The Enron – Smartest Guys In The Room/One Day In September/The U.S. Vs John Lennon DVD – Walter Cronkite, Yoko Ono

Triple bill of political documentaries. ‘Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room’ (2005) reveals the psychology of greed and corporate corruption that facilitated Enron’s rise and fall. When Enron went bankrupt in 2001, the principals walked away millionaires, but later faced legal proceedings and jail sentences. Meanwhile, many employees and investors were left with nothing. Shedding light on the new economy of the 1990s when predictions and book-cooking flourished without actual profits, the film shows how it was not Enron alone but a network of bankers, traders, and accountants who turned a blind eye to the company’s clearly suspicious numbers. Kevin MacDonald directs the Oscar-winning ‘One Day in September’ (1999), which examines the events of the 1972 Munich Olympics, when the extreme Palestinian group Black September held eleven Israeli athletes hostage. Archive material and music mingles with interview footage of those involved at the time, including the only surviving member of the Black September group. ‘The US vs John Lennon’ (2006) looks at the Vietnam-era struggle between the Richard Nixon administration and iconic peace activist John Lennon. Primarily focusing on the decade from 1966-1976, filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld examine the political life of Lennon, including the anti-war protest activities that earned him the extra-special attention of the United States government.

Set Comprises: Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room (2005): This searing examination of the Enron accounting scandal reveals the psychology of greed and corporate corruption that facilitated the company’s rise to power and also its fall. When Enron went bankrupt in 2001 the principals walked away millionaires–but later faced legal proceedings and jail sentences. Meanwhile many employees and investors were left with nothing not even their retirement savings. Shedding light on the new economy of the 1990s when predictions and book-cooking flourished without actual profits the film shows how it was not Enron alone but a network of bankers traders and accountants who turned a blind eye to the company’s clearly suspicious numbers. CEO Ken Lay and top dogs Jeff Skilling and Andy Fastow give candid interviews that illustrate their skill at deflecting hard questions and egotistically boasting about the company’s success. In one of the company’s cold and calculated moves – which caused the California power outages and lead to the ousting of governor Gray Davis – Enron employees are shown laughing at forest fires. Unbelievable footage of employees reveals unbridled greed lust for risk-taking and guiltless cheating all while thinking they could never be caught. Finally a few brave whistle-blowers stepped forward including Bethany McLean author of the Enron novel upon which this film is based who wrote an article in Fortune magazine calling the company’s bluff. A remarkable documentary which packages the events of the scandal into a cohesive story this is one film not to miss! One Day In September (1999): 1972. The Munich Olympic Games. 121 nations. 7 123 competitors. Over a billion viewers and 8 Palestinian terrorists. For the first time in over 25 years the truth is revealed. One Day In September is the incredible shocking story about the brutal massacre of Israeli athletes by a team of extremist Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Finally the unbelievable truth is revealed: how eight terrorists easily snuck into the Olympic Village and took 11 innocent athletes hostage the tension-filled negotiations that followed and the shocking conclusion at a German airport that stunned the world. Featuring the frightening perspective of the only surviving terrorist and revelatory facts about what really happened on that dark night. Directed by Kevin MacDonald and narrated by Michael Douglas One Day In September unfolds like a gripping thriller – except this unforgettable story is completely true… The US Vs John Lennon (2006): Before Iraq before the Bush Administration before the Dixie Chicks Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam… there was John Lennon the celebrated musical artist who used his fame and fortune to protest against the Vietnam War and advocate for world peace. Filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfield trace Lennon’s metamorphosis from loveable “”mop-top”” to