The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
Directed by William Nunez
Written by William Nunez
Starring John Wayne
Release Date October 17th, 2023
Published July 1st, 2024 Are you familiar with an animated character by the name of Bert the Turtle? Bert was created in 1952 and would go on to become famous around the world for quite some time. Today, Bert is among the most infamous, shocking, and notable characters in the history of animation. Bert was not a foil for Bugs Bunny. Bert didn't share the screen with Mickey or Donald or Goofy. Nor was he voiced by the famed Mel Blanc. And, Bert is not famous for being funny or cute.
If you know Bert the Turtle it's because today he's a landmark, an echo of a time when talk of potential nuclear annihilation was everywhere. On a weekly or daily basis, Americans would be reminded of the potential that a nuclear weapon could be dropped on America and that we needed to be ready for it. So as not to terrify children, the Federal Civil Defense Administration hired an animation company to create Bert the Turtle. And Bert would become inextricably linked to one of the most misguided, ludicrous and darkly comic pieces of American propaganda ever created. It's an animated short called Duck and Cover.
Find my full length review at Swamp.Media, linked here.
