Paper Topic:
`The Big One` A Michael Moore Documentary Film
Art as a Political Weapon in Michael Moore 's The Big One Undoubtedly , the media is one of the most influential institutions in the 21st century . We live in an age where the media has the ability to shape and dictate culture . Unfortunately , the media is also used by the elite to preserve and maintain the existing social . As Noam Chomsky (1989 ) puts it , the concept of democratizing the media has no real meaning within the terms of political discourse in the United States (10 ) However , arguably , the most important part of media
is film , which is able to capture the entire spectrum of human experience through audio-visual rendering . In film , the audience is able to simultaneously see and hear the characters as they imitate or create reality , which increases the likelihood of empathy or emulation Therefore the film and the cinema , more than any other medium , have the highest ability not only of reflecting the changes in the prevailing norms and attitudes but also in reinforcing opinions , beliefs , and cultural standards
Unfortunately , the cinema industry in America is a virtual monopoly . A few big studios , such as Warner Bros , Walt Disney , Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures , control almost all of the productions . The monopolization of filmmaking resources and distribution channels results into the homogenization of the entire aspect of cinema itself and effectively shuts out independent and critical filmmakers . Thus , the audience is left with very little cinematic choice other than the slew of formulaic Hollywood films that rely on heavy marketing machines than on social significance to sell and are judged not on impact on the viewers but on box-office outcomes
One filmmaker , however , has managed to both crush the monopoly of meaningless Hollywood films and also replicate the business success of those films . That filmmaker is Michael Moore . Beginning with his 1986 film Roger and Me , Moore has managed to break through the dominance of mainstream filmmaking traditionally controlled by giant film companies It is in this aspect that Moore and his films have become ubiquitous symbol of critical and romising political and social commentaries This examines Moore 's film The Big One ' a cinematic work about unemployment and class-based inequities in the United States . I argue that Moore and his film The Big One ' are a clear indication that filmmaking , as an art , is in itself a political act . Through a close reading of the film , I will show that art and politics are intertwined I begin by briefly describing the bare outlines of the film , then I move to the discussion of the film 's texts and meaning , and finally I end with a conclusion on Moore and his film 's cultural and social significance
The Big One 'is Michael Moore 's second documentary that tackles massive lay-offs and unemployment from the closure of factories by giant corporations in America . Released in 1998 by Miramax Films , The Big One ' was filmed during Moore 's promotional tour for his book Downsize this ! Random Threats...
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