Michael Francis Moore
(born April 23, 1954) is an Academy Award-winning American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine
, Fahrenheit 9/11
, and Sicko
, three of the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all time. [1] [2] 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. [3] He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation
and The Awful Truth
.
Moore is a self-described liberal [4] 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, [5] and Moore started the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2008, he closed his Manhattan office and moved it to Traverse City, where he is working on his new film. [6]
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MICHAEL MOORE TICKETS
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Biography
Early life
Moore was born in
Flint, Michigan [7] but raised in nearby
Davison, a suburb of Flint, to parents Veronica, a secretary, and Frank Moore, an automotive assembly-line worker.
[8] 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."
[9]
Moore was brought up
Roman Catholic and attended St. John's Elementary School for primary school.
[10] [11] He then attended Davison High School, where he was active in both drama and debate,
[12] graduating in 1972. At the age of 18, he was elected to the Davison
school board.
[13]
Post-school career
After dropping out of the
University of Michigan-Flint (where he wrote for the student newspaper
The Michigan Times
) and working for a day at the
General Motors plant,
[14] 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 claims this was for refusing to print an article by
Paul Berman that was critical of the
Sandinista human rights record in Nicaragua.
[15] 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".
[16] Berman described Moore as a "very ideological guy and not a very well-educated guy" when asked about the incident.
[17] Moore also 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, Michigan. 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
.
[18]
2004
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."
[19]
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 College in
Orem,
Utah. 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
.
[20]
Acting
He has also 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.
Marriage
Since 1990, Moore has been married to producer Kathleen Glynn,
[21] with whom he has a stepdaughter named Natalie. They live in
Traverse City,
Michigan.
Religion
Moore describes himself as a
Catholic,
[22] [23] but he openly disagrees with church teaching on subjects such as
abortion and
gay marriage.
Directing/Producing
Films and awards
;
Roger & Me
: Moore first became famous for his controversial
1989 film,
Roger & Me
, a documentary about what happened to
Flint, Michigan after
General Motors closed its factories and opened new ones in
Mexico, 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.
;
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
Canada 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
Nike for outsourcing shoe production to
Indonesia.
;
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 massacre of 1999.
Bowling for Columbine
won the Anniversary Prize at the
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 claim it is 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
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 close to US$200 million worldwide, including
United States box office revenue of 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.
[24] [25] [26] 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.
[27] The film was the subject of some controversy when it became known that Moore went to
Cuba 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
[28] and received an
Academy Award nomination for
Best Documentary Feature.
[29]
;
Captain Mike Across America
[30]: 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.
[31] [32] The film was later re-edited by Moore into
Slacker Uprising
.
On October 2, 2009, Michael Moore will release 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.
[33]
Television shows
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".
On March 22, 2009, in the
Family Guy
episode "
FOX-y Lady", Moore (shown as an
animated character), was revealed by
Fox News Channel reporter
Lois Griffin to be
Fred Savage (who voiced his animated self) in
disguise.
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 Street; the city of
New York had denied the band permission to play there, although the band and Moore had secured a federal permit to perform.
[34]
He also directed video for
R.E.M. single "
All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" in 2001. Also, inn 2003, Moore directed a video for the
System of a Down song, "
Boom!".
Appearances in other documentaries
- Moore appeared in The Drugging of Our Children
, [35] 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. [36]
- 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 Mexico 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'". [37]
- Moore appeared briefly in Alex Jones's 2005 film Martial Law 9/11: Rise of the Police State
. Jones asks Moore why he did not mention some of the information regarding the September 11 attacks in his film Fahrenheit 9/11
, in particular, why he did not explain why NORAD stood down on that day. Moore replied, "Because it would be Un-American."
- 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 City at Madison Square Garden.
Writings and political views
Though Moore rejects the label "political activist,"
[39] 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,"
[40] and the political left have hailed him as the "new
Tom Paine."
[41]
Moore has authored three best-selling books:
- Downsize This!
(1996), about politics and corporate crime in the United States,
- Stupid White Men
(2001), ostensibly a critique of American domestic and foreign policy but, by Moore's own admission, "a book of political humor," [42] and
- Dude, Where's My Country?
(2003), an examination of the Bush family's relationships with Saudi royalty, the Bin Laden family, and the energy industry, and a call-to-action for liberals in the 2004 election.
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 (see
George W. Bush military service controversy).
With the 2004 election over, Moore continues to collect information on the war in Iraq and the Bush administration in addition to his film projects. On several occasions during 2007, he called for
Al Gore to run for President.
On April 21, 2008, Moore endorsed
Barack Obama for President, stating that Hillary Clinton's recent actions had been "disgusting."
[43]
Controversy
Hurricane Gustav comments
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,"
[44] 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 Orleans for day one of the Republican convention, up in the
Twin Cities, at the top of the
Mississippi River."
He also added, "I mean, I certainly hope nobody gets hurt. I hope everybody's taking cover."
Louisiana 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.
[45] 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."
[46]
Published work
Bibliography
Filmography
- Roger & Me
(1989)
- Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint
(1992) (TV)
- Canadian Bacon
(1995)
- The Big One
(1997)
- And Justice for All
(1998) (TV)
- Lucky Numbers
(2000) (as actor)
- Bowling for Columbine
(2002)
- Fahrenheit 9/11
(2004) "Palme d'Or" in Cannes
- Sicko
(2007)
- Captain Mike Across America
(2007)
- Slacker Uprising
(2008)
- Capitalism: A Love Story
(2009)
Television
- TV Nation
(1994)
- The Awful Truth
(1999)
- Michael Moore Live
(1999)
References
- Michael Moore filmography
- Documentary Movies
- Michael Moore releases Slacker Uprising for free on Net
- A Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives
- Michael Moore: The Angry Filmmaker
- Northern Michigan's film industry from Michael Moore's perspective
- Pets or Meat:The Return To Flint
- Michael Moore Biography (1954-)
- Exclusive Interview with Michael Moore of TV Nation
- To Your Health: A Talk with Sicko's Michael Moore
- Primeau, François. ''American Dissident'', Lulu Press, 2007.
- The truth about Michael Moore
- MichaelMoore.com: The Day I Was To be Tarred and Feathered
- Exclusive Interview with Michael Moore of TV Nation
- Emily Schultz, ''Michael Moore: A Biography'', Ecw Press, 2005. Pg 47-54.
- Cockburn, Alexander. "Beat The Devil: Michael meets Mr. Jones", ''Nation'', September 13 1986
- Paul Mulshine. "A Stupid White Man and a Smart One". ''Newark Star Ledger'', March 3, 2003
- Matt Labash. "Michael Moore, One-Trick Phony". ''The Weekly Standard''. June 8, 1998
- ''Delegates relish McCain jab at filmmaker Moore'' CNN.com. 31 August 2006.
- ''This Divided State'' official website. Accessed 9 July 2006.
- IMDb, Kathleen Glynn
- "Sicko," new Michael Moore film, takes on the health-care system
- Moral outrage, humor make up Michael Moore's one-two punch
- The Philadelphia Inquirer: Inqlings | Michael Moore takes on Glaxo. Michael Klein, 30 September 2005. Archive accessed 9 July 2006.
- 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 August 09, 2006
- Chicago Tribune: Michael Moore turns camera onto health care industry. Bruce Japsen, 3 October 2004. Archive accessed 9 July 2006.
- CBC Sicko to have unofficial premiere at Democratic fundraiser May 26, 2007. URL accessed October 14, 2007.
- Documentary Movies
- Shortlist for docu Oscar unveiled
- {{imdb title|0850669|Captain Mike}}
- Toronto International Film Festival
- Captain Mike Across America (2007)
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/
- Green Left Weekly: Rage against Wall Street. Michael Moore, via MichaelMoore.com, date unspecified. URL accessed 9 July 2006.
- Title Unavailable
- {{imdb title|id=0101479|title=Blood in the Face}} Moore details his involvement in the audio commentary on the ''Roger & Me'' DVD.
- Who's Who
- {{YouTube|eBfChxsAQA4|Charlie Rose - MICHAEL MOORE (FROM 7/6/04 & 7/1/04)}}
- 'I am the balance', says Moore
- Hollywood meets Bellaire as Moore gives sneak peek of "Sicko"
- 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 15 May 2009.
- Opinion Journal from the Wall Street Journal: Unmoored from Reality. John Fund's Political Diary, 21 March 2003. URL accessed 29 August 2006.
- My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore April 21, 2008
- "Moore Under Fire for Saying Gustav Proof 'There Is a God.'" Fox News, August 30, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
- "An open letter to God, from Michael Moore." ''MichaelMoore.com'', August 31, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-September 18 09-18.
- "Random thoughts from Michael Moore." ''MichaelMoore.com'', September 2, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-09-18.