Fahrenheit 9/11

July 14, 2004

Yesterday, I saw Michael Moore’s film, shown in a preview screening in my hometown of Pertuis, with subtitles. The theater was packed. There were quite a few Americans vacationing in the area. The film is well-made, impactful, and free of any unnecessary fluff. What stands out is the utter incompetence of Bush (and his entourage). There’s one particularly disturbing scene: when the planes hit the Twin Towers, Bush was in a school with young children. Twice, his aides warned him; the second warning being, “Mr. President, the nation is under attack.” For several minutes—seven or eight, I believe—Bush remained motionless. He was filmed in close-up. After that second warning, he seemed unsure what to do; he bit his lip and picked up the textbook he’d been reading earlier. He resembled a sulky child, upset. He also resembled an actor who hadn’t been given any lines to speak and was waiting for someone to write some for him.

Apparently, all of Bush’s speeches are written for him. He’s essentially an actor who knows how to use his gaze, expressions, and silences effectively. But he’s also a puppet. When he improvises, it’s disastrous. His mistakes aren’t mere slips; they’re admissions of guilt. When speaking to America’s wealthiest families, he says, “You are my base.”

Moore skillfully highlights several key themes. He doesn’t bother showing images of the Twin Towers collapsing or people jumping from windows to avoid burning alive. Instead, he focuses on people’s faces—expressions filled with sorrow. We see a young woman holding a photo of her husband, a father of two: “Has anyone seen my husband?” The horror of the event becomes evident through these scenes; overall, the film is handled with great restraint and sensitivity.

Parallelly, Moore mentions the Carlyle Group meeting held the day before the attacks, as well as Bush’s dinner with Saudi Arabia’s ambassador. We learn that Saudi money accounts for 6–7% of all investments in the U.S., and withdrawing such funds would severely harm the American economy.

Moore doesn’t preach; instead, he lets images, people, and facts speak for themselves. We see Marine recruiters working in poor neighborhoods: “The army will let you travel and pay for your education.” This scene is repeated throughout the film. Two men wearing white caps and uniforms try to recruit young men by acting like hunters pursuing prey. In another scene, Moore himself plays the role of a recruiter; he stops one of the 325 members of Congress after a session and asks whether his son might be willing to serve in Iraq. All of them evade the question awkwardly. It turns out that only one of those 325 congressmen has a son serving in Iraq.

Scenes depicting impoverished neighborhoods follow. “To afford college, joining the army is the only option,” says a young man of mixed race. This is where our recruiters operate, using every possible tactic. “You love jazz. But did you know we have great bands in the army?”

The most powerful scene involves a woman from such a neighborhood. At the beginning of the film, she proudly mentions that many members of her family are soldiers. Her son, nephews, brothers, and parents all serve in the military. Her daughter also served during the Gulf War. “Thank God, she’s safe now.” Every morning, this woman hangs a flag with stars on her window. “We’re the backbone of America,” she adds.

But then everything changes. Her 20-year-old son is killed when Iraqi rebels shoot down a helicopter over Baghdad. Her world collapses. He was the first casualty among her twelve relatives serving in the military. She reads his last letter, in which he expresses confusion: “We don’t understand why we’re here. I can’t wait to go home.” She travels to Washington, where she sees the White House surrounded by high walls designed to prevent snipers from shooting. Nearby, an elderly woman camps under a plastic sheet, having lost her own son. Another young woman confronts her, saying, “I lost my son too... Do you understand? He died there.” The older woman simply replies, “He isn’t the only one!”

Moore’s film is full of such striking scenes. Its style resembles that of Chris Marker. No wonder it won the Palme d’Or. What’s astonishing are the contrasts. In the lengthy credits, we see Bush, Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice, all wearing makeup. One character repeatedly wets his comb with saliva to fix his hair. Who is this man? None other than Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense and chief strategist for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Viewers can’t help but wonder: “Are these really the people ruling the world?”

In Iraq, we see young recruits saying, “Before battle, we play loud music and shoot at anything that moves.” These soldiers are very young. Another mother, an Iraqi, lost her family in a bombing. Her despair is similar, though her faith differs. The American mother cried, “God, why did you take my son?” The Iraqi mother screamed, “Allah, what are you doing?”

Close-ups show Rumsfeld assuring Americans that their strikes are precise and minimize civilian casualties. He also claims Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction. Yet Condoleezza Rice had previously stated that Iraq lacked the industrial capacity to threaten America. This contradiction is staggering.

Overall, it seems these leaders say whatever comes to mind; they lie constantly. Everything feels like a nightmare, a poorly written play. Moore mentions the Carlyle Group meeting and Bush’s dinner with Saudi officials. Only one member of Congress has a son serving in Iraq.

Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore’s film, topped North American box office charts this weekend, earning $23.9 million in its first three days of release in the U.S. and Canada. It surpassed even the previous record held by Moore’s own documentary, Bowling for Columbine.

According to distributors, Fahrenheit 9/11 has been well-received both in small towns and big cities across North America, regardless of political leanings.

Fahrenheit 9/11 gets off to a roaring start

Michael Moore can be pleased. After nearly being banned in the U.S., his film has attracted both audiences and critical acclaim. In short, it’s a must-see film.

What a contrast! When Bowling for Columbine was released in October 2002, it was shown in just eight theaters and earned a meager $210,000 during its first weekend. Fahrenheit 9/11, however, has received widespread attention. It faced numerous controversies: Miramax refused to distribute it; it was labeled inappropriate for viewers under 17; conservative groups tried to block its release. Yet it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. According to Nielsen, 67% of Americans have heard of it. As a result, 868 theaters nationwide are showing it starting Friday, July 25.

Preview screenings in two trendy New York theaters drew huge crowds: nearly $85,000 in ticket sales in just two days. 48% of online ticket purchases via Fandango involve Fahrenheit 9/11. Experts predict it could earn between $10.5 million and $13 million by Sunday night.

Early attendees were mostly politically active urbanites opposed to Bush’s policies. They heckled Bush and applauded Moore whenever he appeared on screen. Outside theaters, fundraising drives for Democrats and sales of anti-Fox News merchandise took place.

This enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily indicate broader success among average Americans. However, it does make Fahrenheit 9/11 a summer must-see. It’s likely to surpass Bowling for Columbine’s total earnings of $58 million worldwide.

Isabelle Lesniak, New York

Source: http://www.lexpansion.com/art/2486.76844.0.html (archive from July 13, 2007)

There’s a Chinese proverb: “One man can defeat an entire army.”

July 15, 2004: Personal note.

My first trip to the U.S. was in 1961, aboard the Mauretania. Everything Moore criticizes, I sensed immediately upon arriving in this “New World.” Einstein once said Americans went straight from barbarism to decadence. It’s a land of excesses, home to characters like J.R. Ewing. Yet it’s also Lincoln’s country. The world probably has no idea how horrid things have become in the U.S. over the past three years. Even Moore couldn’t fully address this issue. The September 11 attacks are briefly mentioned at the film’s start; thereafter, it focuses on the Iraq War. How can Moore’s message be summarized?

A bunch of clowns, idiots, and liars working for oil and arms companies (Halliburton, Carlyle) send our kids to die in a war that’ll become another Vietnam.

But it’s worse than that. Moore wisely realized he couldn’t tackle this head-on. It’s possible September 11 was orchestrated or at least manipulated. Roosevelt knew about Pearl Harbor but didn’t act, hoping this would lead to war against Hitler—which turned out to be true. But Pearl Harbor was a military target. Could Americans ever imagine their leaders allowing horrific attacks on civilians to justify Bush’s election and a war against Iraq? Saddam Hussein indeed sought nuclear weapons before the Gulf War. But those efforts failed due to economic collapse. The real motives? Controlling oil prices and preventing China from gaining access to Iraqi resources.

Moore focuses on Iraq. It’s impossible to delve deeper into September 11’s hidden truths. All characters seem like puppets; none possess any political depth or composure.

We’re living in an era of extreme danger. Moore’s film serves as a wake-up call. I thought it’d be banned in the U.S., but a reader told me it’s already playing there.

Michael Moore received a standing ovation during the premiere of Fahrenheit 9/11 at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater. This anti-Bush documentary won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

Prominent figures like Richard Gere, Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Dreyfuss, Glenn Close, Tony Bennett, and Yoko Ono attended the premiere.

Moore hopes his film encourages at least one American to vote in November 2004. Since half of voters never cast ballots, he hopes non-voters will change their minds.

“I love this country,” Moore added. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m optimistic. I believe America will return to us soon.”

(Source: http://matin.qc.ca/Showbizz_Cinema.php?article=20040615221133 (archive from March 7, 2005))