It is astounding to me that anti-Semitism exists at all, let alone that it flourishes. Perhaps I have been sheltered from it. Being a Christian and living in an area where Jews are not to be found in abundance, maybe I simply haven't seen it. To be Jewish in New York -- a volatile cauldron of seething anger, post-9/11 "we love each other" ideals notwithstanding -- is apparently a very different thing, as the eye-opening documentary "Protocols of Zion" demonstrates.

"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" was first published in Russia in 1905 as an attempt by the Tsar to blame all of his current problems on the Jews. The book -- a complete work of fiction and a fraud -- purports to be the minutes from a top-secret meeting of the Earth's leading Jews, discussing their ongoing plan to take over the world.

The trouble with this book is that, as outrageous as its contents are, many people believed it, and continue to do so. A book claiming to be non-fiction is usually accepted as such by those who read it, unless "The Truth About (fill in the blank)" happens to be placed next to it on the bookstore shelf, or unless Oprah talks about it.

There has been an upswing in anti-Semitism since 9/11, too, including the insidious rumor that 4,000 Jews were warned not to go to work in the Twin Towers that day and thus had their lives spared -- "proof" that the Jews were ultimately behind the plot. How can anyone believe that no Jews were killed in the 9/11 attacks when the memorial wall listing the victims is brimming with -steins -bergs and -baums? How can anyone think that Jews masterminded an attack that was carried out by Arabs, a group that hates the Jews? Here's how: PEOPLE ARE STUPID.

Marc Levin, the Jewish documentarian who made "Protocols of Zion," goes to the streets to get opinions from African-Americans, Arabs, Christian evangelicals and others. He wants to know why people hate Jews. One particularly ill-informed man, an African-American, observes that all of the major world leaders have been Jewish, including New York's mayors. "Michael BLOOMBERG," he says, for example. Levin points out Bloomberg's predecessor, Rudy Guiliani. "JEW-liani!" comes the reply, as if Levin has just proved his point. Why, the word "Jew" was right there in his name!

I will grant you, this specimen is not the ideal spokesman for the anti-Semite movement, but his reasoning is not the dumbest; it is only the most obviously dumb. The more dangerous anti-Semitic ideas are the ones that seem to make sense, the ones that are eloquently spoken and backed up with things that sound like facts. And that pesky old book, that "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" continues to be a presence, recently serialized in a New Jersey-based Arab newspaper, nearly a century after it was first debunked as a fraud. The editor of the paper, interviewed in this film, even says he realizes it's not true.

According to these conspiracy theorists, Jews run the world. Hence, if anyone rises to significant power, the anti-Semites do whatever straw-grasping and genealogical gerrymandering is necessary to prove that person is Jewish -- whether the person knows it or not. How did Fox's Rupert Murdoch become so powerful? Well, because he's a Jew, of course! (Even though he isn't.) It's all part of their plan, you know, to control every media outlet and government position.

Again, I marvel that anyone can believe this crap. Levin marvels, too, but he marvels from a more personal position. His parents were Jews in New York in the 1930s, when anti-Semitism was more mainstream than it is today. And so his film has an intimate tone to it, the feel of a man looking for answers not just for his audience but for himself. Nothing is accomplished, really, except that the lid is removed from one of America's most shameful underground movements.

THE DVD

There are no alternate language tracks and no subtitles.

VIDEO: The film's widescreen (1.85:1) ratio is preserved, with an anamorphic transfer. It's a documentary, so you can't expect the quality of picture you'd get with something shot on a sound stage, but it's a very good picture, all things considered.

AUDIO: The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is solid. The on-the-street interviews were conducted with pretty modern equipment, so the sound quality is good despite being done on the fly.

EXTRAS: There's a nice assortment of extras. No director's commentary, but that might have been superfluous anyway, since the film itself is something of a director's commentary.

Here's what we do have:

"A Discussion with Director Marc Levin" (15:20) is footage of an audience Q-and-A following a screening of the film at the Boston Jewish Film Festival in November 2005. It's concisely edited and shot with professional camera and sound (not one of those camcorder-in-the-back-of-the-room things). He makes some very salient points, as do the audience members who ask questions.

"James Carroll on the Passion Story" (5:14) is an interview with the religion and politics writer. He debates the accuracy and validity of the biblical Gospels, which is a controversial move. It's one thing to say Christians shouldn't hate Jews; it's another thing to question whether the Christian Bible is accurate when it suggests the Jews killed Jesus. The interview should be good fodder for discussion.

"Will Eisner -- The Plot" (5:48) shows legendary comic book artist Will Eisner working on a new book about the Protocols of Zion and anti-Semitism. He's a smart man, very nice to listen to.

The Protocols of Zion Timeline is an informative, interactive summary of the insidious book's history, starting in 1903 and coming to the present.

The film's theatrical trailer is also included, as are trailers for the movies "Fatless," "The Boys of Baraka" and "Born into Brothels."

IN SUMMARY

The movie isn't the total downer you might expect; it's interesting and smart and easy to watch. The DVD presentation is respectable. It's not the sort of movie you'll pull out for fun on a Friday night, but it is the sort of movie you'll lend to friends or watch with them when the subject of anti-Semitism comes up.

(Note: Most of the "movie review" portion of this article comes from the review I wrote when the movie was released theatrically. I have re-watched it in the course of reviewing the DVD, however.)