When did Moore contact Lila Lipscomb?

[vi5]

I saw this mentioned subtly in one review but it says that Moore contacted Lila Lipscomb after hearing that her son had died. How is that even possible. Weren't most of those interviews from before he died even? Or was that some of the "clever editing" that they accuse him of?

My impression was that the earlier stuff of him interviewing her at work and then in her kitchen, were when her son was over there and the latter stuff was after he died.

[Caution]

1. that may have been the impression

and was probably done purposefully, but i dont believe there was ever any mention of her son or iraq in the footage of her at work, that was just to set background on her.

[Claire Beth]

2. it was all done after his death....

just proves what a great movie maker he is.

[vi5]

4. Well, I don't personally care but it does lend creedence...

that he sets things up a particularly manipulative way. Again, I have no problem with it. It was super effective. But if he purposely put the more composed shots of her first and then the rest of the more emotional, angry stuff afterwards then it was very creative editing.

Like I said, more power to him and it was a great effect. But I'm trying to anticipate any comments or ammunition from the other side.

[htuttle]

7. There's a word for that in the movie business

It's called 'being a Director'. :shrug:

[LTR]

8. She had full approval rights of her appearance in the film

And she proudly supports the film and has seen it several times.

Has very nice things to say about Moore.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-28-fahrenheit-lipscomb_x.htm

[KoKo]

14. He showed her in her connection to Flint, Mich, and how the job losses

had devasted the town which was the scene of his first documentary and gets us drawn into knowing her and how she lives with placing the flag and in her home surroundings, then leads us through her other connections, her son and then the rest of her family. It's brilliant because he isn't just showing a "grieving mother" but a working woman in a town with huge unemployment who had both a son and daughter who served in the military. Then you discover that she has an inter-racial marriage and a large family.

It's getting to know the hard working diverse Americans who are sacrificing their kids in this War based on Lies.

Starting out seeing her as an individual and then following through how she fits into her sourrounding and then her losing her son involves the viewer in a way that one doesn't see much in the Cable/Network stuff these days which mostly shows folks crying or stoic over the loss of their sons and daughters.

.

[tomreedtoon]

11. She was interviewed today...

From USA Today from today...
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-28-fahrenheit-lipscomb_x.htm
-------------
Although Lipscomb and her husband, Howard, are both longtime Flint residents, they knew little of Moore, who was raised in nearby Davison and had made Flint a focal point in 1989's Roger & Me and 2002's Bowling for Columbine. A Moore staffer contacted Lipscomb after learning of her son's death.

Though Moore has a reputation for being manipulative, Lipscomb says he made sure that she would not be offended by her scenes in the film, offering to remove anything she found troubling.

-----------

If Moore had manipulated Mrs. Lipscomb, it would have raised a firestorm of criticism. The question is whether the right wing will claim she was betrayed by Moore, or whether they will insult her and call her a "wimp" for mourning her son. (In the case of O'Reily, I think the latter is a possibility.)

[porphyrian]

3. I'm Sure The Reviewer...

...who, despite allegations of schizophrenia and sexual assault, is probably a decent person, is in no way trying to get a false rumor started.

[LTR]

5. I heard it was through a support group for military moms

All was done after her son's death.

Turns out she is an employment counselor in Flint, and that added another interesting angle to the whole thing.

I'm sure reminiscing about her son brought back some tears and grief.

[Mandate My Ass]

6. Someone said earlier

he met her thru the group MIlitary Families Speak Out, if IIRC.

[IrateCitizen]

9. You are correct, Monica. Lila is a member of MFSO.

MFSO sent out a notice to all members of its listserv prior to the movie, alerting people to this fact.

[Mandate My Ass]

12. Thanks!

I'm so glad to hear that. The memory is the first thing to go. :D

Also, I'm certain he wouldn't callously cash in on someone's grief. I wish him and his movie continued success.

[JDPriestly]

10. After death

I watched carefully. I did not feel that Moore misrepresented this. It seemed obvious to me that she was approached after her son's death.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

13. I agree

It seemed obvious to me too. Nothing made me think that he had interviewed her at an earlier time.

[aden_nak]

15. What manipulation?

I was never under the impression that he contacted Lipscomb before her son died. In fact, I thought it was clear that the reason he was interviewing her was BECAUSE her son had died in combat. The footage he showed before addressing her son's death was to explain the position that she and her family had about the military up until Iraq shifted their opinions.