Bowling for Columbine 「ボウリング・フォー・コロンバイン」

2003年 9月 04日
作者: Andrew "Nick" Nichols
カテゴリー:

カンヌ映画記念特別賞受賞作品
2002年カナダ・アメリカ・ドイツ作品
監督、脚本:マイケル・ムーア
出演者:マイケル・ムーア 、チャールトン・ヘストン 、マリリン・マンソン 、マット・ストーン 、ジョージ・ブッシュ
1999年全米を震撼させた コロラド州のコロンバイン高校での生徒2人による乱射事件を扱った、衝撃的なドキュメンタリー作品。 アメリカの銃社会の愚かさを辛辣に検証した必見の作品。

Motivated by questions arising from the tragic murders and suicides of fourteen students and staff at Columbine High School in April 1999, Michael Moore sets out on a personal exploration to examine the root causes. He begins his documentary with a very clear idea that easy access to weapons is the chief cause of the tragic deaths that resulted there, and in too many other locations in his country. It seems an obvious connection for anyone. He cites many statistics from industrialized countries around the world that leaves most people stunned; gun deaths in the U.S. outnumber even the highest level in other countries by more than twenty times. Banks giving away free guns with every new account opening, gun fairs with minimal safety checks held throughout the country and limp educational programs from the National Rifle Association (NRA) are all called in to support his initial argument. When Moore looks abroad to Canada to find a counterpoint to his viewpoint, he comes across some conflicting ideas.

It’s here that Moore starts to learn there are far more sinister factors at play in his own country: a society built on the violent frontier spirit, a society with an inadequate social security net, the enormous divide between rich and poor, semi-forced labor programs, in addition to the ready availability of guns are all factors he questions. Interviewing relatives of the Oklahoma City bombers, fellow bowling club students of the Columbine perpetrators, militiamen and gun club enthusiasts leaves Moore with the question that becomes the film’s tag-line: Are we a nation of gun nuts or are we just nuts?

Moore is an Everyman, one of us, and moves freely from one idea to another in ways many of us can relate to. He doesn’t doggedly stick to his opening thesis but moves his film in directions his own mind follows. Having the documentary maker dictate the story, rather than the other way around is evidence of Moore’s personal commitment to his beliefs, making himself, and thereby us, crucial to the film’s conclusions. This passion can lead to enlightening scenes, such as when he follows his gut feelings and confronts Charlton Heston, then President of the NRA, in his own home. This is the most telling scene of the movie and in a few minutes clarifies many of the fundamental concerns manifesting themselves in gun death tragedies anywhere: racism, social inequality, paranoia and dogged adherence to outdated laws.

A sobering movie and highly recommended for all.