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censorship

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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Subscriber Podcast #29 – Media Breakdown: Armando Iannucci at Chatham House

On this month's subscriber-only podcast I break down a 2016 interview with British political satirist Armando Iannucci by Chatham House, a.k.a. the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-29-media-breakdown-armando-iannucci-at-chatham-house/

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Official Skripal Story Changes Yet Again, This Time with Added Ducks

According to the New York Times, the official story we’ve been told about the Skripals isn’t true, and wasn’t true when the UK government told it to us.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/official-skripal-story-changes-yet-again-this-time-with-added-ducks/

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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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Article source

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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Article source

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

Article source

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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ClandesTime 176 – What Vice Doesn’t Tell You about Dick Cheney

Vice has won awards along with praise from audiences and critics alike, but how well does it inform its audience about Dick Cheney? This week I take a look at the important material that Vice overlooked, or didn’t know about.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-176-what-vice-doesnt-tell-you-about-dick-cheney/

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‘Film contains Russian Mob content and it was confirmed okay’ – FBI emails on Little Mizz Innocent

Little Mizz Innocent has been languishing in development hell for several years as the 'female Jason Bourne movie' has struggled to get into production. It tells the story of a UN interpreter 'caught in a power struggle between the FBI and a criminal dynasty'.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/film-contains-russian-mob-content-and-it-was-confirmed-okay-fbi-emails-on-little-mizz-innocent/

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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

Article source

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.

Article source

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

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‘All Assistance is Provided at No Cost to You’ – FBI Letter to Martin Scorcese

In late 2009 the FBI got wind of the fact that Martin Scorcese was developing The Wolf of Wall Street, about stock fraudster turned federal cooperator Jordan Belfort. So the Bureau's Michael Kortan wrote to Scorcese to offer their help and support in producing the film, noting that 'all assistance is provided at no cost to you', in effect offering to subsidise the production

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/all-assistance-is-provided-at-no-cost-to-you-fbi-letter-to-martin-scorcese/

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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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‘We Trust the Box Office Becomes a Bell Ringer’ – Pentagon memo on Top Gun

Top Gun was an enormous critical and commercial success and helped redefine the military-supported movie. It is not quite a war film, because there's no war and only a handful of people are killed. It isn't a history or biopic because all the characters are fictional. It isn't a drama because the film features more volleyball than emotional conflict. It is mor

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https://www.spyculture.com/we-trust-the-box-office-becomes-a-bell-ringer-pentagon-memo-on-top-gun/

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ClandesTime 174 – The Big Short vs Margin Call

The 2008 Wall Street crash has inspired little more than a staccato response from Hollywood, with very few films taking the subject seriously. In this episode I examine and review two of the more prominent movies that cover this topic – The Big Short and Margin Call. I critique the films and their statements about the crash, in particular who or what they blame for what became a worldwide economic slump.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-174-the-big-short-vs-margin-call/

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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

USMC

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.

Article source

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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Article source

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

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ClandesTime 173 – Public Enemies

Public Enemies is a 2009 historical drama/thriller film that tells the story of the Bureau of Investigation’s manhunt for Public Enemy Number One John Dillinger. In this episode I examine the film, the politics of crime and the romanticising of criminals.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-173-public-enemies/

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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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propaganda

ClandesTime 172 – An Alternative History of Al Qaeda: Charlie Wilson’s War

George Crile’s book Charlie Wilson’s War is the most in-depth account of the CIA’s support to the Afghan mujahideen, based on countless interviews with inside sources. It tells the story of how a rogue congressman – Charlie Wilson – and a rogue CIA officer – Gust Avrokotos – joined forces to create an army of ‘techno-holy warriors’ to fight against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-172-an-alternative-history-of-al-qaeda-charlie-wilsons-war/

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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

Article source

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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Article source

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

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Subscriber Podcast #28 – Panorama Breakdown: The Skripal Affair

In this month’s subscriber-only podcast I break down the BBC’s Panorama episode on the Skripal affair. One year on from the Salisbury poisoning, I offer comments and criticism of one of the most shameless pieces of British state propaganda ever made: Salisbury Nerve Agent Attack – The Inside Story. I detail how the programme changes […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-28-panorama-breakdown-the-skripal-affair/

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The Novichok Anniversary: BBC Change Official Skripal Story Yet Again

We’re coming up on the first anniversary of the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, and the official story has been revised once again.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/the-novichok-anniversary-bbc-change-official-skripal-story-yet-again/

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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.

Article source

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

war on terror

How and Why the FBI Rewrite Hollywood Movies

Just like other government agencies the FBI are deeply involved in the entertainment industry, collaborating with film andTV producers to polish the Bureau’s public imageand project their messaging into the minds of moviegoers.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-and-why-the-fbi-rewrite-hollywood-movies/

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FBI Releases Almost Entirely Redacted File on Burn Notice

The FBI recently released a tranche of documents on the USA Network TV series Burn Notice.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/fbi-releases-almost-entirely-redacted-file-on-burn-notice/

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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?

Article source

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

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When Al Qaeda Leader Awlaki Picked Up Hookers at Top Gun Naval Base

Anwar Al Awlaki was the head of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula until his death in a CIA drone strike in 2011. In the mid-late 1990s he lived in San Diego, where he met future 9/11 hijackers Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Khalid Al Mihdhar and consorted with Saudi intelligence officer Omar Al-Bayoumi.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/when-al-qaeda-leader-awlaki-picked-up-hookers-at-top-gun-naval-base/

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FBI Apparently Had No Problem with ‘Deep State’ Storyline in Shooter

Compared to the DOD, the US intelligence agencies support a more politically diverse range of movies, from the hi-tech surveillance thriller Enemy of the State to torture porn like Zero Dark Thirty and Unthinkable. One such controversial movie was Shooter, which depicts a deep state element framing a Vietnam veteran for a political assassination. He […]

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Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/fbi-apparently-had-no-problem-with-deep-state-storyline-in-shooter/

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ClandesTime 169 – Margaret Thatcher and the Entertainment Industry

The British government’s role in using the entertainment industry is smaller than in America, but nonetheless involves many of the same familiar activities. From helping provide ideas to the writers of Yes, Minister to exploiting the England football team’s success in the 1990 World Cup, the Thatcher government proved adept at enhancing their public image.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-169-margaret-thatcher-and-the-entertainment-industry/

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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'.

Article source

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.

Article source

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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Stars of CBS’ FBI Admit They are Making Propaganda for the FBI

Missy Peregrym and Zeeko Zaki, two of the stars of the CBS drama FBI were asked about the government shutdown this week, and responded with a statement that sounds like it was written by the FBI's Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit.

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https://www.spyculture.com/stars-of-cbs-fbi-admit-they-are-making-propaganda-for-the-fbi/

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economics

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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The Wire Season 5 Review (preview)

In my final review of The Wire I discuss how the core theme of season 5 – truth – plays out across several storylines. From fake news to McNulty’s fictional serial killer to the Clay Davis trial, I talk about how the abusive institutions that make up a city’s control mechanisms encourage and reward lies, […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-wire-season-5-review-preview/

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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.

Article source

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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How Many Movies has the Pentagon Prevented from Being Made?

The Pentagon's censorship of movie scripts is fairly well established - I have documented numerous instances on this site. But their ultimate power is the ability to kill a production, to prevent a film being made.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-many-movies-has-the-pentagon-prevented-from-being-made/

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Fake News, Trump and the Freedom of Information Act

A story doing the rounds claims that the Trump administration is taking advantage of the government shut-down to change the rules by which the Department of the Interior processes and responds to FOIA requests. This story could not be less accurate if they were actively trying to mislead people.

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https://www.spyculture.com/fake-news-trump-and-the-freedom-of-information-act/

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ClandesTime 166 – An Alternative History of Al Qaeda: Aimen Dean

Aimen Dean, born Ali Al-Duranni, was MI6’s spy inside Al Qaeda from 1998 to 2006. In this episode I do a critical view of his autobiography Nine Lives: My Time as MI6’s Top Spy Inside Al Qaeda, and how Dean’s story connects to other people and events explored in this series.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-166-an-alternative-history-of-al-qaeda-aimen-dean/

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Was the Integrity Initiative behind the Salisbury Poisoning?

Newly-released documents on the Institute for Statecraft's Integrity Initiative suggest that they had a hand in the Salisbury poisoning fiasco that dominated the British press last summer.

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https://www.spyculture.com/was-the-integrity-initiative-behind-the-salisbury-poisoning/

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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.

Article source

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.

Article source

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

When Thatcher Exploited the England Football Team

The 1990 World Cup was considered a big success for the England football team, as getting to the semi-finals was the greatest progress in a tournament since winning the trophy in 1966. Documents recently released by the National Archives show that the July 1990 visit to Number 10 Downing Street by the England team was little more than a cynical photo opportunity.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/when-thatcher-exploited-the-england-football-team/

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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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The Wire Season 4 Review (Preview)

In this penultimate review episode I look at how the education system is a poor place to learn anything, how standardised testing is a form of child abuse, the fundamental problems of electoral politics, and expand on why an intelligence-based approach to societal problems is always better than a military-based approach.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-wire-season-4-review-preview/

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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?

Article source

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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Subscriber Podcast #26 – What Connects Star Wars, Manchester United and Brexit?

In this month's subscriber-only podcast I discuss the links between the sacking of the manager of Manchester United, why there isn't a new Star Wars film out this Christmas, and the macroeconomics of Brexit.

Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-26-what-connects-star-wars-manchester-united-and-brexit/

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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.

Article source

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.

Article source

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

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ClandesTime 164 – China’s Influence in Hollywood

China is without doubt a major player in Hollywood. Both private investment and state regulations and censorship have played a significant role in the American movie business in recent years. This week I examine the Chinese influence on Hollywood, both in terms of the shape of the industry and the shaping of film content.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-164-chinas-influence-in-hollywood/

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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.

Article source

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

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fbi

National Security Cinema

politics

war on terror

Cultural Protectionism? The 2012 China-Hollywood Agreement

In 1994 the Chinese government first allowed Hollywood films to be distributed within the country. Since then the US and China have been in a near-constant state of negotiations over import quotas, profit sharing and market access. In 2007 the US brought a case before the World Trade Organisation, arguing that Chinese protectionism was preventing […]

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Article source

https://www.spyculture.com/cultural-protectionism-the-2012-china-hollywood-agreement/

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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.

Article source

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

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Iraq War

MOD

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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USMC

ClandesTime 163 – Nazis in Hollywood

Nazis make the perfect Hollywood villains – instantly recognisable, obviously deplorable and easy to recreate. So why were there no anti-Nazi films until 1939, on the eve of World War 2? This week I explore the history of Nazis in Hollywood in the 1930s, how the German government influenced American film-making, and the Jewish intelligence organisation who did what the FBI wouldn’t – infiltrated and helped prosecute the Nazis.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-163-nazis-in-hollywood/

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ClandesTime Special – The Royal Family, Brexit and Union Jackboot

This week, I welcome Matt Alford to the show to talk about the media manipulation of the image of the British Royal Family, and how it relates to British foreign policy, including Brexit. From the killing of rare animals to closet fascism, to interfering in politics and criminal investigations, we look at numerous stories that reveal the dark underbelly of the Royals.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-special-the-royal-family-brexit-and-union-jackboot/

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How the Pentagon Helped Hollywood Launder the Nazis’ Reputation

Four years ago, scholar Ben Urwand revealed how the Nazis' man in Hollywood Georg Gyssling censored and rewrote film scripts to remove scenes and dialogue that criticised the Nazi regime. He also repeatedly removed references to the suffering of Jews in post-WW1 Germany.

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https://www.spyculture.com/how-the-pentagon-helped-hollywood-launder-the-nazis-reputation/

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Why Does the US Army have a Collection of Nazi Art?

The latest release from the US Army's entertainment liaison office provokes many questions. Why did they refuse to support the movie Rampage? Why are the military pitching ideas to studio executives? Who is in charge of the Pentagon's operations in Hollywood?

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https://www.spyculture.com/why-does-the-us-army-have-a-collection-of-nazi-art/

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ClandesTime 162 – The Spook Who Sat by the Door

The Spook Who Sat by the Door tells the story of the first African-American to be recruited by the CIA. After becoming disillusioned with the Agency he quits and sets up a black power guerilla army that wages urban war across the United States. According to its writer Sam Greenlee the film was banned from theaters as a result of pressure from the FBI.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-162-the-spook-who-sat-by-the-door/

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The Wire Season 3 Review (Preview)

In part 3 of this subcriber-only review series I look at season three of The Wire. In this season the Barksdale storyline comes to a climax, while the city hall politics are added into the ever-expanding world of the show. I examine the Hamsterdam experiment, where one police major decides to legalise drugs in certain […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-wire-season-3-review-preview/

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After Claiming They Couldn’t Find It, FBI Release Sam Greenlee File That’s More Redacted than National Archives Version

The FBI got back to me recently with a response to my request on The Spook Who Sat by the Door, including a few pages from Sam Greenlee's FBI file, which they'd previously claimed they could not find.

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https://www.spyculture.com/after-claiming-they-couldnt-find-it-fbi-release-sam-greenlee-file-thats-more-redacted-than-national-archives-version/

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The US Army rejected Wife Swap because of ‘60s era connotations’

The US Army’s entertainment liaison office has worked on as wide a variety of TV entertainment as you can imagine, from Oprah to Top Chef, from The Price is Right to Man of Steel. But they do sometimes reject requests for support, as was the case with Wife Swap which was turned down partly because […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-us-army-rejected-wife-swap-because-of-60s-era-connotations/

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politics

reality TV

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.

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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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Subscriber Podcast #25 – A New Direction

In this month's susbcriber-only podcast I talk about my new screenplay project - a political satire of Hollywood. I talk about my history with acting and writing, and discuss some of my creative process, how I developed two simple ideas and combined them to form the basis for my screenplay. I also quickly review some of my film and TV inspirations including The Big Picture, Get Shorty and Episodes.

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-25-a-new-direction/

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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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Review – War School: The Battle for Britain’s Children

It isn't often that I see a film that angers and educates me in equal measure. War School: The Battle for Britain's Children is a new documentary exploring the growing peace movement in the UK, and the militarisation of British schools for propaganda and recruitment purposes.

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https://www.spyculture.com/review-war-school-the-battle-for-britains-children/

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war on terror

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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The Wire Season 2 Review (Preview)

In the second of my subscriber-only reviews of The Wire I look at season 2.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-wire-season-2-review-preview/

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Top Gun ‘Rehabilitated the Military’s Image’ After Vietnam, According to the Pentagon

The late Cold War classic Top Gun is one of the most well-liked military movies of all time. It's combination of romance, comedy and never-seen-before aerial action was made possible by extensive support from the DOD, particularly the US Navy.

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https://www.spyculture.com/top-gun-rehabilitated-the-militarys-image-after-vietnam-according-to-the-pentagon/

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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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ClandesTime 159 – The Founder

The Founder is a 2016 biopic of Ray Kroc, the man who created McDonald’s. Or did he? In this episode I examine this ambiguous film, one of the best examples of cultural capitalism to come out of Hollywood in recent years. I explore how it avoids the negative consequences of the creation of McDonald’s, leaving us with a simple human conflict over who deserves the credit and recognition.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-159-the-founder/

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FBI Say They Cannot Find Their File on Radical Author Sam Greenlee

Sam Greenlee is perhaps most famous for writing the novel The Spook Who Sat By the Door, which was adapted into a film in the 1970s. Greenlee believed that the CIA and FBI suppressed the film because it portrayed them in such a bad light, and promoted black militancy. A recent response from the Bureau […]

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https://www.spyculture.com/fbi-say-they-cannot-find-their-file-on-radical-author-sam-greenlee/

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The US Navy say they have 20,000 Pages of Documents on Top Gun 2

I recently filed a FOIA request for documents on Top Gun 2. Going through the entertainment liaison office reports it is clear that - just as on the original film - the Navy are taking the lead on military support. The Navy responded saying they found over 20,000 pages of potentially responsive documents, but are trying to charge me thousands of dollars to release them.

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https://www.spyculture.com/the-us-navy-say-they-have-20000-pages-of-documents-on-top-gun-2/

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foia

Does the CIA use Hollywood Movies as Training Films?

In September 1977 the renowned Hollywood gossip columnist Rona Barrett appeared on Good Morning America to talk about spy films. Sat alongside her was CIA director Stansfield Turner, who commented that Hollywood movies would make poor training films for CIA spies.

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https://www.spyculture.com/does-the-cia-use-hollywood-movies-as-training-films/

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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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Subscriber Podcast #24 – Swimming with Sharks

On this month’s subscriber-only podcast I dissect the 1994 movie Swimming with Sharks, about a young man who goes to work at a Hollywood studio, where his boss (Kevin Spacey) abuses and bullies him relentlessly.

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https://www.spyculture.com/subscriber-podcast-24-swimming-with-sharks/

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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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War Machine vs Charlie Wilson’s War – Tom Secker on Around the Empire (Part 2)

Joanne invited me on the Around the Empire podcast to do a ‘high level compare and contrast’ of two war comedy films set in different wars in Afghanistan: Charlie Wilson’s War and War Machine.

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https://www.spyculture.com/war-machine-vs-charlie-wilsons-war-tom-secker-on-around-the-empire-part-2/

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ClandesTime 158 – Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

The new Amazon series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is the first TV show to film at CIA headquarters for several years, in keeping with the Agency’s long-time support for adaptations of Clancy’s work.

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https://www.spyculture.com/clandestime-158-tom-clancys-jack-ryan/

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War Machine vs Charlie Wilson’s War – Tom Secker on Around the Empire

Joanne invited me on the Around the Empire podcast to do a 'high level compare and contrast' of two war comedy films set in different wars in Afghanistan: Charlie Wilson's War and War Machine. The films are similar in many respects - both comedies, both have A-list lead actors, both set in wars in Afghanistan, both based on books - but politically they are diametric opposites.

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https://www.spyculture.com/war-machine-vs-charlie-wilsons-war-tom-secker-on-around-the-empire/

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Jack Ryan is the Latest TV Show to Film at CIA Headquarters

Amazon's new headline streaming series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan is the first TV show to film at CIA headquarters for several years, after a fairly disastrous run that saw two awful movies along with an awful TV programme film there circa 2014.

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https://www.spyculture.com/jack-ryan-is-the-latest-tv-show-to-film-at-cia-headquarters/

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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/