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A FERVENT VOW TO BE HEARD IN `SCREAMERS'
by Michael Ordona, Special to The Times
Los Angeles Times
December 8, 2006 Friday
Home Edition
When individuals learn of brutality on an almost unfathomable
scale, what is the appropriate response? The title of director
Carla Garapedian's documentary, "Screamers," refers to a resolute
determination to bring genocide to light. The film follows Armenian
American alt-metal band System of a Down and others as they educate
people about the 1915-18 Armenian diaspora in Turkey, in which an
estimated 1.2 million people died.
Those events are widely recognized as "genocide," and the film
focuses on efforts to persuade Turkey, the United Kingdom and the
United States to proffer official acknowledgment.
"Screamers" springs off the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning band's most
recent tour, during which it distributes political pamphlets and in at
least one concert commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide, shows its fans news reports on the subject. The band puts the
issue before thousands who wouldn't have otherwise thought of it, but
Garapedian errs in assuming that the film's viewers are necessarily
fans. There's plenty of concert footage -- probably too much for
non-devotees. But there's also testimony by authors, politicians and
a former FBI interpreter. Lead singer Serj Tankian appears at a rally
to convince House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to schedule a
vote on the issue; later, the soft-spoken rocker tries politely to
engage Hastert in person.
What will probably stay with any viewer are the film's tales
ofepic cruelty, told on a personal scale (one eyewitness is
Tankian'sgrandfather). Garapedian shows disturbing visual evidence
ofgenocides from 1915 to the current slaughters in Darfur. The
piece isintelligently made, although the director often doesn't
establishplace or time, leaving the viewer unmoored.
But what is the ultimate aim of people who call
themselves"screamers"? Is one congressman right when he testily argues
that "tobring this up year after year serves no purpose"?
The film postulates that acknowledging genocides could have apreventive
effect, but does not prove that failure to recognize thehorrors
of 1915-18 paved the way for actions such as Hitler's twodecades
later. After all, while only fringe groups still questionwhether the
Jewish Holocaust occurred, there have been many genocidessince.
The ultimate benefit of shining a bright light on this darknessmay
be to achieve a sense of closure for descendants of the victims,but
that may be justification enough.
MPAA rating: R for disturbing images of genocide and language.Running
time: 1 hour, 31 minutes. Exclusively at Mann Chinese 6, 8106Hollywood
Blvd. (at Highland), (323) 777-FILM #002; Criterion 6, 1313Third
Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 248-MANN #019; Exchange10, 128
N. Maryland Ave., Glendale, (818) 549-0045 #391; AMC's TheBlock 30,
The City Drive, north of 22 Freeway, (714) 789-4AMC.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Michael Ordona, Special to The Times
Los Angeles Times
December 8, 2006 Friday
Home Edition
When individuals learn of brutality on an almost unfathomable
scale, what is the appropriate response? The title of director
Carla Garapedian's documentary, "Screamers," refers to a resolute
determination to bring genocide to light. The film follows Armenian
American alt-metal band System of a Down and others as they educate
people about the 1915-18 Armenian diaspora in Turkey, in which an
estimated 1.2 million people died.
Those events are widely recognized as "genocide," and the film
focuses on efforts to persuade Turkey, the United Kingdom and the
United States to proffer official acknowledgment.
"Screamers" springs off the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning band's most
recent tour, during which it distributes political pamphlets and in at
least one concert commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide, shows its fans news reports on the subject. The band puts the
issue before thousands who wouldn't have otherwise thought of it, but
Garapedian errs in assuming that the film's viewers are necessarily
fans. There's plenty of concert footage -- probably too much for
non-devotees. But there's also testimony by authors, politicians and
a former FBI interpreter. Lead singer Serj Tankian appears at a rally
to convince House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to schedule a
vote on the issue; later, the soft-spoken rocker tries politely to
engage Hastert in person.
What will probably stay with any viewer are the film's tales
ofepic cruelty, told on a personal scale (one eyewitness is
Tankian'sgrandfather). Garapedian shows disturbing visual evidence
ofgenocides from 1915 to the current slaughters in Darfur. The
piece isintelligently made, although the director often doesn't
establishplace or time, leaving the viewer unmoored.
But what is the ultimate aim of people who call
themselves"screamers"? Is one congressman right when he testily argues
that "tobring this up year after year serves no purpose"?
The film postulates that acknowledging genocides could have apreventive
effect, but does not prove that failure to recognize thehorrors
of 1915-18 paved the way for actions such as Hitler's twodecades
later. After all, while only fringe groups still questionwhether the
Jewish Holocaust occurred, there have been many genocidessince.
The ultimate benefit of shining a bright light on this darknessmay
be to achieve a sense of closure for descendants of the victims,but
that may be justification enough.
MPAA rating: R for disturbing images of genocide and language.Running
time: 1 hour, 31 minutes. Exclusively at Mann Chinese 6, 8106Hollywood
Blvd. (at Highland), (323) 777-FILM #002; Criterion 6, 1313Third
Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 248-MANN #019; Exchange10, 128
N. Maryland Ave., Glendale, (818) 549-0045 #391; AMC's TheBlock 30,
The City Drive, north of 22 Freeway, (714) 789-4AMC.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress