Product Details

• Actors: Michael Caldwell, Dick Cheney, Dick Clark, Bill Clinton, Byron Dorgan
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: August 19, 2003
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,127 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008DDVV
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #4,070 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Documentary > Politics

• For more information about "Bowling for Columbine" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Michael Moore's superb documentary (following in the footsteps of Roger & Me and The Big One) tackles a meaty subject: gun control. Moore skillfully lays out arguments surrounding the issue and short-circuits them all, leaving one impossible question: why do Americans kill each other more often than people in any other democratic nation? Moore focuses his quest around the shootings at Columbine High School and the shooting of one 6-year-old by another near his own hometown of Flint, Michigan. By approaching the headquarters of K-Mart (where the Columbine shooters bought their ammo) and going to Charlton Heston's own home, Moore demands accountability from the forces that support unrestricted gun sales in the U.S. His arguments are conducted with the humor and empathy that have made Moore more than just a gadfly; he's become a genuine voice of reason in a world driven by fear and greed. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore (Roger & Me) takes aim at America's love affair with guns and violence in this Oscar(r)-winning* film that "demands attention" (People)! Mixing riveting footage, hilarious animation and candid interviews with everyone from the NRA's Charlton Heston to shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, Bowling for Columbine is a "brilliant" (The Hollywood Reporter) tour de force of filmmaking. *2002: Documentary Feature

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

782 of 962 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, and not as dangerous as its opponents think, June 18, 2003

By	Robert Glidden (Cromwell, CT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bowling for Columbine (DVD)

I'll be fair first. I don't always like Michael Moore. While some of Stupid White Men made me laugh, other parts were offensive to me, particularly a chapter devoted to his own foriegn policy "ideas." His next film is going to be called Farenheit 911, and he's said that he's determined to release it in October 2004, right before the election. I'm not a fan of Bush, but I worry it may be hard to sit through a movie that was created entirely to slander someone.

That's why I like Bowling for Columbine, because I sense honest intentions behind it. Moore comes from Flint, Michigan, a place where a little girl was shot by her classmate shortly before Bowling for Columbine was shot. He's sad to see these happening to our nation's children, and he wants to know why. The most valuable part of this film, at least in my opinion, is how it systematically refutes "explanations" for gun violence.

-Charlton Heston blames it on a "mixed ethnicity," but Moore claims Canada had an even bigger mix, complete with a lower crime rate.

-Violent video games? Japan has much more violent games than we do, and their homicide rate is much lower as well.

-Violent history? Germany was once home to the Nazi party, and they have a lower rate than us.

One possibility he raises that I always found very reasonable was the description of enormous high school prssure that was discussed in his interview with Matt Stone. Kids are cruel to each other growing up, and I think the reason those Columbine kids snapped was because of years and years of teasing by their classmates.

Conservatives seem very intimidated by Bowling for Columbine, I'm not sure why. It doesn't seem so dangerous to me. Do you think that a movie would be enough to ever change the policy of the president? Anyone who heard the "with us or with the terrorists" speech should know the answer to that. But then again, some of these people who flip out over the Dixie Chicks or Tim Robbins stating their opinions never seem to be able to grasp that these isolated incidents of free speech are pretty harmless.

Moore is often called an Anti-American, which is a term I think is overused and rarely appropriate. Osama Bin Laden is an Anti-American. Moore would not like to see American destroyed, he would like to be a place with less violent deaths and discontent citizens. Moore doesn't hate America, he loves America. The free speech he's grown up with has given him the opportunity to write his books and make his movies. He is certainly anti-Bush, but why should that make someone anti-American? I'm sure plenty of conservatives were anti-Clinton or anti-Carter of anti-Kennedy, but I would never call them anti-Americans. Our real enemies are people who would destroy crowded buildings in NYC, not people who voted for Gore.

Yet, despite all this, the attacks on Moore's film are often totally vicious and off-base. A disturbing number of the reviews on this site, and many others, attack his weight more often than they attack the film. Yes, Moore is fat but so is Rush Limbaugh for God's sake.

Now, as for the allegations that Moore has fabricated some of the events in this film, I'm not sure exactly how to address all of them. Did he take Charlton Heston's "From my cold dead hands" speech totally out of context? Yes, he might have. But the thing is, this happens ALL THE TIME. Doesn't make it right, but it does happen. The Dixie Chicks said they were ashamed Bush was from Texas, you hardly ever read about the apology they issued shortly afterward. Critics of Bowling for Columbine only cite parts of it to try and dismiss the whole movie as meritless, and that's the same thing. And also, do these people really think that Rush Limbaugh and people over at Fox News always present clear and fair arguments about their politics? I don't think so.
Bowling for Columbine may not be entirely true, and it's advisable for a viewer to keep an open mind and swallow everything so easily. But it is a brilliantly constructed polemic, engrossing to watch and certainly relevant. No matter what your politics, you'll think on the issues raised here after seeing the movie, and that's admirable in itself.

Bowling for Columbine is a movie, and like all art it is certainly subjective. Those out there who are afraid of the left wing having a chance to speak out? Don't be. The war in Iraq still happened despite vocal objections from many Americans, so what do you have to worry about? People (and don't call us anti-Americans) who are disillusioned with the state of the country, disillusioned by the constant violence going on here, disillusioned by lies and the manipulation of media, may find some brief solace in a movie like this. Is that so wrong? I think this is Michael Moore's best work, because it concerns all of us. I can give this film nothing less than my highest recommendation.

84 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Movie, April 14, 2003

By	"dalexnyc" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bowling for Columbine (DVD)

I have taken 4 friends to see this movie. I have even seen this movie while I was in Montreal to see what the Canadian reaction would be. I must say, I was embarrassed to be an American after watching this movie. I then thought of all the things I should be doing to make this place a better place to live. In other words, this is a thought provoking movie that is truly provocative.

You will see Charles Heston wring his hands in nervousness after he says, "We don't want any more of that civil rights business going on again", or "the reason America is violent is because of all the mixed ethnicities." What an idiot.

And that is just what Michael Moore does, he shows people and the government in their natural element speaking freely, and shows us how insane they are and sound. From George Bush proclaiming that our number one priority should be defense spending when people all over the country are out of work and children are living in poverty without parent supervision, to the crackpot rednecks who are buying more "guns and ammo" because they want to protect themselves from the "evil doers." It's this candid honesty of Moore's subjects that makes us look inward to how this country gone astray. Then Moore tries to explain this with his amazing short animation movie "A Brief History of the United States of America." Although he simplifies everything, and it is truly brief, it hits home and is certainly eye opening.

Moore tries to explain the question of why America is so violent. Why we are the unique country in the world that kills people with guns on the astronomical level that the United States does. He offers a lot of options to this answer, but ultimately, he leaves the question open for the viewer to search out within him/herself for the answer and make change.

A truly great achievement and I can't wait till his next film that is due out 2 months before the election that will no doubt, open up people's eyes to the corrupt and blood thirsty administration that occupies the White House.

Bravo Mr. Moore! Bravo!

81 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First look at "Bowling For Columbine", September 8, 2002

By	Gavin Whitehead (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews

I just got back from seeing this film at the Toronto International Film Festival and I am stunned at how good and powerful this film is. Michael Moore attended the screening that I saw and he did a little talk before and after the film which gave it some nice perspective. It does paint an inacurate (in a good way) picture of Canada as a crime free utopia but during his talks Mr. Moore mentioned that it was done by an American, for Americans and it is meant to be a bitter pill for THEM to swallow, being a Canadian I could appreciate what he was doing despite the inacurate depiction of my home. This film gives you an odd feeling, at one time you are laughing at how funny it is, then you are on the brink of tears at the sorrow and shock you receive while watching actual Columbine High School security footage, when you see the children run and the two murderers walk in it sends shivers down your spine. This is perhaps one of Moores best works and very poiniant at a time like this.
The title itself is quite clever but a little misleading, the focus of the film is Columbine but it also covers school shootings in general as well as the state of America when it comes to gun control and even foriegn policy in regards to 09/11/01.
It opens in theatres in the states on the 11th of Oct. and Mr. Moore commented that he is pleased it opened at the TIFF first as it got a very warm reception with the mostly Canadian audience and he is concerned/interested in seeing how Americans tolerate this work.
A modern masterpiece that is highly recommended.