THE ABSOLUTE DUEL

This entry is the third part of the section entitled "The Eternal Artist" in my essay "Yes, He Makes Movies", devoted to Mike's contribution to film. It deals with Mike as the heir of Frank Capra : a direct democrat.




(above : Mr Smith goes to Washington, only to non-meet the Multi-headed non-listening Hydra in Congress)


Like Capra, Mike chose direct democracy as his main strategy.

His work, in his movies as well as in his TV series, revolves around a very simple pattern :

He questions some person of great power or wealth whom he feels, knowingly or not, betrayed the public trust.

The chase, the fight, the showdown : these are the three steps and the Trinity to the Battle of Evermore between the Man of Art and the Man of Power.

And this Absolute Duel becomes even more absolute when the Artist infringes on the Politician’s prerogatives, to make himself heard, and WIN. And THIS is what The Moderate and Objective Enemy calls lying.

Ever since the Greek tragedies, artists have, from time to time, asked themselves how they might influence ongoing political events. It's a tricky question because two very different types of power are involved. Many theories of aesthetics and ethics revolve round this question. For those living under political tyrannies, art has frequently been a form of hidden resistance, and tyrants habitually look for ways to control art. All this, however, is in general terms and over a large terrain. Fahrenheit 9/11 is something different. It has succeeded in intervening in a political programme on the programme's own ground. For this to happen a convergence of factors were needed. The Cannes award and the misjudged attempt to prevent the film being distributed played a significant part in creating the event.

To point this out in no way implies that the film as such doesn't deserve the attention it is receiving. It's simply to remind ourselves that within the realm of the mass media, a breakthrough (a smashing down of the daily wall of lies and half-truths) is bound to be rare. And it is this rarity which has made the film exemplary. It is setting an example to millions - as if they'd been waiting for it.

John Berger

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/comment/story/0,14259,1289515,00.html



And THIS is how all the sugary lying of humor and satire leaves you burning with the Truth of a ferocious, lasting, and hopefully untameable ANGER…

Chaplin, again – NOT too serious, too honest Capra this time :

T: FAHRENHEIT 9/11 reminds me of the Charlie Chaplin movie "The Great Dictator". That movie was very much criticized at the time of its release. People said, "it's not a comedy; it's more like propaganda and it is very preachy." What do you think about Charlie Chaplin?

MICHAEL MOORE: Chaplin in America is remembered as the great comedian. But the other truth is, he was a great political force. He was a socialist and he used his comedy and his filmmaking always on the side of the little guy and against the rich man. It was always the Little Tramp against the boss, the Little Tramp against the policeman, the Little Tramp against the factory, right? That was his character, that's what he did. And he combined comedy with the tragedy. And people flocked to the cinema to see him. And he had a profound effect on the movies, on people, on politics and he became a danger to the point where he was threatened and couldn't get in the country because he was blacklisted. I don't have a favorite. I'm both of those people. In the famous insignia of comedy and tragedy, you know, the two masks, those Greek masks of comedy and tragedy? Well, that's what you see in my films. They're two sides of the same coin. Our best comedians have been the angriest people. Charlie Chaplin was an angry man. Richard Pryor was an angry man. George Carlin, I don't know if you know him, a comedian in the United States, is an angry man. Lenny Bruce, angry man. And they turned their anger into comedy, and then into a message to people. I hope people don't see me as just an angry guy, because I'm not just that. I'm all these other things too.

http://www.japattack.com/japattack/film/moore01.html



And when the anger is here, THEN the tragedy can happen.

Zola, this time – NOT too peaceful, too hopeful Capra :

He didn't call it "J'Accuse!" but he might as well have.

Like Emile Zola, whose celebrated 19th century open letter assailed the French government for being a party to intolerable injustice, Michael Moore in Fahrenheit 9/11 has launched an unapologetic attack, both savage and savvy, on an administration he feels has betrayed the best of America and done extensive
damage in the world.

http://www.fahrenheit911.com/about/press/view.php?id=5