THOMPSONSPF10RESEARCH

I am interested in Michael Moore specifically because of his devotion to influence others in his beliefs. I find it appealing how strong of a stance he takes on issues and the fact checking reporting he does to prove a point. I do question if he has confirmation bias or if he is open to the outcome of his research. Either way I feel that he is an effective person as being influential to a great deal of the American population and to many others. I also am interested in how he involves himself in his work so much. Michael is no Morgan Spurlock with taking his projects to the extreme of eating only McDonalds everyday (maybe he does outside of his films?) however he has taken American citizens to Cuba to receive health care. On a side note I am also impressed with his promotional tactics when he gave away his movie “Slacker Uprising” for free to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

“Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story, four of the top ten highest-grossing documentaries of all time. In September 2008, he released his first free movie on the Internet, Slacker Uprising, documenting his personal crusade to encourage more Americans to vote in presidential elections. He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth.

Moore criticizes globalization, large corporations, assault weapon ownership, U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the Iraq War, and the American health care system in his written and cinematic works.”

“Michael Moore” Wikipedia. April 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moore>

“The Big One strikes us as much angrier than Roger & Me. That film had obvious personal resonance. The site was local, the industry very specific. Elements of lament and nostalgia were part of the film's appeal. The Big One takes on the entire corporate culture as it now exists nationally and even internationally. It's just as funny, maybe funnier, but it hits harder.” – Cineaste

“ I'm glad you think so. The best comedians used to be the people who were the angriest. Their humor was the flip side of their anger. Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl. I think in silent films, in particular, the laughter usually involved sticking it to the man. The tramp getting over on the cop or fat cat. That's because Chaplin himself was a very political person. He was very angry at social conditions and used his humor as a means to communicate his anger. You don't have much of that these days. I would rather people leave the theater angry than depressed. If you're depressed, you can become paralyzed. You don't want to go out and do anything to affect social change. If the humor can help the anger come to the surface, I'm pleased.” – Michael Moore

Georgakas, Dan “Michael and Us: An Interview with Michael Moore” April 2011. <http://www.documentaryisneverneutral.com/words/moorecin.html>

“I think I'm in the majority of Americans. I believe that I am in the mainstream of middle America. This may come as a surprise to many people here but the majority of people did not vote for George Bush - he lost the election; he got the fewest number of votes. In the last year, just with my book that's been out in the United States, at a time when you've been told that we're all lining up behind Bush, united we stand and all this other crap since September 11, the largest selling non-fiction book since September 11 last year has been something called Stupid White Men starring George W Bush. So I think that this - the book, the film - has resonated with millions of people who otherwise don't have a voice, and don't own media and so you don't see them. You're not supposed to see me, I mean someone like me is not supposed to be on television or making films or writing books. So it's just an odd accident that I escaped and somehow I flew in under the radar and came up on the other side. My work is visible but I believe that...”

Moore, Michael. “Michael Moore.” The Guardian. November 2004. April 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2002/nov/11/usforeignpolicy.guardianinterviewsatbfisouthbank>