Documentaries have been influential to public opinion
throughout history. They are defined as movies
or a television or radio programs that provide a factual record or report. This
style has been replicated thousands of times to suit almost every topic known
to man. Documentary film can be an extremely effective method of displaying
information, influencing views, and calling for action. That is exactly what Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore
did. After the Columbine High School shooting, in which 15 students and
teachers were killed, America as a whole became extremely cautious and preventive
in relation to gun violence. The media, newspapers and magazines reflected
this. Why not an extremely successful documentary as well? Bowling for Columbine was very effective at reflecting this sense
of urgency with Michael Moore’s leftist portrayal of the issue. The film was
also very successful in addressing the underlying causes of the issue. This was
received by the world in the movement to end gun violence that followed. Moore
juxtaposes America’s culture and fixation on danger with other countries that
have a much lower prevalence of gun violence. This was done through a series of
successive images of countries accompanied by their respective gun death
totals. The numbers continued to decrease until it got to America, where the interval
increased by an immense proportion (over 10,000). This drew great attention to the prevalence
of the issue in America and motivated activists to create reforms that
addressed it. Ten years after being
produced, Bowling for Columbine is
still relevant, informative, and captivating. It is exemplary to the mode of
communication known as documentary filmmaking.
