Scroll down for descriptions of other upcoming documentaries
In the past few weeks the world has seen the release of a plethera of new movies, a handover of sovereign power in Iraq and, of course, the all-important "Spider-Man" sequel. Perhaps it's time to check the temperature again on "Fahrenheit 9/11?" Still hot. With a number of documentaries hitting theaters nationwide, critics, politicians and viewers alike are trying to understand the complexities of what's going on in the documentary filmmaking field.
A multitude of documentaries, varying as widely in style as they have in subject matter, have been released in the past few years. The volumes of quality footage that have been shot and delivered to the silver screen have been nothing short of phenomenal: "Capturing the Friedmans," "Fog of War," "Super Size Me," "Spellbound" and, of course, the two movies that stand out for reasons never truly unanimously agreed upon, "Bowling For Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Documentaries are becoming increasingly more popular and AU junior and film student Pierre Farinole cites technology as a major reason.
"It's just like reality TV - digital video is incredibly cheap to shoot and you capture genuine reflections of what it means to be human," Farinole said. "Reality TV, like documentary, does it by showing you things you don't necessarily agree with. Digital has just made it much easier for filmmakers because they don't have to be hired by a multi-national corporation with interests in controlling media to make a good movie."
Never has a documentary film done so well, but now, films like"Fahrenheit 9/11" are not competing just within the genre. The public is still talking about "Fahrenheit 9/11." Despite the presence of the blockbuster behemoth, "Spider-Man 2," "Fahrenheit" has done phenominally, grossing $21.8 million in the superhero sequel's opening weekend, where any other movie would've been pummeled into submission by the web-slinger.
While $21.8 million seems a fary cry compared to the $115.8 million opening of "Spider-Man 2," "Kill Bill" made a similar figure, $25 million, over its opening weekend. "Fahrenheit" played on only 868 screens, compared to the 4,152 that showed "Spider-Man 2," according to the Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com.
The success "Fahrenheit" doesn't just benefit documentary-makers, either. For instance, interns of the Democratic National Committee can be seen drumming up support for their cause, now being billed as "Beat Bush," outside the E Street Cinema, located near Metro Center. The interns couldn't comment due to contractual obligations, but let's face it, they aren't beating around the Bush here. Their task is raising money for the Democrats and encouraging people to vote. They can be seen some Fridays, scoping out the crowds in line to see "Fahrenheit 9/11."
There are many different theories as to why documentaries have recently become popular and been able to compete with mainstream Hollywood film. Devon Sanders of Beyond Comics in Georgetown says that the escapism of big budget movies like the comic book fantasy of "Spider-Man 2." isn't as appealing as it used to be because it's so pervasive.
"People would rather see something authentic since authenticity is a rarity these days," he said.
Paul Gordon, a retired Marine, with one child enrolled in AU and another who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq, believes that, at least from a military perspective, this new wave of truth is a good thing.
"The military always advocated truth because it creates confidence in the system," Gordon said. "This is a nation of civilian sovereignty and it is not in the military's agenda to suppress truth."
Maybe next summer when the sci-fi action movie "Fantastic Four" debuts and the "Batman" franchise returns, the flood of documentaries will be a thing of the past and audiences will cycle back into big-budget, low-credibility blockbusters. But for now, the wave seems far from over.
More to Come By Daniel Longino
After the success of "Super Size Me" and "Fahrenheit 9/11," don't expect the trend of documentaries hitting theaters to slow down. Here are a few upcoming documentaries to watch for.
"Riding Giants" - July 16 From Stacy Peralta, the director of 2002's skateboarding documentary "Dogtown and Z-Boys," comes a new documentary about the history of surfing and its surrounding culture.
"The Corporation" - July 16 The concept and history of the corporation is the topic of this Canadian documentary that reunites "Fahrenheit 9/11" stars Michael Moore and President George W. Bush on screen (Moore is interviewed while Bush remains only in archive footage).
"Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" - July 30 Metallica get some serious therapy and luckily a camera crew the band hired to shoot footage to accompany their latest CD "St. Anger" was there to document the band at their most vulnerable moments. Metallica gave the crew unlimited access to their recording sessions and group therapy.
"The Yes Men" - October 1 Documentary about anti-corporate activists impersonating members of the World Trade Organization, a group that they vehemently oppose, ultimately proving that as long as you look and act professional, you can get away with anything.
"Michael Moore Hates America" - TBA Filmmaker Michael Wilson attempts to interview Michael Moore a la Moore's quest to interview Roger Smith the CEO of General Motors in Moore's debut "Roger and Me"
