Also, the use of death, atrocity, and grieving parents to make a point isn't that far removed from Bush's recent utilisation of 9/11 as a campaign tool. And let's not forget this is first and foremost a campaign tool. It's just not too sure who it wants to campaign for.
As pointed out in an article in this month's Sight And Sound, Moore shoots himself in the foot somewhat in his portrayal of the Democrats. He wants for all the world for Bush to be voted out of office, yet does he really expect you to vote for those imbeciles who support his lunacy? It's a valid point to be making, that the two primary parties are virtually indistinguishable, but if I was an American citizen, after watching this I think I would be fairly certain that I wasn't gonna be voting Republican, but I sure as fuck wouldn't fling a vote at those other sons a bitches neither.
So what, really, does the film hope to gain? It exposes a wealth of stunningly immoral corruptions and foibles on behalf of Bush, but it's highly unlikely that anyone who was going to vote for him anyway will be all that convinced. You only have to do a quick search on Google to see just how many people are out to discredit Moore with the vehemence he puts into discrediting the administration, and there are already sites buzzing with how much of a concocted barrel of dung this all is. As a piece of political filmmaking, it's incendiary. As a political tool, I don't know how effective it'll be.
As I said earlier, the editing in this thing is amazing. Moore and his team have gone all out in securing every slice of relevant footage, whilst also finding time to include shots from, amongst many others, Mario Bava's Mask Of Satan and the original Dragnet TV show. Maybe he should have used the Dragnet film with Tom Hanks and Dan Akroyd. Maybe folks won't listen to reason, but I'm sure they'd listen to Tom Hanks. Did you see him in Joe Versus The Volcano? Who wouldn't listen to every word that charming motherfucker saw fit to yack?
Ultimately, though, Moore's finest trick is taking the tools used in Republican politics and using them for his own ends. The politics of emotion, of outrage, of gut feeling over intellectual consideration, these things have been the secret weapons of The Right since as long as they've realised the media was their closest ally. Here, Moore uses those self same techniques to attack their primary exponents. If a point can't be made via the unveiling of statistics and figures, then he's gonna make it by showing a child screaming as doctors stitch a wound in its scalp, or having a mother weeping as she reads the final letter written by her deceased son, killed in Iraq.
Article comments
1 - Chris Kent
Great work El Senor Duke. I appreciated your contrast between 911 and The Passion and a critique of the filmmaking prowess in addition to the politics. One of my favorite posts of yours.
I've seen Canadian Bacon. Very poor, and established Moore had better keep his job in the documentary arena.....
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Chris, thanks for the kind words! I think the comparison between this and Mel's exploitation flick is a worthwhile one, and thanks for confirming it.
I'll probably get a peek at canadian bacon sometime in the future, but i've heard many bad things, and you've just added to it lol.
But who knows? Maybe The Duke will think it's a damn masterpiece or something. Wouldn't be the first instance of such!
3 - Lono
Duke,
I just saw the movie tonight, and am an admitted huge fan of Moore's work... so of course I enjoyed it. One thing I thought was kinda tacky, and as a result should have been the first thing the right wingers charged on is this: he used pictures of dead babies and wounded civilians to make a point about this war. That was dumb... that stuff happens with EVERY war and it is something nobody wants or strives for. Bush has done more than enough evil shit against America to further his agenda of corporate greed and wealth that we don't need to be patronized to get the message. Geesh, that was well stated on my behalf... perhaps I should shit out a full piece on the movie myself. nah... too many already. I always enjoy your writing, and there is a huge homage to you in a very recent piece I wrote. I just can't remember which one... probably the latest Dead piece.
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Lono, thank you!
I searched through your blog, but couldn't find the article in question. The blog is iamcorrect, yeah? But praise the lrod, since what i found was enough to keep me occupied for longer than is socially acceptable. you are a fantastic writer, and the "from the road" entries were especially wonderful. Thank you.