"The Century Of The Self," "The Power Of Nightmares," and "The Trap" by Adam Curtis

The Century of the Self (BBC Four, 2002) documented how Freud's discoveries concerning the unconscious led to Edward Bernays' development of public relations, the use of desire over need and self-actualisation as a means of achieving economic growth and the political control of population. It received the Broadcast Award for Best Documentary Series and the Longman/History Today Awards for Historical Film of the Year. It was released in the US through art house cinemas and was picked as the fourth best movie of 2005 by Entertainment Weekly.

Part 1, 2, 3, and 4 on Internet Archive

-



The Power of Nightmares (BBC Two, 2004) suggested a parallel between the rise of Islamism in the Arab world and Neoconservatism in the United States in that both needed to inflate a myth of a dangerous enemy in order to draw people to support them. It received the BAFTA Award for Best Factual Series in 2004.

Part 1, 2, and 3 on Internet Archive

-



The Trap — What Happened to our Dream of Freedom (BBC Two, 2007), a series regarding the modern concept of freedom.

Part 1, 2, and 3 on Internet Archive

-

Adam Curtis on Wiki
Adam Curtis's blog on BBC.co.uk