What do you think of Michael Moore's work?

“But he never once said anythng about the quality of care, only that they received it free.”

I know, and that pretty much defeats the purpose and message of the documentary, since his ultimate goal is to indict US health care. Moore said in an interview that he’s not a fan of Castro, but he feels that if Castro can provide his people with free health care, why can’t the highly industrialized, wealthy US? Well, comparing the two systems is ludicrous, and yet he splices together a neat little documentary doing exactly that. Did Moore compare the cancer patient survival rates in the US and Cuba? Did he ever mention that it’s cheaper for the elderly in Europe in some cases to fly to the US for dental care than get it in Europe? No. That would have made the documentary much more interesting. But it would also disrupt his agenda.

“Anyone seeing that movie had to realize that. They would have never agreed had they known what it was really about.”

So what does it say about Moore’s integrity that he must deceive people in order to get them to participate in something that supports his agenda, then take their comments out of context in order to make his point? The raw footage would never be aired, it was spliced because I’m sure that if their entire interview was aired, it would take a lot of the “umph” out of Moore’s arguements.

I’m not attacking Moore’s politics, I’m attacking his methods. Of course, that puts me in the awkward position of appearing to side with conservative Republicans. As I said before, Fox News is guilty of this same lack of integrity, in some cases much worse. But Moore should stop. Now.

Well I’ve seen all of them…Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko…and basically what he does is go into these documentaries with an agenda, and he edits clips of video together that support his agenda, regardless of what his subjects actually said.

Health care in Cuba is actually atrocious. It’s free due to state provision, yes. But the average Cuban citizen gets very poor regular and emergency care. Thousands of Cuban refugees have stated, often with documentation, that they were neglected or passed over due to the system’s enormous deficiencies. Yet, when Moore shows up with his cameras and his boats, miraculously the Cuban regime is providing high quality health care to its people. Also, in Fahrenheit 9/11, his interviews with military recruiters were spliced, with supporting soundbites taken out of context.

Basically, if I came to your house for one week and filmed you, I could either make you look like the model American family, or an abusive, dysfunctional family, depending on the footage I choose to use. It’s basic media ethics, and Moore chooses to disgregard them.

Ty is correct. Fox News, for example, violates media ethics on a daily basis, and deserves to be brought under civil penalties for some these violations. However, while I agree with many of the things Michael Moore says, I would rather he not distort the reality of the situation simply for theatrics and firing up the crowd.

Mjax, having just watched sicko, I know they listed Cuba after the US in health care. The reason he went to cuba was a gimmick. He wanted to go to gitmo to ask them to give the same medical care provided to detainees to a 9/11 rescue worker that couldn’t get it in the US. And then he went to havana and recieved free medical care. But he never once said anythng about the quality of care, only that they received it free. I also read that the only reason they went to havana after going to gitmo, and then included to footage, was because of the travel restrictions to cuba. And you can baiscally only go there as a reporter. So he wanted to include something about the medical care in Cuba.

As far as the recruiters in f/911go, the only ones who are saying they were taken out of context are the recruiters themselves. They said they were duped into participating. Well of course they were. Anyone seeing that movie had to realize that. They would have never agreed had they known what it was really about. So it is no wonder that they would say they were taken out of context. Has anyone seen the raw footage and said it was taken out of context?

That being said, I am sure his movies are completely influenced by his views and politics, and I am also sure he includes parts that support his view, and disregards things that don’t.

But don’t all documentary makers do that?

I have no doubts that Moore has a huge ego, and thinks he matters a lot more than he does. But when I see the right wing attack machine go after someone as ferociously as they have Moore, it leads me to believe he is on to something.

Since I obviously agree with his politics, and probably don’t have as critical an eye as you, I have never seen anything that seems unethical. I actually just watched Sicko last night for the first time, and thought it was great.

And even though I agree with his politics, I have never been influenced by his movies. I had already made up my mind on the subject matter long before I saw any of them.

What do you feel is unethical?

I also agree with moore politically, but I find his documentaries have questionable editing. kind of like “selective hearing”, what he wants in is in. his films don’t sway me, lol, I am already swayed. majx what have you observed?

I respect your integrity, so I will not debate you on things you obvious have more knowledge on. Like I said, I definately don’t have the critical eye you have. I have liked his movies, but what do I know?

Just one point on the recruiters though. If he had to deceive them in order to expose the questionalbe practices they were engaging in, I really see no problem with that at all. If he truly took their comments out of context, and completely misrepresented what they were saying and doing, then of course that would be wrong. But unless the raw footage is released, we will never know.

I am sure he does things for dramatic effect, but then it’s not like the other side is being purely ethical… raising that stupid terror alert every 5 mins for no good reason… something or the other is apparently always out to kill people… if it isnt the food, it’s the medication, or some flies! keep people scared and they’re bound to mindlessly agree with everything you say. And it is television after all…

I agree with you. I enjoyed his film “Roger and Me” very much, also his TV show, can’t remember the title. But it was obvious that as his fame grew, so did his ego. In Roger and Me, he was in the shot very little, mostly serving as an interviewer. Now, it would have to be renamed “ME and roger”. As the fame and ego took control, I believe the “selective” editing did also.

Moore does tell the truth, I just wish that he would present it in a different way.

lol. good point jimahl. where’s theres smoke…