Search - The Weather Underground on DVD

Content Advisory: Adult Language, Watch With Your Teen, War Violence Movie Release: 2003 DVD Release: 05/25/2004 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 32 mins Studio: New Video Group Members Wishing: 4 Genres: History, Culture & Society, Social History

Sam Green and Bill Siegel's documentary about a radical group whose stated goal was the violent overthrow of the U.S. government details a valuable chapter in the history of the '60s protest movement and leftism in America. The Weathermen were a faction of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), one of the driving forces behind the period's mass protests against social injustice and the Vietnam War. Frustrated by SDS's adherence to non-violent dissent, the Weathermen broke off and adopted a more combative approach. As the student protests ebbed in the 1970s, the group went underground and shifted tactics, embarking on a terrorist campaign against the U.S. government. For years, the Weather Underground evaded the authorities' grasp, even as it pulled off high-profile bombings against government targets. Their momentum petered out in the 1980s, as one by one the organization's members surrendered after years on the run. The Weather Underground uses extensive archival footage and revealing interviews with the surviving members to trace the group's evolution and place their actions in the context of the period's tumultuous events. ~ Elbert Ventura, All Movie Guide

Bernardine Dohrn
Mark Rudd
Brian Flanagan
David Gilbert
Bill Ayers

By tracking down the living members of the Weathermen and interspersing new interviews with archival footage, Sam Green and Bill Siegel created a documentary that was nominated for an Oscar and which shows how historical events from over 30 years ago can still comment on the current political climate. The Weather Underground is an even better experience on DVD thanks to the crew at Docu Rama. The film is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio, and the soundtrack is solid, although obviously it suffers on occasion due to the age and condition of some of the archival materials. The bonus materials on this disc make it one of the best DVD releases of the year. A commentary by director Sam Green involves discussions in the genesis of this project, the difficulty in tracking down the members of the organization, and the amount of trust they had to build up with many of the people who eventually agreed to be filmed on-camera. Green studiously avoids making any overt political statements, making this an intriguing look at how documentary films are put together. A second commentary track by Weathermen figures Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn injects the disc with a pointed political discussion in which they also express feelings of nostalgia, righteous anger, and occasionally dissatisfaction with elements in the finished film. Having their insights adds another fascinating layer to this already-intriguing documentary. A pair of audio communiqués recorded by the group during their years of violent protest, a portion of a documentary featured in the film, and a written statement by the filmmakers all add to this superb disc that should be viewed by anyone with an interest in politics or history. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide