The Cinematic Lessons of Terrorism: The 9/11 Filter, and The Dangers of De- contextualization of Violence in The Battle of Algiers and The Green Berets Christopher R. Cook University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown ccook@pitt.edu Word Count minus Title Page and Works Cited: 9923 Abstract It has often been argued that watching The Battle of Algiers is crucial to understanding terrorism. But what are the lessons we should learn? When the film was released in 1966 there was no understanding of what separated terrorism from guerilla war. This paper compares Gillo Pontecorvo's masterpiece with its polar opposite, The Green Beret's (1968). By situating these two film in their proper historical context I argue they both represent the spectrum of public discourse about terrorism in the 1960s. However, the events of 9/11 act as a powerful filter in how people watch these movies. The post 9/11 audience de-contextualizes the violence on screen from its historical roots and places it within a modern understanding of terrorism. Because of this I argue that the audience misses the most crucial lesson: the French won the battle but lost the war because their counterterrorism policies alienated the people.