Michael Moore is one of todays most controversial and influential documentary film maker. Moore touches on topics that would usual be condemned by others, and isn’t afraid to show confronting images. In Moore’s films there is a common theme present; the determination to expose the wrong doings of the governments and business corporations. I believe Moore’s films are considerably bias. Moore tactfully uses techniques to manipulate the viewer to accept his ideas. Moore’s documentaries although they are bias, are very well created and connect with the audience. I have seen Moore’s documentaries many times since year 10 and when I first viewed them I believed everything he presented, although now I see that he manipulates information.
On many occasions Moore has expressed his feelings towards the now ex-president George Bush through his films. Moore uses clips of George Bush that highlight his foolishness and neglect. For example in Fahrenheit 9/11 Moore uses scenes of Bush playing golf and having a vacation with his family, while Moore uses voice over to condemn Bushes actions and make him seem unfit to be president claiming “With everything going wrong, he did what any of us would do. He went... on vacation”. Voice over gives him control over what the audience will take from the footage he is showing them. In another attempt to discredit bush Moore uses an interview from Britney Spears supporting President Bush. This manipulates the viewer because who would trust the women who shaved all her hair off’s judge of character. I remember watching these scenes in year 10 and thinking that George Bush was an idiot and that he didn’t deserve to be president. This documentary had a huge impact on my thoughts of the American government, although it was bias.
Manufacuring descent is a documentary by Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine’s, which exposes the lies in Moore’s documentaries. This documentary which I watched in year 11, opened my eyes to the bias nature of Moores films. For example in Fahrenheit 9/11 Moore shows footage of George Bush making what looks to be like an address to the public, explaining that reading was a chore and he only reads sports magazines. This made George Bush look ignorant and that he isn’t serious about being president. In actual fact Bush is speaking at a private birthday party and is telling a joke about himself, to entertain his guests. Moore cut this scene to make it look as if it were a public address, to exploit the foolishness of the president. This is an example of how Moore uses the manipulation of information to create an idea that is not necessarily true. This shows that Moore’s documentaries are biased and not necessarily correct depictions of reality.
To convey that gun violence is on the rise Moore showed a scene in Bowling for Columbine that depicted how easy it was to get a gun in America. In this scene Moore explains that in a bank in Michigan, when you open an account, you receive a free riffle, which is kept in a vault at the back of the bank. In reality the bank in Michigan didn’t actually sell guns or give them out and the vault which was implied to be out the back of the bank was in fact on the other side of town. Moore had actually phoned in advance to get one of the riffles shipped over especially so he could film the bank giving it to him. Moore used this technique of a set-up scenario to manipulate the audience into believing banks in America actually gave out guns when opening a bank account, to emphasis the easiness of obtaining a gun. This scene was very effective in manipulating my views. I remember thinking about how dangerous America was after I watch bowling for columbine in year 10, I was so shocked and believed that everything Moore was conveying was the truth.
Although Moore manipulates his viewers through the techniques he uses, Moore creates interesting documentaries. Moore’s documentaries are probably the only documentaries I enjoy watching. Instead of conveying information in a boring nature, which is the usual style of documentary, Moore incorporates humour and connects with his viewer, that’s something Moore should be commended for.
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