Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuatara
I thought I would list some great political documentaries I have seen in the last few years. Add your own or make comments...
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Fahrenheit 9/11 isn't a political documentary - it's propaganda.
Merriam-Webster defines propaganda as --
2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect
Here's the difference between a documentary and propaganda --
Michael Moore starts with a premise - that the Bush Administration used the September 11th, 2001 terrorists attacks to drum up support for the war in Iraq, and structures his movie so as to prove that point. The resultant movie is
Farhenheit 9/11
Morgan Spurlock starts with an question - what happens to me if I eat McDonald's three times a day for thirty days? He then films the results and structures his movie so as to show the outcome. The result is the documentary
SuperSize Me!
Before I get flamed for being a neo-con Moore hater, let me say that Michael Moore's movie
Roger and Me is, IMHO, the best piece of filmwork Moore has ever filmed. He documents the negative economic impact that the decision to close several General Motors automotive plants by GM CEO Roger Smith has upon the town of Flint, Michigan.
F-9/11 is a lot like the Oliver Stone movie
JFK. There is some truth in the movie, but there is also a lot of information that is presented out of context, distorted, or factually incorrect. It's entertaining to watch, but shouldn't be accepted as gospel truth, nor classified as a documentary.