Passing through Glastonbury on my way back from Devon last week I popped into a bookshop to find, prominently placed, a book called Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man. It has always suprised me how all these US "Pundits" make money pointing out how skillfully Michael Moore twists and manipulates facts using skulduggerous (Did I just make that word up?) editing techniques. etc. etc. blah blah blah.
I like all of Michael Moore's films but I think they give him far too much credit for skillfullness and manipulation which I can't see him as actually being capable of. He comes across to me as a simple American who apparently never left his home state before making Roger and me.
His films are about the big picture as he sees it and are directed at your Joe Bloggs audience, not some sort of up their arse intellectual elitists to pick apart. I've heard that since his sucess he has displayed some eratic behaviour. I'm not suprised. If I had such huge success in the unpopular field of documentary it would probably go to my head too.
3 comments:
I agree.
My opinion of Michael Moore is: hey, it's cool that he's making movies. I can see right through his schtick, but so what? He's a heavy-handed documentary filmmaker who is very clever. He's entertaining. He's got his own people's interests in mind and he's not afraid to voice them. Why does that threaten so many people? Same with Spike Lee.
It's cool that they exist. If you don't like their views, don't watch their movies!
By the way, an English dude by the name of Broomfield seems to copy Moore a whole lot in Kurt & Courtney. Is he truly the English version?
Not another yank calling Michael Moore clever! Stop it! All of you!
Interesting that you mention Nick Broomfield in the same post as both documentary makers make it onto my "favourite films" list for their entire collections.
Nick Broomfield is NO WAY the British Michael Moore although I can see the connection in that both appear as characters in their own films about other people.
I met Nicj Broomfield once. Told him that The Leader, the driver and the drivers wife was the biggest inspiration to make documentaries for me ever.
Have you watched my movies yet babes?
part 1 and part 2
I was totally aware that I was trying the Moore/Broomfield approach in some scenes but it is dangerous when dealing with issues which are really important as any message you may have is at a big risk of being engulfed in a furore around your personality, as has happened to Michael Moore.
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