"Chicago 10" hopes to reanimate the anti-war movement

2/26/08In the new documentary, "Chicago 10," director Brett Morgen resurrects the ghosts of the 1960's anti-war movement in an effort to enlighten the present.

"I wanted to make it timeless, a classic tale of war and its opposition," Morgen said, "I was trying to capture the experience of Chicago, because I thought it could really shed light on our moment in history."

Emerson College students and guests were treated to a free screening of the documentary Monday night and had a chance to meet the movie's director and one of the subjects of the film, political activist Tom Hayden.

The movie, which recounts the violent protests surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the subsequent trial of protest organizers known as the "Chicago 8", combines modern animation, dialogue pulled straight from court transcripts and archival footage to bring viewers a unique perspective on the height of the 60's anti-war movement.

Morgen who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000 for his movie "On the Ropes" said he originally got the idea for the movie as the U.S. was invading Afghanistan in 2002. He was distraught by what he saw as a lack of protest against the war.

Asked whether or not the movie was a true documentary, Morgen said, "There is a difference between journalism and filmmaking."

"I'm not presenting this movie as the absolute truth on what happened in Chicago," Morgen said, "it was a very deliberate attempt to redefine that generation. History is too academic, and that's why this movie was needed."

Tom Hayden, one of the Chicago 8 along with Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and Bobby Seale, was handed a prison sentence for his role as protest organizer, which was later, overturned. Hayden went on to marry the actress Jane Fonda and later on served as state senator in California for eight years.

When asked why we do not see the same scenes of antiwar protest on the streets as there were in 1968, Hayden said it was impossible and imprudent to compare the two moments in history. He reminded the mostly young audience, that in 1968 the voting age was 21, and the draft was taking young men off to war.

Those two things alone created a "mobilizing experience," Hayden said.

"To dwell on the past as if the greatest moments in the anti-war movements are gone would be a disaster," Hayden said, "You could argue that the anti-war movement is just as large and effective as it was back then," referring to activist organizations such as Moveon.org.

Hayden was also asked about his stance on the current presidential election and his declared support for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. "I carry a lot of wounds," Hayden said, "It's very hard for me to believe in the second coming of anyone or anything."

He later said, "I don't think Obama is the savior others think he is, but I do support the movement caused by Obama. Whether or not he wins the presidency, that movement will provide the next generation of activists."

Mark Snyder, 24, who works for a national non-profit group called Community Catalyst, which fights for affordable healthcare, came to see the screening with a friend from Emerson.

"I thought the movie was great. It had a lot of relevancy to what is happening today," he said.

" I think that activism is still alive today, but is too often overlooked."

The event was organized by the Visual Media Arts Department at Emerson. Anna Feder, the VMA program coordinator was thrilled by the large turnout to see the movie and meet the guests.

"It was a brilliant opportunity to have the director and Tom come here," Feder said, "We knew it would be a big event.