Fredrik A. Kaada 1MFB 2013
Bowling for Columbine 1. Write a short summary of the movie (at least ½ a page). Include things like what happened at Columbine High School in 1999 and what Michael Moore is trying to do. Bowling for Columbine is a documentary filmed by Michael Moore showing the American vision related to guns, crime and violence. It’s about the strong connection between people and the weapon industry, about the use of them and how people react after the massacre at Columbine. The Columbine High School massacre on 20th of April in 1999, there was a school shooting killing a total of twelve students and one teacher. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold was the two senior students behind this attack. They had planned months ahead, including how, when and countless ressources, guns and explosives. It was a tragedy and no one could believe in that two average youths was cabable of treating people like they were animals. These to boys killed themself and it was a massive caos and discusses in media, for example on tv, radio and in newspapers. If you say Columbine to an americaner today they will clearly remember the sad episode back in April in 1999. The director, filmmaker and star of the movie Michael Moore is trying to tell us why and how about the typical American persons relationship to a gun. A quote from Michael Moore: ”Are we just a nation of gun nuts or are we just nuts”. This film won numerous of awards for it’s great way of perspective telling the real story, and not a fake and fixed version of reality. He uses editing in some scenes to make his view of point and to seem more powerful, for example when he confront . Moore is also confronting Lockheed Martin, who is the world's largest weapons manufacturer, with a picture of a young girl who died in the massacre at the Columbine high school, the youngest victim. As a result Lockheed Martin turn around and go away from Moore. This is showing he is faced with the truth, but don’t want to get involved, truly because of PR reasons. This is a great movie showing the American perspective of gun crime with history example, plus how easy it is to get weapons and bullets at a younger age. Michael Moore is a true documentary filmmaker and I really liked the way he presented the information and facts in a interesting way.
Fredrik A. Kaada 1MFB 2013 2. No one will ever know why the killings happened at Columbine High School. Why do you think Eric and Dylan shot 900 shots, killing 12 students and one teacher? It was their way to have fun and before they were addicted to gun games. I think the games took over a little of their brains and they was living in their own virtual world. Killing people for them at the Columbine High Shool was like killing people in the gun game they used to play a lot. 3. Do you think handguns are a problem in Norway? Why / why not? Do you think it will become a problem in the future? No, I think handguns are not a problem in Norway, because the overall number of people having a gun in their own home are low. Yes, if we pretend to be more and more like the United States of America.
Fredrik A. Kaada 1MFB 2013
Sources •
Michael Moore Documentary Analysis -‐ Bowling for Columbine: http://mjfhpsdocumentaryanalysis.blogspot.no/2011/03/michael-‐morre-‐ documentary-‐analysis.html (14.04.13)
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Plot Summary for Bowling for Columbine: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310793/plotsummary (14.04.13)
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Film summary – Bowling for Columbine – Dir. Michael Moore: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ryahnke/filmteach/My-‐Archive-‐of-‐Film-‐ Notes/bowling-‐columbine-‐VIEW.htm (14.04.13)
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DVD cover of the movie and Michale Moore: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Bowling_for_columbin e.jpg/220px-‐Bowling_for_columbine.jpg (14.04.13)