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Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an Americanmarker filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story, four of the top eight highest-grossing documentaries of all time. In September 2008, he released his first free movie on the Internet, Slacker Uprising, documenting his personal crusade to encourage more Americans to vote in presidential elections. He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth.

Moore is a self-described liberal who has criticized globalization, large corporations, assault weapon ownership, the Iraq War, U.S. President George W. Bush and the American health care system in his written and cinematic works. In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. Also in 2005, Moore started the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michiganmarker. In 2008, he closed his Manhattan office and moved it to Traverse City, where he continued work on new films.

Early life

Moore was born in Flint, Michiganmarker and raised in Davisonmarker, a suburb of Flint, by parents Veronica, a secretary, and Frank Moore, an automotive assembly-line worker. At that time, the city of Flint was home to many General Motors factories, where his parents and grandfather worked. His uncle was one of the founders of the United Automobile Workers labor union and participated in the Flint Sit-Down Strike. Moore has described his parents as "Irish Catholic Democrats, basic liberal good people."

Moore was brought up Irish Catholic, attended parochial St. John's Elementary School for primary school and originally intended to join the seminary. He then attended Davison High School, where he was active in both drama and debate, graduating in 1972. At the age of 18, he was elected to the Davison school board.

Career

After dropping out of the University of Michigan-Flintmarker (where he wrote for the student newspaper The Michigan Times) and working for a day at the General Motors plant, at 22 he founded the alternative weekly magazine The Flint Voice, which soon changed its name to The Michigan Voice as it expanded to cover the entire state. In 1986, when Moore became the editor of Mother Jones, a liberal political magazine, he moved to California and The Michigan Voice was shut down.

After four months at Mother Jones, Moore was fired. Matt Labash of The Weekly Standard reported this was for refusing to print an article by Paul Berman that was critical of the Sandinista human rights record in Nicaragua. Moore refused to run the article, believing it to be inaccurate. "The article was flatly wrong and the worst kind of patronizing bullshit. You would scarcely know from it that the United States had been at war with Nicaragua for the last five years." Berman described Moore as a "very ideological guy and not a very well-educated guy" when asked about the incident. Moore believes that Mother Jones fired him because of the publisher's refusal to allow him to cover a story on the GM plant closings in his hometown of Flint, Michiganmarker. He responded by putting laid-off GM worker Ben Hamper (who was also writing for the same magazine at the time) on the magazine's cover, leading to his termination. Moore sued for wrongful dismissal, and settled out of court for $58,000, providing him with seed money for his first film, Roger & Me.

Directing/producing



Roger & Me: Moore first became famous for his 1989 film, Roger & Me, a documentary about what happened to Flint, Michiganmarker after General Motors closed its factories and opened new ones in Mexicomarker, where the workers were paid much less. Since then Moore has been known as a critic of the neoliberal view of globalization. "Roger" is Roger B. Smith, former CEO and president of General Motors.


Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint: is a short (23-minute) documentary film that was aired on PBS. It is based on the feature-length film Roger & Me (1989) by Michael Moore. The film's title refers to Rhonda Britton, a Flint, Michigan, resident featured in both the 1989 and 1992 films who sells rabbits as either pets or meat.


Canadian Bacon: In 1995, Moore released a satirical film, Canadian Bacon, which features a fictional US president (played by Alan Alda) engineering a fake war with Canadamarker in order to boost his popularity. It is noted for containing a number of Canadian and American stereotypes, and for being Moore's only non-documentary film. The film is also one of the last featuring Canadian-born actor John Candy, and also features a number of cameos by other Canadian actors. In the film, several potential enemies for America's next great campaign are discussed by the president and his cabinet. (The scene was strongly influenced by the Stanley Kubrick film Dr. Strangelove.) The President comments that declaring war on Canada was as ridiculous as declaring war on international terrorism. His military adviser, played by Rip Torn, quickly rebuffs this idea, saying that no one would care about "... a bunch of guys driving around blowing up rent-a-cars."


The Big One: In 1997, Moore directed The Big One, which documents the tour publicizing his book Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American, in which he criticizes mass layoffs despite record corporate profits. Among others, he targets Nikemarker for outsourcing shoe production to Indonesiamarker.


Bowling for Columbine: Moore's 2002 film, Bowling for Columbine, probes the culture of guns and violence in the United States, taking as a starting point the Columbine High School massacremarker of 1999. Bowling for Columbine won the Anniversary Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and France's Cesar Award as the Best Foreign Film. In the United States, it won the 2002 Academy Award for Documentary Feature. It also enjoyed great commercial and critical success for a film of its type and became, at the time, the highest-grossing mainstream-released documentary (a record now held by Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11). It was praised by some for illuminating a subject slighted by the mainstream media, but it was attacked by others who considered it inaccurate and misleading in its presentations and suggested interpretations of events.


Fahrenheit 9/11: Fahrenheit 9/11 examines America in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, particularly the record of the Bush administration and alleged links between the families of George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden. Fahrenheit was awarded the Palme d'Or, the top honor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival; it was the first documentary film to win the prize since 1956. Moore later announced that Fahrenheit 9/11 would not be in consideration for the 2005 Academy Award for Documentary Feature, but instead for the Academy Award for Best Picture. He stated he wanted the movie to be seen by a few million more people, preferably on television, by election day. Since November 2 was less than nine months after the film's release, it would be disqualified for the Documentary Oscar. Moore also said he wanted to be supportive of his "teammates in non-fiction film." However, Fahrenheit received no Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The title of the film alludes to the classic book Fahrenheit 451 about a future totalitarian state in which books are banned; according to the book, paper begins to burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit. The pre-release subtitle of the film confirms the allusion: "The temperature at which freedom burns." At the box office, Fahrenheit 9/11 remains the highest-grossing documentary of all time, taking in over US$200 million worldwide, including United Statesmarker box office revenue of almost US$120 million.
Sicko: Moore directed this film about the American health care system, focusing particularly on the managed-care and pharmaceutical industries. At least four major pharmaceutical companies—Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and GlaxoSmithKline—ordered their employees not to grant any interviews to Moore. According to Moore on a letter at his website, "roads that often surprise us and lead us to new ideas – and challenge us to reconsider the ones we began with have caused some minor delays." The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2007, receiving a lengthy standing ovation, and was released in the U.S. and Canada on 29 June 2007. The film was the subject of some controversy when it became known that Moore went to Cubamarker with chronically ill September 11th rescue workers to shoot parts of the film. The United States is looking into whether this violates the trade embargo. The film is currently ranked the third highest grossing documentary of all time and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
Captain Mike Across America: Moore takes a look at the politics of college students in what he calls "Bush Administration America" with this film shot during Moore's 60-city college campus tour in the months leading up to the 2004 election. The film was later re-edited by Moore into Slacker Uprising.


Capitalism: A Love Story: On September 23, 2009, Moore released a new movie titled Capitalism: A Love Story, which looks at the financial crisis of 2007–2009 and the U.S. economy during the transition between the incoming Obama Administration and the outgoing Bush Administration. Addressing a press conference at its release, Moore said, "Democracy is not a spectator sport, it's a participatory event. If we don't participate in it, it ceases to be a democracy. So Obama will rise or fall based not so much on what he does but on what we do to support him."


Acting

Moore has dabbled in acting, following a 2000 supporting role in Lucky Numbers as the cousin of Lisa Kudrow's character, who agrees to be part of the scheme concocted by John Travolta's character. He also had a cameo in his Canadian Bacon as an anti-Canada activist. In 2004, he did a cameo, as a news journalist, in The Fever, starring Vanessa Redgrave in the lead.

Television

Between 1994 and 1995, he directed and hosted the BBC television series TV Nation, which followed the format of news magazine shows but covered topics they avoid. The series aired on BBC2 in the UK. The series was also aired in the US on NBC in 1994 for 9 episodes and again for 8 episodes on Fox in 1995.

His other major series was The Awful Truth, which satirized actions by big corporations and politicians. It aired on Channel 4 in the UK, and the Bravo network in the US, in 1999 and 2000.

Another 1999 series, Michael Moore Live, was aired in the UK only on Channel 4, though it was broadcast from New York. This show had a similar format to The Awful Truth, but also incorporated phone-ins and a live stunt each week.

In 1999 Moore won the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in Arts and Entertainment, for being the executive producer and host of The Awful Truth, where he was also described as "muckraker, author and documentary filmmaker".

Music videos

Moore has directed several music videos, including two for Rage Against the Machine for songs from The Battle of Los Angeles: "Sleep Now in the Fire" and "Testify". He was threatened with arrest during the shooting of "Sleep Now in the Fire", which was filmed on Wall Streetmarker; the city of New Yorkmarker had denied the band permission to play there, although the band and Moore had secured a federal permit to perform.

He also directed the video for R.E.M. single "All the Way to Reno " in 2001. Two years later, Moore directed a video for the System of a Down song, "Boom!".

Appearances in other documentaries

  • Moore appeared in The Drugging of Our Children, a 2005 documentary about over-prescription of psychiatric medication to children and teenagers, directed by Gary Null a proponent of Alternative Medicine. In the film Moore agrees with Gary Null that Ritalin and other similar drugs are over-prescribed, saying that they are seen as a "pacifier".
  • Moore appeared on fellow Flint natives Grand Funk Railroad's edition of Behind The Music.
  • Moore appeared as an off-camera interviewer in Blood in the Face, a 1991 documentary about white supremacy groups. The film centers around a neo-Nazi gathering in Michigan.
  • Moore appeared in The Yes Men, a 2003 documentary about two men who pose as the World Trade Organization. He appears during a segment concerning working conditions in Mexicomarker and Latin America.
  • Moore was interviewed for the 2004 documentary, The Corporation. One of his highlighted quotes was: "The problem is the profit motive: for corporations, there's no such thing as 'enough'".
  • Moore appeared briefly in Alex Jones's 2005 film Martial Law 9/11: Rise of the Police State. Jones criticises Moore for not going into depth about 9/11 in his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 and portraying Bush as an unassuming front man as opposed to an active conspirator in 9/11, concluding that while it may have not been his intention, Moore practically helped cover-up 9/11 instead of exposing the truth.
  • Moore featured prominently in the 2005 documentary This Divided State, which followed the heated level of controversy surrounding his visit to a conservative city in the United States two weeks before the 2004 election.
  • Moore appeared in the 2006 documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret, which chronicles Madonna during her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. Moore attended her show in New York Citymarker at Madison Square Gardenmarker.
  • Moore featured in the 2008 documentary "Shooting Michael Moore," which follows up on the lives of subjects featured in Moore's films.


Books

Moore has authored three best-selling books:

Political views

Though Moore rejects the label "political activist," he has been active in promoting his political views. According to John Flesher of the Associated Press, Moore is known for his "fiery left-wing populism," and the political left have hailed him as the "new Tom Paine."

Moore was a high-profile guest at both the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004 Republican National Convention, chronicling his impressions in USA Today. He was criticized in a speech by Republican Senator John McCain as "a disingenuous film-maker." Moore laughed and waved as Republican attendees jeered, later chanting "four more years." Moore gestured his thumb and finger at the crowd, which translates into "loser."

During September and October 2004, Moore spoke at universities and colleges in swing states during his "Slacker Uprising Tour". The tour gave away ramen and underwear to young people who promised to vote. This provoked public denunciations from the Michigan Republican Party and attempts to convince the government that Moore should be arrested for buying votes, but since Moore did not tell the "slackers" involved for whom to vote, just to vote, district attorneys refused to get involved. Quite possibly the most controversial stop during the tour was Utah Valley State Collegemarker in Oremmarker, Utahmarker. A fight for his right to speak ensued and resulted in massive public debates and a media blitz. Death threats, bribes and lawsuits followed. The event was chronicled in the documentary film This Divided State.

Despite having supported Ralph Nader in 2000, Moore urged Nader not to run in the 2004 election so as not to split the left vote. On Real Time with Bill Maher, Moore and Maher knelt before Nader to plead with him to stay out of the race. In June 2004, Moore claimed he is not a member of the Democratic party. Although Moore endorsed General Wesley Clark for the Democratic nomination on January 14, Clark withdrew from the primary race on February 11. Moore drew attention when charging publicly that Bush was AWOL during his service in the National Guard, describing Bush as "The Deserter" (see George W. Bush military service controversy).

On April 21, 2008, Moore endorsed Barack Obama for President, stating that Hillary Clinton's recent actions had been "disgusting."

Hurricane Gustav controversy

In 2008, as Hurricane Gustav approached the Gulf Coast as a Category 3/4 hurricane, Moore told MSNBC host Keith Olbermann on August 29, 2008 that the hurricane is "proof that there is a God in heaven," since it would be hitting land on the same day as the start of the Republican National Convention. He further said it is proof of God "to just have it planned at the same time, that it would actually be on its way to New Orleansmarker for day one of the Republican convention, up in the Twin Citiesmarker, at the top of the Mississippi River." He also added, "I mean, I certainly hope nobody gets hurt. I hope everybody's taking cover." Louisianamarker Rep. Steve Scalise demanded an apology from Moore, calling the remarks offensive and inappropriate, adding, "the God I know would not share Michael Moore's glee for our plight." On August 31, Moore posted a satirical letter to God on his website, thanking Him for the timing of the storm but asking him to let it die at sea so it would do no serious damage. Two days later, Moore said of his Gustav comments on his website, "Never explain comedy or satire or the ironic comment. Those who get it, get it. Those who don't, never will."

Personal life

Since 1990, Moore has been married to producer Kathleen Glynn, with whom he has a stepdaughter named Natalie. They live in Traverse Citymarker, Michiganmarker.

Moore describes himself as a Catholic, but has said he disagrees with church teaching on subjects such as abortion and gay marriage.

Published work

Bibliography



Filmography



Television



References

  1. Stated in Moore's film, Capitalism: A Love Story, 2009
  2. Primeau, François. American Dissident, Lulu Press, 2007.
  3. MichaelMoore.com: The Day I Was To be Tarred and Feathered.
  4. Emily Schultz, Michael Moore: A Biography, Ecw Press, 2005. pp. 47-54.
  5. Cockburn, Alexander. "Beat The Devil: Michael meets Mr. Jones," The Nation, 1986-09-13.
  6. Paul Mulshine. "A Stupid White Man and a Smart One." Newark Star Ledger, 2003-03-03.
  7. Matt Labash. "Michael Moore, One-Trick Phony". The Weekly Standard. 1998-06-08.
  8. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Inqlings | Michael Moore takes on Glaxo. Michael Klein, 30 September 2005. Archive accessed 2006-07-09.
  9. Common Dreams News Center: Drug Firms are on the Defense as Filmmaker Michael Moore Plans to Dissect Their Industry. Original Article - Elaine Dutka, L.A. Times, December 22, 2004. Archive accessed 2006-08-09.
  10. Chicago Tribune: Michael Moore turns camera onto health care industry. Bruce Japsen, 3 October 2004. Archive accessed 2006-07-09.
  11. CBC Sicko to have unofficial premiere at Democratic fundraiser May 26, 2007. URL accessed 2007-10-14.
  12. Captain Mike Across America (2007).
  13. "Capitalism is evil," says new Michael Moore film Reuters, Sep 6, 2009.
  14. Green Left Weekly: Rage against Wall Street. Michael Moore, via MichaelMoore.com, date unspecified. URL accessed 2006-07-09.
  15. at the Internet Movie Database.
  16. Moore details his involvement in the audio commentary on the Roger & Me DVD.
  17. Stroll, John D. (Oct 23, 2009) "Michael Moore: A Love Story? Not So Much" The Wall Street Journal.
  18. Opinion Journal from the Wall Street Journal: Unmoored from Reality. John Fund's Political Diary, 21 March 2003. URL accessed 2006-08-29.
  19. Porton, Richard. " Weapon of mass instruction Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11." Cineaste (22 September 2004). Retrieved 15 May 2009; see also Davy, Michael. Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. Socialist Worker. 10 July 2004. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  20. Delegates relish McCain jab at filmmaker Moore CNN.com. 2006-08-31.
  21. This Divided State official website. Accessed 2006-07-09.
  22. http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mikes-letter/george-w-bush-awol
  23. My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore 2008-04-21.
  24. "Moore Under Fire for Saying Gustav Proof 'There Is a God.'" Fox News, August 30, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  25. "An open letter to God, from Michael Moore." MichaelMoore.com, August 31, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-09-18.
  26. "Random thoughts from Michael Moore." MichaelMoore.com, September 2, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-09-18.
  27. IMDb, Kathleen Glynn.


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