teehee.

[sisyphusshrugged]

You know, in the wake of the Nov. 3 elections, not least of the things I expect to enjoy is the flood of articles from inside the beltway explaining why they're all still really, really relevant (despite, you know, not being really really relevant any more).

Anyway, it's funny because they're French!

It really should come as no surprise that the international film community finally put an official stamp of approval on political propaganda. The movie industry everywhere has had but one rule: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story even if it's billed as the truth.

So the self-styled gadfly, Michael Moore, has received the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his "docufiction" opus "Fahrenheit 9/11" amid promises that when Americans see it they will be swayed to vote against its target, George W. Bush. That is, of course, when Moore and his supporters at Miramax find a distributor in this country. Disney properly identified it as election-year campaigning masquerading as a legitimate documentary and refused to have anything to do with it.

Obviously, someone will come forth to sell Moore's anti-Bush harangue to U.S. audiences. The prize probably has ensured that and the impact will be measured in good old dollars and cents, which is the object.

Moore professes to tell us the real reason for the U.S. invasion of Iraq is a connection between Bush and the Saudi royal family. As with most conspiracy theorists, he makes far more than he can prove out of the most tenuous connections. And he bashes everything else Bush has done since taking office. Bush is the most public of figures and, therefore, is practically libel-proof. Moore can say what he wants about the president short of accusing him of capital murder, which one gets the feeling he would like to do.

But, if nothing else, Moore should have had the decency to turn his project into a real movie like Oliver Stone did for "JFK," the completely unverifiable, off-the-wall conspiracy theory about John Kennedy's assassination. It would have been a more truthful approach. Those who care about honesty in documentary filmmaking would not have to be embarrassed about the disservice done to their craft.

If anyone doubts the motives behind this, the film received a record long-standing ovation at its festival screening and was only one of three "documentaries" allowed in the competition in 50 years. That doesn't happen with films about wildlife or Eskimos or because the texture and cinematography were super. Yet Moore can't even be honest about his reasons for the film. He and the festival jury chairman, Quentin Tarantino, had the temerity to claim that the quality of the film, not its political message, was the reason for the highest honor awarded. Balderdash!

Moore contends with a straight face that he did not set out to make a political film. He just wanted people to leave the theater feeling that it was an enjoyable way to spend two hours. It would be fair to ask him: Enjoyable for whom? Sen. John Kerry and his fellow Democrats generally? It is safe to predict that the president of the United States or his relatives would not find it a pleasant experience.

Of course, the jury paid no attention to the main thrust of the film. The members just liked the way the film was edited, the color and the tone of the narration and whatever. And to prove their independence from political persuasion, Tarantino was quick to point out that four of the panel members were American and only one was French...

Comments

[supergee.livejournal.com]

Jerry Falwell was able to accuse a sitting president of murder, so I guess Moore is showing some restraint.

[mrdankelly.livejournal.com]

That doesn't mean it shouldn't be shown. We have a First Amendment, after all, and neither films nor books should be burned or banned, no matter how controversial. Audiences, however, should be aware that what they are watching is propaganda.

Excellent point! The president should appoint a commission in charge of telling us what is propaganda.

[temima.livejournal.com]

"Audiences, however, should be aware that what they are watching is propaganda."

I agree completely. Fox News ought to come with a disclaimer.

[snuh.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Mr. Thomasson would like some cheese to go with that sour grapes and whine?