Review of Corporation, The (Two Discs)

Introduction

How often does a DVD release shock the living daylights out of you? By that, I mean that it`s so thought provoking that it shakes the very foundations of your belief system to the core? Well, this documentary did exactly that - and a whole lot more besides. Maybe it shook me a little more than most. For the last 20 years or so I`ve been producing corporate videos for corporations like Next, Dell, IBM and …well, even The Wall Street Journal Europe, who, despite being the bastions of financial conservatism, obviously also got a `shock to the system` too as they gave it a rather good review. Which was the first I`d heard of it…until this feature packed double DVD set arrived for review.

This Canadian-made documentary is (ironically perhaps), stylistically very much like a corporate video. It`s a mix of rather smart graphics, archival newsreel material and a sea of talking heads. In truth, the film is probably 75% talking heads, culled (according to one of the many features) from some 300 or so hour`s worth of interview footage.

Produced in 2004, and directed by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott (often filming separate interviews on the same day, whilst someone else began the arduous editing process), it starts with a strange piece of legal history; namely that the law defines a corporation as an actual "person" with an existence independent of its partners and shareholders. The question is then posed - so what kind of a `person` does it tend to be? The answer seems to be unanimous. Greedy. Greedy for profit. Above all else, and at any cost. And it`s not a comfortable story.

In terms of its foreboding future gazing, it also suggests that, "Everything will one day be owned by somebody". And when they say everything, they mean EVERYTHING! That includes life forms, stem cells, land, air and water.

It`s a tough and imponderable problem. There`s no doubt that, particularly in the fields of medicine and biotech, that Corporations can be responsible for some major humanitarian progress. But it`s the exploitation of the discoveries that doesn`t feel right.

`The Corporation` seems to have a sense of balance clearly missing from some of its recent contemporaries (like the contentious Fahrenheit 9/11 and Super-Size Me) and it mixes interviews with the academic anti-globalisation lobby (Noam Chomsky & Naomi Klein) with those who represent the corporate vision (including Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, CEO of Shell Oil and business guru Milton Friedman).

The film is neatly separated into digestible chapters, and the whole builds into a grim story far more sinister than the sum of its grubby parts. There`s little here to be proud of.

Next time you`re sitting at your company conference, which naturally opens with corporate rockers U2`s `Beautiful Day` or some such emotive track, it`s worth ruminating on the facts behind the fiction.

After hearing about the outrageous and insensitive profiteering by Nike, for example, I for one will question the nature of my various corporate allegiances. (That`s perhaps a highlight - seeing Michael Moore posit the perfectly reasonable question: when is it enough? Could the $1 Billion profit be just half a Billion? Then Nike could pay the child-labour responsible for making the shoes a wage, which might take them above `meagre subsistence` in return for working seven 14-hour days a week. Absolutely sickening.)

Another area of focus is the sophisticated and insidious marketing techniques used on each of us and, most specifically, on children. The Directors often use the `give `em enough rope` strategy and one particularly un-palatable `marketing expert` clearly sees nothing ethically wrong in exploiting child-psychology to better shift high margin plastic product.

Thought provoking stuff.

Video

This is a very slick looking production where even the archive footage sparkles! Despite the heavy compression (over 5 hours of extras on disc two alone) the images hold up well.

Audio

Dolby 2.0 stereo - and it`s fine. It`s only ever a simple mix of interview audio and occasional background music.

Features

Where to start! By way of compensation for all the wrongdoings and letdowns of profiteering corporations, they`ve thrown the kitchen-sink at this collection of extras. Because of their sheer abundance, they`re rather well organised too - almost academically.

Just for starters, two audio-commentaries are presented on disc one. The first is two commentaries really, one from editor/director Jennifer Abbot and another from partner in crime, Mark Achbar. It all hangs together just fine though with Abbott talking about how the film was edited, whilst Achbar is more inclined to discuss his film-making experiences and how they affected him. While it`s not as good as a regular discussion, it still maintains very interesting and engaging. Co-creator and writer Joel Bakan also offers up an engaging audio commentary, bringing to life the whole process of bringing the project to fruition.

There are also eight Q & A sessions between a media audience and the three creators, Joel Bakan, Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbot are available for separate view or as one 18-odd minute featurette. This is very informative background and all three come across as normal Joe`s trying to put right some major wrongs. It`s not a barrel of laughs but then neither is its subject matter.

Writer and co-creator Joel Bakan`s interview with `Majority Report` is also included on this first-disc, where he talks about both the film and his book. This feels a little long at over 35 minutes but offers up some interesting insight.

Another feature on Disc 1 is about `Grass Roots Marketing` for the film. Katherine Dodds talks about simple and effective ideas used to push the name of the The Corporation. For anyone with ambitions in independent film, this tiny featurette might offer up some invaluable advice!
Also on disc one: The Corporation theatrical trailer, DVD credits, Manufacturing Consent trailer and eight deleted scenes.

Enough yet? And there`s more!

If you slip the disc into your computer drive you can access the DVD-Rom features, which is packed with high quality printable pdf`s of promotional material. There are also a series of quick links to useful web-sites and (surely not!!) and The Corporation online shop.

The rest of disc-two is filled with additional interview material - some forty personalities that can be accessed either via interviewee (just click on their face) or by topic, which has all the relevant clips edited together via topic. It`s a fantastic resource with more than 5 hours of material on this disc alone - though the compression doesn`t hurt too much as there is precious little movement in the talking heads. All the interviews have the same relaxed quality to them, as well as a professionally lit look with subjects keyed against a black-backdrop.

There are also trailers to some 12 or so other `sympathetic` movies including `Outfoxed` and `Super-size me`, flying the flag for independent social commentary in film.

Conclusion

Whilst deceptively simple in approach, `The Corporation` is an amazingly powerful and thought-provoking documentary.

It`s absolutely packed with intelligent analysis and information that show the phenomenon of `The Corporation` in a new light.

These giant-sized conglomerates can take on a life of their own in their singular and ruthless pursuit of profit at any cost.

But rather than just offering endless critique, it also offers up a new way of thinking for those who may have influence within these businesses.

This is no critique of capitalism, just a critique of the crazed uncontrolled behaviour of corporations driven solely by profit. The advice seems to be, seize back control, and then run the business profitably but not at any cost. Do it with respect for the workforce (including the extended workforce in `desperate lands`), with respect for the environment - and with respect for the customer.

In a world where corporate leaders like Michael Dell, or the CEO of Nike, are personally worth more than the GDP of entire nations, maybe it`s time for employees and consumers to ask if there`s another way. It would be nice to be a part of it.

With regard to the film itself, it`s uncomplicated in terms of production, relying on the intelligent contributions of its many contributors.

The abundance of extras here is virtually unprecedented on a standard release and deserves every one of the (again unprecedented) ten points awarded here.

I cannot recommend this enough - and I feel heartened by the prospects of seeing this as mandatory viewing on degree courses the length and breadth of Britain.

Collectively, as consumers and employees, we can make a difference. But that takes energy and courage. This film just might be the catalyst to help make that happen.