Last week I asked who made the documentary This Divided State and how they made it so objective. The movie was directed by Steven Greenstreet and produced by Phil Gordon, Kristi Haycock and Steven Greenstreet. Greenstreet also edited the film. I think it was so objective because the cameramen were young people like students from local colleges including BYU. Also the way it was edited made it objective. It was not trying to promote either agenda, it was just showing the events that happened surrounding the decision to bring Michael Moore to USVC. It true that the movie did not have all 76 hours of raw footage which would have been truly non-biased, but the way it was edited didn't make me feel like the filmmakers were trying to sway me to one side of the debate. This Divided State showed the feelings and opinions of both sides and let the viewer decide who they agreed with. TDS was Greenstreet's feature debut. He dropped out of film school and quit his job to dedicate his time to making TDS. I tried to find information on Greenstreet himself and not just his career so I could know what his likely opinion was of the USVC debate. But there was nothing about his personal history on IMDb, Wikipedia, or even his personal website.
Steven Greenstreet, filmmaker
For the past two weeks in class we have been watching a movie called "The Way We Get By." It follows the story of three elderly people living in Bangor, Maine. Joan Gaudet, Bill Knight, and Jerry Mundy are all part of a volunteer organization called the Maine Troop Greeters. The Greeters go to Bangor International Airport where they say goodbye to or hello and thank you to members of the armed forces who are coming and going from the country. The provide snacks, cell phones, and company to those who are coming home from overseas. They greet every single flight that comes in and out, no matter what time of day it is. As of November 2008 the Maine Troop Greeters have greeted more than 5,000 flights and more than a million troops. Before and after watching the film we read articles that talked about the benefits of volunteerism. The parents of the Baby Boomer generation make up a vast percentage of our population, and they are all elderly now. They don't really have a place in society, because according to some they have outlived their usefulness. They are alienated and lonely. Many elderly live alone and have decreased mobility and social interaction. But volunteerism provides something for them to do. In addition to being beneficial for the community, volunteerism has health benefits as well. Those who volunteer have increased mobility and social interaction. For the elderly volunteering slows the pace of degenerative health conditions. It also has mental health benefits. Volunteers have improved ability to function in daily life and lower levels of depression later in life. The health impact of volunteerism increases with the amount of time spent volunteering.
I really enjoyed the movie. It provided a lot of insight to something I never knew was an issue. I didn't realize so many elderly Americans feel isolated and useless, but volunteering gives them a purpose. I guess I should have figured that elderly don't really do anything because they don't have anything to do, but I never realized that made them feel alienated. TWWGB was also really depressing at times and made me cry. Especially when Bill was talking about how he doesn't care about his life, but by volunteering he makes it mean something to someone else and that's where he finds his will to live. It was shocking how unsanitary his living conditions were and sad how creditors kept calling him because of his debt, yet he could do nothing about it. Eventually he was forced to sell his farm. I was also sad when Jerry's dog Mr. Flanagan died, because he kept talking about how he was his best friend and only companion. Joan's comment to her daughter about how she was a grown woman and be out after dark if she wanted to made me think about the role reversal of children and their parents as they age. When kids are young they parents are the ones always keeping up with them and their whereabouts; they set restrictions on where their kids can be and when. But as parents and their children age, kids are more concerned about where their parents are at all times and the parents are less concerned. I think its because children and the elderly are not capable of everything, and the person who is neither the child nor elderly person has to be concerned about the person who is.
The Way We Get By reminded me of volunteer EMS and firefighters. Like the Greeters they don't get paid for their work, but volunteer their free time to helping others. Their time spent volunteering greatly effects peoples' lives, and in the case of EMS and firefighters, saves lives. Also like the greeters they work at all hours of the day, whenever someone might need their help. Volunteer firefighters and EMS are selflessly devoted to the cause which they promote, just like the Maine Troop Greeters.
I wonder if there are there other troop greeting groups in the United States? The greeters in Maine have made a huge impact and have greeted a huge number of flights, soldiers, and service dogs but i wonder if there are other groups in the US who do the same thing.
Works Cited:
1. Cook, W & Gaudet, A. (2009) The Way We Get By [Film]. United States:The Way We Get By
2. About Steven Greenstreet. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from http://http://www.stevengreenstreet.com/?page_id=2
3. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from http://www.themainetroopgreeters.com
4. Li, Y., & Ferraro, K. (2006). Volunteering in Middle and Later Life: Is Health a Benefit, Barrier, or Both? Retrieved November 20, 2011, from http://exproxy.library.edu.2082/pqdweb?RQT=318&pmid=29232&TS=1229118854&clientId=9269&Vinst=PROD&VName=PQD&VType=PQD
5. Review: The Way We Get By. (2009). livingincinema.com. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from http://http://livingincinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/WayWeGetBy-001-medium.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment