Documentary film conventions and analysis

Columbine

Bill Nichols argues that documentary can be divided into six modes. One of these modes is the participatory mode, and this mode can be seen in a film like Bowling for Columbine, made by Michael Moore in 2002. The documentary modes cited by Nichols are six in number and are seen as being linked to different periods in documentary filmmaking. The participatory mode is one in which the filmmaker interacts directly with his subject matter, making himself a character in the film. Moore does this in most of his documentaries, not just asking questions of subjects but putting himself in roles as a sort of bomb-thrower to get things in motion and to make something happen.

Bowling for Columbine has as its subject the gun culture in America. The title refers to the school shooting in Columbine, and Moore uses that as the image of what happens when the sort of gun culture that America has allows the mentally ill and criminals to get guns freely. Moore appears in the film as the voice asking questions of the audience about why we allow guns to be sold and traded so freely, why we see the Second Amendment as an absolute that prevents us from stopping the carnage, and why there are so many people and groups dedicated to keeping guns in the hands of everyone if they want a gun.

In the film, Moore acts as the reasonable observe who sees what is happening and asks questions about why. This includes not just the obvious question about guns but about other related issues, such as why the news is so given to presenting images of violence every night, why Americans watch these reports and yet do not do something to stop it in the future, why entertainment programs also feature gun violence as if it were expected, and why at the same time we live as a nation in fear. We clearly have something to fear, though we often exagerat cetain unusal circumstances and fear them when the real fear we should have about guns everywhere is ignored. Moore notes, for instance, how fear about razor blades in Halloween treats has all but ruined Halloween across the country, even though there have never been any razor blades found in Halloween apples. On the other hand, guns kill people every day, yet we keep protecting the rights of gun owners and fight to prevent even something a simple as registration.

Moore acts as a person trying to provoke a response on several occasions, returning to Columbine High School several times, even showing horrifying images and footage from the massacre that took place there. This is argument by shock, but it can be effective. For that matter, it is in keeping with the nature of the issue under discussion, which can hardly be discussed without showing some of the effects of unrestricted gun availability and use.

Moore is more directly provocative with some of his theatrical gestures, like buying a map to the homes of the movie stars so he can find where Charlton Heston, then head of the National Rifle Association, and go to his house to ring the bell. This sort of act generates more heat then light, but it can be effective in interesting the audience and in making the opposition look foolish.