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"Bowling for Columbine" to play in FAC on Saturday
By Shaun Booth
A&E Editor
FILE PHOTO
Michael Moore armed with a videocamera and a rifle.
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Although the title would have you believe differently, this movie is not about bowling and it is also not a movie completely devoted to the Columbine tragedy.
It is a movie that studies the stories of guns in America and how readily available they are in this country.
The movie’s title comes from the fact that Dylan and Eric, the two boys that carried out the Columbine tragedy, had a bowling class on the morning of the Columbine tragedy. Michael Moore, the film’s director, is suggesting that the bowling class had just as much to do with the tragedy as the other stereotypical scapegoats of adolescent crime, such as neglectful parents, violent video games or Marylin Manson music.
Bowling for Columbine was the first film ever to be accepted to the Cannes Film Festival, showing that the genre of documentary can be informative as well as entertaining and artistic. All of these adjectives were accomplished in this film, while still managing to be educational. Michael Moore attacks the issue with a hit and run style of filmmaking.
He demonstrates to the audience just how easy it is to acquire a gun, by receiving a free gun by signing up for a checking account at a northern Michigan bank. The film also shows security tape footage from Columbine on the day of the tragedy.
Moore takes us to the home of NRA president Charlton Heston, who shares his right wing views with the liberal Moore. The audience is also shown a young man who makes napalm with the help of the Anarchist’s Handbook. Moore even shows us the emotion that is involved with a six-year old girl’s murder by a fellow six-year old.
Do not be mistaken. This is not a movie about gun control. It is Michael Moore’s journey across America, telling the stories with his video camera.
He shows that these amazing true stories have more influence than satire ever could. The true stories even have a sense of humor that one would not expect out of stories of violence.
“Bowling for Columbine” will be showing at the FAC at 8p.m. on Saturday. Previous showings of movies at the FAC have been well attended, so make sure to arrive early to get your seat.
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