Songs of War: Music as a Weapon (2010)

Music is a Weapon

Songs of War: Music as a Weapon (2010) poster

Music elates, touches the soul and bypasses reason. Music is magic. But precisely this magic can turn it into an insidious weapon for music and violence belong together. The brutal power of African war dances, the ferocity of Maori Hakas, the earth-shattering roar of US sound guns blasting Metallica at Taliban hideouts the principle is always the same: Aggressive sounds demoralise the enemy and whip the allies into a frenzy. In Songs of War, director Tristan Chytroschek explores the extraordinary harmony between music and violence. Sesame Street composer, Christopher Cerf, always wanted his music to be fun and entertaining. But then he learned that his songs had been used to torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. He is stunned by this abuse of his work and wants to find out how this could happen.

Director: Tristan Chytroschek
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 52 min
Release Date:

Cast

Editing: Karl-Heinz Satzger, Norik Stepanjan
Production: A&O Buero, ZDF, ARTE
Country: Germany
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

guantanamo bay, torture

Similar Movies

More Films by Director: Tristan Chytroschek
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Songs of War: Music as a Weapon about?
Music elates, touches the soul and bypasses reason. Music is magic. But precisely this magic can turn it into an insidious weapon for music and violence belong together. The brutal power of African war dances, the ferocity of Maori Hakas, the earth-shattering roar of US sound guns blasting Metallica at Taliban hideouts the principle is always the same: Aggressive sounds demoralise the enemy and whip the allies into a frenzy. In Songs of War, director Tristan Chytroschek explores the extraordinary harmony between music and violence. Sesame Street composer, Christopher Cerf, always wanted his music to be fun and entertaining. But then he learned that his songs had been used to torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. He is stunned by this abuse of his work and wants to find out how this could happen.
Who directed Songs of War: Music as a Weapon?
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon was directed by Tristan Chytroschek.
Who stars in Songs of War: Music as a Weapon?
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon stars Christopher Cerf, Thomas Keenan, Chris Arendt, Herb Friedman, Mike Ritz, Nathalie Gosselin.
How long is Songs of War: Music as a Weapon?
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon has a runtime of 52m (52 minutes).
What genre is Songs of War: Music as a Weapon?
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon is a Documentary film.
Where was Songs of War: Music as a Weapon produced?
Songs of War: Music as a Weapon was produced in Germany.