Bowling For Columbine

bovine · Post by **bovine** » 8/22/2003, 7:10 am

I know this was probably talked about when the movie was in theaters, but I didn't see it then and just got the DVD this past tuesday. I think the movie was absolutly excellent. One thing that I think enforced the point of America being scared by the media is the "R" rating on the movie. With the exception of a few utterances of "the F word" the "Violent Images" were really nothing that you wouldn't see on the 6 o'clock news.

Another thing that I thought was disturbing was the fact that everyone was in such an uproar about the speech that Moore gave at the Academy Awards but I don't remember seeing anything on the news about the pro-gun rallies that Charlton Heston held just a few days after school shootings in Littleton and Flint either in the town or very closely nearby. Many people said that Moore's speach was "distasteful," and to be honest, I can see where they get that from (although I'm personally on the fence about wheather or not that was the appropriate thing to do). However, these pro-gun rallies were not just "distasteful" they were downright vulgar and showed no respect whatsoever (and, in fact, disrespect) for the victims and families of these tragedies.

Feel free to voice your opinion on the movie or what I've said. If you haven't seen the movie, you should at least rent it, it's really amazing.

:::troy:::

Lando · Post by **Lando** » 8/22/2003, 7:33 am

Can you find a text copy of this speech? I missed it. If not, could you sum up what he said?

Sufjan Stevens · Post by **Sufjan Stevens** » 8/22/2003, 7:59 am

This was a great movie. Here's the cruel irony of this all. I went to see the movie in theaters, and the place where I saw it at was in the same complex where the lady whose five year old shot another classmate. The mother was still working at the place. It was creepy.

The speech Moore gave was in perfect context with his views. Yes, he chose a public place to do it at, but oh well. I applaud the man for speaking out. He had every right to say what he said. But his career is ruined because a bunch of anal-retentive fucks in the media are republican and tore him apart for weeks after what he said. It's sad.

Lando · Post by **Lando** » 8/22/2003, 8:04 am

He's not ruined. Probably just the opposite. He just needs a controversial new project. It'll be easier for him to get carriage from a motion picture company that way.

bovine · Post by **bovine** » 8/22/2003, 8:11 am

Lando wrote:Can you find a text copy of this speech? I missed it. If not, could you sum up what he said?

I don't know where you could find a text copy. Actually, the Academy wouldn't let Moore put the speech on the DVD so Moore kind of sumed it up. First of all, there were 5 nominees for the award and before the winner was announced, Moore said to the other four that if he (Moore) won he would like the others to come up on stage with him to honor them as well (which they did, and apperently some people booed when he welcomed the other people up on the stage...I'm not sure why, but I don't remember hearing the booing first hand until he started giving the speech). In the speech he said something to the effect of:

"I would like to thank the Academy for honoring documentaries because the real-world is turning into something like a fictitious movie. We're living in fictitious times when fictitious elections elect fictious presidents and we go to war for fictitious reasons."

He then went on to say some negative remarks about Bush of which I forget the exact details.

Anyway, I really agree with what he said and I don't even mind the place where he chose to voice these views. The only thing that bothers me a little is that he really took no time to thank the people who helped make the movie and helped him win the award. But whatever your opinion, I think the whole thing was blown way out of proportion.

:::troy:::

nelison · Post by **nelison** » 8/22/2003, 10:20 am

The movie is excellent. My gf and I rented it the other night. I had already seen it when it was in theatres, but it's the type of movie where you can watch it over and over and it doesn't get old because essentially there's no plot.

He's working on a project about 9/11 and the issues that followed 9/11...

Bandalero · Post by **Bandalero** » 8/22/2003, 10:56 am

mike wrote:"I would like to thank the Academy for honoring documentaries because the real-world is turning into something like a fictitious movie. We're living in fictitious times when fictitious elections elect fictious presidents and we go to war for fictitious reasons."

this comming from the guy who's documentary is full of mis-information and fictitious accounts of what really happened. i thought this would be a cool movie to watch, then i found out that alot of the stuff in it is lies...kind of turned me off.

nelison · Post by **nelison** » 8/22/2003, 11:13 am

which are fictitious? the columbine shootings? or the fact they went bowling? or the fact the media is driven by inciting fear? I'm just curious...

Susan · Post by **Susan** » 8/22/2003, 11:17 am

It's out on DVD? Gimme.

happening fish · Post by **happening fish** » 8/22/2003, 11:18 am

the NRA bits were really chopped up and re-arranged to make them sound worse. get doug in here... lol

mosaik · Post by **mosaik** » 8/22/2003, 11:21 am

http://www.hardylaw.net/Truth_About_Bowling.html

read all about it. he edited the facts, mislead through implication and in some cases outright lied.

i give him credit for being creative and making his points in a clever ,sarcastic fashion, but he can hardly claim to be a documentary film maker when his movies are shot with such obvious bias.

he wants less guns and bigger government. ha! that's a contradiction, mike.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » 8/22/2003, 11:23 am

Wow. That was fast.

happening fish · Post by **happening fish** » 8/22/2003, 11:24 am

Bandalero · Post by **Bandalero** » 8/22/2003, 11:25 am

damn, he beat me. good job doug!

mosaik · Post by **mosaik** » 8/22/2003, 11:33 am

thank you, thank you. i do autographs if you'd like.

Sufjan Stevens · Post by **Sufjan Stevens** » 8/22/2003, 11:37 am

But the fact of the matter is, I liked the movie because it pointed out how the media tries to scare the hell out of Americans. I don't care if people think Charlton Heston is a racist. Does it matter that the five year old that killed a classmate was suspended before? No. Someone died. That was the point the movie was trying to make.

mosaik · Post by **mosaik** » 8/22/2003, 11:42 am

just buy Barry Glassner's book.

nelison · Post by **nelison** » 8/22/2003, 11:46 am

ya either way it does open up the eyes of it's viewers and at the least it informs them to try and think more about what's being presented to them by the media.

Sufjan Stevens · Post by **Sufjan Stevens** » 8/22/2003, 12:05 pm

I am working on Fast Food Nation at the moment, thank you very much. :lol:

Bandalero · Post by **Bandalero** » 8/22/2003, 1:07 pm

but you have to admit, the first part of his quote is pretty hipocritical.