Posted on 07/09/2004 5:52:30 AM PDT by YourAdHere
Get off Michael Moore's back.
That was the message yesterday from fellow documentarian Ken Burns, fed up with right-wing carping against Moore's anti-Bush rant Fahrenheit 9/11. "Of course he's entitled to express his opinion --that's what this country is all about," says Burns, best known for epic documentaries The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz. "You're supposed to be able to stand up here and say, 'This guy is a schmuck.' "
Burns concedes that Moore has an agenda, but so what? "Whatever your argument about his methodology, this is a man with a deep, abiding sympathy for the working man," he says.
Burns was on the press tour promoting his upcoming PBS project Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson. The unblinking portrait of the first African-American heavyweight champion -- who so dominated white opponents he inspired race riots in the early 20th century -- will air next January on PBS. Samuel L. Jackson, Billy Bob Thorton and Ed Harris provide narration for the film. Burns hopes to bring it to Toronto this September for the International Film Festival.
While he defends Moore's right to make the films he wants, Burns did take issue with his math. With a $70-million U.S. box office and counting, Moore claims Fahrenheit is already the most successful documentary of all time.
Burns figures that means roughly 7 to 10 million people have seen the film. "That's a good night for us on PBS," he says, arguing that, while his The Civil War never had a feature release, far more peole have seen it.
Burns told a story about meeting Moore two years ago at a film festival where they were joined by European filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog sized up all three documentarians this way: He was after the estatic truth, Burns went for emotional truth and Moore was after physical truth. "Just look how he puts his big belly right up on the screen," Herzog said of Moore.
"You're supposed to be able to stand up here and say, 'This guy is a schmuck"
And that's exactly what we're doing, Kenny.
Burns is now officialy on my sh*t list.
Freedom cuts both ways. That includes embracing the bashers right to bash the Fatboy.
Obviously Ken doesn't watch Moore's documentaries or doesn't care.
Mikhal Moore is allowed to express his opion, but anyone that bashes him is not? How does that work?
Now there's a trifecta.
Only Burns could make jazz boring.Hey Ken, SDASTFU!
What? That's not happening? Then what's Kenny's point?
Those who disagree with Moore have the same right to free speech as Moore.
That's what we're doing...
This guy Moore is a big, fat, ugly schmuck.
Isn't it funny how the liberals are just for freedom of speech only when it is them having the freedom to slander like they do. When it is pointed out that Michael Moore is a radical who pushes lying propaganda and proven to be a liar they whine for people to stop the criticism! Ken Burns gave a speech to the graduates of Yale this yr. trashing President George W. Bush and the war. He's not exactly apolitical and unbiased. They are such losers shown to be fools.
I would disagree with Burns. I don't think Moore has "...abiding sympathy for the working man." ... at least the American working man. I think he thinks the American working man is stupid and gullible. And why wouldn't he think that? Look at the ease with which he has been able to promote his propaganda as fact. However, that's my opinion and I'd appreciate it if MY opinions weren't stereotyped by the author of this article as "right wing carping".
And that's exactly what we're doing, Kenny.
I think you missed Burns' point. "You're supposed to be able to stand up here...". The "here" is the high ground of the documentarian. The peanut gallary is supposed to keep their mouths shut, especially when talking about their betters like Michael Moore.
I remember Burns' East Coast-centric baseball documentary. Someone said afterwards "maybe PBS can now do a documentary about baseball in cities other than New York and Boston".
...Burns told a story about meeting Moore two years ago at a film festival where they were joined by European filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog sized up all three documentarians this way: He was after the estatic truth, Burns went for emotional truth and Moore was after physical truth. "Just look how he puts his big belly right up on the screen," Herzog said of Moore.
What kinda horse spit is that? "Physical truth" means that Moore isn't ashamed of his girth rather than making sure that his film tells what actually has happened?
Ken Burns' just sacrificed his own credibility to defend Michael Moore. Incredible.
That's a shame. I used to respect Burns. But now, I know that to him "truth" is flexible, bendible. I don't deal with people who think that they are entitled to their own "truth."
Ed Harris! That weenie had to surrender his nutsack to his ol lady YEARS AGO!
Everything since then has been a pale imitation.
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