Tim Almond

You can’t seem to move for another documentary movie appearing at the cinema. The new kid on the block is Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, following films like Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 and SuperSize Me. There’s also an Enron movie doing the rounds.

The rise of these films has been something of a success, drawing decent audiences for movies shot on low budget. I presume that the rise of DV has allowed these to be created, in a way that film could not.

What strikes me about these films is that whilst they have had some considerable success in terms of audience numbers, do they achieve anything? Or are they just preaching to the converted? Of the people who went to see Fahrenheit 9/11, how many were right-wing, or centrist middle-Americans?

These are not films that are getting much of an airing in multiplex cinemas, and when they go to TV, they are being shown on channels like More4, which is catering to people who are already politically aware, the sort of people who already shun McDonalds.

It’s always puzzling how people who make films like these, as well as filmmakers like Ken Loach are feted as makers of great political films, when they manage to make little impact on the political landscape. I’m struggling to think of any filmmaker in recent times who has made a successful, mainstream political film that has made any impact.

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Tags: Ideas //