Todd Darling’s documentary, A Snowmobile for George, starts with the question of why George Bush brought back the two stroke engine snowmobile that emits 27 times more pollution than an average car. An interesting topic to broach, Darling looks at it from a very personal angle, being his own family purchased one such snowmobile.
However, while the doc looks at this issue, its really not the most important question being examined in the film. Really it is Darling’s look at the impact of environmental deregulation, particularly since 2000 and under the Bush administration and the Interior Department that is the core of the film. With that in mind, the varied stories about non snowmobile issues fit seemingly well together in the context of his documentary. It is only towards the end that the novelty began to wear off on me.
However, it is a snowmobile that got Darling to begin asking questions. There are 1.6 million snowmobiles in the U.S. It’s not one of the largest industries. He begins in San Francisco with an expert to find answers to how this little vehicle was able to change U.S. policy. Darling discovers that there are ways to make cleaner engines, but due to a relaxing of regulations under the Bush administration, the industry doesn’t have to fix this little polluter now. But for why, he had to search further.
To find out more about deregulation, Darling visited the Yurok tribe in Northern California. They were dealing with a similar deregulation issue with the Klamath river and salmon production. The livelihood of their fisherman and commercial fisherman was at stake. Due to damming up the river, the fishing industry was suffering. The answer for them? The major irrigation project up the river that needed more resources. However, the issue goes deeper with Karl Rove stepping in during negotiations in order to help things go smoothly for an election in the area.
Darling transitions smoothly back to the snowmobile issue by exploring Lake Tahoe as the next leg of his journey. He presents the other side, the pro-snowmobile fans in Tahoe. We journey on to Yellowstone to explore further why the snowmobile is allowed on public lands.
It is after we visit Yellowstone that the documentary begins to unglue a bit. I have to say that overall, I like how Darling’s documentary starts us with one topic and connects how the issue affects so many other economic, environmental and political issues within the states. The documentary is well made and reminds me vaguely of Michael Moore’s style of narration, with a little more wit. Darling provides a good dose of interesting footage, including some upsetting imagery of dead fish, along with the talking heads that provide details of the events. What is also great about this doc is seeing so much of the American landscape as Darling travels with his snowmobile.
However, I began to wonder why we focus so much on the snowmobile when the more interesting focus seems to be on the environmental deregulations. I realize that it pulls the stories together, but the Klamath river story could have been its own documentary. The impact of that story made me lose interest in the other story. The same happened when we transition to the rancher in Wyoming and the struggle between the federal government’s right to mine on his property due to loopholes in the property deed.
But maybe having too much information is a good problem for a doc. It makes for lots of interesting details and good conversation starters. Much better than a doc with absolutely nothing to inform. Still, what Todd Darling does best in this film is remind us that the environmental impact isn’t just about saving buffalo or fish or joyrides on a snowmobile, it is about the impact on the people who try to continue to thrive as the rules of living change based on political and economic means.
The film recently played at On Location: Memphis International Film Festival and the Atlanta Film Festival. It’s one to catch when it plays in a town near you, especially for people like me who know nothing about the snowmobile world or more importantly the effects of environmental deregulation.
http://oxfordfilmfreak.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/review-a-snowmobile-for-george/
Yellowstone Snowmobiling
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Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park Canvas Prints Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Montana, United States of America, North America…. |
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Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park Framed Prints Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Montana, United States of America, North America…. |
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Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park Photographic Prints Snowmobiling in the western area of Yellowstone National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Montana, United States of America, North America…. |
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Garmin US TOPO MicroSD Data Card for Garmin GPS Units $86.14 Covers:Montana Wyoming IdahoProduct : GARMIN US TOPO 2008 MOUNTAIN WEST-NORTH MICROSD SD ADAPTER Manufacturer : GARMIN CHARTS Manufacturer Part No : 010-C0901-00… |
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Yellowstone and the Snowmobile: Locking Horns Over National Park Use $30.78 It is the world’s best-known national park, with a controversy that no amount of snow can bury. Rosy-cheeked snowmobilers extol the glories of riding through a winter wonderland, while environmentalists decry the noise, the air pollution, and the harm to wildlife. There seems to be no room for compromise. In this first book-length study of winter use in any national park, Michael Yochim examine… |
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Protecting Yellowstone.(Editorials)(Ruling halts expanded snowmobile use in parks)(Editorial): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) $5.95 This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on December 22, 2003. The length of the article is 700 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation De… |
