Preceded by shorts: Involuntary Conversion (Jeanne Finley, U.S., 1991). Finley's wry work is a contemporary look at how "official" language is used to obscure the true significance of military actions. The Gulf War becomes a sci-fi site where "soft targets" (cities) absorb "collateral damage" (civilian casualties). (9 mins, 3/4" Video, From Video Data Bank) About Fall-Out (Wilding Productions, U.S., 1963). This Civil Defense doc attempts to neutralize the threat of radiation by making it friendlier. Through repetition, understatement and omission, it lulls you into thinking fallout is a nasty inconvenience, like a big bad-hair day. (24 mins, Color, 16mm, From Peter Conheim) --------------------------------------The dust had barely settled when the atomic bomb passed into myth with its implications of succor, progress and inevitability. Eclipse of the Man-Made Sun astutely examines the imagery and language associated with nuclear weaponry and power. Forced to cloud the terrors of the Atomic Age, science, industry and government aligned the debate over nuclear technology with promises of abundance, health and security. The A-bomb became our "protector," the atom our "friend." A religiosity entered the discussion as man's ability to harness nature took on the proportions of the divine. Clean energy, propelling the family into the future, would insure continued prosperity as we unlocked the secrets of the universe. Using a rich archive of period footage, animation and commentary by media analysts, Eclipse alerts us to the blinding glare radiated by the nuclear myth.-Steve Seid