Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media (1993)
NFB, NRK, YLE, SBS, Humanist Broadcasting Foundation

Description

Funny, provocative and surprisingly accessible, MANUFACTURING CONSENT explores the political life and ideas of world-renowned linguist, intellectual and political activist Noam Chomsky. Through a dynamic collage of biography, archival gems, imaginative graphics and outrageous illustrations, Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick's award-winning documentary highlights Chomsky's probing analysis of mass media and his critique of the forces at work behind the daily news.

Tags

Media

Collected reviews and ratings

10 Washington Post | Joe Brown

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media" is a juicily subversive biographical/philosophical documentary bristling and buzzing with ideas -- it may have you groping in vain for the remote control to rewind back to that last thought. The film is politically and intellectually potent, even infuriating, whether you agree with Chomsky or disagree with him.
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10 Washington Post | Hal Hinson

Without being the least bit precious, Achbar and Wintonick constantly find ways to lighten the film's tone and make us laugh. In this regard, they remain true to Chomsky's dry, anarchist example. The film never screams or pontificates. Instead, it entices us, through a seemingly inexhaustible supply of imaginative visual playfulness, to participate in its iconoclastic brand of anything-goes social analysis.
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10 DVD Outsider | Camus

Please be aware that something quite profound might happen to you after viewing this DVD, Manufacturing Consent. You may start looking at everything in a slightly different way and there is very little wrong with that potential outcome.
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9.0 Amazon user reviews

Peter Wintonick and Mark Achbar made this penetrating documentary about the career and views of linguist and media critic Noam Chomsky. While the man is the subject of the movie, the filmmakers wisely and carefully choose not to make Chomsky more important than his insights into the way print and electronic journalism tacitly and often willingly further the agendas of the powerful.
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8.8 Austin Chronicle | Marc Savlov

In fact, as far as “educational” documentaries go, this may be one of the best. Not only is it consistently entertaining and occasionally downright hilarious, it honestly makes you think. What more could a documentary do?
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8.0 New York Times | Vincent Canby

The film is best when Mr. Chomsky talks, which he does with ease, clarity and wit. It's at its worst when it tries to defend him, employing some of the trickier eye-catching techniques associated with advertising campaigns for products the public doesn't yet know it needs.
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7.0 filmcritic.com | Christopher Null

Unfortunately, putting Chomsky on a pulpit for three hours isn't really the best way to get his message across (a deep and thorough indictment of politics, the media, and corporate leadership). A little more context and some judicious editing could have given the film longer legs.
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