The men who stare at goats is a mockumentry claiming to expose the exploits of the american governments attempts to ultilize psyhic phenomenon to further their war efforts. The men who stare at goats is a 2009 comedy film directed by grant heslov and written by peter straughan and released in theaters on november 6, 2009. Ronson, a humorous journalist, described a secret wing of the u. Nov 20, 2009 the men who stare at goats, released in the fall 2009 winchester films, in alliance with bbc films and mandate pictures, based on the book by jon ronson, 259 pp.
But, like a raconteur who entertains but never quite gets to the point, this comedy doesnt, either. Inspired by journalist jon ronsons samenamed book, the men who stare at goats is absurdly entertaining, with beautifully rendered scenery and moments small and big filled with quirk and wit. A gag early in the eccentric military comedy the men who stare at goats neatly summarizes what the movies about. The men who stare at goats is a 2009 comedy film directed by grant heslov and written by peter straughan based on the book of the same title by author jon ronson, an account of the investigation by ronson and john sergeant into attempts by us military forces to use psychic abilities in.
The men who stare at goats new scene cloudbursting starring. The tale follows the true story of ronson discovering about the men who stare at goats as well as the weird and the wonderful surrounding the us military. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson bizarre military history. It is based on the book of the same title by author jon ronson, an account of the investigation by ronson and john sergeant into attempts by us military forces to use psychic powers.
The film is a fictionalized version of jon ronsons 2004 book of the same title of an investigation into attempts by the u. It then implies that because of this, stubblebine was responsible for the eventual deaths of 39 heavens gate cult members through a very convoluted chainofevents. Oct 15, 2010 its from the movie the men who stare at goats i found these bits funny if you be a bitch and complain comment will then be deleted. The men who stare at goats is a 2009 comedy film directed by grant heslov and written by peter straughan based on the book of the same title by author jon ronson, an account of the investigation by ronson and john sergeant into attempts by us military forces to use psychic abilities in military operations. Jon ronsons the men who stare at goats is an inspired study of americas war on terror, says tim adams. Mission mind control in defense of america jeff bridges, left, and george clooney in the foreground in a scene in the men who stare at goats, about an army unit. Buy the men who stare at goats reprints by jon ronson isbn. It has one, but a bland one with no impact and no sense of arrival.
Nov 10, 2009 the men who stare at goats cardiffborn british journalist jon ronson had been working professionally for a number of years when hed published his first book clubbed class a work in which he discussed his attempts to fake his way into a highclass lifestyle. Based on the book the men who stare at goats 2004 by jon ronson about the u. This is well worth a watch and in many ways gives you a glimpse into a more documentarylike film that. The men who stare at goats synopsis favorite theater button. The men who stare at goats 2009 hollywood subliminals. James channon, who wrote the first earth battalion field manual. Oct, 2009 the men who stare at goats reveals extraordinary and very nutty national secrets at the core of george w bushs war on terror. Nov 06, 2009 written by peter straughan and based on the nonfiction book by jon ronson, also titled the men who stare at goats, the film tells parallel stories that finally join. The men who stare at goats book by jon ronson official. The men who stare at goats prompts an obvious question. Major general albert stubblebine iii is sitting behind his desk in arlington, virginia, and he is staring at his wall, upon which hang his numerous military awards.
In the mid70s channon took a leave of absence with pay from the army to go on a factfinding tour of the new age movement, before coming back and. Maybe there are some brighter folks out there who can find a message regarding the state of the u. The men who stare at goats quotes showing 1 of most goatrelated military activity is still highly classified. From george clooney, mind control in defense of america.
The men who stare at goats directed by grant heslov written by peter straughan rated m, 93 minutes cinemas everywhere our rating. It is not the movie the trailers promised, and from what i gather, not necessarily the flick fans of the book might have hoped for, but its still smartly made and performed with skill. The men who stare at goats no relation to us is a book and later movie about various paranormal woo and new age ideas used by the us army. My first object of unscientific observation is a film i saw in theater about a month or so agogrant heslovs the men who stare at goats. Jedi, a secret government organization dedicated to creating psychic supersoldiers with the goal of bringing about world peace. The men who stare at goats 2009 comedy movie on paranormal powers in the army directed by grant heslov. The men who stare at goats reveals extraordinary and very nutty national secrets at the core of george w bushs war on terror. To be honest, i dont want to hark on about the men who stare at goats too much other to say that it is fantastic. Goodreads members who liked the men who stare at goats also lik. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson books the. The men who stare at goats is a book about the us secret parapsychology warfare division devised in the 1970s by new age solider jim channon.
Im not sure what to say about this book other than, i tried, i really did but i didnt get it. Clooney successfully clears the sky, but while his eyes. The men who stare at goats by ronson, jon 2012 paperback on. Despite generally disliking grant heslovs film the men who stare at goats, i definitely enjoyed the flashback moments that were clearly taken directly from jon ronsons expose into the militarys exploration of psychic warfare. The men on the truck pick up the two and immediately go through their bags. The men who stare at goats is a 2009 comedy film directed by grant heslov, starring george clooney, ewan mcgregor, jeff bridges and kevin spacey the film is about a reporter who attempts to uncover the story of the socalled project. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The sunday times number one bestseller that inspired the major motion picture. He is accessible, very funny, and highly informative. Remote viewing, intelligence infighting, concealment of information its been one of my favorite movies for years, wondering if im just crazy for liking it.
The men who stare at goats follows bob, a downonhisluck journalist, as he journeys to iraq with lyn, a specialforces psychic warrior, in order to fulfill a psychic mission. Thats what the men who stare at goats sort of wants us to believe. The book is journalistbiography style with the author making contact with numerous military figures all somehow linked to psyops. The men who stare at goats by ronson, jon 2012 paperback. George clooney, ewan mcgregor, jeff bridges, kevin spacey, jk simmons, stephen lang, robert pa. Intrigued by cassadys assertions that they can walk through walls and kill goats by fixed gazes, wilton follows him on a dangerous, topsecret mission across iraq to find the brigades founder, bill django jeff bridges. Although this film is inspired by john ronsons book the men who stare at goats, it is a fiction, and while the characters lynn cassady and bill django are based on actual persons, sergeant glenn wheaton and colonel jim channon, all other characters are invented or are composites and are not portrayals of actual persons. Glenn wheaton witnessed the event and recounted it to author jon ronson, who wrote about it in his book the crazy rulers of the world. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson pan macmillan. I had the opportunity to speak to ronson as he was waiting for a car to pick him up on a london street corner. The book is companion to a threepart tv series broadcast in britain on channel 4crazy rulers of the world the first episode of which is also entitled the men who stare at goats. Feb 11, 2005 the men who stare at goats by jon ronson 240pp, picador. That said, the book also has a sad edge as it can be seen as a commentary on military officers who came back from the war in vietnam damaged and grasping at.
Nov 20, 2004 the men who stare at goats by jon ronson picador. Armys first earth battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions. Financial analysis of the men who stare at goats 2009 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Non fiction, history, politics, war, military, humor, psychology, writing, journalism, fantasy, paranormal, science. Brian buzby here is my list of a few of the more prominent characters in the movie, the men who stare at goats, and the real people and composites they might represent, based on what i remember from my first time seeing the film. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson, paperback. The men who stare at goats film the men who stare at goats is a 2009 britishamerican satirical dark comedy war film directed by grant heslov and starring george clooney, ewan mcgregor, jeff bridges, and kevin spacey. The men who stare at goats 2004 is a nonfiction work by jon ronson concerning the u. Imagine the dude from the big lebowski as a reallife u. Jon ronson is forced to begin his book with an extraordinary disclaimer. Research was carried out in part by jon ronson, but also by documentary filmmaker john sergeant. The same title was used a third time for a loose feature film adaptation in 2009.
A journey through the madness industry and so youve been. Its based on a book and tv series by journalist jon ronson. The men who stare at goats was inspired by jon ronsons nonfiction bestseller of the same name, an eyeopening and often hilarious exploration of. The title refers to attempts to kill goats by staring at them and stopping their hearts. Nov 06, 2009 this is not to say that the men who stare at goats lacks a story. The new earth army are trained to combat enemies with psychic powers, read peoples thoughts, pass through solid walls and kill animals by simply staring at them. The men who stare at goats claims that general bert stubblebine actively recruited the now highlycontroversial ed dames to become a remote viewer. The title of the upcoming movie, the men who stare at goats is based on an incident in which a green beret instructor killed a goat by staring at it. Yet in the men who stare at goats, the combination makes sense. The book is companion to a threepart tv series broadcast in britain on channel 4crazy rulers of the world 2004the first episode of which is also entitled the men who stare at goats.
This, he writes, with some authentic shock and awe, is. Jon ronsons the men who stare at goats is grimly prescient in light of the us torture revelations in abu ghraib, says albert scardino. It was released in 2004 and based on research done by the author, jon ronson, and documentary maker john sergeant. The book is companion to a threepart tv series broadcast in britain on channel 4crazy rulers of the world 2004. This is another of the books i read whilst on holiday earlier this year. George clooney, playing one of a secret cadre of american supersoldiers, is driving into iraq with hapless reporter ewan mcgregor by his side, and is attempting to demonstrate his ability to disperse clouds with his mind. Still, even with the final act problems, i generally enjoyed the men who stare at goats. The men who stare at goats, released in the fall 2009 winchester films, in alliance with bbc films and mandate pictures, based on the book by jon ronson, 259 pp.
Though the men who stare at goats is a mostly entertaining, farcical glimpse of men at war, some may find its satire and dark humor less than edgy. Ronson engages in onthesite reporting, but he is not particularly objective about his politics or his reactions to what he learns. The men who stare at goats cloudbursting scene youtube. He also has a book called them where he writes about. The men who stare at goats reveals extraordinary and very nutty national secrets at the core of george w. A reporter in iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets lyn cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the u. Oct 23, 2009 the men who stare at goats in this quirky dark comedy inspired by a real life story you will hardly believe is actually true, astonishing revelations about a topsecret wing of the u. In 1979, a crack commando unit was established by the most gifted minds within the u. More of this is true than you would believe, the movie announces in an opening title. This is not to say that the men who stare at goats lacks a story.
The men who stare at goats kindle edition by ronson, jon. Find books like the men who stare at goats from the worlds largest community of readers. This book is jon ronsons attempt to understand the path that led to abu ghraib and. The men who stare at goats audiobook by jon ronson. This book is jon ronsons attempt to understand the path that led to abu ghraib and the interrogation methods used there. Channon envisaged soldiers with extraordinary powers that would enable a new era of warfare without the death and. They are kept in a holding cell and bob freaks out after lynn tries to. The men who stare at goats i see a tin mug youtube. Will there in fact be any goats stared at in this movie. The men who stare at goats in this quirky dark comedy inspired by a real life story you will hardly believe is actually true, astonishing revelations. For the film, british writer ronson becomes american journalist bob wilton played by scotsman ewan mcgregor. From the bestselling author of the psychopath test. The men who stare at goats 2009 financial information.
It was produced by clooneys and heslovs production company smoke house pictures. With ewan mcgregor, george clooney, kevin spacey, jeff bridges. It then implies that because of this, stubblebine was responsible for the eventual deaths of 39 heavens gate cult members through a. Which isnt to say that director grant heslovs rrated romp through an actual army program that aimed to use new age tactics in the. Often funny, sometimes chilling and always thoughtprovoking, journalist jon ronsons sunday times bestseller the men who stare at goats is a story so unbelievable it has to be true. The men who stare at goats is a 2009 satirical dark comedy war film directed by grant heslov and starring george clooney, ewan mcgregor, jeff bridges, and kevin spacey. The men who stare at goats was inspired by jon ronsons nonfiction bestseller of the same name, an eyeopening and often hilarious exploration of the governments attempts to harness paranormal abilities to combat its enemies.
The men who stare at goats cardiffborn british journalist jon ronson had been working professionally for a number of years when hed published his first book clubbed class a work in which he discussed his attempts to fake his way into a highclass lifestyle. The real men behind the men who stare at goats rvis. The men who stare at goats a reporter in iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets a guy who claims to be a former member of the u. With firsthand access to the leading players in the story, ronson traces the evolution of these bizarre activities over the past three decades, and sees how it is alive today within us homeland security and postwar iraq. The men who stare at goats by jon ronson goodreads. Armys new earth army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions. The men who stare at goats answers these and many more questions. In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition. Armys exploration of new age concepts and the potential military applications of the paranormal. The title refers to attempts to kill goats by staring at them.
The men who stare at goats is a nonfiction work by jon ronson concerning the u. Military dudes abide in funny men who stare at goats. In 1979 a secret unit was established by the most gifted minds within the us army. From george clooney, mind control in defense of america the.
1274 112 1590 417 635 578 1046 78 89 1185 894 217 1452 1001 713 1214 516 1369 1 1393 846 1565 29 1448 1038 536 629 886 451 1310 1246 614 1273