Bowling for Columbine

[Rocco Jones]

It's a documentary by Michael Moore. Some of you might know him from his fantastic show on the sbs the awful truth.

Great doco about gun control in the US. If anyone's seen it discuss. Also am reading Stupid White Men by Moore atm, a great read so far.

 

[Mooster7]

The best documentary for gun control in the States is the Zapruder Film.

It should be shown to every pussy politician who wants to limit our freedoms. When they see Kennedy's head explode, they'll get the message.

 

[Portia]

I just saw Bowling for Columbine today, and it was pretty good. Plenty of laughable moments, but also a bit irrelevant in others (the side jaunt about working for welfare was definitely off topic).

It seems to me that a lot of organizations need smarter PR reps.

 

[Mobbs]

Were going to see it same day as Two Towers, but it wasn't showing, Chaddy had taken it off for some reason (to fit in more Two Towers???)

 

[Leaping Lindner]

Just got back from seeing it. Up to Michael Moore's usual standard that being excellent.
Great quote (not in the film) but read during a interview with the man promoting the film "Guns don't kill people , Americans with guns kill people".
After seeing it I also felt a relief that I live in a country whose government doesn't offer tax breaks to rich people whilst making welfare harder to get for people who need it.And a country whose government doesn't extend the defence budget because they are fighting against a 'percieved threat' whilst people continue to live in poverty. Also isn't it nice to have a media that doesn't sensationalize crime and tragedy and play the race card
No wonder Howard loves Bush so much they are soul mates.

 

[dreamkillers]

Originally posted by Leaping Lindner
Just got back from seeing it. Up to Michael Moore's usual standard that being excellent.
Great quote (not in the film) but read during a interview with the man promoting the film "Guns don't kill people , Americans with guns kill people".
After seeing it I also felt a relief that I live in a country whose government doesn't offer tax breaks to rich people whilst making welfare harder to get for people who need it.And a country whose government doesn't extend the defence budget because they are fighting against a 'percieved threat' whilst people continue to live in poverty. Also isn't it nice to have a media that doesn't sensationalize crime and tragedy and play the race card
No wonder Howard loves Bush so much they are soul mates.

Love it.........

Hope the movie starts up here soon.....sounds like a classic.......

 

[Leaping Lindner]

Originally posted by dreamkillers
Love it.........

Hope the movie starts up here soon.....sounds like a classic.......

DK you will love it. It is great.
Also you have to love a film that opens with "Take the skinheads bowling" by Camper Van Beethoven and finishes with Joey Ramone doing a kick arse version of "What a wonderful World"

PS - Check your PMs

 

[Zombie]

Was just about to start a thread on it when I saw this one, I saw it on Friday night, an excellent doco on gun control in America. Charlton Heston showed himself to be a bit of an idiot when interviewed by Moore.

I liked the bit with the fool who used to live on a farm with Timothy McVeigh, he basically said he agreed that any idiot shouldn't be allowed to keep a gun and then went on to show Moore into his bedroom where he pulled out his loaded gun from underneath his pillow and put the gun to his head pretending to shoot himself.

The police officer talking about the hunters that dressed their dog up with hunting gear (including a gun (as you do)) which resulted in the hunter being shot through the shin had the audience rolling in the ailses with laughter, does their stupidity have no limits?

Overall it is a great documentary which is informative yet comical at times whilst also remaining respectful of the serious issues at hand. Seeing the footage of the Columbine massacre on the big screen was very chilling and the points that Moore pushes across really allow you to realise why this sort of thing is able to occur.

It really makes you feel lucky to live in a country like Australia.

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by Zombie
Charlton Heston showed himself to be a bit of an idiot when interviewed by Moore.

Actually it showed how Charlton Heston has been suffering from Alzeihmers. Not that Moore knew he had Alzeihmers at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, I don't think that Moore will be feeling too proud about that sequence.

 

[Zombie]

Originally posted by Jim Boy
Actually it showed how Charlton Heston has been suffering from Alzeihmers. Not that Moore knew he had Alzeihmers at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, I don't think that Moore will be feeling too proud about that sequence.

How so? What was said that could be in any way related to his alzeihmerz???

 

[Leaping Lindner]

Originally posted by Zombie
.......The police officer talking about the hunters that dressed their dog up with hunting gear (including a gun (as you do)) which resulted in the hunter being shot through the shin had the audience rolling in the ailses with laughter, does their stupidity have no limits?
......

"Will the dog be charged?" - Classic stuff

If Heston has alzheimers it explains a lot (eg: his forgetfulness(?) of world history)but it still doesn't explain playing the race card when "justifying" Americas homicide rate.

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by Zombie
How so? What was said that could be in any way related to his alzeihmerz???

It's not what was said, but what wasn't. Heston was clearly confused and disorientated and was showing classic signs of Alzheimer's. Now this is absolutely no justification for what Heston has said or done in the past, but if a person can't defend their position because of poor mental health, then its simply ludicrous and unfair to door stop them and expect them to be able to be able to respond with a coherent and measured response.

People with Alzheimers do stop making sense.

 

[dreamkillers]

Originally posted by Leaping Lindner
DK you will love it. It is great.
Also you have to love a film that opens with "Take the skinheads bowling" by Camper Van Beethoven and finishes with Joey Ramone doing a kick arse version of "What a wonderful World"

PS - Check your PMs

I'm sure I will...........loved Michael Moore on SBS and the music sounds cool........hopefully we don't have to wait until the holidays end.......

Re the PM's and punk/garage rock thread.........I'm enjoying the exploring so far........that internet radio station sounds like heaven if they can get it up and running.......

Cheers

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Zombie
The police officer talking about the hunters that dressed their dog up with hunting gear (including a gun (as you do)) which resulted in the hunter being shot through the shin had the audience rolling in the ailses with laughter, does their stupidity have no limits?

Considering Australians will stand on a floating dead whale and pat a shark on the nose while its in a feeding frenzy, I don't reckon we can really point at putting a rifle on a dog's back as anything special.

 

[Captain Random]

Originally posted by Mooster7
The best documentary for gun control in the States is the Zapruder Film.

It should be shown to every pussy politician who wants to limit our freedoms. When they see Kennedy's head explode, they'll get the message.

I only found out a few months ago that I hadn't ever actually seen the complete Zapruder film - just ones with the specific frame (or two) cut out. Graphic stuff.

 

[oh_my_hat]

I just saw it yesterday and thought it was very good. The man has balls!!

I was stunned in the first scene where the bank gave you a free gun if you opened up a bank account with them. WOW!! Start up a savings account, answer a few easy questions and bingo you have a firearm. And then there was that place Virgin (not sure which state - probably MI) where it was mandatory for everyone to own a gun.

When they were showing all the stats of people killed by guns in each country ranging from around 250 down to 65 in Australia and then flashed up 11,100+ in the USA the whole audience reacted as one.

D.i.c.k Clark, Charleton Heston and that news reporter worrying about his hair moreso than reporting on the murder of the 6 year old girl in the classroom really looked like asses.

Highly recommended viewing. I saw it at the Kino in Collins st Melb and on a Monday night you can see it for $8.50. Well worth the money.

 

[Yianni]

I was in Texas recently, when I saw a store with the following sign.

'GUNS AND LIQUOR'

Says it all really!

 

[Goo]

Originally posted by Porthos
Considering Australians will stand on a floating dead whale and pat a shark on the nose while its in a feeding frenzy, I don't reckon we can really point at putting a rifle on a dog's back as anything special.

LOL!!

 

[bluechampion]

"Stupid White Men" and "Bowling for Columbine" both have their moments.

They are far from perfect, though, and Moore leaves himself open to criticism with his accasional flights of whimsy (in the book, his tirade against men which includes every man-joke of the past 60 years), and his tendency to grand-stand.

The footage of the Columbine Massacre was just about he most uncomfortable moment i've ever had in a cinema, but what does it achive to show us this? The majority left-leaning audience are just going to more outraged and disgusted. It's not going to make anyone go "Oh, the humanity! I'm going to give up my guns!", because there's no one who's pro-guns in the audience. He's preaching to the choir in many respects.

I love the man's work, and believe he's important to have out there fighting and niggling, but he isn't St. Mike, despite sometimes painting himself as such.

 

[CURVE]

This has been showing Canberra for about four weeks and is still getting full houses for every screening. What I found funny (afterwards) was the audience response. For the first half of the film, the audience were rolling in the aisle as how stupid the Americans are, and in the last half everybody was dead silent, amazed at how stupid the American are.

Some of the earlier scenes, especially the loony farmer where hilarious. When discussing the second amendment, Moore pointed out that the second amendment doesn't mention firearms, it states that Americans have the right to bear arms. Moore then asked, if Americans citizens should be allowed to defend themselves with nukes, to which the loony farmer replied, "I don't think so, there are some real loonies out there."
That had everyone on the floor in raptures for about 5 minutes. Absolutely hilarious.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Finally got round to hiring this during the week - excellent doco.

Like all Mike Moore 90% of it was cutting satire of the highest order, very well done and insightful. As usual, there was 10% that was probably unnecessary.

I'm a Moore fan, but I always find myself disagreeing with some areas of his work, be it TV, his book or movie.

But I think it's important there is a prominant left-wing figure in the US media, it desparately needs some balance in comparison to Fox and the like.

 

[jefffff34]

Saw it for TAFE, was great to watch.

Charlton Heston makes himself look like a righteous ********.

 

[elt]

It's an interesting piece, some of the satire is great and it raises some important questions. Unfortunately for Moore, not all of them are about gun control.

When proclaiming your piece as a documentary, it might be nice if you didn't use cheap editing tricks and some things bordering on fraudulent to get the point across. I enjoyed the movie but I would advise against people taking it as gospel and proclaiming Moore a genius.

Interested parties can read more here.

I don't agree with everything in the link but it does provide another perspective.

 

[Gonzo]

Originally posted by Jim Boy
Actually it showed how Charlton Heston has been suffering from Alzeihmers. Not that Moore knew he had Alzeihmers at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, I don't think that Moore will be feeling too proud about that sequence.

Havent seen the documentary so I don't know but Heston was head of the NRA at the time right??

I would have thought that a man with Alzeihmers leading the largest lobby group in the US standing for the "right to bear killing tools" is a story in itself!

Cheers

Gonzo

 

[mandy]

I thought BFC was very very good, and have enjoyed Mike Moore's work for a while now.

I do have to say, although obviously he generally has good causes I find his actions can sometimes be a little affronting. By all means have a go at Walmart or Kmart for selling ammo so easily to anyone, but it's not the fault of the innocent shop assistant that normally cops the brunt.

He has a habit of attacking the weakest and most innocent (albeit most easily accessible) link to prove his points. That's kinda mean sometimes.