h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just wondered if the writer of this insighful article was aware of the way in which the US military exerts influence over film-makers who wish to include it as a factor in their movies. When faced with putting together a film based in whole, or even in part, on military theme the director is faced with a stark exconomic choice. He can either invest a large portion of his budget in sets and special effects that can created the illusion of military installations and hardware, or he can ask the military themselves to provide the real thing to serve as a backdrop. Now while the latter option will save the production a great deal of money, even the US military isn't stupid enough to offer this up on a platter to Hollywood without adding a few little details to the fine print. There ain't no way Uncle Sam's boys are gonna let you have the run of there billion-dollar toys if you make a film that portrays them as ignorant, racist, bigoted, incompetant and imoptent in the facr of adversity (which would be too much like telling it how it often is). So they suggest a few minor changes to the wording of the script and the portrayal of themselves and their adversaries, when they're happy with the result they give the thumbs up. The director has his movie and the military has its propaganda all nicely hidden beneath a sickly veneer of fake Hollywood heroism and justice.