Critical Reception of Fahrenheit 911
In his video piece "The Documentary's New Politics," Eric Faden traces the rise ofdocumentary film and themultiple events coalescing in its recent box office popularity: the trend ofreality television as studios attempted to shield programming from writers'strikes (both threatened and actualized); the understanding of its genericconventions arising from 'mockumentaries' most prominently popularized byChristopher Guest; and the imbrications of digitally advanced graphics and highdefinition film which rivaled those of Hollywood blockbusters. Regardless ofthe causes, documentary film is a significant mode for the expression ofinformation that has heretofore been confined to books, or perhaps magazineexposes.
Focusing on Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911, Faden comments uponthe lack of critical engagement with the form of the film, even as manyattacked Moore's bias. As this clip from Faden's piece shows the one critic whoengages the form of the film, Dave Kopel, notes Moore's bias but argues that it comes from thefact that Moore's voiceover accompanies a particular choice of footage that isnot related, and forms an inferred argument though Moore has technically toldthe truth. Faden notes, "For Kopel, the film equals a deceit becauseviewers are unable to read the complex visual syntax of the film" (19:34).Although Faden does not agree with Kopel's general analysis (see Kopel's "Fifty-nine Deceits in Fahrenheit 9/11), his singular response reveals "acrisis of criticism, a crisis of media literacy" (19:58).
This fact, above all, argues for using film footage as course texts inuniversity classrooms. For if public knowledge is increasingly expressed infilm, and if documentary continues to apply cinematic devices which are increasingly layered and digitally altered, its complex syntax must be a matterof widespread concern. Its literacy must be taught. Moreover a common practiceof broadcast news is to use stock footage to illustrate the verbal script andthese demand rhetorical analysis, particularly in the current climate of openlybiased programming that does not even feign objectivity. A pedagogy of theFifth Estate does not champion objectivity but calls it into question whileapplying scholarly practices of depth and rigor. In this way, we can retain thebest elements of academia, while eschewing those which no longer serve. In this way, academe joins forces with media entities such as Participant Media, whose feature length films include opportunities for social action based on the themes that arise within.
Focusing on Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911, Faden comments uponthe lack of critical engagement with the form of the film, even as manyattacked Moore's bias. As this clip from Faden's piece shows the one critic whoengages the form of the film, Dave Kopel, notes Moore's bias but argues that it comes from thefact that Moore's voiceover accompanies a particular choice of footage that isnot related, and forms an inferred argument though Moore has technically toldthe truth. Faden notes, "For Kopel, the film equals a deceit becauseviewers are unable to read the complex visual syntax of the film" (19:34).Although Faden does not agree with Kopel's general analysis (see Kopel's "Fifty-nine Deceits in Fahrenheit 9/11), his singular response reveals "acrisis of criticism, a crisis of media literacy" (19:58).
This fact, above all, argues for using film footage as course texts inuniversity classrooms. For if public knowledge is increasingly expressed infilm, and if documentary continues to apply cinematic devices which are increasingly layered and digitally altered, its complex syntax must be a matterof widespread concern. Its literacy must be taught. Moreover a common practiceof broadcast news is to use stock footage to illustrate the verbal script andthese demand rhetorical analysis, particularly in the current climate of openlybiased programming that does not even feign objectivity. A pedagogy of theFifth Estate does not champion objectivity but calls it into question whileapplying scholarly practices of depth and rigor. In this way, we can retain thebest elements of academia, while eschewing those which no longer serve. In this way, academe joins forces with media entities such as Participant Media, whose feature length films include opportunities for social action based on the themes that arise within.
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