October 19, 2007

What to Watch: Coming Up on Cable

A trio of feature-length docs — on History, IFC and Sundance Channel — tackle some tough topics and highlight the differences between cable and broadcast networks.

Tube Stake: Programming Reviews by Seth Arenstein

The Face of Jihad: Islamic terrorist leader Abu Sabaya.

• SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21

Stalking Jihad, 8pm ET/PT, History.

Give credit to History Channel for immediately facing the enemy. Before the start of this documentary, a screen announces: “This program contains scenes that have been dramatized, with special consideration given to historical accuracy.”

Critics usually emit a large groan when reviewing shows where History and others have reenacted scenes. Fortunately for this outstanding piece of work, the dramatized scenes are of no great importance.

The story’s the thing here, and it’s a great, if tragic, one. It’s also one that seems to have been forgotten in the wake of 9/11.

On May 27, 2001, several months before 9/11, an American couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries from Kansas, who’d lived in the Philippines for 16 years, were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at a Philippine resort.

On their second day there they and 17 other guests were taken hostage by members of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic terrorist group with links to Osama bin Laden. The hostages were then moved to Abu Sayyaf’s stronghold on the island of Basilan.

It’s important to note that Abu Sayyaf means "Bearer of the Sword." Sayyaf members often use long swords to behead victims. They are also experts at holding hostages for ransom. While they vaguely endorse the goals of al Qaeda, their main goal is creating an Islamic republic on Basilan and seceding from the Philippines.

This special recounts, sometimes in gruesome detail, the year-long saga that ensued, with special emphasis on the Burnhams. It expertly weaves in the story of the intelligence work done by the Philippine Marines, who were later assisted, unofficially, by the CIA. Months earlier, the U.S. military presence in the Philippines had ended. Had the Philippine government acknowledged the U.S. was back in country, the political fallout would have been devastating.

Very few good things came out of 9/11. One of them might have been that Gracia Burnham was freed. The Burnhams, despite their captivity, actually were able to listen to Voice of America that day; before they went to bed that night they sang the Star Spangled Banner softly, Gracia says in one of the many interviews she did for this show.

But 9/11, the special says, “was the Burnhams’ ticket home.” The Philippine government, which had been reluctant to negotiate with Abu Sayyaf, used Washington’s newfound hatred for Osama bin Laden to get American help in hunting down the group led by Filipino terrorist Abu Sabaya. That assistance, combined with terrific work by the Philippine Marines, eventually led to an ending to the Burnhams’ ordeal, bittersweet though it was.

There’s plenty to savor here, including the first-person accounts of Gracia Burnham and the reporting of Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, who uncovered the CIA’s involvement several years later.

History claims the special details how America confronts its enemies in exotic territories abroad. The viewer may also take away that the world is much more dangerous than previously thought.  

Hoop Dreamer: Sam Murchison in A Summer in the Cage.

• MONDAY, OCTOBER 22

A Summer in the Cage, 9pm, Sundance Channel.

Plenty of young people fail to make a distinction between cable and broadcast. The content is the important thing, not the platform, is their argument. Perhaps, but this feature-length documentary, and the Sundance Channel doc reviewed above, clearly show the split between broadcast and cable fare.

Real-life stories like this are never seen in prime time on broadcast television, save PBS. While they’re not the norm on cable — except on Sundance's DOCday block, where this will premiere, and on IFC, HBO and a handful of other nets — they are compelling television, and reason for continuing to make a distinction between broadcast and cable.  
 
Are we reading too much into A Summer in the Cage to liken its plot twist to the battles fought inside the head of someone suffering from bipolar disorder? In the summer of 2000 Ben Selkow wanted to make a documentary about street basketball, inside the "the cage" in New York's Greenwich Village, the basketball court located at West 4th Street at 6th Avenue.

He spots the lone white player on the court, Sam Murchison (above) , a hulking and handsome 30-year-old former Division I player. Murchison befriends Selkow, and says he’d like to contribute to the project by interviewing fellow players. He even has demo tapes to show that he has some news journalism background. The partnership begins.

Shortly after that, Murchison begins to exhibit strange behaviors. He calls Selkow constantly, at all hours. He urges the filmmaker to devote the piece to former Sen. (and basketball great) Bill Bradley and Colin Powell. Murchison insists this duo make an excellent presidential ticket. (Trouble is, the convention is long passed, and Bradley is no longer in the running.)

Later Murchison urges Selkow to have the documentary focus on him. Later Murchison boards a flight and begins screaming, praising Osama bin Laden.

Eventually the ballplayer, who seemingly had everything, is hospitalized, and later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Murchison gets his wish—Selkow drops the idea of producing a documentary about street ball and instead chronicles six years of Murchison’s saga.

As you can imagine, the picture is rarely pretty. Murchison’s disease robs him of logic, athleticism and self-esteem; he also gains 70 pounds. More than that, it wrecks his life. He is unemployable and is reduced to begging for money. Ultimately he’s judged to be someone who is a danger to himself and to others.

The final year of this doc, 2006, has Murchison threatening to harm Selkow, as the filmmaker struggles with whether or to film Murchison making the threat. That he does not only results in a stronger film, it also educates us on bipolar disorder. (Watch a sneak peek here; more info is at cagethemovie.com.)

Cold Remedy: Fighting depression in Japan, on IFC.

Does Your Soul Have a Cold?, 9pm ET, IFC.

Like most good filmic works, this IFC original doc by indie director Mike Mills (Thumbsucker) can be viewed on several levels.

It’s the story of the introduction of depression to Japan in 2000, courtesy of American pharmaceutical manufacturer Glaxo Smith Kline, which introduces anti-depression pills to the Japanese market.

The piece also seems to cast a cynical eye at Glaxo for sponsoring websites about depression, without putting its name on the site. Do the sites educate the public—before 2000, depression, or utsu, as it’s known in Japanese, was unknown there—or do they merely lay the groundwork so that Glaxo can better sell its product? Incidentally, the film’s title is taken from one of Glaxo’s advertising campaigns in Japan for anti-depression products.

Then there are the young Japanese people, afflicted by depression, who are followed by the camera. [It’s implied that not many older Japanese have accepted the concept of utsu.] They’re seen taking medication, working (mostly in menial jobs), discussing the numbness that depression brings and attempting to exist in modern Japan, a culture that looks down on those who aren’t productive members of society.

Perhaps the film’s strongest characteristic is its insight into depression that these people offer. Kyoko says she hates to wake up each day. Ken (above), a computer programmer, works at home so he doesn't have to face others.

Mika, who finds some solace in yoga, says her depression makes her not care about anything. So, she ponders, why live at all? Indeed, she attempted suicide, but failed. She’s asked if something drove her to that point. No, she says, that’s what really scares me. 

(Watch a clip and get more info here.)