Examples Of Manipulation In Bowling For Columbine

Although composers of documentaries reflect objectivity when presenting their case, they do however stretch the truth through manipulation. A documentary is a representation of reality. However, the composer’s ability to distinguish between reality and representation can raise a question about the nature, the truth and objectivity of the documentary. A variety of film techniques are used to help showcase the objectivity of the documentary, however they easily manipulate the audience’s perspective through exaggeration of the truth. Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” (2002) is a satirical documentary confronting controversial issues including the alarming gun crime statistics in United States. Michael Moore convincingly expresses the fear,

For example, in Chapter 6 after scenes of devastation following the Columbine disaster Moore cuts straight from the weeping children of Columbine crying over their dead classmates to a triumphant Charlton Heston, lifting a rifle over his head saying "From my cold dead hands!" Michael Moore utilises the editing of Heston’s gun rally to alter the perception of his audience. The use of high modality words add dramatic effect and paints Heston as a ruthless villain. Then, the cross cutting of the Heston’s speech to the father, who has lost his son in the Columbine shootings, protesting creates juxtaposition and by extension, intensifies the gun control debate. “Something is wrong” The anaphora in this quote spoken by the victim’s father evokes pathos and tragedy. The close-up low angle shot of the victim’s face on a protest placard empathises for the father and influences the audience into believing his viewpoint of the

For example, Moore narrates “Just 10 days after the Columbine killings despite the pleas of the community in moaning, Charlton Heston held a large pro-gun rally for the large NRA”. The voice of commentary often sounds ‘objective’ and its sense of unquestioned authority helps convince and manipulate the audience. Moore's voice over connects speech from the victim’s dad to the NRA rally to expose the close timing to both big events. However this assumption of Heston rushing to Littleton to hold rallies directly after the tragedy is false as the rally in reality occurred several months later. Reaction shots of the audience applauding were used to reinforce and conceal the difference in time of Heston’s words that were selectively edited. This scene portrays heavy irony that questions and outlines the government’s ignorance to reality and the real issues that America