Bowling for Columbine

Bowling for Columbine is a film directed by and starring Michael Moore. It won an Academy Award in the category of documentary film and has received both praise and criticism, both for the genre which it occupies (creative documentary), as well as what it claims. The film opened on October 11, 2002, and internationalized Moore's previously cultish American status.

Bowling

The film title originates from the early myth that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two boys responsible for the Columbine High School massacre, attended their regularly scheduled bowling class early that morning, at 6am, before they committed the attacks at school starting at 11:18 am. However, that assertion has been thoroughly debunked (see external link below). Moore suggests that it is no more unreasonable to blame their actions on bowling than to blame them on violent video games, movies, and music (during the aftermath of the shooting, many used the opportunity to denounce Marilyn Manson and The Matrix, claiming a connection between violence in the media and violence in schools).

Related Topics:
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold - Columbine High School massacre - Bowling - Video games - Music - Marilyn Manson - The Matrix

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Regardless of the physical connection, the concept of "bowling" can be interpreted to be a metaphor. The concept of fear as it existed in America since the revolutionary days cumulated much like a bowling ball rolls down the lane. Finally, at Columbine, America was hit in a big way. In essence, Moore seeks to knock down the quick and easy excuses ("pins") like video games or Marilyn Manson and break past all that to expose the truth behind it all.

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Moore incorporates the concept of bowling in other ways as well (beyond the 6 am rumor). Ironically, a militia in Michigan uses bowling pins for their target practice. When interviewing former classmates of the two boys, Moore notes that the students took a bowling class in place of physical education. Moore notes this might have very little educational value and the girls he interviews generally agreed. The girls note how Harris and Klebold had a very introverted lifestyle and a very careless attitude towards the game and nobody thought twice about it. This calls into question the state of the school system (a fact strongly reinforced by Matt Stone). Is the school system responding to the state of today's troubled youth or are they simply reinforcing the concept of fear to the children and allowing the youth to wallow in this façade?

Related Topics:
Militia - Physical education

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