The reel deal
Michael Moore, political documentary and the discourse of celebrity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5675154 |
|---|---|
| Authors | J Scott Oberacker (0000-0003-4856-4983, Roger Williams University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2010 |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 170-188 |
| Publication date | 2010-07-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Celebrity Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1939-2397 • E-ISSN: 1939-2400 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19392397.2010.482279 |
| OpenAlex | W2069786236 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
While Michael Moore has been credited with transforming the look and feel of the contemporary documentary film, perhaps his most indelible effect has been upon the popular image of the contemporary documentarian. From his debut as a jovial, anti-corporate rabble-rouser in 1989, to his infamous Oscar speech in 2003, to his public attempt to sway the 2004 presidential election, Moore has transformed the role of documentarian from ‘fly-on-the-wall’ observer to highly visible celebrity; but while this celebrity-status has won Moore a large, loyal audience, it has also undermined his legitimacy as a ‘working-class’ filmmaker and political analyst. This essay analyses three ways in which popular discursive understandings of ‘celebrity’ have worked to undermine Moore's political goals: by re-framing Moore's structural critique of the economic system within narratives of individual success; by transforming his image from working-class activist into that of audacious celebrity provocateur; and by re‐articulating his working-class background as a hypocritical ‘pose’. Taking Moore as a case study, this essay seeks to illustrate the tensions that exist between the progressive goals of political documentary and the ideological contours of contemporary celebrity discourse
Aesthetics · Art · Film director · Ideology · Legitimacy · Literature · Media studies · Movie theater · Narrative · Political science · Politics · Presidential system · Reel · Sociology · Visual arts · Cinema and Media Studies · Gender, Feminism, and Media · History · Law · Media Studies and Communication
Right-wing populism in America
The populist persuasion
The media monopoly
Claims to Fame
Stars
Interpreting Films
Whole World Is Watching
Rich Media, Poor Democracy
Understanding Celebrity
The assembly line of greatness
‘Fictional’ and ‘Non-fictional’ television celebrates earth day
From Hard Hats to the Nascar Dads
News Cultures and New Social Movements
Heavenly bodies
When Is a Documentary
What’s Good for UPS is Good for America
Framing Brokeback Mountain
The Whole World Is Watching
Manufacturing consent
The Challenge of Cultural Elites
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,33 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |