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Posted on 05/17/2004 5:15:02 AM PDT by GulliverSwift
CANNES, France (Reuters) - American film-maker Michael Moore (news)'s "Fahrenheit 9/11," a savage critique of President Bush (news - web sites)'s handling of Iraq (news - web sites) and the war on terror, was warmly applauded by critics at its first press showing on Monday.
The fast-paced film by Oscar-winning Moore is a telling work of propaganda by a moviemaker whose zeal to deride Bush exudes from every frame.
Two years ago, the director's anti-gun lobby documentary "Bowling for Columbine" grabbed the headlines at Cannes and then went on to gross $120 million worldwide and win him an Oscar.
Fahrenheit 9/11 has already whipped up an international media storm after the Walt Disney Co barred its Miramax film unit from releasing such a politically polarizing work in a U.S. election year.
The film focuses on how Americans and the White House responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 hijacking attacks and traces links between the Bush family and prominent Saudis, including the family of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).
The screen goes dark. The sound is of planes crashing into the Twin Towers before the grief of the victims is contrasted with Bush sitting, apparently impassively, in a Florida schoolroom for nine minutes after the news was broken to him.
Moore uses a pop soundtrack to mocking effect.
As shots are shown of members of the bin Laden family being hastily flown out of the United States after September 11, up surges the song: "I gotta get out of this place."
He shows gum-chewing pop star Britney Spears (news) supporting the president. Outside the White House, a woman doubles up in grief, sobbing uncontrollably over the death of her son in Iraq.
In the light of the current controversy over pictures of Iraqi prisoners being abused, the film is bang up-to-date, showing film of American soldiers mocking the dead and posing with hooded Iraqi detainees.
Sarcastic humor abounds. Moore even shows a clip of Bush shouting at him: "Behave yourself will you. Go find real work."
In Washington, Moore goes on a bizarre recruiting drive.
He stops Congressmen in the street and asks "There's not that many Congressmen that have got kids over there (in Iraq) ... in fact only one. Maybe you guys should send your kids there first."
"What do you think about that idea?" he asks before getting the brush-off.
From the front-room of a grieving family, he switches to big businesses looking for contracts in Iraq.
An executive working for an armored vehicles company tells him: "Unfortunately, at least for the near term, we think it is going to be a good situation ... good for business, bad for the people."
But the film is most effective when focusing on raw emotion.
The camera pans in on a grieving mother, her voice cracking as she reads out the last letter she received from her son before he was killed in Iraq.
Telling how she collapsed on hearing the news over the phone, she said: "Your flesh just aches. You're just not supposed to bury your own son."
Why do all the boobs go to Cannes?
Moore, without realizing it, does more to help the Republican party than the Republicans could. Let the fat man sing...it only helps us.
He seems so interesting. Did you know that if Moore laid on the floor in LA and rolled over, he'd be in Houston, Texas? Tha my friend is interesting.
Thats exactly what is needed. Somebody needs to make "Michael and Me about how somebody who wants to ask Moore questions about lying in his "documentaries", the vile tirade he wrote 9/12/01 in which he complained the terrorist were not attacking enough Bush supporters, his comments about Americans not fighting back on 9/11 hijacking because they were white, etc. You could start in Flint, Michigan looking for Moore because thats where he says he lives and failing miserably (maybe even asking some of the many Iraqis who live there for directions to get their reaction) before finding him in his Manhattan Penthouse.
The election is the key. If Kerry gets in I will get good and drunk right through New Year's - 2008! How can we win a war when the MSM is more concerned with ousting the President than anything else? We here on FR sign petitions, write e-mails and regular letters, send faxes, turn off our TVs to ABCCBSNBCCNNMSNBC, but does it have any effect?
Not worth giving a crap about, really.
Sure, But the best thing may be to vote and encourage others to vote Rep. I dont think it will happen, but if skerry wins we did survive clinton 8 yrs. I will get drunk too and buy more guns and ammo. (on separate days for the sake of safety)
I find it hard to believe that less than half the country would vote for kerry after 9-11. Even if they hate Bush they love security.
Being able to back up what you say would be "Personal Responsibility", that term is unknown on the left.
Nice thought. But if you did, then you'd have to take a bath in lye?!? After all, the fat maggot is a walking petri dish.
I carry a hazmat suit in my truck just in case I run into him somewhere.
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