Jul 10 2009
An Unlikely Weapon: The Eddie Adams
In 1968, a graphic photo of the execution of a Viet Cong prisoner during the Tet Offensive is credited with helping galvanize antiwar sentiment to end the Vietnam war. That photograph was taken by the iconic Eddie Adams, a Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist who covered 13 wars, and captured the images of almost every celebrity figure of his time. But it was the photo of the execution that most haunted Adams all his life. He died in 2004 of Lou Gehrig’s disease, leaving behind a wife and son, and more than 4 decades of images. Now, an award winning documentary called An Unlikely Weapon: The Eddie Adams Story, has captured the life and times of the quirky photographer whose character was as colorful as his photos. Directed by Susan Morgan Cooper, produced by Cindy Lou Atkins (Adams’ sister-in-law), and narrated by actor Kiefer Sutherland, the documentary explores the conflicted personality of a man who captured history but was harder on himself than anyone else. Eddie Adams is remembered by fellow photojournalists and friends, his own wife, and son, and through footage taken of him while he was alive, speaking for himself candidly and with humor.
GUEST: Cindy Lou Atkins, producer and Eddie Adams’ sister-in-law, and David Kennerly, friend of Adams, also a Pulitzer prize winning photographer
An Unlikely Weapon will be screening for one week (July 10-16) at the Laemmle Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
For more information, visit www.anunlikelyweapon.com.
3 Responses to “An Unlikely Weapon: The Eddie Adams”
From a fan of this film:
In order to do justice to any audience of this spectacular production by Morgan Cooper Productions, some clarifications must be stated.
The film is a Morgan Cooper Productions and was produced and directed by Susan Morgan Cooper, who shot all the interviews with the cinematographer, Isaac Hagy. Cindy Lou Adkins was given a co-producer credit on the film because she was Adams’ sister-in-law and did take some of the pictures of Adams and also shot the out-of-focus film clips used in the film.
That being said,it is unfortunate that you did not have the creator of this film, Susan Morgan Cooper on your program to talk about the process. I point this out because I was among the fortunate who have sat through a Filmmaker’s Q&A at a film festival where this film won the Audience Award. Morgan Cooper went stage-by-stage and really gave the audience a feel of why this was such a heart-felt project for her. As she had said: “I promised Eddie, so it has to be done.”
Where was your fact check? It’s journalism 101! Susan Morgan Cooper is the producer and director of the film An Unlikely Weapon. It was Susan’s tireless efforts, extraordinary talent and professional relationships that brought Eddie’s story to the big screen. As I understand it, Cindy Adkins was given a co-producer credit as a courtesy by the producer Susan Cooper. How unfortunate you missed an interview with the ONLY person who can truly provide insight into the film.
Follow-up on the above comment regarding Adams’ sister-in-law “also shot the out-of-focus film clips used in the film.”
This was not true. One of Adams’ assistants at the time shot that footage.