Michael Moore’s new doc “Michael Moore’s Slacker Uprising,” chronicling his efforts to oust President Bush in 2004 with his get-out-the-vote tour will be available on the internet for free at the end of the month. The trailer can be viewed above.
The film, which its makers say had a budget of “over $2 million,” will be available as a digital download as well as a DVD, distributed by Brave New Films, which has pioneered a new activism-centered doc-making approach, often relying on donors to fund its politically progressive efforts.
“This is being done entirely as a gift to my fans,” says Moore, who does not plan to profit from the film’s DVD sales. “The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November. I think ‘Slacker Uprising’ will inspire millions to get off the couch and give voting a chance.”
It’s a novel distribution approach, and one has to ask, will it be worth it? Certainly not monetarily since nobody stands to profit, but from the outset, profit wasn’t the goal it seems (getting out the youth vote was, and it’s a laudable one). Moore, who is sometimes criticized for being narcissistic, may also get some criticism for making a film about his own tour four years ago, whose current relevancy some may question.
Still, it’ll be interesting to see how well done it is (and how well it does). Check the film’s website to watch it for free on September 23rd.
I can see why this movie is free. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad movie, but its basically a concert film of sorts following Moore around the country saying the same thing over and over again. It’s interesting and makes Moore seem reasonable for the most part, but he needs to be making this movie for Obama, not Kerry or Gore.