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Preview by: Jack Foley
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: Director's commentary; Director interview;
Deleted scenes; UK Premier voxpops; Q&A with the McLibel Two;
Original theatrical trailer; McLibel trailer; A word with Phil
Lempert - Supermarket guru; Chewing The Fat Q&A.
DOCUMENTARY film-making is enjoying something of a boom period,
thanks to the critical praise heaped upon the likes of The
Fog of War, and the controversy surrounding such fare as Fahrenheit
9/11.
Falling into the latter category when it opens in the UK, on
September 10, is Super Size Me, a warts-and-all account of what
happens to the film’s director, Morgan Spurlock, when he
decided to eat nothing but McDonald’s food for a month,
during production of the film.
The decision to pursue the unhealthy diet - which saw Spurlock
balloon in weight, receive a warning from his doctor against persisting,
and all but lose interest in sex - was taken following a case
brought by a group of obese people, in America, who attempted
to sue the fast-food giant for not indicating that eating such
food could make them fact.
The case was thrown out, but Spurlock took it upon himself to
put McDonald’s to the test, and reaction to the film has
been so intense, that the restaurant was forced to launch its
own marketing campaign in an attempt to counter-act the negative
publicity.
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McDonald’s took out adverts
in five newspapers - The Guardian, The Times, The Herald, The
Independent and The Scotsman - saying its food should be eaten
as ‘part of a balanced diet’.
The adverts further read: "The film is slick, well made
and, yes, somewhat annoyingly, doesn't portray McDonald's in the
most favourable light. What we do agree with is its core argument
- that if you eat too much and do too little, it's bad for you.
What we don't agree with is the idea that eating at McDonald's
is bad for you."
Such advertising has given the documentary a new lease of life
ahead of its UK release, and led Spurlock to dismiss it as ‘laughable’
- although he did point out that McDonald’s actions served
as ‘a testament to the power of independent film-making’.
Speaking to ScreanDaily.com, Spurlock added: "It's fantastic
- we've created a film that makes a gigantic corporation examine
its business practices and every function.
"McDonald's love to act like they care about you - but they
only care about you if it is good for business."
Super Size Me, while just as controversial, in its own way, as
Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit
9/11, is also an awards winner.
Where Moore’s documentary triumphed at Cannes,
Spurlock won the best director award at the prestigious Sundance
Film Festival earlier this year.
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