Fahrenheit 9/11

Even before its theatrical release, Fahrenheit 9/11 was poised to be the most important and provocative film of the year (Passion Of The who?) and it has more than lived up to the hype. Its arrival on DVD also has a story of its own, as director Michael Moore rushed its home video release in hopes of rallying U.S. voters into evicting George W. Bush from the White House on November 2. In fact, Moore's been doing all he can to ensure that his film's moral (the White House-stealing Bush administration has hurt America and must go) is contemplated by as many Americans as possible. The thread is woven tighter on the special features that accompany the DVD. Other than the compilation of footage chronicling the hullabaloo that was 9/11's initial release and a few extended scenes, Moore is a non-presence in these featurettes. Instead, the film's producers create most of the stunning short films here that attempt to contextualise Bush's folly in invading Iraq. Normalising short films like The People of Iraq on the Eve of Destruction and Outside Abu Ghraib Prison each humanise the suffering caused by the U.S.-led attacks, while a touching speech at 9/11's premiere in DC by Lila Lipscomb, one of the film's prominent subjects, will also bring things home for U.S. viewers. Things get intentionally funny in a piece about the experiences of Arab-American stand-up comedians since 9/11, and laughable with an excerpt from Condoleeza Rice's damning public testimony before the 9/11 Commission. By the time one reaches Dubya's nonsensical summary of his own private meeting with Commission members, it becomes clear why Moore and other concerned Americans are so fired up about this crucial election. Plus: featurettes, more. (Alliance Atlantis)