Ms. O'Daniel's English Eutopia



Bowling for Columbine : DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Select 10 of these questions to answer about Michael Moore’s documentary film, Bowling for Columbine.Answer the questions on a separate piece of paper 1. Why does Moore wait 30 minutes to introduce footage of the Columbine massacre? Why not show it earlier in the film? In other words, what does he accomplish in the first 30 minutes of the film that helps prepare us for the montage of the Columbine massacre?2. Why begin the film with the scenes showing NRA representative, images of people at work, bombed-out buildings, two boys bowling at 6:00 a.m., chick with an M-16, Statue of Liberty, and ending with “a typical day in the United States of America”?3. Why does Moore portray himself in the second scene of the film establishing a new checking account in a Michigan bank so that he can get a free firearm? In what ways does the visual information referred to above set up the title and credits of the film? 4. Why does Moore follow the title and credits with biographical information about him growing up loving guns as a kid? At the end of this clip he introduces another native son of Michigan, Charlton Heston, and the scene ends with shots of Heston firing a gun and then Moore firing a gun—as if firing at each other. Why? 5. Moore follows this with three scenes of comic relief—a) the beagle carrying a gun sling (shot a hunter when gun went off), b) comedian Chris Rock doing stand-up comedy about selling bullets for $5,000 as a way to reduce gun violence, and c) members of a Michigan militia out on a training weekend (including reference to the girlie calendar created as a fund-raiser). What do these scenes accomplish? 6. Why does Moore include the scene of the two young men from Oscoda, MI, high school trouble makers he talks to in a local bar? How does his use of these interviews of the two young men suggest one of his standard documentary techniques? 7. Characterize the ways in which Moore utilizes his interview sources in the film. What does he want them to represent? 8. Why is the montage a favorite technique utilized by Moore? What does he mean to accomplish by the montages? When do the montages become predominant? Why? When do the montages seem to end suddenly? Why? Consider the following montages: Moore cuts to a montage after the second James Nichols scene showing gun violence in concrete terms. In several shots we see people shoot other people—right on camera. After Moore has the scene interviewing the Lockheed Martin spokesperson, he cuts to a montage of examples of U.S. support for military dictatorships around the globe, with music by Louis Armstrong, “It’s a Wonderful World” (scene 14). Note that in the former scene (13) the Lockheed Martin spokesperson ended the scene with, “We don’t get irritated with somebody cause we’re made at ‘em, anddorp a bomb or shoot at ‘em—or fire a missile at them.” The montage in scene 17 showing footage from the video monitors in Columbine High School, Moore’s voice-over summing up the carnage, and an interview with a student who remembers seeing a black student killed—just because he was a black student. The montage in scene 20 showing the societal response to “gun violence” after Columbine. The montage in the next scene, 21, showing people trying to come up with answers for the gun violence. The big idea: it’s the Marilyn Manson factor. The montage in scene 27 reporting on the culture of fear—scary things around every corner. The montage in scene 29 of the media reporting on the culture of fear—and especially the fear of the black man. The montage of the Cops television program in scene 32. The montage ins scene 37, with Moore’s voice-over over shots of media interaction, closed GM factories, rows of abandoned buildings, street signs in poor neighborhoods. Montage introduces the Auburn Hills mall, where Dick Clark’s restaurant is, in scene 42. Montage of effects of terrorism on the American people in scene 44. Last montage in scene 52 with Moore’s voice-over. 9. Moore uses another of his standard techniques when he introduces us to people who stand behind the local values of Columbine—as in the case of the woman standing in front of her house in Columbine or the spokesperson for the Lockheed Martin missile plant in Columbine. Why is this a standard technique for Moore? What does he mean to convey by using it? What point is he trying to get at by talking to the Lockheed Martin spokesperson later (scene 13)? Why does he not use it more in this film, as compared to Roger and Me? 10. Why does Moore follow this scene with the scene of the security consultant, who explains all the features of security that can be incorporated in a suburban home? Why is Moore’s presence in this scene essential? Compare it to the scene of Moore at the bank—when he is applying for his free gun. What does Moore add to the scene? What is Moore able to extract from the person that is useful for his production? 11. What message does Moore mean to convey by scene 16, which appears just before the Columbine footage—and where he notes that on April 20, 1999, the morning when Dylan and Eric attacked students and teachers in Columbine High School, the U.S. dropped bombs on Kosovo against the Serbs? 12. Why does Moore begin scene 18 with Charlton Heston’s words—at an NRA rally—“From my cold dead hands!” as he holds up a rifle? Why does that dialogue appear just after the montage of the Columbine murders? Why did Heston have an NRA rally ten days after the Columbine murders? Where in the film does Moore use the same cut from a dramatic episode of gun violence to the NRA and Charlton Heston making their appearance? 13. Why does Moore follow this critical scene 18 with the scene where he interviews Matt Stone, one of the creators of South Park? What essential Michael Moore technique is embedded in his interviewing of Matt Stone? Can you locate two other examples of this technique in the rest of the film? This is the idea of him finding INFORMANTS who will make his case for him. We will listen to their ideas because they make sense and because they are not Michael Moore. Each of these people contradict the Charlton Hestons of the world. Examples included the following: Marilyn Manson, scene 2 The father of a boy murdered in Columbine, scene 25. The writer of The Culture of Fear in scene 28. This conversation continues in scene 31 with the two men in South Central LA. Also pops up in scene 44. The Flint county prosecutor in scene 30 who reports that it’s suburban white kids who have the guns. Then in scene 31 he notes that crime ins down, but media coverage of crime is up. The former Cops producer in scene 32. Note that he says, “Start here!” The idea of making a change in policy that will make a difference. Mayor of Sarnia, Ontario, in scene 33 and 35. The principal of Buell Elementary School in Flint in scene 36. What is different about Moore’s interaction with her, compared to other scenes, especially in scene 38. The Flint County prosecutor, who was charged with prosecuting the six-year-old boy that shot and killed a fellow student in scene 39. The Flint sheriff, in scene 41, that complains about Welfare-to-Work Moore interviews black man on the bus to Auburn Hills. The man knew that the 6-year-old boy’s mother worked two jobs. Scene 41.14. Scene 24 represents a shift in direction in the documentary. Where is Moore headed in this scene? NOTE: Idea of the sources of gun violence being uniquely American. We have 11,127 deaths a year by guns in the USA, whereas only 39 in Japan or 165 in Canada, or 381 in Germany, or 68 in UK. 15.. Why include the South Park cartoon, “A Brief History of the United States of America”? 16. When he interacts with the former producer of the television show Cops Moore uses a technique that he utilizes nowhere else in the film. What is that technique and why is it effective at that point in the scene? NOTE: This is the recreation scene, where he pretends (in two short montage segments) to be the good guy capturing the corporate bad guy. A scene from “Corporate Cops.” Of course, he did this very thing with TV Nation a few years after Roger and Me.17. Why does Moore’s voice-over narration technique begin to predominate beginning in scene 36? Where else in the later scenes does his voice-over predominate? What is he trying to accomplish by using this technique? First example is when he has extensive voice-over about little Kalya, and later in the scene talks about media arriving on the scene. Then entire scene 37 is Moore voice-over where he EXPLAINS the reason for this death—GM pulling out of Flint, the resulting poverty. His voice-over dominates in scene 40, when he introduces the 6-year-old boy’s mother in Flint. Also in scene 41 when he talks more about the bus she took to Auburn Hills every morning. He uses voice-over to summarize the culture of fear that Bush promulgated after the 9-11 attacks in scene 44. He uses more voice-over at the end of scene 44 to make his point. 18. Moore focused on confronting evil directly in Roger and Me through his various attempts to confront the President of GM. What are the confrontations in this film? How is this footage related to direct cinema? He confronts Dick Clark, and Clark refuses to talk to him. (Scene 43) He confronts K-Mart, and requests that they stop selling ammunition. (Scenes 46-48) He confronts Charlton Heston, the President of the NRA. (Scene 50) Here the outcome is similar to that of Roger and Me. He does not get much out of Heston. But unlike Roger and Me there is no big ending, with the parallel cutting. ? ................
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