DVD Pick: Standard Operating Procedure

A picture may tell 1000 stories…

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Standard Operating Procedure is a documentary film about the photos taken in Abu Ghraib, the prison in Iraq which became great focus of the media in 2004 and the consequences from the actions of the troops involved. Directed by Errol Morris, who is considered one of the top directors of the documentary film community, whose 2003 documentary The Fog of War won an Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Morris interviews soldier prison guards from inside the now infamous prison to tell the story of what really happened. He uses re-enactments as well for key moments that have no photographic evidence. The real centerpiece of the film though is the actual photographs taken of all the disturbing events. We even get to observe footage shot by the prison guards during some disturbing events which is downright frightening.

It is very shocking, not only to see what is really happening, but exactly how the soldiers are reacting to what seems like a common place. I understand it is a different world over there but some things just evoke common sense. Most of these soldiers must be blind to the electrical signals in their brains telling them this is wrong.

This documentary proves how photos can be used to distract us of the real truth. Misdirecting us from what is really happening. This distraction, Morris uses himself, and that was my only problem with the documentary which was the choice to make the few people convicted actually seem like it was not there fault. Yes to some extent you do feel sorry for them, you should not though, as they are human beings and have to make choices for themselves, even if it puts them in jail for disobeying a direct order from a superior officer.

Morris’ intent was to show you how the cover-up of the story and he does a good job of that. Making this film like a filmmaker would go about making a big budget movie may have hurt the film even if it was used very eloquently. Morris pulls out all the stops, getting Danny Elfman to make the thunderous score, using the playing cards with Saddam Hussein and his henchmen (that was distributed to the troops in Iraq) as well as using “ghosts” to demonstrate us the invisible forces of the commanding officers letting the torturous events occur. It just seems to fake though, not showing us the dark, ugly nature of the prison itself.

This documentary is about photos that are alarming, surreal, bleak and down right wrong. To see the most infamous of the photos at the end stamped with either Criminal or Standard Operating Procedure across them left me breathless. Yes photos may tell 1000 stories, but they may only tell a part of the story. Factually the film accomplishes nothing, but Morris does question standard operating procedure and criminal punishment in the military, but maybe we can learn a lesson from it.

4 out of 5