DVD Review - C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America

This film is a satire (and mockumentary) and uses director Kevin Willmott's imagination to tell us what would have happened if the South won the Civil War.

For one thing, instead of the stars and stripes our flag would be the Confederate flag. Abe
Lincoln would have been imprisoned and liberals would have to move to Canada (which might be the case for present day liberals if this country keeps moving to the right). Willmott (who is an assistant professor at the University of Kansas) shows that the this country would have been in agreement with Hitler, eliminated all Native America Indians and have Jews confined to their reservation of Long Island.

As the film is pretending to be a British made television show there are "commercials" interspersed throughout. These (as in the film) show how great it is to be white and Christian as well as different ways to make your slaves (also known as property) toe the line. There is much more to the film and I suggest that they show it in schools because I think that it is a good educational tool.

Besides directing the film Willmott also wrote it. He knows how to take a serious subject and interject humor into it. Despite being upset about what was going on I found myself laughing a number of times. Cinematographer Matt Jacobson gives the film a nice look and I especially liked the black & white segments. I was not familiar with any of the actors but that didn't matter because this film was not about acting. Of note - the film is a Spike Lee presentation.

I highly recommend that people see this film not only because it shows us what might have happened if things turned out differently regarding the Civil War. It also shows us a few things that might happen if things to continue to go in the direction they have been going in for the last few years.