Michael Moore Limited Edition DVD Collector's Set (1998)

The Michael Moore Limited Edition DVD Collector's Set collects two of his landmark documentaries as well as a bonus disc of footage from the tour promoting his 2003 book Dude, Where's My Country?Bowling for Columbine (2002) tackles a meaty subject: gun control. Moore skillfully lays out arguments surrounding the issue and short-circuits them all, leaving one impossible question: why do Americans kill each other more often than people in any other democratic nation? Moore focuses his quest around the shootings at Columbine High School and the shooting of one 6-year-old by another near his own hometown of Flint, Michigan. By approaching the headquarters of K-Mart (where the Columbine shooters bought their ammo) and going to Charlton Heston's own home, Moore demands accountability from the forces that support unrestricted gun sales in the U.S. His arguments are conducted with the humor and empathy that have made Moore more than just a gadfly; he's become a genuine voice of reason in a world driven by fear and greed. The two-disc special edition included here is officially out of print and not available separately. Its features include an updated voice-over introduction from Michael Moore on the first disc, as well as a direct-to-camera talk on the second disc in which he discussed reactions to the film, and his reaction to winning an Oscar (he had to recite his celebrated acceptance speech because the Academy refused permission for him to show a clip, and he offered his take on who was booing whom). Other extras are an enthusiastic commentary track by Moore's former receptionists and interns; good, thoughtful, funny, and provocative interviews with ex-Clinton Press Secretary Joe Lockhart and with film critic Charlie Rose; and a moving return to Littleton, Colorado--home of Columbine High School--to find out what local people thought of the documentary.

A brazen mixture of stand-up comedy, political commentary, CEO confrontations, and shenanigans with Random House tour escorts, The Big One (1997) follows Moore's book tour to promote Downsize This. In cities like Des Moines, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Portland, Moore's lighthearted-sounding but deeply biting humor speaking before bookstore patrons is juxtaposed with painful-to-watch confrontations with security personnel at companies such as Procter & Gamble and PayDay. Moore speaks clandestinely with Borders employees organizing a union; a woman laid off from Ford attends Moore's Rockford, Illinois, bookstore visit the same day. Though slow in spots, frustrating if not depressing in others, it's intensely funny the rest of the time. The Big One is fundamental viewing.

On the bonus disc is a 13-minute featurette, "39 Cities in 23 Days." On the tour for his book Dude, Where's My Country?, Moore enthralls and amuses enthusiastic college crowds with points about the Bush-Saudi connections, voting machines, and "weapons of mass balloonery." Amazon.com

The Truth that Fits?

"Bowling for Columbine"

The film starts by showing a North Country bank in Michigan where a depositor can get a free gun. [How much money is needed?] Michael Moore shows his sense of humor in these opening scenes. Can a dog commit a crime in Michigan? Moore is incorrect in claiming Gandhi "beat the British Empire", that statement is incomplete. One scene shows a student's interest in chemistry. Some live news scenes follow, but the film doesn't explain them. Recognize them? Then a short history of US political coups and massacres in foreign countries since WW II. Moore associates the terrorist bombing in Kosovo (no military objective) with the shootings at Columbine high school. Next we see Charlton Heston standing up for his right to travel peacefully to an NRA convention. Outside a small group protests the right of the NRA to peacefully assemble! (How un-American!) Moore shows the views of some students. What does this say about their Educational system? Next Moore interviews a singer; is any musician or actor a reliable source of wisdom? Bowling can be educational, according to these scenes. Moore's statistics are biased since it does not compare the rates of violent deaths. That frantic cartoon is not historically accurate, a mistake for any "documentary". Killer bees are in fact invading America, along with fire ants.

More scenes follow, they are either biased and racist, or, reflect the reality of an oppressed people. Who was blamed when blacks were scarce as in late 19th century American cities? Some people say crime rate was falling but the corporate media featured crimes in the TV news. Really true? A producer explains the rationale of the "Cops" TV show. Does it reinforce prejudice? The film shows a small town in Canada; it has few murders (like a similar small town in America). One good question is why the murder rate is lower in Canada. [But if it is just about the same as in America, why ask?] Small towns in America may have the same unlocked doors of small town Ontario. Creating fear is a well-known method for controlling a subject population.

Moore points out how bad economic conditions are reflected in a high homicide rate, but this is not "news" for the corporate media. Basically, it tells how poor people are oppressed by having a long commute. Maybe they need public housing located close to their job? The stunt at the chain store that sold bullets seems unfair, I wonder why that chain later suffered an economic setback? There is a final interview with Charlton Heston. Moore's question about the murder rates seems dishonest (look up these rates for yourself). The rate of violent deaths in Canada is similar to the USA. Given Canada's northern latitude it should be lower. Did Moore drag out the interview to cause Charlton Heston to leave for his next appointment? If so, was this honest? Moore is a skilled showman if he can make this collection of scenes into popular entertainment.

Documentaries lie on the continuum between news and fiction. Anything real, filmed as it happens, is "news"; except for sports, it is rare on TV. Fiction must appear plausible to be believed by the audience. Documentaries are "recreations of authenticated facts" like the nature films on TV. They are created and edited to portray a point of view. Their success depends on the number of consumers who pay, dollars not academic truths. The use of films for propaganda (a point of view) follows the use of newspapers, pamphlets, and books. Some are better than others, and age gracefully. Did Moore create scenes by splicing together separate events? Are speeches taken out of context? Are events portrayed without their background? Its all part of Show [me the money] Business, the art of getting people's money in return for telling a story. Does exploiting the Columbine massacre show poor taste by Michael Moore?

One Big Lie is that America has more gun violence than other countries. That is as true as saying America has more automobile deaths than other countries. America's rate of violent death (suicides and murders) falls behind France, Switzerland, etc., and Japan, but just ahead of Canada. Canada's crime rate was lower before 1977 when they banned handguns; now it approaches American rates. There is no mention of Mexico, Brazil, or Argentina, who have similar colonial and revolutionary pasts. Any research will reveal these facts, which are usually suppressed in the Corporate Media. If America was such a violent hell on earth there wouldn't be 3,000 illegal immigrants each day! They flee "gun free zones" like Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
August 11, 2007

Worth it if you can get it

I think this is now out of print but if you can find it, it's worth a reasonable price. Two great films by Michael Moore, and a bonus disc of stirring material. My only complaint are that The Big One isn't featured in widescreen, and the packaging is just merely a box with an opening at the top. I was expecting an artbox where you can slide the DVDs out of the side. December 9, 2005

Just Excellent

Being a huge fine of MM like I am, I just bought this package on a whim. I was not disappointed. The package has "The Big One", "Bowling For Columbine", and a separate DVD about "Dude, Where's My Country" tour that he did last year.

The Bowling for Columbine DVD has 4 hours of extras including his Oscar acceptance speech and interviews. In the separate DVD, MM talks about how we need representation in our congress - like if there are 10% Greens(Independants, democrats, etc) in the U.S. - there should be 10% Greens in congress, he also talks about looking at other media sources besides the U.S. to find out what's actually going on here because our media doesn't tell us or ask the questions that they should.

Bowling for Columbine is about gun control and The Big One is about corporate downsizing and greed. Moore's work is always stuff which leaves you happy, thoughful and full of will to make a positive change. You will learn a lot! October 22, 2004

That's gotta hurt.

Leather Wing would only buy this if he ran out of toilet paper, because, you know, a dvd makes good toilet paper (maybe it's why he's so grumpy).
I would suggest purchasing it and watching it. Michael Moore may be more to the left than some, but god, hasn't anyone ever considered watching everything with a speculative eye? It's less biased than the news is - he reports, you decide, and most of it is things that should have been covered by the news in some fashion, but weren't.
Michael Moore is far more honest than the Republican talking heads (Rush, Coulter, Hannity). Watch, enjoy, investigate further. October 17, 2004

Garbage

Rants from a socialist in denial. Only thinly veiled lies, half-truths and distortions, packaged as documentary. I'd only pick this up if I ran out of toilet paper. After I rented Bowling for Columbine I returned it to the store. They gave me my money back for the rental but if they had given me twice the rent price back I'd still feel ripped off. October 12, 2004

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