start from within....
start from within....
From Elizabeth?s initial reaction to Darcy in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, to the Wife?s portrayal in THE WIFE OF BATH, and even in some of the poetry we have read, one of the prevailing themes that we have encountered in this year?s required readings is that things are not always as they seem. Characters are often wrongly judged by one?s initial reaction. This is the first thing that came to mind after watching Michael Moore?s film documentary entitled BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. However, in this case, Moore shows the audience how the media and the U.S. government attempts to reveal themselves only in the best light possible. A clear depiction of propaganda at its finest!
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE focuses in on several key issues such as gun control in the U.S., the Columbine High School massacre, the murders in the U.S. as compared to the rest of the world, and some of the differences between the U.S. and Canada. The most compelling issue Moore touches upon is the number of overthrown governments around the world that the Americans have been directly responsible for. It was quite interesting to learn that men such as Manuel Noriega (the former president of Nicaragua), the Shah of Iran, and yes, even Osama Bin Laden, just to name a few, were in fact supported by the U.S. government in one way or another at some point in time. These same men turned against the U.S. and are now portrayed as being ?evil?. It is quite ironic that the American government never discloses their involvement. Obviously, it is not in their best interest to do so. However, the facts do remain. They are essentially responsible for their own acrimony due to their own self-serving methods.
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE is also comedic genius at its finest! Michael Moore attempts to debunk the myth that Torontonians never lock their doors. In attempting to do so, he finds that the opposite is true. His encounters with the startled homeowners are hilarious. He even thanks this older Italian gentleman for not shooting him. Moore does some research and finds that the difference in the murder rates between Detroit and Windsor are phenomenal. While interviewing one of Windsor?s high-ranking policemen, it is disclosed that the city has had one murder in the last three years. Quite a far cry when compared to Detroit, where murders are in the hundreds. The funniest thing about this scene is that the one murder that occurred in Windsor, was in fact, committed by someone from Detroit using a stolen gun from Minnesota!
Michael Moore shows how the availability of guns has a direct connection with the number of murders in the U.S. The discrepancy between the numbers when comparing the U.S. to the rest of the world is incredible. Societal and economic factors are also analyzed by Moore, only to find out that these can be discounted, simply because they are the same in most countries. Clearly, having a faction such as the NRA wielding such strong support in America speaks volumes about the problem of guns in that society. BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE offers no solution to the problems. Instead, Moore attempts to educate his audience. As a filmmaker, he succeeds in his goal. After all, knowledge is power!