Fahrenheit 9/11
I saw it when I was on holiday in Florida on its opening night. Even more interesting than the film itself was the reaction of the American audience in the cinema. They were going wild, jeering at Bush, constantly applauding Michael Moore, and there was a standing ovation at the end. They may not have been a representative sample of the American public but it amazed me to see the extent of how much some of his own people hate Bush.
I thought the film was a fantastic and deeply moving piece of work. Of course it's not intended as a balanced documentary, and Moore makes no secret of that. But it's no bad thing to have a two hour film as the antidote to all the pro-Bush and Blair propaganda that the media has been pumping out for the last few years. It does leave you wondering why the media (and in particular the Fox/Sky/News International empire) has completely failed to ask any of the serious questions raised in the film.
A shame the film didn't lay into Blair a bit more, he only got one split-second mention as I recall.
I thought the film was a fantastic and deeply moving piece of work. Of course it's not intended as a balanced documentary, and Moore makes no secret of that. But it's no bad thing to have a two hour film as the antidote to all the pro-Bush and Blair propaganda that the media has been pumping out for the last few years. It does leave you wondering why the media (and in particular the Fox/Sky/News International empire) has completely failed to ask any of the serious questions raised in the film.
A shame the film didn't lay into Blair a bit more, he only got one split-second mention as I recall.
-
I hate HTV West
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 19.44
Sounds like my advice about anything the US government says...DAS wrote:...though if you do go and see it, approach with caution and don't automatically accept every point that's made.
-
MrTomServo
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Mon 11 Aug, 2003 14.15
- Location: California
I saw this movie last night (whilst on a first date ... but that story is for another time) and like most (if not all) Michael Moore movies, it made me angry.
First of all, Michael Moore is an attention whore. Let's just get that out in the air right now. You know it, I know it, and the American people know it. He likes doing things like driving round in a ice-cream truck reading the Patriot Act, and asking congressmen to send their children to war.
He is very strongly against the Bush administration, and he admits as much. His movie, which he also admits, is not a documentary so much as his own political opinion. The Bush administration wants Americans to think it's a documentary, so they can point out how many holes there are and how cleverly its edited.
So, in the end, both sides are right.
the Left says: The Bush administration is bad, because they didn't have a solid rationale for going to war, nor a solid plan to fight terrorism before and after September 11.
the Right says: Michael Moore is a left-wing conspiracy nut who is willing to dredge up ages-old documents to make tenuous connections between the Bush administration and terrorists, he stages publicity stunts, and does not take a balanced view of the whole situation.
Both of these statements are true, to some degree. But the American political landscape is so sharply divided (when, in reality, they're so similar in rationale, it's scary) that any movie or show or news channel (ahem) with even a slight political agenda will attract viewers with the *same* political agenda, and will generate momentum.
Like-minded media attract like-minded viewers.
First of all, Michael Moore is an attention whore. Let's just get that out in the air right now. You know it, I know it, and the American people know it. He likes doing things like driving round in a ice-cream truck reading the Patriot Act, and asking congressmen to send their children to war.
He is very strongly against the Bush administration, and he admits as much. His movie, which he also admits, is not a documentary so much as his own political opinion. The Bush administration wants Americans to think it's a documentary, so they can point out how many holes there are and how cleverly its edited.
So, in the end, both sides are right.
the Left says: The Bush administration is bad, because they didn't have a solid rationale for going to war, nor a solid plan to fight terrorism before and after September 11. the Right says: Michael Moore is a left-wing conspiracy nut who is willing to dredge up ages-old documents to make tenuous connections between the Bush administration and terrorists, he stages publicity stunts, and does not take a balanced view of the whole situation.Both of these statements are true, to some degree. But the American political landscape is so sharply divided (when, in reality, they're so similar in rationale, it's scary) that any movie or show or news channel (ahem) with even a slight political agenda will attract viewers with the *same* political agenda, and will generate momentum.
Like-minded media attract like-minded viewers.
I caught a brief glimpse of I think it was The Daily Show or something at 12.30am on CNN last night, it was from Comedy Central, but apparently some guy in the US is going to release a film called 'Michael Moore Hates America', done in the same way as 'Bowling for Columbine', but it looks quite good.
I think they admire the contrived one-sidedness more than its political stance...!Marcus wrote:Even Fox calls it a Brilliant piece of work
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122680,00.html
Right I hate to drag up old threads, but I bought this film on DVD today. (In the Sale of the course!) But I watched it and I have to say it was very good, all of the stuff that Moore says is somewhat unbelievable. But there are some funny bits to it where he makes fun of Bush of doing nothing for 7 minutes after he was told the second plane hit the World Trade Center. It's also interesting that the Secret Service were thinking that he was making a film about the Saudi Arabian Embassy.
Though it makes reality sink into you, especially with the Iraq war and the many who have died, I know that woman who lost her son was going on too much, (even Moore said!) but I couldn't believe there was that woman in Washington DC who said 'Blame Al-Qaida' Again it is also sad near to the end of the film, mainly because of the war and the lives of those who were lost, but also good that he asking Congressmen on the street if their kids would join the Army.
But certainately a very interesting piece of film and worth getting for £9.97. (From Music Zone) Not had chance to watch the second disc yet.
Though it makes reality sink into you, especially with the Iraq war and the many who have died, I know that woman who lost her son was going on too much, (even Moore said!) but I couldn't believe there was that woman in Washington DC who said 'Blame Al-Qaida' Again it is also sad near to the end of the film, mainly because of the war and the lives of those who were lost, but also good that he asking Congressmen on the street if their kids would join the Army.
But certainately a very interesting piece of film and worth getting for £9.97. (From Music Zone) Not had chance to watch the second disc yet.
As DAS has mentioned, approach with caution.
I am not a fan of anything Moore has done.
Stupid White Men begins by blaming Fox News for helping to get Bush elected, by declaring him victor in Florida. He used this as an example of how the Bush team got things in motion -- Fox made Gore look like he lost, participated in some great big conspiracy, blah blah blah.
Totally fails to mention the statement from the NBC News executive, in the official investigation into their disastrous coverage that night, who said 'we were annoyed when Fox called Florida for Bush before us. We were within 20 seconds of calling it ourselves'.
Some conspiracy.
It's bizarre. I remember trying to get a balanced view from a US network after the US Presidential debates. You could choose on their websites from: ''the right'', ''the left'', or ''comedy perspective'' where a comedian would take the mick. There was no ''unbiased'' option. God help us if we end up like that.
I am not a fan of anything Moore has done.
Stupid White Men begins by blaming Fox News for helping to get Bush elected, by declaring him victor in Florida. He used this as an example of how the Bush team got things in motion -- Fox made Gore look like he lost, participated in some great big conspiracy, blah blah blah.
Totally fails to mention the statement from the NBC News executive, in the official investigation into their disastrous coverage that night, who said 'we were annoyed when Fox called Florida for Bush before us. We were within 20 seconds of calling it ourselves'.
Some conspiracy.
It's bizarre. I remember trying to get a balanced view from a US network after the US Presidential debates. You could choose on their websites from: ''the right'', ''the left'', or ''comedy perspective'' where a comedian would take the mick. There was no ''unbiased'' option. God help us if we end up like that.
It would be odd to believe everything that Moore says, I haven't read any of his books, but I get the general idea of his feeling towards the Bush Administration. But the film does raise interesting points, even when he was elected first time round and the whole thing about Fox News isn't that believable IMO, though no-one get started about Fox News and it's bias and what have you. The second half of the film doesn't have Moore going on that much, mainly just clips from the News and interviews with those affected.