Bowling For Columbine Documentary Analysis

Essay Two Documentary

While 'documentary ' is the name of a genre, the term is used very broadly to cover a range of film types. What these texts have in common is that they all intend to persuade their audience to a particular viewpoint but that is where the similarities end. While documentaries are made primarily to entertain and inform audiences, there are many factors that determine the way in which they will achieve their purposes. And purpose is a driving force in determining the style a documentary will take. Some films may be created purely because of the passion and vision of a director, others may be produced as a form of propaganda, pedalling a particular viewpoint and still others may be arise because an institution or organisation feels they need to get their message out to the world. So while the genre
But instead of a dominated obersevative nature that Cunnamulla consumed, the more modern Bowling for Columbine draws in the audience with its performative aspects. As in Cunnamulla, we see instances that make us know that the camera is there. For example, while Moore is tackling the debate head on regarding the sale of ammunition at the k-mart stores America wide, we see him ordering the camera around to follow him. This process gets the audience to believe it 's involved with what is happening, as Moore orders the 'audience ' around to follow him. The performative aspect of the film is quite new, as it is very common in more modern Documentaries as they attempt to amuse the audience as a fiction narrative film would. This performative aspect like a fiction film, keeps the audience intensely watching the Documentary thus taking in information easier. An example of this would be during the 'KKK ' scene of the film, as a cartoon character gives the audience a quick run down on America 's