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American Anarchist

Rating
5.8
142
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Original title
American Anarchist
Year
Running time
80 min.
Country
United States United States
Director
Screenwriter
Cast
Documentary
Music
Cinematography
Producer
Genre
Documentary
Synopsis
The story of one of the most infamous books ever written, "The Anarchist Cookbook," and the role it's played in the life of its author, now 65, who wrote it at 19 in the midst of the counterculture upheaval of the late '60s and early '70s.

In 1970, William Powell wanted to help build a new society, so he taught the world how to blow up the old one. As the heady days of the late 60’s counterculture and political upheaval turned darker, Powell, at age 19, wrote one of the most infamous books ever published: The Anarchist Cookbook. Part manifesto and part bomb making manual, it went on to sell over 2 million copies. Since then, the Cookbook has been associated with decades of violent anti-government attacks, abortion clinic bombings, school shootings and homegrown domestic terrorism.

Now 65, Powell is a man haunted by his own creation, struggling to make sense of the damage it has done. After writing the book, Powell left the US and has lead an itinerant life ever since. He has traversed the globe teaching kids with special needs – committed, ironically, to the kinds of kids who in some cases have turned to violence and the Cookbook.

American Anarchist tells a cautionary tale of youthful rebellion and unforeseen consequences, a universal, all-too-human story of a man at the end of his life wrestling with his past, his identity, and coming to terms with who he really is.

A persistent reminder of his own turbulent past, the Anarchist Cookbook is William Powell’s secret burden, his “constant companion” as he has called it. We all keep secrets from others and even ourselves. And we tell stories in order to make sense of our past or, for some, to escape it. My hope -- the hope of any filmmaker -- is that my subject, Bill’s story with all its artful dodges, might help us better understand one another and ourselves.
Awards
2016: Venice Film Festival: Official Selection (Out of Competition)
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User history
American Anarchist
2016
Charlie Siskel
5.8
(142)
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