"THE BODY OF WAR" - honoring tremont military spirits, Camp Cleveland, Union Camp, tremont, Cleveland, OH

Posted March 25th, 2008 by QUESTMINISTRIES

Free For All

http://www.bodyofwarmusic.com/

http://ivaw.org/

iraq veterans againist the war

http://youtube.com/bodyofwar

Published on Friday, November 23, 2007 by The Politico
‘Body of War’: Unsold Iraq Film Could Be Oscar Contender

by Jeffrey Ressner

Former talk show host Phil Donahue got gratifying news this week when “Body of War,” a movie he produced and co-directed, was placed on the short list of 15 films that will now compete for the five nominee spots in the Academy Awards’ full-length documentary category.

But what he and co-director Ellen Spiro haven’t gotten yet — although the film’s short-listing may help — is a distributor for the moving and unabashedly anti-war film about a paraplegic veteran, cast against the backdrop of the 2002 congressional debate over the Iraq war.

Other contenders for the documentary Oscar that address the war on terror include “No End in Sight,” “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience.”

Also on the list: “White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” “Nanking,” “The Rape of Europa,” the abortion film “Lake of Fire” and Michael Moore’s 2007 top-grossing doc “Sicko.”

Despite audience awards, critical raves and standing ovations at several film festivals, major studios and indie distributors have shied away from “Body of War,” which dovetails the story of war veteran Tomas Young with Congress’ debate over the resolution that authorized the use of U.S. military force in Iraq.

“We have some tantalizing interest, and we remain hopeful it will be in a theater near you early next year,” says Donahue. “There’s been interesting bites, but no firm offer. We’re not saying we’re better, but we feel we’re different than anything out there.”

Most likely, acquisition execs felt uncomfortable with box office prospects for the personal drama of Young, a charismatic grunt who got shot just five days after arriving in Iraq and later underwent a political metamorphosis that turned him into a forceful activist.

In its mixed-to-positive review, Hollywood trade paper Variety said the directors “succeed in personalizing some of the war’s grim statistics, but the purview of their portrait feels too limited for the pic to play widely. It should work best as tube and fest fare - and as a counter-recruitment tool.”

“There’s talk of an Iraq war documentary fatigue,” says Donahue. “Every time I hear that, I wish there was an Iraq war casualty fatigue.”

He says audiences may be growing weary of “seeing things that go ‘Boom!’” but adds that his film describes “the pain after the soldiers come home.”

Being in television all his life, Donahue says he’s “feeling his way along the wall of a dark hallway” in terms of finding theatrical distribution for his project.

But he felt inspired to make the film after meeting Young and watching the entire Iraq authorization vote debate on C-SPAN.

Through clever cutting, he shows how both Republican and Democratic members of Congress parroted the same talking points in the march toward war. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Donahue recalls.

“Phrases like ‘unmanned aerial vehicles’ and ‘a smoking gun that can become a mushroom cloud’ - it was the politics of fear shaped by an administration to sell a war.”

Contrast Donahue’s predicament with that of another difficult doc, “Darfur Now,” which opened in theaters earlier this month. It will reach nearly 100 theaters before year’s end and was “surprisingly easy” to sell, according to director Theodore Braun.

Seed money came from Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation, and “Crash” producer Cathy Schulman came on board shortly after she won the Oscar for best picture.

With the help of “Crash” star and Darfur activist Don Cheadle, the movie had no problem receiving backing from Participant Productions as well as Warner Independent Pictures.

The reason: Young people ages 16 to 25 are the most active when it comes to protesting the Darfur problem. “It can cost $75 or more for a couple with kids to go to the movies,” says Braun. “For kids, it’s just an $8 investment.”

What’s the draw? “Given the state of the world at the moment, we asked, ‘Why would people want to spend a weekend at this film?’” says Braun. “The answer: hope. Previous films focusing on the conflict left me numb, emotionally shut down, hopeless. We felt the way to overcome that was to put audiences in the shoes of the people who feel they can help bring an end to this crisis.”

While the movie describes the genocide, its primary thrust spotlights upbeat activists in the U.S., Europe and Africa.

Schulman said “the whole approach of the [Darfur] film, not just our marketing strategy, was to reach a wide, young audience.”

There’s a MySpace page devoted to the film, Warner hired consultants to organize grass-roots marketing, various religious congregations were shown early prints, and groups ranging from the NAACP to local Muslim organizations were recruited to help spread the word.

MTV’s mtvU wing partnered to promote campus screenings, while 30-second PSAs with Jessica Biel, Brad Pitt, Magic Johnson and others indirectly tie into the film.

Without a distributor, “Body of War” doesn’t have that kind of marketing money at its disposal yet.

But it’s already made waves, and its Oscar possibilities could help build momentum for an acquisition.

So has strong encouragement from DreamWorks mogul David Geffen, activist actor Sean Penn and Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, who contributed two songs, including a powerful anthem called “No More,” to the movie free of charge.

Donahue said he and the film’s backers will continue to push for a distributor. “Theatrical distribution has a certain gravitas that other mediums don’t. We have momentum,” he said.

“‘Little Miss Sunshine’ we ain’t,” Donahue added. “But we’re different from any other Iraq film: We’re commercial.”

Home Charger Articles Calendar Bookstore Library News Links Destinations

Honor the Monitor Speakers Bureau Membership Site Map Contact Us

Camp Cleveland
by Dale Thomas
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2004 All rights reserved

Throughout the Civil War, the Union Army maintained several muster and training camps in the Cleveland area. The largest and most permanent of these was Camp Cleveland, located in what is now the East Tremont section of Cleveland.

From its opening in July, 1862 until its closing in October, 1865, approximately 15,230 men trained at Camp Cleveland. Following the end of the war, the buildings were quickly sold and by the end of 1865, Camp Cleveland was gone.

In addition to Camp Cleveland, there were five other Union camps in the Cleveland area during the war. For the most part, these other camps were short-lived "tent camps" where just a single unit trained.

Barracks buildings at Camp Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio.
Each building was designed to hold 32 men.

Soldiers march (foreground) and play baseball (background) on the Camp Cleveland parade grounds in front of the camp hospital.

Union Army Units Organized or Reorganized
At Camp Cleveland July 1862 - October, 1865

1862
August
103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

September
107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

19th Battery

October
10th Cavalry

20th Battery

December
6th Co. SS

1863
January
124th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

7th Co. SS

February
5th Co. SS

July
86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (reorganized)

October
125th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

August
129th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

November
12th Cavalry

1864
April
60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (reorganized)

May
150th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

164th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

169th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

October
177th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

2nd Light Battery

Related Links on Camp Cleveland

Cleveland In the Civil War - on Wikipedia
Selected Articles-Cleveland, Ohio Newspapers 1861-65 - from Civil War Reenactors

Other Union Camps In Cleveland
(mostly "tent camps" with few buildings)

Camp Taylor

Opened:
April 22, 1861

Location:
E. 30th & Woodlawn

Unit:
7th, 8th, 14th & 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (total of 4,000 men)

Closed:
October, 1861

Camp Brown

Opened:
August, 1861

Location:
Euclid & E. 40th

Unit:
37th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Closed:
September, 1861

Camp Wade

Opened:
August, 1861

Location:
W 5th & Jefferson Ave.,
Literary Rd & W. 7th

Unit:
2nd Ohio Volunteer Calvary (mustered Oct 10th, moved to Camp Taylor Oct 21st)

Closed:
October 21, 1861

Camp Wood

Opened:
August 17, 1861

Location:
E. 37th & Woodlawn

Unit:
41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Closed:
November 6, 1861

Camp Tod

Opened:
Undetermined

Location:
Along Woodlawn

Unit:
45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Closed:
December, 1861

Camp Cleveland Historic Marker Dedication

On October 11, 2003, the State of Ohio dedicated a Camp Cleveland historical marker on the site of the original Camp Cleveland. The dedication program included speeches by William Stark and John and Chris Wipple. The 19th OVA Reenactment Battery and the Cleveland Grays Color Guard also participated in the ceremony.

These photos are from that dedication ceremony. The map at right, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, identifies the location in modern Cleveland of both Camp Cleveland and the Camp Cleveland historic marker.

The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable

Support the CCWRT | Feedback

ANTI-SPECIESISM
SPECIESISM:
1. A PREJUDICE OF ATTITUDE OF BIAS TOWARD THE INTERESTS OF MEMEBERS OF ONE'S OWN SPECIES
AND AGAINIST THOSE OF MEMBERS OF OTHER SPECIES.
2. A WORD USED TO DESCRIBE THE WIDESPREAD DISCRIMINATION THAT IS PRACTICED
BY HOMO SAPIENS AGANIST THE OTHER SPECIES.
SAVE OTHER-OUR SPECIES
SOS-FRE
FROM RESEARCH EXPERIMENT
QUEST, MINISTRIES, GUY TEMPELTON BLACK, PASTOR, and YOGI YOGA BEAR, SERVICE K-9 (guy's partner)
753 BRAYTON AVE., CLEVELAND, OHIO 44113-4604 USA, V:216.861.7368, F:216.861.7368
UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES VETERAN (VOLUNTEER) PEACE, ANTI-WAR, DEFENSIVE
faith based non-profit corporation no. 389646, 501(c)(3), SINCE 1965,
http://www.geocities.com/questministry
ADVOCATING FOR A NATIONAL WAR DOGS MEMORIAL http://www.wardogsmemorial.org
DONATE TO QUEST, VIA PAYPAL:
(CLICK) http://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=questministries%40netzero.net&return=http%3A//www.geocities.com/questministry/questministries