Re: dem primary

["Peter T. Chattaway" <petert@interchange.ubc.ca>]

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004, Melanie Shannon wrote:
> the problem is you're getting a bit over-analytical.

Oh, I have not yet begun to analyze!  :)  But the problem, as I see it, is
that you haven't either -- that is, you are under-analytical.  Like a lot
of people, you seem to have a very narrow definition of "documentary" that
doesn't actually reflect the broad range of films that fall under that
category, so while I have zero interest in defending Michael Moore as a
person or a filmmaker, I do want to put him in his proper context.

And yes, that context is "documentary".  But I don't think I can even
begin to defend that assertion until we clear up this notion you have that
"cinema verite" is somehow a "different beast" from "documentary".  
Michael Moore is definitely *not* "cinema verite", as the term has been
used and defined, but if we do not accept "cinema verite" as a form of
documentary, then obviously we will not be able to accept filmmakers like
Moore who go *beyond* "cinema verite" as documentarians either.

And since you are the first person in all my living experience who has
ever challenged the definition of "cinema verite" as a form of
documentary, I'm afraid the ball is back in your court.

> but a piece that is edited to the director's bias, includes unlabeled
> re-shoots, and misleading conversational cuts simply does not deserve
> the title 'documentary.'

We can call it a *bad* documentary, and we can explain why, certainly, but
a documentary it remains.  As you say, it is what it is.

BTW, if a film like _Nanook of the North_ features obviously staged scenes
such as the one in which the family goes to bed but never *calls* those
scenes staged, is it, too, no longer a "documentary"?

> i work in the film industry, ranging from commercial to film to yes,
> documentary.

And you never have these discussions there?  Bizarre.

--- Peter T. Chattaway --------------------------- peter@chattaway.com ---
Nothing tells memories from ordinary moments; only afterwards do they
   claim remembrance, on account of their scars. -- Chris Marker, La Jetee

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