Michael Moore: Documentary filmmaker and political activist

¶ … Michael Moore so Controversial?

Michael Moore was born in 1954 in Flint, Michigan -- "the home of the wealthiest corporation in the world: General Motors." (Roger and Me, 1989). The tragic plight of this once economically booming, blue-collar city is the basis for much of his filmmaking; and it is what formed the foundation for his particular outlook on the state of American society. The theme of corporate abuse and exploitation of the American working class has run throughout his three films, two television shows, and four books.

Most of his arguments, whether you agree with them or not, are based upon true investigative journalism or are simply built upon facts available to anyone who cares to look into press reports. Additionally, many of the things he says are the same things that people have been saying for years while standing around water coolers, working on assembly lines, or flipping Big Macs. Why then, has he become such a controversial figure? Clearly his films have struck a chord, both for the people who agree with what he has to say and for those who consider him to be "a dangerous person." (The Big One, 1997). What has gained him notoriety is his low-key, pull-no-punches approach to documentary filmmaking combined with expert comic timing.

However, it is not just humor that lends power to his message but the rarity of the message itself. Although many people in America hold the same views as Michael Moore and may discuss it among themselves, there are very few far left-wing spokespersons in this country. Nearly every political radio and television talk show host is a right-wing, Christian, capitalistic, wealthy mouthpiece for the Republican Party. This is what separates Michael Moore from the rest of the pack. Someone like Bill O'Reilly may say more things that anger groups of the American public, but the things Michael Moore has to say truly challenge the status quo, and therefore, make him a target to be discredited.

Spike Lee is another filmmaker that challenges mainstream white society with his work. Like Moore, his messages center around the issues that he experiences growing-up -- racism and poverty. Yet, Lee's method of expressing that message is rather different than Moore's: Lee brings you a story; Moore brings you an argument.

How Can "the Greatest Nation on Earth" be Flawed?

Michael Moore's central criticism of the United States is its committed marriage to big business. A key issue that keeps coming-up in Roger and Me, The Big One, Bowling for Columbine, and Fahrenheit 9/11 is the problem of American corporations eliminating thousands of jobs while, at the same time, making record profits. Essentially, Moore feels that these corporations owe something to the workers who helped to make it profitable.

In The Big One, Moore visits a Payday candy bar factory that is closing down on its last day of operation. He asks a spokesperson if Payday candy bars are going out of business, or if they can no-longer afford to keep this particular factory running -- he tells him no, and that Payday is actually earning more than ever.

Moore asks: "So if the employees here had somehow done a worse job, or somehow made your company less profitable they might still have their jobs."

The spokesperson replies: "That's what I'm telling you."

Moore: "That's insane!" (The Big One, 1997).

Michael Moore goes on to chronicle the same practice of downsizing and relocation occurring in a number of corporations including Nike, Dow Chemical Company, The LTV Corporation, and -- the one that ruined the economy of his home town -- General Motors. (Downsize This, pages 113-120).

In Roger and Me, his first film, Moore confronts the public relations spokesperson for General Motors and asks whether it was wrong for his company to devastate a community the same way in which Flint was devastated. The spokesman -- who was later laid off himself -- replied, "The Business of corporations is to make money, not to honor their home town." (Roger and Me, 1989). This illustrates one of Michael Moore's main problems with American society: businesses are immoral.

In keeping with this theme Moore goes on to argue, in Bowling for Columbine, that what separates the United States from the rest of the world, and makes us the most violent industrialized nation, is the "campaign of fear and consumption" tempered by our media and driven by racism (Bowling for Columbine, 2002).

It would seem, according to Moore, that companies have tapped-in to white America's ingrained fear of crime by providing consumers with products like home alarm systems, car alarm systems, locks of every kind, products for building bomb shelters, and bombs, ways to stock-up for Y2K, the club, pepper spray, mace, and of course -- guns. Since, "the business of corporations is to make money," Moore argues, corporations are not concerned with the social consequences of their "campaign of fear." Marilyn Manson states the only true concern of corporations: "Keep everyone afraid and they will consume." (Bowling for Columbine, 2002).

In Michael Moore's latest film, Fahrenheit 9/11, he reveals what he believes to be the ultimate example of immoral corporate behavior. He insinuates that there is some deeper relationship between the Bush family and the Bin Laden's of Saudi Arabia, and that Bush used the attacks of September Eleventh to misdirect American attention to Iraq. The corporate advantages in all of this include, clearly, a firmer grasp on Middle Eastern oil, but also, the granting of much larger military contracts to huge corporations like Lockheed Martin (Fahrenheit 9/11). Moore asserts that while most of the nation was reeling from such a brutal and immoral attack, American corporations -- who were free of such hang-ups -- were already plotting ways to cash-in on our re-enforced fear of the unlikely.

Essentially, in all of Michael Moore's films he strives to uncover the ways in which the wealthiest two percent of the nation have fleeced the remaining ninety-eight percent. Moore believes that large corporations wield entirely too much power over a government that is supposed to exist, largely, to limit that power. Furthermore, he believes that it is often in the best interests of these corporations to completely ruin lives and whole communities because it is the nature of a business to be completely without a social conscience.

Why Documentaries?

Documentary films are the media by which Michael Moore has chosen to spread his message. It is debatable whether he might have reached a larger audience if he had decided to create feature films like Spike Lee, or if he had started-up a cable talk show like Al Franken, but it is pretty safe to say that he chose the form of media that fit him best.

Since the underlying premise of his work is that corporate America is immoral and exercises altogether too much power, the documentary form of filmmaking is ideal for spreading this message. A documentary allows Moore to present the viewer with a number of facts and then transport them to a real place with real problems they may not have encountered before.

This is the documentary's advantage over feature films. A film by Spike Lee may be gripping and eye-opening, but in they end the viewer can always tell themselves that it was not completely real -- the characters were made up, the setting was made up, and maybe even the content had less truth to it. An individual watching a fictional tale has the luxury of believing that perhaps they are not seeing a glimpse of reality, but when they see a middle-class woman in Flint, Michigan club a rabbit over the head for dinner they know that it is real, and they know that it happens in the United States of America. A documentary does not allow the audience to distance themselves from the story.

It is legitimate to ask, however, whether Michael Moore's films are true documentaries. When something is a documentary it claims to depict an actual event, accurately, and without fictional elements. Moore's works have come under fire for making some truly outrageous claims, and manipulating statistics. He has even been accused of not actually being raised in Flint, Michigan: "In reality, he was born and raised in the wealthy, lily-white town of Davison, Michigan." (Hardy 15). Opponents of Moore's have attacked him from every angle, and accused him of completely fabricating nearly every piece of information he has ever used.

Yet, Moore maintains that his figures come from legitimate sources. His depictions of reality, although edited to re-enforce his point, are not pulled out of thin air. Moore does not use sock puppets and shadows to make it appear as if President Bush has made false and stupid statements -- President Bush has made false and stupid statements, no matter how his administration tries to sugar coat it.

The primary knock on Moore is that he is openly biased; he has a clear agenda against right-wing conservatives. As such, he skews the facts of his documentaries to fit his purpose. But, does this mean that his films are altogether false -- are they not real documentaries?

To consider this accusation let is use an example. FOX News -- a clear right-wing mouthpiece -- every hour of every day claims to be presenting America with a "fair and balanced" account of the news. No honest person would ever believe that Fox News is unbiased. So, if we are to admit that FOX News is biased, are we then also forced to admit that what FOX News covers is not real news? No. Although FOX News may be very selective, and indeed biased in what news stories they choose to cover, it would be irrational to conclude that what they do cover is not the news. Similarly, just because Michael Moore chooses to reveal some facts in his films and not others, does not make it logical to conclude that his films are anything other than documentaries.

What is Michael Moore's Formula?

Roger and Me, Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 have achieved much notoriety and gained Michael Moore an extraordinary amount of fame. Most documentary filmmakers fail to make such a name for themselves. Clearly, Michael Moore has found some way to send his message through a media that does not usually attract the movie-going crowds. He accomplishes this in two general ways: first, through humor; and second, with a clear argument and main theme that runs through each of his movies.

Moore begins Roger and Me with a brief account of his early life growing-up in Flint, Michigan. He unveils it as a mid-sized, working-class town that experienced a reasonable amount if prosperity in the decades following the second world war. These are things that most Americans can identify with, and most Americans can remember the times when being a factory worker and a member of a union were good things to be.

From this familiar launch pad Moore injects some of his classic, warped humor. The movie cuts to half-century old public relations videos hailing General Motors as the ideal place to start a career, and Flint as a fantastic location for families. The footage employed by Moore gives 1950's Flint the feel of a "Leave it to Beaver" episode rather than an actual place. But the fun ends abruptly, when Moore shows us shots of modern-day Flint in the midst of a crippling economic downturn. This is a common tactic used by Michael Moore in several of his films.

First, he begins by introducing the audience to a familiar setting. In Roger and Me it is an ordinary Midwestern town, in Bowling for Columbine it is an ordinary Mountain town, and in Fahrenheit 9/11 it is the recent Presidential election. In all three he uses clips from some public relations firm trying to attract employees or buyers or voters to take part in their community. Why would he do this? Simple, because these films are funny. Everyone can see through the false sincerity and false optimism permeating such films -- that is why they're funny, and that is why they provide the perfect contrast for the devastating images that Moore slips into the documentary next. Whether it is school shootings, downtown ghettos, or planes flying into buildings that he shows next, the point is clear: this is not the America many of us would like to believe it is.

In Bowling for Columbine Michael Moore employs a video clearly used at some time to attract business people to the town of Littleton, Colorado. It is described as "a quiet town... without the problems of a big city." (Bowling for Columbine, 2002). Immediately afterwards we are shown the horrible chaos that followed the shooting at Columbine High School. This use of humor allows Moore to start out on recognizable ground, and then ease into subject matter that may be very upsetting to some audiences.

The beginning of Bowling for Columbine is a classic example of Michael Moore's brand of humor. He enters a bank which clearly advertises a free rifle to anyone who opens a new account. Moore proceeds to open an account with this bank, receive his gun, and then stride through the lobby and outside -- all the time brandishing his newly acquired weapon. This is one of the funniest and most telling parts of the film. After exiting the bank's main entrance, with gun in hand, Moore gives the camera a strange look. He does not have to say anything, the point is clear: the United States has gone crazy for guns. Michael Moore commonly uses humor to make his points; rather than telling the audience that there is a bank you can walk through carrying a rifle, he shows them.

Another theme running through all of Michael Moore's films is that of confrontation. In his first film, Roger and Me, he spends half of the film simply walking into General Motors headquarters and asking to speak with Roger Smith, the corporation's chairman. It seems that because he is armed with a camera very few people are willing to throw him out on the spot. Moore is forced to ask the big questions of the General Motors underlings who obviously wish little more than to keep their jobs and for him to leave.

Moore also wanders onto the grounds of factories as they are closing down, and on more than one occasion is asked to leave. It seems that in these confrontations he is more concerned with catching the real-life reactions of the workers around him than reaching any real conclusions to his main questions: is it wrong for corporations to do this, and is it possible for them to be stopped.

When it comes to confrontations Moore's second film, The Big One, is full of them. The movie follows him as he goes on his nationwide book tour for Downsize This! Random Threats From an Unarmed American. This format provides him with the perfect stage for confronting many of the individuals he believes to be corporate criminals. Moore travels to Payday candy bar headquarters, Pillsbury headquarters, Proctor and Gamble, and Nike all to present the company with awards for being corporate criminals and checks covering the first hour of pay for one of their employees in a third world country. None of these checks exceeded eighty cents.

Bowling for Columbine is also scattered with confrontations. Moore faces the corporations and organizations he feels are responsible for the current state of the nation head-on. He travels to K-Mart headquarters in Michigan to return bullets lodged in the bodies of two victims of the Columbine shootings. He and the victims also ask that the company stop selling ammunition for hand guns. This is one of the few confrontations in any of Moore's movies that bears any fruit -- K-Mart eventually apologizes for the boy's plight and agrees to discontinue the sale of pistol ammunition.

In Fahrenheit 9/11 Michael Moore stops United States Senators on the streets of Washington and asks them if they would like to volunteer their children to be shipped off to Iraq. Some of the reactions he receives provide some of the most comedic moments of the film, as well as illustrate his point that the people who have the least in this country, during times of need, are asked to give the most.

Moore also exhibits his confrontational brand of humor when he endeavors to read the entire Patriot Act including all of its articles from an ice-cream truck outside the Nation's Capitol. Again, Michael Moore is clearly trying to set an example. He wants Americans to shake things up, to make some noise, to voice their convictions and dissatisfaction.

The final confrontation in Bowling for Columbine involves movie star and president of the NRA, Charlton Heston. Perhaps because of Michael Moore's growing notoriety at the time, Heston agrees to speak with him on camera. The interview ends with Heston leaving the room rather than answering a tough question. The movie ends in this manner, as do the majority of Moore's documentaries.

Michael Moore seems to try ending every one of his films with the person who he feels has the most explaining to do. In Roger and Me he tries to conclude the film with a Roger Smith interview that he never gets. The Big One ends in an exclusive interview with Philip Knight, founder, owner, chairman, and CEO of Nike. He ends Bowling For Columbine with "gun nut" Charlton Heston. And Fahrenheit 9/11 ends after Moore asks George W. Bush a question and is blown-off.

It appears that Michael Moore is trying to show the American people just how difficult it is to get these so called "criminals" to answer for their crimes, if the person asking the questions is just an average joe like them. His pattern of wantonly strutting into a corporate office and demanding answers to pressing social issues may seen simplistic and in most cases futile, but the point that these wealthy people are allowed to get away with virtually anything in the name of profits, without any explanation, is not lost.

Another aspect of Michael Moore's filmmaking style is his use of music. One of the fist songs used by Moore as an interlude in Roger and Me is "Wouldn't it be Nice" by the Beach Boys. He uses it because his friend, and subject of his first interview heard it on the radio as he drove home after leaving General Motors for the last time. He also ends the film with this ironic song. It plays in the background as a poor, evicted family in Flint moves all their belongings to the curb. Michael Moore makes regular use of music played over ironic scenes.

As Moore shows us a montage of atrocities handed down at the barrel of a gun throughout the ages in Bowling For Columbine, the song "What a Wonderful World" by B.B. King plays. He also plays the song "Happiness: Bang, Bang, Shoot, Shoot" as he provides a brief synopsis of the history of American foreign policy. So, Moore finds ironic ways to convey his messages without actually saying a word.

Basically, Michael Moore has a message to send the American people: we are being screwed by big money, and something needs to be done about it. It is not a new message, but the way in which he sends it is quite artfully done. Because he uses the documentary form he is able to show us reality. He does what everyone who has ever been laid-off wants to do -- he confronts those who he deems responsible. But he also shows the real-life consequences of the injustices inflicted upon American people.

If this were all he did, however, there would be nobody interested in seeing his depressing movies. But, Moore manages to work some of his offbeat humor into each of his films. He uses comical dialogue, actions, music, ideas, and placement of these ideas to slowly unveil his argument. These aspects of Moore's work have boosted him to far more fame and notoriety than any other disenfranchised ex-General Motors assembly line worker.

Does Michael Moore Just Exist to Make People Angry?

Well, the short answer to this question is: yes and no. Obviously, the subject matter of Michael Moore's films is intended to grab people's attention. He is simply not afraid to tackle the questions that others in the media avoid. For example, in his book Dude Where's My Country he lists off a number of questions that he would like to ask President Bush that the mainstream media simply has refused to broach. These questions include:

1. "Is it true that the bin Ladens have had business relations with your family on and off for the past 25 years?" (Dude Where's my Country, 6).

2. "What is the 'special relationship' between the Bushes and the Saudi royal family?" (Dude Where's my Country, 11).

3."Why are you protecting the 'Second Amendment rights' of potential terrorists?" (Dude Where's my Country, 22).

George W. Bush has not been forced to answer these questions, he has not been put in front of a grand jury over these questions, and as Moore points out, Clinton was placed in front of a grand jury to testify about a "blow job." Michael Moore has become a household name because he wants to ask these questions and others like them to everyone who has the power to escape such invasive lines of questioning. So yes, Michael Moore does this on purpose. In is intentionally controversial -- that is the only way that anyone will pay him and his ideas any attention.