Michael Moore's documentary "Bowling for Columbine," remains the most-talked
about film on the Croisette, the Cannes beachfront avenue of movie deals and
wannabes. United Artists picked it up for U.S. distribution in a seven-figure
deal rumored to be as high as $3 million, the largest ever for a theatrical
documentary. We will have to wait however until 2003 to see it. Interviews
include one with Marilyn Manson, who is brilliant but without Charlton Heston
former President of the American Rifle Association who although contacted would
never would have allowed Moore to go anywhere near him. But why would Moore want
someone who has criticized gays and lesbians, women and trivialized the Holocaust
when he got Manson. "Bowling for Columbine" is the first doc to play in
competition at Cannes in 46 years. Moore said he hadn't originally submitted this
film as a competition film. On the festival website, the competition application
even said, No Documentaries," said Moore. "And you know me, I always go by the
rules. Except this time, I really did, and just submitted it hoping for a special
screening. They called me with the news that it was in competition on the morning
of my birthday."

"Europeans are afraid that they're turning into us.
Now, with tragedies like the high school shootings
in Germany a few months ago, they have the same
shootings; and if they don't do anything about
it,the problem is going to get worse." Moore
proclaimed that the main point of George
Orwell's "1984" was that the leaders kept
the population in a state of fear, never
knowing when the shoe was going to drop
in terms of global violence and war. A state
of paranoia bred by the public media insures
that gun sales are a given. He joked to the
audience about how George Bush,in Paris at the
same time as Cannes might learn something from
his film.

This is Moira Sullivan for Movie Magazine International, On Line Anywhere Anytime

© 2002 - Moira Sullivan - Air Date: 06/02