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Controversial documentary-maker Michael Moore's intensely political new film, Fahrenheit 9/11, was screened for the world's media at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. Disney has refused to release this film, other distributors also seem reluctant and - if Moore is to be believed - the White House wants to stop it being seen.

The reason is if viewers take the film at face value, they will think George Bush is a fraudulent and possibly corrupt president who went to war in Iraq because of a half-baked motivation of grudge, greed and thirst for power.

But this is a Michael Moore film and, while that does not mean he is wrong, it must be watched with a critical eye.

Moore wants Bush removed from office.

He is determined to have this film released before the US presidential election in November for that very reason.

The film's conclusions are reached through a mixture of firm evidence, interesting information, moving scenes and tenuous theories. Starting with the presidential election in 2000, it firmly plants the idea that Bush's election - thanks to just 537 votes in Florida - was not exactly free and fair.

The first conspiratorial link comes when he identifies the Fox News Channel employee who took the decision to report that Bush had won Florida on election night - when all other channels were reporting an Al Gore win - as Bush's first cousin. If true, it is an interesting piece of trivia - but hardly proof of a family plot to steal the presidency.

He introduces 11 September with a blank screen and chilling audio of planes hitting the Twin Towers and the cries of those on the ground. Moore also has footage of Bush sitting in a school classroom, reading a children's book with pupils, for more than 10 minutes after being told the second plane had hit. The film-maker said this full footage had not been seen before because no-one had asked the teachers at the school whether they had captured it on camcorder.

One of Moore's chief accusations is Bush allowed planes to pick up 24 members of the Bin Laden family and fly them out of the US in the days following the attacks - when all other aircraft were grounded. To back this up, he shows a document that seems to list them - and uses it as a base from which to explore the relationships between the Bush and Bin Laden dynasties.

They go back to Bush's military days, Moore says - and produces military records apparently showing the future president was in the Texas Air National Guard with a man who it says went on to sell a plane to one of Osama Bin Laden's brothers. When Bush was trying to make his way as a Texan oil magnate, this same man was hired by the Bin Ladens to invest their money in Texas, and he in turn invested money in Bush's company, the film says.

Moore asserts that prominent Saudis invested in Bush's ailing companies to get access to his father, the former US president. But aside from the original military records, there is little proof to firm up links Moore goes on to make. The result is the oil and arms companies the Saudis invested in, and the Bush family and their inner circle have interests in, profited from the aftermath of 11 September, Moore says.

Moore won an Oscar for his last film, Bowling for Columbine. Using a clip of former US head of counter-terrorism Richard Clarke talking about how Bush immediately wanted to find an Iraq link to the attacks, the film moves on to Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Afghanistan section - including a screen shot of a BBC News Online story - is a claim that the military action in Afghanistan was really about laying a natural gas pipeline across the country. But the Iraq section is more substantial, and changes the film's direction - using interviews with US soldiers, footage of civilian suffering and highly moving testimony from bereaved parents of US servicemen.

The film shows graphic footage of corpses of US soldiers being burnt, dragged behind a truck and strung up, and a scene of US soldiers apparently mistreating Iraqi prisoners.

All the while, persuasive army recruiters are followed as they try to sign up young people in Moore's deprived hometown of Flint, Michigan. So Moore went to Washington to try to persuade Congressmen to send their children to Iraq - the son of only one Congressman is in service there, Moore says.

Moore himself appears less in this film than he has in his previous documentaries, leaving most of the talking to politicians, soldiers, parents, experts and assorted real Americans.

There is highly selective editing, but the story is not totally one-sided. For example, there are soldiers in Iraq who believe in their mission, as well as those who say they are disillusioned. But the movie's conclusions - true or otherwise - and highly emotional interviews with bereaved parents and injured soldiers will have a big impact on audiences around the world.

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URL of review.

From this it sounds like a similar pattern of strengths and weaknesses to that of Columbine - an important underlying issue, and to a certain extent you can sympathise with his agenda. But he crosses the line from at least attempting to maintain some sort of balance into out-and-out rant territory just too far for you to buy it, in the last instance.

Still, if he manages to find a British distributor, I'll be interested to see it.
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 05-17-2004, 05:18 PM:
 
The film is very similar to Roger and Me and Bowling for Columbine in it's style and editing. It has its strengths and weaknesses, but found it very interesting.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-05-2004, 12:27 AM:
 
I have always found Mr. Moore's work highly entertaining and very interesting. I look forward to the release of this picture here in the states. It should have an interesting intertwinging of fact and fiction.

CIao

Dave
 

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Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 06-05-2004, 12:36 AM:
 
This movie is what one would call... a crockumentary. Michael Moore should be deported.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-05-2004, 02:29 AM:
 
Have you seen this film, Richard? If not, then please don't be posting opinions here. Dave's post was at least somewhat on topic.[av=c]
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 06-05-2004, 12:32 PM:
 
Deported? For speaking his opinion? Not in a USA that I would want to live in!

But yes, this Michael Moore film should be fun to see. And see it I will, as I do not allow anyone to dictate to me what I can see, listen to, or read. I'm sure I'll get a couple of chuckles out of this film.
 

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Posted by Nate Lehrke (Member # 1460) on 06-24-2004, 04:40 AM:
 
It had its momets of humor and moments ot horror, so a typical Moore film.

I was a little bored during the last half. Having read all Moore's books and following the news pretty close, this movie didn't present anything new items to me.

Was nice that Moore wasn't really in the film.

I liked Bowling for Columbine more but this one has its moments.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-24-2004, 03:08 PM:
 
Went to a preview screening... And it did have it's moments...

The last third was the most moving, but overall, I can see where this film can encourage hatred on any political level, on either side.

But for me, none of this was news. I have been following this very closely, and as a news and history buff, I know all of the facts presented. It was more entertaining to see how the film was pieced together.

Those that hate bush will hate him just the same, those that love bush will never even see the movie, and those that are on the fence, well they are just idiots for having NO opinion of thier own and letting ANYONE give it to them.

This film will have as much political impact as myself running for president. I will get one vote and it will be mine, because I am a narcisist. It would have had better impact if it had been released, say... october 9th?

This is the summer when those that are not political junkies are out having fun, not paying attention to this stuff. They don't care for now, and by the time they do care, it will all be over anyway.

The timing of this film is to sell tickets, plain and simple. And sell them it will! I recommend the film to all. It has much humor, and most of it is from President Bush! He actually is a pretty humourous guy, even when he isn't trying to be, and sometimes he just comes off like a dork, but a funny dork. I like the guy, but he is funny. I like moore, he is also funny, but the first half of the film he spends too much time trying to paint a picture that the last half does it all by itself.

So yeah, its good, go see it. But take it for what it is, forget the fact that moore wants to dethrone bush, so what. I saw Along Came Polly and I didn't bitch about that piece of crap robbing me blind now did i?

Ok, I am done eulagizing.

CIao

Dave
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-24-2004, 06:21 PM:
 
Dave: The video (with extra footage) will probably be released in October.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 06-25-2004, 02:29 AM:
 
True, but by then no one will care. The detractors to the film will have hacked it to death and all Moore will have is him whining about "those who don't want you to see it", and it will be old and tired.

I personally cannot wait for the "video" version of this "video". I tend to get much more fun than going to movie theaters these days anyway.

Ciao

Dave
 

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Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 06-25-2004, 03:12 AM:
 
Not only did I refuse to see it, I refused to build it. My assistant tried watching some of it, but only got annoyed and ticked off by it (as I knew I would). It was the usual work of fiction like columbine was. Speaking of which, I heard he got sued after making it look like he went in and purchased a gun in one day, when it actually took him something like 2 months to get the gun. I expect this movie bends into fantasy like that too...
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 06-25-2004, 03:20 AM:
 
My assistant who watched it - fell asleep at some point in the last reel....
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-25-2004, 03:47 AM:
 
Wow. Your theater lets you choose which prints you build based on whether you like the movie or not? What a liberal theater! [av=m]

Hell, if I could do that, no movies would ever get built due to the fact that most movies suck (assuming I still worked at a movie theater). But no. Instead I'd do my job and not let political nonsense get in the way. I'd get fired if I refused to do my job.

I'll hopefully see this movie this weekend.
 

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Posted by Peter Kerchinsky (Member # 1098) on 06-25-2004, 04:40 AM:
 
Joe
Didn't you notice, he's from Texass.
 

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Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 06-25-2004, 09:25 AM:
 
Any truth to the rumor that this morning the White House and Ashcroft's Justice Department are sending Federal Agents (read Stormtroopers) to every theatre playing 9/11 to confiscate all the prints and then run them thru the band saw? Has something to do with the "Patriot Act" (sic)....
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-25-2004, 11:07 AM:
 
There are more subtle ways:

CCTimes

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A pro-Republican group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday, alleging that the marketing for Michael Moore's new documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" will violate election laws.

Citizens United, which calls the movie and its television ads "pure political propaganda," argues that Moore and the film's distributors are violating a section of the election law banning the use of corporate money to air attack ads about a presidential candidate within 30 days of his party's national convention.

The citizens group says promotional ads for "Fahrenheit 9/11" should be pulled off the air a month before the Republican National Convention convenes in New York on Aug. 30.

"My goal is to have Michael Moore's advertisements, as they are, taken off the air ... ," Citizens United president David Bossie said.

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Washington, DC, Jun. 24 (UPI) -- Muckraking filmmaker Michael Moore dismissed a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission alleging his new film violates federal election law.

"It is a blatant attempt by a right-wing Republican group to stop people from seeing my movie," Moore said during a Thursday press conference on Capitol Hill held by members of the Congressional Black Caucus in praise of the film, "Fahrenheit 9/11."

The complaint from the Republican-allied 527 soft-money group Citizens United is based on the argument Moore intends to influence the election with a privately funded film.

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Michael Moore Film Violates Campaign Finance Law, Group Alleges
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
June 23, 2004

(Editor's note: The Citizens United press conference scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled, the group told CNSNews.com on Wednesday morning.)

(CNSNews.com) - A conservative advocacy group says Michael Moore's Bush-bashing movie Farenheit 911 violates federal election law, and on Wednesday, the group is taking its complaint straight to the doorstep of the Federal Election Commission.

David N. Bossie, president of Citizens United, said he will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. today to release details of the complaint and explain which laws were broken.

Moore's new movie, which premieres Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., blames the Bush administration for failing to prevent the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks; it mocks the administration's contention that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction; and it says President Bush allowed Osama bin Laden's relatives to fly out of the country after the Sept. 11 attacks because of Bush's rumored relationship with Saudi officials.

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-25-2004, 03:11 PM:
 
Michael Moore is fat.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-25-2004, 03:55 PM:
 
My family saw the movie this afternoon, and really enjoyed it. The showing was nearly sold out (four screens in Rochester). They definitely want to see it again, this time with me along.

Sure Michael Moore has a point of view some don't agree with, but don't confuse the messenger with the message. It's a skillful and entertaining piece of propaganda (and marketing), with his interpretation of the facts.
 

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Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 06-25-2004, 05:31 PM:
 

 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 06-25-2004, 07:03 PM:
 
What's the big hoopla? It is only a frikkin' movie!!! Jeeze....

This is the entertainment industry. Yes, The Entertainment Industry!

But nobody seems to care about things seen on the Big Screen where someone gets their head sawed off, an arm yanked out of its socket, or someone getting hung up on a meathook. Or, watching a partnership being dissolved in a barrel of Nitric Acid. Stuff like that on the screen is more sickening that someone taking potshots at someone.

I plan to see the movie. But I'll probably wait for it to come out on DVD. I hate watching a frikkin' movie in some damned theater. I see too many presentation foul-ups and it takes away from the movie going experience.

No matter what you do, good or bad, some SOB is not going to like it.

End of lecture.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-25-2004, 07:11 PM:
 
Emails are already starting to come in over this and we all know where this thread will end up eventually. Sorry, but from this point on political movies are off limits. No discussion.

THREAD CLOSED
 

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