The Take (Documentary)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C+     Documentary: B

 

 

With al the news about thousands of jobs being cut and nothing better happening, the documentary The Take (2004) is a very amusing tale about how a bunch of factory workers in Argentina took over a factory when their economy collapsed.  Though Right-wingers would immediately react that they were being a bunch of “thieving Marxist thugs” and the like, this Avi Lewis documentary raises questions about government and corporate responsibility, as well as globalization and the world economy in general.

 

The always-interesting 87 minutes shows how the workers fought off troops, government representatives and others trying to persuade them to give up the factory and let it shut down.  Of course, this could not go on forever and they did not own the factory, but they came up with creative reasons to seize the place and one can sympathize at least to some extent with their actions, unless one is totally ignorant.  The interviews and portrait of the dark side of Buenos Aires is also good in marking how low a first-world free country like The United States has come down in defending the working class’ ability to make a living wage.  No matter what you think, The Take will at least make you think.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is fine for an analog NTSC video documentary production and well edited to boot.  The audio was taped on location well, but the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds.  Extras include a making of program and short film about Gustavo Benedetto whose actions caused the uprising in the first place.  Both are worth your time as well.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo