Standard Operating Procedure Bluray Review

Main Feature

Standard Operating Procedure, directed by Errol Morris, is a documentary film which covers the events surrounding the widely publicized mistreatment of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Morris is no stranger to controversy as evident by two of his previous films, The Fog of War and The Thin Blue Line, with the latter being one of my favorites in the genre.

The much loved Hollywood composer Danny Elfman created the score and as usual his haunting music manages to be both melancholy and beautiful at the same time. I am more than happy to sit on the Main Menu and listen to the Elfman penned theme tune on loop and this is testament to how talented he is as a composer.

I’ll be looking at the Extras in more detail but there’s something I feel is worth bringing up in relation to the documentary itself. There is a video of a press conference and one of the questions asked of Morris is “The people interviewed seem to portray themselves as victims and don’t take responsibility for their actions. Do you feel that after the interviews they felt more responsible?”. The lack of responsibility taken by individuals for their actions is something which struck me while watching and I’m still unsure how I feel about that. My cynical side is convinced that these people are simply no good while a small part of me believes their denial to be little more than a coping mechanism after a traumatic situation.

The one thing the viewer must keep in mind when watching a documentary is that editing plays an enormous role in how the story turns out. This is obviously true of fictional films and the cutting room floor has claimed many a wonderful moment over the years but when you’re playing around with real events this takes on a whole new level of importance.

Extras

It is in the Extras where this documentary really comes alive. The extended interviews and additional scenes reveal a great deal about the interviewees and in some cases made me re-evaluate my feelings toward certain individuals.

The premiere Q&A session, director’s commentary, and press conference offer an insight into what Morris thinks of the events and those who were involved with the latter being the more detailed of the two. When asked, at the press conference, why he included “fictional” footage in the documentary Morris rightfully described the notion as “nonsense” and explains why the occasional re-enactment is important in depicting the truth of the events.

‘Diplomacy in the Age of Terror’ is a 45 minute debate on the events at Abu Ghraib, how the treatment of prisoners went against the Geneva Convention, and the effects this had on the US and the rest of the world.

Summary

As far as I’m concerned Errol Morris is one of the greatest documentary film-makers of all time. There are two things which I feel a documentary can provide the viewer. If you approach a the film having already made up your mind on the subject matter it will enable you to strengthen your beliefs. Documentaries also have the ability to educate the viewer in whatever subject area it is dealing with. I am happy to say that Standard Operating Procedure managed to do both these things for me. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in the events at Abu Ghraib, the war in Iraq, human atrocities and it’s especially relevant to anyone studying film and documentaries.

Rating * * * * *

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