DVD: A new weapon against mainstream media bias?

The Web has been, of course, a godsend for The Resistance in breaking the information monopoly of mainstream publications and TV. But the Web hasn't yet developed far enough technologically to transmit long-form video from individuals to individuals (as opposed to video-on-demand from corporate sources.)

I expect that will change. Meanwhile, feature-length videos that would never pass through the mainstream media ideological filter are beginning to be distributed on DVD, and it wouldn't be surprising for the trend to grow quickly.

According to the director on this film's web site, it shows "footage of these radical Islamic leaders all over the Arab world preaching hate against America, calling for genocide, calling for violence."

The director, Wayne Kopping, also said in a radio interview:

We've been desperately trying to find a distributor for the film. I get the same blind spot we're finding with the media, we're also finding with distribution companies. I guess they're finding that this story is just too hot to break to the poor public. So we are struggling with that at the moment. But we have a website, if people want to find out more about the film, and as soon as we're able to find that distributor, we're going to get it out there.

If the film were a warning against the danger of cat and dog obesity or second-hand cell phone radiation, distributors would be in a bidding war for it. But since it's only about terrorist indoctrination for homicide, taken directly from Arabic-language news sources, your local cinegoogleplex won't touch it. The "full-length feature film is currently available only at select theaters and screenings," the web site says.

But Obsession is being offered as a "special one-hour pre-release edition" on DVD. (Why only an hour of the 77-minute film is on the DVD is a mystery to me, unless the director and editor are still working on it.) If the film creates enough of a stir, it may spur other producers to bypass the Ministry of Disinformation and go directly to the public on DVD.

I haven't seen Obsession so I am not endorsing it, but you should at least know it exists. For quotes from viewers, go here.