Star Spangled to Death(2004)

Star Spangled to Death is an experimental documentary that constructs a portrait of American history through archival footage and competing cultural narratives. The film assembles diverse audiovisual material—political campaign reels, animated cartoons, children's records—to examine how the nation has represented itself across decades. Featuring performances by Al Jolson and Mickey Mouse alongside appearances by young Jack Smith and multiple U.S. presidents, the work juxtaposes these fragments to reveal contradictions in the American story. Rather than offering linear narrative, Star Spangled to Death lets its sources speak against one another, creating a collage that questions official histories and popular mythology. The result is a provocative meditation on national identity, propaganda, and the power of mass media to shape collective memory.