Really getting into music in my late teens I started reading music mags for a few years (not NME!) With having read up a bit about the Armenian Genocide and also being a fan of the Alt-Metal band, I was interested to learn in a mag that System of a Down were making a doc on the subject. After the first reports,the doc appeared to completely disappear,with no sign of it at the cinema or on disc. Coming up to 1,500 IMDb reviews, (and having been meaning to try and track this movie down again) I went on an extensive search until I finally found the film at last,and could meet the "Screamers."
The outline of the doc:
With the 90th anniversary coming up, campaigns begin for the Israeli, US and UK governments to recognise the killing of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1918 as a Genocide. Highlighting their Armenian heritage and the events of the Genocide in their albums and live performances,the Alt-Metal band System of a Down join "Screamers" (campaigners) in their petitions for recognition on the anniversary.
View on the doc:
Interviewing lead singer Serj Tankian's grandfather Stepan Haytayan and fellow Genocide survivors Maritza Ohanesian and Verjin Mempreian, director Carla Garapedian goes into fascinating detail on the subject, with harrowing photos over the interviews showing the horrors which took place that the Armenian's continue to campaign for recognition. Featuring interviews with historians such as Hrant Dink, (who was killed for his comments on the Genocide in the film) Garapedian does very well at examining how the Nazis looked at the Armenian Genocide as they were planning the Holocaust.
Following the band on their US & Europe tour, Garapedian mixes their peculiar performance style with the on-screen stage videos that detail the subject of their songs. Whilst the involvement of the band helps to make the film stand out, some of the song choices, (particularly ones heavy on swearing) sound ill-fitting to the serious atmosphere, with Tankian oddly deciding to wear sunglasses for most of the interviews. Whilst these are flaws,they don't distract from the Screamers.
The outline of the doc:
With the 90th anniversary coming up, campaigns begin for the Israeli, US and UK governments to recognise the killing of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1918 as a Genocide. Highlighting their Armenian heritage and the events of the Genocide in their albums and live performances,the Alt-Metal band System of a Down join "Screamers" (campaigners) in their petitions for recognition on the anniversary.
View on the doc:
Interviewing lead singer Serj Tankian's grandfather Stepan Haytayan and fellow Genocide survivors Maritza Ohanesian and Verjin Mempreian, director Carla Garapedian goes into fascinating detail on the subject, with harrowing photos over the interviews showing the horrors which took place that the Armenian's continue to campaign for recognition. Featuring interviews with historians such as Hrant Dink, (who was killed for his comments on the Genocide in the film) Garapedian does very well at examining how the Nazis looked at the Armenian Genocide as they were planning the Holocaust.
Following the band on their US & Europe tour, Garapedian mixes their peculiar performance style with the on-screen stage videos that detail the subject of their songs. Whilst the involvement of the band helps to make the film stand out, some of the song choices, (particularly ones heavy on swearing) sound ill-fitting to the serious atmosphere, with Tankian oddly deciding to wear sunglasses for most of the interviews. Whilst these are flaws,they don't distract from the Screamers.