The Zero Dark Thirty Debate on Torture

Kathryn Bigelow's film Dark Zero Thirty about the hunt for Osama bin Laden triggered a debate on its framing of torture as an interrogation tool. This debate also linked to the wider debate on torture (or "enhanced interrogation techniques") and the relationship between the entertainment business in Hollywood and the security establishment in Pentagon and the CIA. The articles listed below is collected to give an overview of the debate - and provide material for a case study in an upcoming course in Media and Politics at Lillehammer University and a chapter for a book in Media Pedagogy. 

• Ackerman, S. (2012, December 10). Two Cheers for Zero Dark Thirty’s Torture Scenes. Danger Room. 
• Apuzzo, M. (2009, April 22). Does torture work? Released memos don’t answer that age-old question. Seattle Times. 
• Barnes, B. (2012, December 27). Kathryn Bigelow on “Zero Dark Thirty.” The New York Times. Bazelon, E. (2012, December 11). Does Zero Dark Thirty Advocate Torture? Slate. 
• Beck, R. (2013, February 24). Mission Accomplished: On “Zero Dark Thirty.” Los Angeles Review of Books. 
• Bergen, P. L. (2012, December 11). “Zero Dark Thirty”: Did torture really net bin Laden? CNN. 
• Bigelow, K. (2013b, January 15). Kathryn Bigelow addresses “Zero Dark Thirty” torture criticism. Los Angeles Times.

Kathryn Bigelow discuss controversial torture scenes in Zero Dark Thirty below:

• Bowden, M. (2013, January 3). “Zero Dark Thirty” Is Not Pro-Torture. The Atlantic. 
• Breznican, A. (2012, August 28). No conspiracy: New documents explain Pentagon, CIA cooperation on “Zero Dark Thirty.” EW.com. 
• Bruni, F. (2012, December 8). Bin Laden, Torture and Hollywood. The New York Times. 
• Carson, T. (2012, December 11). Zero Dark Thirty’s Morality Brigade. The American Prospect. Child, B. (2011, August 11). Kathryn Bigelow denies White House favouritism over Bin Laden film. The Guardian. 
• Child, B. (2012, December 12). Zero Dark Thirty is not pro-torture, say film-makers. The Guardian. Cieply, M., & Barnes, B. (2012, November 23). “Zero Dark Thirty,” by Kathryn Bigelow, Focuses on Facts. The New York Times. 
• Cohen, R. (2013, February 11). Why “Zero Dark Thirty” Works. The New York Times. 
• Cole, D. (2013, January 10). Through a Glass Darkly. Foreign Policy. 
• Coll, S. (2013, February 7). “Disturbing” & “Misleading.” The New York Review of Books. 
• Corliss, R. (2012, November 25). Zero Dark Thirty: The Girl Who Got bin Laden. Time. 
• Corn, D. (2012, April 29). How Obama Got Bin Laden: A Detailed Account From ‘Showdown. The Daily Beast. 
• Dargis, M. (2012, December 17). By Any Means Necessary. Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty.” New York Times. 
• Daunt, T. (2012a, December 19). Senators Call “Zero Dark Thirty” “Grossly Inaccurate” in Letter to Sony Pictures. The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Daunt, T. (2012b, December 21). Acting CIA Director Disputes “Zero Dark Thirty” Accuracy in Rare Public Statement. The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Davidson, A. (2012, December 13). Torturing the Wrong Man. The New Yorker Blogs. 
• Debruge, P. (2012, November 25). Review: Zero Dark Thirty. Variety. 
• Denby, D. (2012, December 24). Dead Reckoning. The New Yorker. 
• Denson, G. R. (2013, February 11). Zero Dark Thirty: Why the Film’s Makers Should Be Defended and What Deeper bin Laden Controversy Has Been Stirred. Huffington Post. 
• Edelstein, D. (2012, December 10). Zero Dark Thirty Is Borderline Fascistic ... and a Masterpiece. Vulture. 
• Egeland, J. (2013, 02). Da torturvernet sviktet. Aftenposten. 
• Feinstein, D., Levin, C., & McCain, J. (2012, December 19). Feinstein, Levin, McCain write studio about “Zero Dark Thirty.”
  Filkins, D. (2012, December 17). Bin Laden, The Movie. The New Yorker. 
• Gibney, A. (2013, February 1). Zero Dark Thirty’s Wrong and Dangerous Conclusion. Huffington Post.

Watch the report below summing up the debate

• Gleiberman, O. (2012, December 19). Is “Zero Dark Thirty” pro-torture? And if so, is it telling a lie? EW.com.
• Greenberg, K. J. (2013, January 10). Learning to Love Torture, Zero Dark Thirty-Style. Huffington Post.
• Greenwald, G. (2012a, May 23). WH leaks for propaganda film. Salon.com.
• Greenwald, G. (2012b, December 10). Zero Dark Thirty: new torture-glorifying film wins raves. The Guardian.
• Greenwald, G. (2012c, December 14). Zero Dark Thirty: CIA hagiography, pernicious propaganda. The Guardian.
• Halberg, J. (2013, February 8). -Uspennende og distansert. Rushprint.
• Hayden, M. (2011, June 2). Birthers, Truthers and Interrogation Deniers. Wall Street Journal. Hayden, T. (2013, February 28). When the CIA infiltrated Hollywood. Salon.com.
• Hill, L. (2013, January 11). Secrets of “Zero Dark Thirty.” rollingstone.com.
• Hornaday, A. (2012, December 14). “Zero Dark Thirty” and the new reality of reported filmmaking. The Washington Post.
• Horton, S. (2009, September 22). Torture Doesn’t Work, Neurobiologist Says. Harper’s Magazine. Hosenball, M. (2013, January 3). Senate panel to examine CIA contacts with Zero Dark Thirty filmmakers. Reuters. Washington.
• Huffington Post. (2013, January 25). Michael Moore On “Zero Dark Thirty” & Torture: Movie Doesn’t Condone Enhanced Interrogation. Huffington Post.
• Jenkins, T. (2012). The CIA in Hollywood: How the Agency Shapes Film and Television. University of Texas Press.
• Johnson, Z. (2012, December 20). 3 Things You Should Know About Zero Dark Thirty and Torture. Human Rights Now Blog.
• Jones, N. (2013, January 17). The “Dynamite” Pentagon Interview Behind “Zero Dark Thirty.” Foreign Policy.
• Kaminski, M. (2013, February 15). The Art and Politics of “Zero Dark Thirty.” Wall Street Journal. Kenny, G. (2012, December 17). “Zero Dark Thirty:” Perception, reality, perception again, and “the art defense.” Some Come Running.
• Kumar, D. (2013, March 5). Zero Dark Thirty -- not just pro-torture, but pro-extra-judicial killings and racist too. Green Left Weekly.

John McCain: Film 'Zero Dark Thirty' Falsely Links Bin Laden Capture To Torture

• Lang, B. (2012, August 29). Government communicated with. Chicago Tribune. 
• Lennard, N. (2013, December 14). How true is “ZD30″? Salon.com. 
• Maass, P. (2012, December 13). Don’t Trust “Zero Dark Thirty.” The Atlantic. 
• Masters, K. (n.d.). The Unorthodox Relationship Between Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal. The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Mayer, J. (2012, December 14). Zero Conscience in “Zero Dark Thirty.” The New Yorker Blogs. 
• McAuliff, M. (2012, December 13). “Zero Dark Thirty” Wrong On Torture, Top Senators Say. Huffington Post. 
• McCarthy, T. (2012, November 25). Zero Dark Thirty: Film Review. Hollywood Reporter. McClintock, P. (2012, December 12). How to Sell “Zero Dark Thirty”s’ Torture. The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Mccormick, I. T. (2012, December 19). Zero Farce Thirty. Foreign Policy. 
• Mendelson, S. (2012, December 4). Review: Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty Is a Powerful Tale of the Costs of “Justifiable” Violence. Huffington Post. 
• Michelitch, J. (2013, February 22). Torture and Tough Questions: Why Zero Dark Thirty Deserves to Win Best Picture. Underwire. 
• Miller, G. (2012, December 11). In “Zero Dark Thirty,” she’s the hero; in real life, CIA agent’s career is more complicated. The Washington Post. 
• Mitchell, G. (2012, December 12). My View: “Zero Dark Thirty” Shows Torture Playing Key Role in Getting bin Laden. The Nation. 
• Moestrup, S. (2013, February 15). Jagten på Geronimo. Le Monde diplomatique Norwegian Edition. Morell, M. (2012, December 21). Message from the Acting Director: “Zero Dark Thirty.” Central Intelligence Agency. 
• Morton, B. (2013, January 23). Torture as a Growth Experience: Zero Dark Thirty. Dissent Magazine. O’Hehir, A. (2012a, December 14). Pick of the week: Kathryn Bigelow’s mesmerizing post-9/11 nightmare. Salon.com. 
• O’Hehir, A. (2012b, December 29). The “Zero Dark Thirty” debate isn’t really about torture. Salon.com. 
• Pitter, L. (2013, January 11). Zero Dark Torture. Foreign Policy. 
• Powers, R. G. (2013). Zero Dark Thirty. Journal of American History, 100(1), 303–305. 
• Rayfield, J. (2013, February 26). Senate reportedly drops “Zero Dark Thirty” probe. Salon.com. 
• Shane, S. (2012, December 12). “Zero Dark Thirty” Torture Scenes Reopen Debate. The New York Times. 
• Shane, S., & Savage, C. (2011, May 3). Bin Laden Raid Revives Debate on Value of Torture. The New York Times.

Peter Bergen and others: Is "Zero Dark Thirty" fact or fiction? 

• Shaughnessy, L. (2012, December 4). “Zero Dark Thirty” take on bin Laden raid courted controversy from start.
  Singh, A. (2013). Globalizing Torture: CIA Secret Detention and Extraordinary Rendition. New York N.Y.: Open Society Institute. 
• Sullivan, A. (2012, December 14). Kathryn Bigelow: Not A Torture Apologist. The Dish. 
• Taibbi, M. (2013, January 16). “Zero Dark Thirty” Is Osama bin Laden’s Last Victory Over America. rollingstone.com. 
• Winter, J. (2013, January 24). Cover Story: Kathryn Bigelow’s Art of Darkness. Time. 
• Wolf, N. (2013, January 4). A letter to Kathryn Bigelow on Zero Dark Thirty’s apology for torture. the Guardian. 
• Wolff, M. (2012, December 24). The truth about Zero Dark Thirty: this torture fantasy degrades us all. The Guardian. 
• Zagorin, A., & Hilzenrath, D. (2013, June 4). Unreleased: Probe Finds CIA Honcho Disclosed Top Secret Info to Hollywood. Project On Government Oversight. 
• Zakarin, J. (2012a, December 10). The War Over Torture in “Zero Dark Thirty.” The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Zakarin, J. (2012b, December 11). Real-Life “Zero Dark Thirty” CIA Agent Under Fire in Washington (Report). The Hollywood Reporter. 
• Zegart, A. (2012, September 25). Torture Creep. Foreign Policy.
• Zegart, A. (2013, January 30). Not Just Another Movie. Foreign Policy. 
• Žižek, S. (2013, January 25). Zero Dark Thirty: Hollywood’s gift to American power. The Guardian. Økland, I. (2013, February 26). Virkeligheten er fantastisk nok. Aftenposten.