Customer Reviews

The Fire Next Time

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is included as part of Docurama's first "Film Festival" set and is an excellent example of a new documentarian doing an excellent job capturing both sides of an argument about land use. Even better, the real "fire" of the events is unanticipated by filmmaker Patrice O'Neill and caught her as off-guard as it will catch viewers.

I showed this in portion of a college class focusing on social conflict. My university is in the Eastern US; the issues around timber, government agencies, environment, and Western attitudes toward government were new and interesting to my students. The negative impact of one person who wants attention and drama might be one of the most interesting aspects of the story (the talk-radio owner/host).

My only quarrel with the film is that it is very slow and thus over-long. For me, teaching a MWF course, it requires two class periods to show and discuss, and some of the time spent viewing is spent watching scenic-calendar shots combined with boring music. It would be better if edited to <60 minutes. I haven't decided if I'll use it again.

I use this film in my environmental policy class because it vividly demonstrates that no matter how enlightened a policy may seem at the state or federal level, it's ultimate success depends upon how real people in real places respond to it. The film also shows how so many of our most pressing environmental (and other) issues must rely on the willingness of people to overcome their perceived differences and work together for the common good.