Who has Moore Control?

Audacious filmmaker, Michael Moore, takes us on a trip through

the tumbles and turns of the magnificent Bush government.
However, remember to stay on the right pathAWAY FROM THE
BUSHES!
Michael Moore; some call him an Oscar and Emmy-winning director, while others
call him a fraudulent, fake flophead. Well, whatever you decide to call him, there
is no doubt that Moore has once again re-opened a burning hole in Americas
heart with his latest documentary, Fahrenheit 911. Through a mixture of
Saturday Night Live and A Current Affair, Moore picks apart the dishevelled rubble
of sinister dishonesty, that is the Bush administration.
Following his electrifying and ballsy performance in Bowling for Columbine,
Moores burning fire is as strong as ever in his fierce campaign for exploitation in
this documentary. The faade he is able to skew is compelling, allowing him to
mesmerise the American public in his hands, similar to the lies of Bushs
presidency. How, you may ask? Well, Moores arsenal of cunning narration,
interspersed with tragic footage and editing, allows him to hijack us on the
trajectory to reveal Bush as an inarticulate and incapable man. This proves that
filmmakers ultimately have control over audiences and how they interpret the
subject of the documentary. Striking high and hard, Fahrenheit 911 certainly has
sparked a little heat with authorities, but this doesnt seem to come as a surprise
to Moore, who ironically describes the documentary as The Temperature at Which
Freedom Burns.
Utilising a blue-collar persona, the legacy of Moores characteristic narration is
certainly not diminished in Fahrenheit 911. He is able to demonstrate composed
restraint as he sombrely explores the events leading up to 911 but it is a
completely different story as soon as President Bush is presented as the focaliser.
Covers off, stingers out! As Mr Bush, who was reading My Pet Goat to a class of
Florida students, becomes aware of the second attack on the World Trade Center,
he becomes puzzlingly paralysed. Before leaving the room, Moore begins his
turn... Laying out all cards in hand, he bombards us with spades of facts and kings
of rhetoric resulting with Moore trumping Bush in a royal flush! Whilst this
strategic turn is in motion, Moore narrates that .maybe Mr Bush was wondering
why he had cut terrorism funding or perhaps.read the security briefing
that said Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America by hijacking planes.
Viewers are now left with these lackadaisical rhetorical questions encircling their
minds. We ask ourselves: Why? How can Moore be so right and Bush be so

wrong? These series of rhetorical questions said with such sensitivity and
innocence, are coupled with troubling scenes of Bushs incompetence and
trembling explosions. Moore wants to know! The American families want to know!
With such emotional stride and mystery behind these questions, Moore is able to
reel in and win the favour of the American public to despise Bush. But his
narration is just the bait
Everyone knows that behind a great fisherman, there is a great amount of skill
and knowledge to catch a lot of fish the American public. Within Moores
fisherman basket lies his experienced and astute rod of footage. By using footage
focalising on Bushs friendship with the bin Ladens, Moore is already causing the
viewers to show such vulgar distaste towards Bush. However, like any great
American event in history, war is undoubtedly a must! Isnt that right Mr Bush?
This is accentuated when graphic footage of American soldiers return fire against
the people of Iraq who are behind 911.
Temperatures rise even higher as Moores daring style does not shy away from
displaying graphic suffering. Bombs away! Heart-wrenching images of innocent
Iraqi villagers, dead, in excruciating pain further amplify the trivialness of Bushs
valiant war. With the sheer heat and intensity of the Iraqi victims blood and
tears, Moore might as well just say himself that the W in George W. Bush stands
for war! How can the audience not believe Moore? By utilising the most stirring
and brutal attacks caught on film of America soldiers, Moore is able to gather
more supporters and link the tragedies straight back to the leader President
Bush.
Hook, line and sinker. Viewers are now trapped in Moores grasp as he is able to
manipulate the audiences perception of Bush through juxtaposition. By utilising
certain editing techniques, Moore seals the deal as he flashes contiguous footage
for comparison. Whether the footage is twisted, viewers are lead to be
brainwashed as they are overwhelmed with short interspersions of Bushs
freedom speech and Iraqi people being attacked. By depicting two contradictory
sides of this dilemma, Moore compounds on the exploitation of Bush as viewers
are lead to see Bush as fabricated and even malevolent.
There is a proverb in the world of documentary making where every cut is a
lie. Does this mean that Fahrenheit 911 is just an accumulation of twisted truth
dumped on a bed of deceitful dishonesty? The irony of this is that as the
documentary making becomes more transparent, where filmmakers like Moore
apply manipulative techniques, questions of truth and untruth should arise more.
To someone who pays attention to politics, this will not come to as a surprise

however, it seems that the viewers of Fahrenheit 911 cannot help but fall victim to
Moores shrewd narration, heavyhearted footage and eye-opening juxtaposition.
His attractive trip through Bushs administration is appealing to many, being lead
onto a bias trajectory. The destination? The highest grossing documentary of all
time.