The Oscar winning documentary film Bowling for Columbine (2002), produced, directed, and starring Michael Moore, became one of the most successful, exalted, and renowned films worldwide. Breaking broke box office records internationally, the film provides an insightful observation into the American psyche, specifically America’s “culture of fear” that dominates the minds of its citizens. Throughout the “documentary”, Moore actively investigates the motives behind the America’s violent culture, in particular the association with the Columbine High School massacre, which was the catalyst for this film. British filmmaker John Grierson’s idea that a documentary is “the creative version of reality” is resolutely demonstrated in Bowling for Columbine. Moore’s constructed reality portrays America’s culture of fear to be the result of the media’s coverage of violent events, the lack of police, the National Rifle Association’s promotion of gun use, racism of black African-Americans, and the government’s violent response to foreign threats. This skewed reality is achieved through deliberate use of a selection of filmic techniques including archival footage, interviews, camera movement, editing, selection and sequencing of subject matter and societal constructs and representations. In doing so Moore positions his audience to accept his fallacious representation of the American psyche.
Moore is the focalizer within the documentary and it is because of this particular reason that he convinces his audience his version of reality is the truth. Moore aligns himself with the everyday American citizen. His untidy beard, large spectacles, baggy jeans, shabby shirts and overweight build deceives the audience into believing that Moore belongs to the lower and middle classes of society. On top of appearing ordinary, but well informed, his narration of the scenes is soft and professional; his voice over’s are well paced and conveyed as thoroughly researched, reliable information....