If box-office sales count for anything, Michael Moore would beat Bush at the polls, writes Anayat Durrani from Los Angeles Filmmaker Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 911 broke records as the highest-grossing documentary ever. The two-hour film opened to packed cinemas grossing $23.9 million in its first weekend, despite playing in only 868 theatres across the United States. On the opening day, tickets for Moore's film sold out in cinemas nationwide. Those who managed to see the documentary expressed a wide range of emotions, at some points cheering and clapping, at others shocked and weeping. In many theatres, moviegoers gave the film standing ovations. David G Hanna, 49, a Democrat, saw the film on its opening night in New York City. He described the movie as "a wake up call" for all Americans and people worldwide. Hanna has always been critical of President George W Bush, especially, he says, since he stole the election in 2000. "Even if I were on my deathbed, I would drag myself to the polls on election day to vote against George W Bush." The film, which Moore describes as "an op-ed piece", portrays Bush as a lazy president with an administration that stole the 2000 election, ignored intelligence warnings of terrorist threats before 11 September 2001 and manipulated the American public by playing to its fears to gain support for a needless war in Iraq. Moore also focuses on the president's connection to oil and gas companies and the Bush family's relationship with the Saudis, including the Bin Laden family. In the film, Moore shows that the Bushes and their constituents in the military and in oil companies are profiteering from the events of 11 September. Jim, 32, a Republican from Virginia, described the documentary as "very patriotic, pro-America and pro-humanity", adding that he was moved by the images shown of the war in Iraq. He says Fahrenheit 911 has affected how he plans to vote this November. "I actually voted for Bush in 2000 and became disillusioned with him. Michael Moore's documentary has solidified my opinions and [convinced] me to vote for Kerry and against Bush in 2004." The film opens with scenes of the presidential election in 2000 and shows the major news networks calling Democrat candidate Al Gore the projected winner. Footage is then shown of how the Fox News Channel stepped in and reported that Bush won in the state of Florida and declared him as the next president of the United States. Moore says that the decision to announce Bush as the winner was made by Bush's first cousin, a decision maker in the newsroom of Fox News Channel. "I think that the film and its obvious controversy, especially in this state, can serve as a catalyst for much needed human debate and discussion," said a political science professor from Bush's home state of Texas, who preferred not to reveal her identity. She says the film goes beyond being simply an artistic or political statement from Moore. "The film picks at the scabs of so many festering issues we face in this country and in the world: poverty, inequality, racism, terrorism, homeland security, public policy, foreign policy, economic and employment concerns, health care for veterans, the state of the US Congress, and the validity of the electoral college, in its current application, for the selection of the person for the office of the president, to name a few." In the beginning of the film, the screen goes black and the audience is taken back to 11 September 2001. Rather than relying on images, the audience is left to listen to the horrific sounds of the attacks against the World Trade Center. Moore shows footage of President Bush who, despite being informed of the crash of the second plane into the World Trade Centre, failed to react and continued to read to Florida school children for almost seven minutes. Using graphic footage from Iraq, Moore then gives a powerful account of the reality of war for both Iraqis and Americans. Audiences wept openly during scenes that showed gruesome Iraqi civilian casualties and an Iraqi woman tearfully pleading to God after her uncle's home is bombed by American forces. Audiences were also moved by footage of an American woman, who is first shown in the documentary as a strong supporter of Bush and the war, and then later as transformed after her son was killed in Iraq. "I knew some of the facts, but not all the pieces to the puzzle behind the Bush administration," said Linda, 64, a retired analyst from Washington state. "Moore's film added previously unseen news footage and other facts to show the complete picture of Bush's blunders and greed." Moore provides accurate documentation throughout the film. Harvey Weinstein of Miramax, which bought and distributed the film, said he hired the "toughest team of fact checkers" he could find to ensure each fact was thoroughly checked for accuracy. The film is a mix of original footage, news and interviews, laced with humor. At one point in the movie, Moore goes to Washington to try to get members of Congress to send their kids to war. "I'm trying to get members of Congress to get their kids to enlist in the army. And go over to Iraq," Moore says as he approaches one surprised and uninterested Congressman after another. "Congressman? Congressman?" Though the film has been enthusiastically embraced by Democrats and liberals alike, it has angered many Republicans and conservatives who questioned the timing of the film's release in relation to the presidential race. Before the film opened, conservative groups tried to pressure theatres against showing Fahrenheit 911, calling it political propaganda. Conservative filmmaker Michael Wilson has already responded to the film with his own documentary called "Michael Moore Hates America". A book called Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Male, by David Hardy and Jason Clarke, is also set for release. The attacks launched by conservatives have not seemed to faze Moore. "I want to thank all the right-wing organisations out there who tried to stop the film, either from their harassment campaign that didn't work on theatre owners, or going to the FEC to get our ads removed from television, to all the things that have been said on television," Moore said. "It's only encouraged more people to go and see it." The title of Moore's documentary is a play on Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, whose title refers to the temperature at which paper burns. The novel is about a future totalitarian state that bans reading and independent thought. Moore has called his film's title "the temperature at which freedom burns". The documentary won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival last month. Fahrenheit 911 is distributed by independently-owned Lions Gate Films and by IFC Films, co-owned by a division of Viacom Inc. Moore's other films include Roger & Me about General Motors plant closings in his home town of Flint, Michigan and Bowling for Columbine, which draws comparisons between the Ku Klux Klan and the National Rifle Association, a film which earned him an Academy Award. (see p.17)
