Friday, 14 October 2011

Bowling for Columbine


  • Paints America to be stereotypical.
  • Ease of obtaining guns.
  • Guns are referred to in a light hearted tone.
  • Moore is sarcastic - "I can't wait to go out and shoot up the neighbourhood."
  • Careless approach to guns.
  • Dismissive morals.
  • Uses lighthearted music to make events on the screen seem as if they don't matter and are just neglected by authority.
  • Slow paced, emotive music used over view of Columbine School - Intensification.
  • Panic and destruction.
  • Racism.
  • Tears / distraught families.
  • All guns used are legally brought in stores.
  • No music / added sound over speeches against guns - emphasis.
  • Blames everyone but themselves.
  • Biased view.
  • Marilyn Manson blamed for shooting - represents fear - the shooters listened to his music.
  • Repetition of violent.
  • 11,127 deaths by guns each year in America.
  • Makes white people seem superior to black people but whites were portrayed as unethical.
  • Rhetorical questions.
  • Discrimination against black community. 
  • Authorities seen to be neglectful.
  • Moore asking the sergeant about arrests and the police man just ignored him and walked away.
  • Fun facts - lighthearted. 
  • Hunting is traditional.
  • First reaction is to pull their gun out. 
  • Scantily clad - the woman with a gun wearing hardly any clothes.
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    Canada vs the states.
  • Canada is seen to be superior, both in terms of safety and gouvernment ruling.
  • The states > Gun ruled, violent and unsafe.
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    Scenes:
  • Report on a school girl shooting by a fellow classmate (who was living with his uncle as his mother was being evicted) - he found a gun and shot his classmate. The reporters were unsympathetic > Joking about hairspray.
  • Poverty - sad, emotive music, Michael Moore's narration > tells of how hard done by the kids in Flint are, really makes the audience sympathize - personal tragedies have no background music -emphatic.
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    Representation of reality.
  • A little biased.
  • Reality seems dull, sad and worthless.
  • Driven by fear.
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    Charlton Heston:
  • Walked away.
  • Mentioned ethnicity.
  • Rally - "From my cold, dead hands." >editing after shootings. >time of rallies.
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    Documentary conventions:
  • Voice over - satirical nature - lighthearted.,
  • Film maker on screen - normal >jeans, baseball cap etc > we identify with him.
  • Non-diegetic music - wonderful world.
  • Real life footage > emotional response.
  • CCTV.
  • Cartoon to show history of America - humour.
  • Statistics.
  • Interviews.
  • Juxtaposition.
  • The Kuleshov effect.
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    Michael Moore's agenda:
  • Educate outside world about American gun culture.
  • Blames the media > culture of fear. > Canada case study.
  • Audience - question - own interpretation.
Restriction / ban on gun culture.
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Personal response to the film:
  • Interesting.
  • Factual.
  • Unbelievable. 
  • Culture difference.
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    Scene analysis:
The rifle association:  
  • Just a man from the rifle association saying that the film will be of great interest > seen to be backing the film?
  • Old > war time.
  • Black and white > serious / cold > tradition.
  • Stuck in the past.
  • Sound > crackly > outdated but serious.

    The use of sound:
  • Light hearted.
  • Typically American.
  • Patriotic.

    The voice over:
  • Satirical.
  • Lighthearted.
  • We > personal / inclusive.
  • Casual.
  • Colloquial.

    The typical American day montage:
  • "The farmer did his chores, the president bombed another country whose name we couldn't pronounce" > massive contrast
  • Sun rising, milkman making deliveries > ideal view of America.

    The woman with the gun and the statue of liberty:
  • Change.
  • Close up.
  • Statue of liberty > freedom.
  • Lady with gun.
  • Slow motion.

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