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Archimandrite Dorotheos (Dbar)

 TWO EPIGRAPHS TO TWO FILMS

I have rewatched two well-known films recently – Mel Gibson’s Apocalypse (2006, three Oscar nominations) and Katherine Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker (2008, six Oscars).

Most of all, my attention was drawn to the epigraphs these films begin with.
At the beginning of the Apocalypse, the following words are given by the American historian and philosopher William Durant (1885–1981): «A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within.

The film “The Hurt Locker” begins with the following words of the American journalist Chris Hedges: «The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug».
Will Durant, author of the eleven-volume History of Civilization, received his early education at a parochial Catholic school. In 1900 he entered the St. Peter’s school in Jersey City, later to the College of St. Peter in Jersey City (Catholic educational institutions). His parents predicted a career in the Church for him. However, at the age of 18, he chose a different path. He is also the author of “Caesar and Christ”, which was published in Moscow with Russian translation in 1995.

Chris Hedges is the son of a Presbyterian minister. He got a Master of Divinity degree at the Theological School of Harvard University. Author of several books: “War is the power that gives us meaning” (2002), “What Everyone Should Know About War” (2003), “Moses Lost on the Highway” (2005), “American Fascists” (2007), “I Don’t Believe in Atheists “(2008), “Empire of Illusions” (2009), “Death of the Free Class” (2010), “The World as It Is” (2011).

I do not know if there are translations of these books into Russian.

Both named authors are winners of the Pulitzer Prize (one of the most prestigious US awards in literature, journalism, music and theater).

Will Durant and his wife Ariel were awarded in 1968, Chris Hedges in 2002 (together with his colleagues from The New York Times).

New Athos (Abkhazia),

26 January, 2023.

P.S.P.S. The best comment on this note was written by Rosita Herman: “He didn’t seem to write anything like that, but he said everything that was needed.”