BOWLING FOR FEAR AND CONSUMPTION
My review of "Bowling For Columbine"
November 4, 2002
Earlier today, my wife and I attended a screening of BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, at a local theatre here in Buffalo, New York. It was a tough two hours, as we watched Michael Moore explore the many possibilities as to why America is hands-down the most violent society on earth. The film explored many of the possibilities, while giving all caring people many reasons to be very angry with the manner in which things are currently being run. After seeing the actual documentary, I cannot imagine anyone coming out of that film with nothing on their minds, or with nothing to talk about.
Let me begin that this documentary is NOT an attempt at gun control, or gloating over the graves of victims in hope of drawing a large audience. In fact, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE is hardly even about guns, per se. It is however, an attempt to explore and discover what it is that makes America the most violent of all countries. This is done via a in-depth look at the mass media, and their around the clock endless campaigning for fear.
This is a documentary that I recommend everyone see.
It contains numerous interviews where the agenda of those being interviewed is laid bare, and often it isn't a very pretty sight. That being said --- there are two segments featuring DICK CLARK and CHARLTON HESTON, who both came off as the pompus asses they are. I expected as much from HESTON, but I actually thought DICK CLARK was likeable, as he has appeared that way for years on TV. After seeing the DICK CLARK segment, I have forever lost an enormous amount of respect for the man. He came off as just another smug and wealthy Hollywood asshole.
I won't even dignify HESTON's comments with any mention of him, but I will say that his public image and friendliness is worlds apart from this man's private opinions. What a scumbag.
The main point that Moore made is that America is completely ruled through carefully crafted and manipulated fear. This fear is also what keeps us from attaining our true and full potential as a country, and as individuals. There are also several sections, where a few of the typical mass media stereotypes are explored in depth. Also important was a discussion of school violence, and the violence of the USA, as compared to other countries.
If you enjoyed ROGER AND ME, or read STUPID WHITE MEN, then do yourself and your family a favor and go see BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. It just might provide an important clue or two as to how and when our society got so out of control --- choosing violence over diplomacy time after time, no matter who may be in charge at any given moment in our nation's history.
This just might be the single most important thing you will see all year!
KDB RATING: A+
