Bowling for columbine.
Michael Moore produced a controversial documentary called ‘Bowling for Columbine,” he brought on the fact that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had a bowling lesson before the Columbine massacre. This sums up what the title is about, but the documentary is not only about the shootings at Columbine, this is just a way to introduce the subject of violence. Moore uses his interviews and animations to portray his point of view. These ideas are carefully crafted making the audience believe that what he is saying actually makes sense. Moore has no interest whatsoever in being journalistic; this film is biased and provocative.
Firstly, Moore mocks and ridicules different people and events portrayed in his film, for example: the opening scene Moore opens with a normal day in America; he mocks the president by saying that, “he bombs another country whose name he couldn’t even pronounce” this point is used show how America and its president are ignorant. In addition, he goes to a bank to purchase a gun, he concludes by asking the employee if he thinks it is, “a little dangerous handing out guns at a bank.” This line is obviously used to ridicule the bank; our first thought is that criminals use guns to rob banks. This makes the bank look ridiculous proving Moore’s point once again. Moore also uses satire where he over exaggerates in a clip of a boy taking out guns from his pockets, this is comic and it backs up Moore’s view on guns and how easy it is for children to get their hands on them. He makes a serious point on guns and children seem funny in the clip, when in fact it is quite worrying.
Moore uses rhetorical questions making the interviewee sound unsure and uncomfortable, which makes his documentary very effective, for example: in his interview with Charles Heston he asks him, “it gives you comfort knowing there is a loaded gun in your house?” This is a rhetorical question because Heston doesn’t need a gun in his house because...