How to watch Bowling for Columbine - what’s it about and who’s in it?
US firearms legislation and the tragic shooting at Columbine High School are the focus of this hit Michael Moore documentary
It was dubbed a “word-of-mouth box office smash” by The Guardian shortly after its 2002 release. And sadly, the Oscar-winning Michael Moore documentary about the Columbine High School shooting, Bowling for Columbine, is as relevant today as ever as the USA’s turbulent relationship with firearms continues to make headlines.
Where can I watch Bowling for Columbine?
Bowling for Columbine is available on Amazon Prime Video and on DVD.
What is Bowling for Columbine about?
The infamous 1999 shooting at Columbine High School has become a tragic page in modern American history. Michael Moore addresses the horror of the event itself and contemplates the root causes of the shooter’s actions. The two shooters, both senior students at the school, born 1981, killed 13 people and wounded 24 more. They committed suicide in the school library where they had killed 10 of their victims.
Michael Moore is a prolific US documentary maker. He’s shown himself, on multiple occasions, to be willing to take on tough social issues and Bowling for Columbine does just that, in discussing the environment that brought about the horrific Columbine school shooting.
The documentary was a Cannes award winner but left critics divided, some opining that Moore had failed to clearly articulate his views on America’s gun control situation, despite discussing the horrors of the Columbine shooting.
Who is in Bowling for Columbine?
Michael Moore takes the lead, as is typically the case in his unorthodox, investigative documentaries. The documentary also features an interview with veteran Hollywood star Charlton Heston, who has been a vocal supporter of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and, at time of filming, was the NRA President.
How long is Bowling for Columbine?
Bowling for Columbine is two hours long.
What does Bowling for Columbine mean?
Bowling crops up throughout the film. Firstly, the perpetrators, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, had been 10-pin-bowling the morning before the shooting. The bowling session was a class organised by the school in place of physical education. Secondly, Moore makes reference to militia groups using bowling pins as target practice.
