Bashing burns Ken (Defends Michael Moore)

Toronto Sun ^ | July 9, 2004 | Bill Brioux

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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.

[gunnygail]

I'm eagerly waiting for part two if the Civil War, the RIGHT against the pacifist LONNEY LEFT...should be fun. I mean, it sucks shooting unarmed people but DAMMIT! someone has to do it!

[gunnygail]

sorry, that should read LOONEY LEFT!

[MplsSteve]

Fellow documentarian?!

What is the "fellow documentarian" crap?!

There's a million light years worth of difference between Ken Burns and Michael Moore.

I wish the media would stop calling Fahrenheit 911 a documentary. It's anything BUT a documentary.

[dirtboy]

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.' "

But apparently, we're not allowed to do the same in return. Go suck cheese, Burns.

[vbmoneyspender]

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.

Moore has sympathy for working men -- the problem is that the sympathy is for the working men of Al Qaeda.

[Wondervixen]

If Ken Burns had done HIS Documentaries the same way lazy assed Moore does his, we'd have been hearing how Yosemite Sam won the Battle of Gettysburg for the USWA and how Roy Hobbs was the greatest baseball player of all time!

He should be DISTANCING HIMSELF from the jerkface just on accuracy alone!

[4everontheRight]

Burns is too tied to PBS...the Proven Bull $hit network. Once the gay guy came out on the last reality show they had, I was done with PBS. These people need to do a little more research on their history...ever hear of the Mayflower Compact???

[j_tull]

. "You're supposed to be able to stand up here and say, 'This guy is a schmuck.' "

Unless, of course, you're saying my butt-buddy is a schmuck, then it's "Hate Speech."

[Dilbert56]

This is not about Michael Moore's opinions. It's about a pile of lies. There are a lot of Bush bashers who contend even if Moore's movies have errors, they raise "important issues" that we should discuss. Bullshit. You don't have serious discussions about lies. That's like saying we need to discuss why the CIA had JFK killed. Or it's an important issue that FDR deliberately permitted the IJN to attack Pearl Harbor.

• Moore believes, and has said publicly, that the American people are both stupid and ignorant.
• He depends on this, knowing the American public will buy tickets to his CF in the first few weeks it's out.
• His movie is a pile of lies. The Saudis did not "give" the Carlyle Group $1.4B. The bought services from a subsidiary that was divested before GHWB even joined the Board. The clip of the President golfing was a lie. He wasn't referring to the 9/11 conspirators, he was talking about PLO terrorists who killed Israelies. And on and on.
• By the time all the lies are exposed, the movie's already made millions.
• He's laughing all the way to the hot dog stand having proven his assertions about the American public.

[Paleo Conservative]

h. With a $70-million U.S. box office and counting, Moore claims Fahrenheit is already the most successful documentary of all time.

Of course, that depends one what the meaning of "documentary" is.

[The Scourge of Yazid]

"Joe" as played by Peter Boyle, to Ken Burns:

GET A HAIRCUT, YA FRIGGIN' HIPPIE BUM!

[The Scourge of Yazid]

Don't worry.

As captivating as the Jack Johnson story is, I'm sure that Ken Burns will find a way to make it interminably boring.

If he can't do it, no one can.

[steve-b]

There are a lot of Bush bashers who contend even if Moore's movies have errors, they raise "important issues" that we should discuss.

Simple Consistency Check: See how many of them agree that, even if the The Clinton Chronicles had "errors", it nevertheless raises "important issues" that we should discuss.

[Sunshine Sister]

You and me both. I like Burn's work, but from now on he is persona non grata in my book.

[The Scourge of Yazid]

Oh man, now you've gone and done it!

You've united the disparate coalitions of baseball fans living in both Boston and New York.

Now, you'll have to deal with twice the sheer arrogance and obnoxiousness.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[rmgatto]

Ken Burns has a real talent for playing music while showing still photographs and interviews with academics. His documentaries prove that even the most interesting history doesn't have to be dynamic or interesting. That said, I am suprised that he considers F911 to be a documentary and not propaganda.

[The Scourge of Yazid]

HA-HA!

I'll be sure to use that analogy during my next encounter with the species liberalis maximus.

A rare breed known only to circulate within the environs of the Upper West Side, Chelsea, and Park Slope.

They also happen to be very big fans of Michael Moore's oeuvre.

[Badeye]

I own Burn's Civil War series, have since it first became available ($140 at the time, in VHS). Its one of the great works on the topic specifically, and is fact based.

Moore's work is not "documentary" its pure unabashed socialist propaganda. Farenheit 9/11 is our generations "Triumph of Will"....only not as well done.

I feel sorry for Burns, to be honest. He will never reach the heights he attained a decade ago, and I think its beginning to bother him.

[Sunshine Sister]

Welcome to Free Republic!!!!

[Sunshine Sister]

Welcome to FR!!!!!