Bowling for Columbine

  1. Keep this question in mind throughout the film: why all of the footage of bowling? What is the director doing with all of this old (and new) footage?
  2. How does the Michigan militia come across in its interview with Moore? What do the members do for a living, and how do they feel about guns?
  3. After leaving the Michigan militia, Moore goes to visit James Nichols. Who is this man, and how does he come across when Moore interviews him? What does he say about the U.S. government?
  4. Why does Moore film the man speaking on behalf of Lockheed Martin in front of a missile? Does the speaker have a point with what he’s saying about bombs and countries? Explain.
  5. What music does Moore play over the “montage of death”? How is this satirical in nature?
  6. Did you notice anything different in the footage of “Sept. 11”? Anything regarding the way Moore uses sound?
  7. April 20, 1999: why juxtapose the bombing (during Clinton’s administration) with Columbine? Is this a valid connection to make? Why, or why not?
  8. How do you feel watching the footage of and hearing the 911 (and media) calls during this time? Explain.
  9. What are Matt Stone’s “fond memories of Columbine”? How does he describe Littleton? Is his advice valid? Why or why not?
  10. Why bring Marilyn Manson into this documentary? How does Manson come across in his interview?
  11. Regarding violence, what is Moore NOT considering when he makes all of his links to Germany, Canada, the U.K., Australia, etc.?
  12. On to the “Brief History of the United States of America.” Is there any validity in this cartoon? Or is it a crude oversimplification? Why?
  13. To the streets of South Central L.A….what is actually “much more dangerous to us” than what the media is selling us?
  14. What do we learn about Canada when Moore takes us there? And about some Americans’ perceptions of Canada?
  15. Was Moore justified in going straight to Dick Clark? How does Clark come across here? And Moore?
  16. What is Moore trying to accomplish with the K-Mart segment of this film? Does he ever meet his goal? How?
  17. On to Charlton Heston’s house…How is Heston presented in his interview with Moore? How does Moore come across?
  18. How can you tell that the end of the Heston interview is perhaps staged? Does staging (or presenting reenactments) take away from a documentary’s claim of presenting truth? Why, or why not?