The Dark Side
“"We also have to work the dark side...we've got to spend time in the shadows..."”
Synopsis
On Sept. 11, 2001, deep inside a White House bunker, Vice President Dick Cheney was ordering U.S. fighter planes to shoot down any commercial airliner still in the air above America. At that moment, CIA Director George Tenet was meeting with his counter-terrorism team in Langley, Virginia. Both leaders acted fast, to prepare their country for a new kind of war. But soon a debate would grow over the goals of the war on terror, and the decision to go to war in Iraq. Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and others saw Iraq as an important part of a broader plan to remake the Middle East and project American power worldwide. Meanwhile Tenet, facing division in his own organization, saw non-state actors such as Al Qaeda as the highest priority. FRONTLINE’s investigation of the ensuing conflict includes more than 40 interviews, thousands of pages of documentary evidence, and a substantial photographic archive.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
How Former VP Dick Cheney Led the Charge on the War on Terror (full documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS)Official
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-08-18
Top Cast
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Will Lyman
Self - Narrator
Dick Cheney
Self (archive footage)
George W. Bush
Self (archive footage)
Richard Clarke
Self - Dir. NSC Counterterrorism 1998-'01
Gary Schroen
Self - CIA 1970-2002
John McLaughlin
Self - Dpty. Director, CIA 2000-'04
Bob Graham
Self - Senator (D-FL), Select Cmte. on Intel. 2001-'03
James Bamford
Self - Author, 'The Puzzle Palace'
Michael Scheuer
Self - CIA 1982-2004
Bob Woodward
Self - 'The Washington Post'
Ron Suskind
Self - Author, 'The One Percent Doctrine'
Charles Battaglia
Self - Bush-Cheney 2000 Transition
Steve Coll
Self - 'The New Yorker'
David Kay
Self - Iraq Survey Group 2003-'04
George Tenet
Self (archive footage)
Richard Kerr
Self - Fmr. Dpty. Director CIA
J. Cofer Black
Self - CIA 1974-2002
Melvin Goodman
Self - Fmr. CIA officer
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Michael Kirk
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Kirk
- Original Score
- John E. Low, Martin Brody, Mason Daring
- Original Title
- The Dark Side
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Production Studios
- FRONTLINE, Kirk Documentary Group, WGBH Educational Foundation (US)
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Michael Kirk
Michael Kirk
John E. Low, Martin Brody, Mason Daring
Ben McCoy, Jeff Kleinman
Steve Audette
Michael Kirk, Jim Gilmore, Mike Wiser, Louis Wiley Jr., David Fanning
Department Leadership Roster
Michael Kirk
Director
Michael Kirk
Writer
Michael Kirk
Producer
Jim Gilmore
Producer
Steve Audette
Editor
Mike Wiser
Producer
Ben McCoy
Director of Photography
John E. Low
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Dark Side.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Dark Side
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Dark Side about?
On Sept. 11, 2001, deep inside a White House bunker, Vice President Dick Cheney was ordering U.S. fighter planes to shoot down any commercial airliner still in the air above America. At that moment, CIA Director George Tenet was meeting with his counter-terrorism team in Langley, Virginia. Both leaders acted fast, to prepare their country for a new kind of war. But soon a debate would grow over the goals of the war on terror, and the decision to go to war in Iraq. Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and others saw Iraq as an important part of a broader plan to remake the Middle East and project American power worldwide. Meanwhile Tenet, facing division in his own organization, saw non-state actors such as Al Qaeda as the highest priority. FRONTLINE’s investigation of the ensuing conflict includes more than 40 interviews, thousands of pages of documentary evidence, and a substantial photographic archive.
Who directed The Dark Side?
The Dark Side was directed by Michael Kirk.
Who stars in The Dark Side?
The principal cast of The Dark Side includes Will Lyman, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Richard Clarke, Gary Schroen.
When was The Dark Side released and how long is it?
The Dark Side was released in 2006 with a total runtime of 1h 24m.
Who composed the musical score for The Dark Side?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Dark Side was composed by John E. Low, Martin Brody, Mason Daring.