap was More Important Than the Death of One of Their Soldiers

The US Army provided extensive support to the National Geographic film series The Long Road Home, supposedly to ensure it depicted the real-life battle of Sadr City in a 'reasonably realistic' way.

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https://www.spyculture.com/when-the-us-army-decided-a-chin-strap-was-more-important-than-the-death-of-one-of-their-soldiers/

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Iraq

Iraq War

ClandesTime 170 – An Alternative History of Al Qaeda: Anwar al Awlaki

Anwar al Awlaki rose to notoriety in the 2000s as a leading internet jihadist whose lectures and videos were very popular among the emerging Islamist movement. But his history with Al Qaeda, and in particular his contacts with the 9/11 hijackers while under investigation by the FBI, pose serious questions. Was Awlaki a terrorist, or a spy, or both?

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-170-an-alternative-history-of-al-qaeda-anwar-al-awlaki/

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The Long Road Home – Tom Secker on Fortress on a Hill

I recently joined Henri of Fortress on a Hill to discuss the National Geographic drama series The Long Road Home, in light of the over 400 pages of documents that I obtained detailing the US Army's support for the show.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-long-road-home-tom-secker-on-fortress-on-a-hill/

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Steven Seagal and the Geneva Convention

1996's action thriller Executive Decision may be light on action and lacking thrills but it is notable for one thing - the script violated the Geneva Convention and led to the Pentagon temporarily withdrawing support for the film. When the producers initially approached the DOD they were told that military assistance was 'out of the question'.

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https://www.spyculture.com/steven-seagal-and-the-geneva-convention/

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Subscriber Podcast #27 – The Suid Archive

In this month's subscriber-only podcast I explore several DOD-supported films and the files on them from the Lawrence Suid archive.

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-27-the-suid-archive/

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identity politics

spy films

DOD Accidentally Release Social Security Numbers for Executive Decision Stars

The Department of Defense's entertainment liaison office file on the 1996 thriller Executive Decision was, for many years, secreted in a private archive in a library in Georgetown. Now liberated by Matt Alford, one page of the file details the stars who needed to be filmed on-board military aircraft, including their social security numbers.

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https://www.spyculture.com/dod-accidentally-release-social-security-numbers-for-executive-decision-stars/

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ClandesTime 168 – Executive Decision

The 1996 action thriller Executive Decision was an early example of what should be called ‘irregular war films’, pitting a team of special forces commandos against a gang of terrorists, on a hijacked plane headed for Washington DC.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-168-executive-decision/

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The Pentagon Rewrites History Through Movies – In Total Violation of its Directives on Hollywood

The DOD claim that they only rewrite Hollywood scripts in order to ensure accuracy and to inform the public about the military and its mission. This is total bullshit.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-pentagon-rewrites-history-through-movies-in-total-violation-of-its-directives-on-hollywood/

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ClandesTime 167 – Phil Strub’s Greatest Hits

I recently found out that Strub retired from his job as the DOD’s Hollywood liaison last July, though this wasn’t covered by any news outlets and the DOD didn’t bother to tell anyone.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-167-phil-strubs-greatest-hits/

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Why is the Coast Guard’s Hollywood Office Still Open Despite the Government Shut Down?

The US Coast Guard's film office remains open despite the government shut down. While 350,000 federal workers are currently not being paid and the national parks and national archives are temporarily shuttered, the government's entertainment propaganda apparatus continues to fire on all cylinders despite the lack of appropriations.

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-is-the-coast-guards-hollywood-office-still-open-despite-the-government-shut-down/

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US Army Documents Reveal Massive Support For Long Road Home Miniseries, Possible Fraud At Military’s Entertainment Liaison Office

The National Geographic drama series The Long Road Home tells a version of the story of the battle for Sadr City in 2004, a key moment in the war in Iraq.

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https://www.spyculture.com/us-army-documents-reveal-massive-support-for-long-road-home-miniseries-possible-fraud-at-militarys-entertainment-liaison-office/

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Two Documents that Prove Phil Strub Has Not Told the Truth About the Entertainment Liaison Offices

A few months ago, then DOD Hollywood liaison Phil Strub gave an interview in which he described the work of the entertainment liaison offices.

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https://www.spyculture.com/two-documents-that-prove-phil-strub-has-not-told-the-truth-about-the-entertainment-liaison-offices/

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If 2018 Was a Rollercoaster then 2019 Will be a Bouncy Castle

2018 was another year of chaos — in politics, economics, culture, the climate and in most other areas of life worth talking about. Here I explore why 2019 is likely to be more of the same, given the lack of any serious attempts to address the causes and confront reality.

(Read more...)

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https://www.spyculture.com/if-2018-was-a-rollercoaster-then-2019-will-be-a-bouncy-castle/

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ClandesTime 165 – Military Meta-Propaganda

Since the publication of National Security Cinema last summer, we have seen an uptick in the media coverage of the Pentagon in Hollywood, much of it originating with the Pentagon itself. This week I take a look at the PR efforts the DOD has embarked upon, about its own PR efforts in Hollywood.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-165-military-meta-propaganda/

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Cultural Cold War

Why a Transgender James Bond Completely Misses the Point

After actor Dominic West suggested that the next James Bond be transgender the commentariat have gone batshit arguing over whether this is a key moment in the struggle for trans rights or another sign that the entertainment industry is dominated by damn commie liberals with their Jewish gay-loving agenda. As per usual, it is neither.

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-a-transgender-james-bond-completely-misses-the-point/

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Why Does the Pentagon ████ing Hate Swearing in Movies?

One of the Pentagon's consistent bugbears when it comes to movie scripts is swearing. Whether it is from the mouths of military or civilian characters, the DOD doesn't like those ████ing cuss words. But why not? Given their various political and PR concerns why is bad language such a problem?

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-does-the-pentagon-%e2%96%88%e2%96%88%e2%96%88%e2%96%88ing-hate-swearing-in-movies/

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‘The bad guy/traitor can’t be a Secret Service agent’ – DOD Script Notes on Air Force One

Air Force One is one of the great military commercials disguised as a feature film. Laden with Russophobic rhetoric and corny dialogue about the heroism of the US military, it ticked every box for the DOD so they granted it full production support.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-bad-guy-traitor-cant-be-a-secret-service-agent-dod-script-notes-on-air-force-one/

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How Gerard Butler Wound Up Hosting a Press Conference at the Pentagon

A few weeks ago, Hollywood star Gerard Butler found himself behind a podium at the Pentagon talking to the national press. Given how rare Pentagon press conference have become in recent months, a number of people have asked the question as to how he ended up there, and why a Scottish movie star was deployed to talk to reporters.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-gerard-butler-wound-up-hosting-a-press-conference-at-the-pentagon/

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How Does Cinema War Propaganda Really Work?

In our latest article, Matt and I reflect on two of the most common claims made about National Security Cinema, namely 1) That the government is really important in making movies more militaristic and 2) That Hollywood doesn’t produce dissenting films. While the first of these is somewhat true it is a simplification, the second is an outright falsehood.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-does-cinema-war-propaganda-really-work/

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politics

On Her Majesty’s Clandestime Service – Tom Secker on Fortress on a Hill

Chris and Danny from Fortress on a Hill invited me onto their podcast to discuss militarism in Hollywood, the DOD's role in altering scripts, how recruitment propaganda works in the UK, the military vs intelligence approaches to counterinsurgency and other related topics.

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https://www.spyculture.com/on-her-majestys-clandestime-service-tom-secker-on-fortress-on-a-hill/

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Phil Strub Retired 6 Months Ago and No One Reported It

In July the Pentagon's Hollywood liaison Philip Strub retired after 29 years in the job. Mysteriously, this was not reported by any media outlet, small or large, mainstream or independent.

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https://www.spyculture.com/phil-strub-retired-6-months-ago-and-no-one-reported-it/

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The Pentagon’s China Syndrome

While some senior military officials have spoken openly about the possibility of a war between the US and China, the entertainment liaison offices appear to be working to ensure that doesn't happen.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-pentagons-china-syndrome/

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ClandesTime 161 – How the Pentagon Censors Military Mental Illness in Hollywood

The men and women who are employed by the US military to fight its hegemonic wars often suffer from serious mental illness. Depression, PTSD/trauma, extreme anxiety and stress – these are commonplace among people both within the military and among veterans.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-161-how-the-pentagon-censors-military-mental-illness-in-hollywood/

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National Security Cinema – Responses to FAQs

Since launching National Security Cinema last year, Matt and I have encountered a lot of questions about the field. These are our answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions and Comments about entertainment liaison offices and the politics of Hollywood films.

(Read more...)

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https://www.spyculture.com/national-security-cinema-responses-to-faqs/

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Space Force, Skydives and Rejecting Rampage: What is the US Army Doing in Hollywood?

The latest reports from the US Army's entertainment liaison office show surprisingly few examples of them providing production assistance to films and TV shows. Instead, they appear to be spending the majority of their time arranging PR events, cosying up to studio executives and monitoring how the military is portrayed in popular entertainment.

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https://www.spyculture.com/space-force-skydives-and-rejecting-rampage-what-is-the-us-army-doing-in-hollywood/

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Full Length Beards and Neck Tattoos: How the US Army rewrote 12 Strong a.k.a. Horse Soldiers

12 Strong a.k.a.

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https://www.spyculture.com/full-length-beards-and-neck-tattoos-how-the-us-army-rewrote-12-strong-a-k-a-horse-soldiers/

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ClandesTime 160 – Why Doesn’t Hollywood Make War Films Any More?

Hollywood doesn’t make war films any more. This isn’t entirely true, but compared to the post-WW2 period there are a lot less war films being made today. In this in-depth episode I offer a brief history of war movies and anti-war movies, and how the Pentagon’s policy on supporting films depicting war seems to have changed over time.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-160-why-doesnt-hollywood-make-war-films-any-more/

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How the Vietnam War changed the Pentagon’s Entertainment Liaison Offices and Helped Kill the War Movie

The Vietnam war had a huge impact. 3 million dead Vietnamese, tens of thousands of dead Americans, and millions more on both sides suffering from trauma, depression and drug and alcohol addiction. It also had a major influence on the US public’s willingness to engage in full-scale wars (at least until 9/11). It also had […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-vietnam-war-changed-the-pentagons-entertainment-liaison-offices-and-helped-kill-the-war-movie/

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The ’24 Mentality’: The CIA, Torture and the ‘Ticking Bomb’ Scenario

Just as politicians start to believe their own speeches, intelligence agencies start to believe their own propaganda. Nowhere is this clearer than in the CIA's black stite torture program initiated in the wake of 9/11.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-24-mentality-the-cia-torture-and-the-ticking-bomb-scenario/

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12 Strong Producers Thanked US Army for ‘Great Efforts to Make this Movie Badass’

12 Strong, based on the book Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton, is set in the early days of the US war in Afghanistan. Emails released by the US Army detail the support they and the Air Force provided to the production as well as their communications with the producers. During shooting, one of the producers wrote to the Army to thank them for helping to make the movie 'badass'.

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https://www.spyculture.com/12-strong-producers-thanked-us-army-for-great-efforts-to-make-this-movie-badass/

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How Product Placement Serves the Military-Industrial Complex

Wings (1927) was one of the first Hollywood films to benefit from full military support, was the first film to include sound effects on a film reel alongside the in-theater orchestra, and was the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was also the first film to feature product placement.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-product-placement-serves-the-military-industrial-complex/

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How the Pentagon Rewrote The Core

2003's The Core is widely regarded as a piece of schlock, but with a sense of humour. It is certainly one the least realistic films the US military has ever supported, featuring a small craft that drills into the Earth's core so a team of scientists can nuke the core, get it spinning again and fix the problem with Earth's gravity. Yes, it's as dumb as it sounds. Equally dumb is how the Pentagon rewrote the script, and why.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-pentagon-rewrote-the-core/

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ClandesTime 156 – The Pentagon and Pitch Perfect 3

To unsuspecting movie audiences Pitch Perfect 3 is a piece of lighthearted family-friendly entertainment to be enjoyed and then forgotten almost immediately. Lurking beneath this neutrally-toned surface lies a work of military recruitment propaganda, intelligently crafted to appeal to demographics that the DOD usually has trouble reaching.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-156-the-pentagon-and-pitch-perfect-3/

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Dear Rummy… How Jack Valenti got Permission to be Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

MPAA President Jack Valenti maintained a long and friendly relationship with various branches of the US government, not least the Department of Defense. He also harbored lifelong ambitions, including to be buried among America’s military heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. The DOD recently released correspondence between Valenti and then Secretary of Defense Donal

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https://www.spyculture.com/dear-rummy-how-jack-valenti-got-permission-to-be-buried-at-arlington-national-cemetery/

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How the Pentagon Rewrote Pitch Perfect 3 - Spy Culture

Pitch Perfect 3 appears on the surface to be a family-friendly piece of lighthearted, forgettable entertainment. But beneath that surface lies a carefully-crafted piece of military PR, aimed at recruiting people the DOD usually finds it hard to attract.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-pentagon-rewrote-pitch-perfect-3/

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ClandesTime 155 – Production Assistance Agreements or How the Pentagon Broke the Rules for Transformers - Spy Culture

Most government agencies sign contracts with Hollywood producers when they agree to provide support on a film or TV show. These are called Production Assistance Agreements, and set out the legal terms of the partnership between the government and the production company.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-155-production-assistance-agreements-or-how-the-pentagon-broke-the-rules-for-transformers/

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Change ‘One Male and One Female’ to ‘Two Male’ – Pentagon Production Notes for Transformers 3 - Spy Culture

Going back through some documents released by the Army on the Transformers films I noticed that some of the notes weren't script notes from pre-production, but were production notes from while Transformers: Dark of the Moon was filming.

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https://www.spyculture.com/change-one-male-and-one-female-to-two-male-pentagon-production-notes-for-transformers-3/

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After Denying They Have Contracts with Hollywood, the US Navy Release Over 500 Pages of Them - Spy Culture

Two and a half years ago I asked the US Navy for various documents relating to their work with the entertainment industry, including the Production Assistance Agreements they sign with Hollywood producers. After over a year’s delay they responded saying that they don’t keep any copies of these contracts. Following an appeal and further delays […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/after-denying-they-have-contracts-with-hollywood-the-us-navy-release-over-500-pages-of-them/

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ClandesTime 154 – Hollywood Goes to Space Command - Spy Culture

As part of their outreach efforts the Air Force's entertainment liaison office has started running annual tours for dozens of Hollywood bigshots. Recently released documents detail last year's tour to US Space Command. In this focus episode I go through the documents page-by-page as an open source case study in the government-Hollywood relationship and in how to do this kind of research.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-154-hollywood-goes-to-space-command/

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Map to the Stars: Hollywood Insiders Tour US Space Command - Spy Culture

The US Space Force took one step closer to becoming a hyperreality when nearly 40 major Hollywood players went on an 'Industry Leader Tour' of US Space Command.

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https://www.spyculture.com/map-to-the-stars-hollywood-insiders-tour-us-space-command/

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How the Pentagon Uses Hollywood to Cover Up its Alcohol Problem - Spy Culture

The US military has a drinking problem, but like most of its problems it's OK because the entertainment liaison offices are there to make sure Hollywood doesn't draw attention to it. From episodes of Wonder Woman through to blockbuster films, scenes of services members drinking have been edited or removed from scripts.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-pentagon-uses-hollywood-to-cover-up-its-alcohol-problem/

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ClandesTime 151 – Rules of Engagement - Spy Culture

The military legal drama Rules of Engagement is perhaps the greatest modern example of racist, warmongering propaganda. Unsurprisingly, it benefited from full Pentagon support, in exchange for numerous script changes. The film was eerily prescient, foreshadowing two terrorist attacks in Yemen, and in some ways the entire post-9/11 war on terror.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-151-rules-of-engagement/

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US Marine Corps Entertainment Liaison Office script notes on Rules of Engagement - Spy Culture

Rules of Engagement is notable for being possibly the most violent, racist, colonialist film Hollywood has made since the end of the Cold War. It pre-empted two real life terrorist attacks in Yemen including one on the US embassy. The film was produced with close co-operation from the DOD, particularly the Marine Corps, in exchange […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/us-marine-corps-entertainment-liaison-office-script-notes-on-rules-of-engagement/

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Subscriber Podcast #22 – Did the Marvel Cinematic Universe Troll the Pentagon? - Spy Culture

Marvel have enjoyed a long-running and mutually beneficial relationship with the Pentagon, but there was a falling out during production of The Avengers (2012). On this month’s subscriber-only podcast I examine two of the MCU films that immediately followed this argument – Iron Man 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier – and highlight scenes […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-22-did-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-troll-the-pentagon/

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ClandesTime 148 – The American President - Spy Culture

The American President is a romantic comedy set in the White House, set against a backdrop of political issues that are still part of our public conversation. In this episode I analyse the film's politics of nostalgia, its idealisation of the liberal agenda, and its promotion of the military and security state.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-148-the-american-president/

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US Navy teaches politics to officers using The American President - Spy Culture

A recently-released syllabus for the US Naval Academy’s course FP130: American Government and Constitutional Development includes a section that advises students to watch and learn from the 1995 romantic comedy The American President. Bizarrely, the scene does not involve the military or foreign or security policy in any way, but is about the President trying […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/us-navy-teaches-politics-to-officers-using-the-american-president/

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Cover Up: After More than 2 Years, the US Navy Releases an Entirely Redacted Set of Movie Script Notes - Spy Culture

In March 2016 I submitted a request to the US Navy for copies of entertainment liaison office reports, script notes and production assistance agreements. Over a hundred emails and three appeals later they have finally released some script notes to me, but the document is almost entirely redacted.

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https://www.spyculture.com/cover-up-after-more-than-2-years-the-us-navy-releases-an-entirely-redacted-set-of-movie-script-notes/

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Documents Reveal Pentagon Censorship of Suicide in Hollywood - Spy Culture

For the last few weeks I’ve been working a research project on how the Pentagon’s entertainment liaison offices deal with the subjects of military mental health and suicide. Today the fruits of that research were published by Insurge Intelligence, a crowdfunded journalism platform run by Nafeez Ahmed, who also published an exclusive on National Security […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/documents-reveal-pentagon-censorship-of-suicide-in-hollywood/

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Subscriber Podcast #20 – National Security Cinema: One Year On - Spy Culture

A year ago I published the book National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood. On this month’s subscriber podcast I reflect on the success of the book, its impact on media coverage of the topic of government influence on entertainment and the plans for a followup book. I also talk […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-20-national-security-cinema-one-year-on/

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National Security Cinema