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Y'know, I don't think film is a good medium for making a political argument. I do think it's a powerful medium for making a political argument, since you can c
by hugh3 16y ago
Y'know, I don't think film is a good medium for making a political argument.
I do think it's a powerful medium for making a political argument, since you can capture a viewer's whole attention for two hours, tug at their heartstrings with music and pictures of crying children, overwhelm your audience's critical faculties and gloss over the main flaws in your argument without anyone noticing. And that's exactly the reason why I won't watch political films... not even if they're saying something I agree with.
For a complicated issue like corporate personhood (if indeed that's what this is about), I'm willing to entertain arguments either way, but I want them written down in black text on white paper and limited to a few pages, so I know I'm not being manipulated. And then I'd like to seek out an opposing viewpoint in a similar format, and make up my own mind. I don't see why anyone would want to subject themselves to a political film at all.
- mgunes 16y agoFilm is a perfect medium for delivering a political punch to your face, after which you can wash off the gloss that was deemed necessary for the film to be seen my millions, evaluate the facts you were offered in the light of new or existing ones, and make up your own mind. That's the whole point of good, biased political documentary, as summed up by Michael Moore at the very end of this one. There are enough millions of people who are completely oblivious to critical issues that a well prepared, biased, flawed, powerful punch can wake them up to, who do not otherwise stand a chance of forming a stance for or against and getting involved in those issues. Delivering punches and sitting down calmly and evaluating sophisticated issues thoroughly in an impartial manner should not be mutually exclusive; there's room for both.
- iuguy 16y agoIf you want to see the arguments in black text on white paper, you could do worse than buy the book, The Corporation - by Joel Bakan. It's a great read. I thought the film was very good.