Ryan ChartrandBridget Veltri
news@mustangdaily.net
Was it the debates or the price of gas that kept people from coming to “Gas Hole” on Friday? Twelve people attended the film fundraiser at the Palm Theater on Friday night at 7p.m. Proceeds from the screening went to Obama Victory Fund.
Palm Theater General Manager Cameron Bowman said that the film was originally offered to both presidential campaigns.
“McCain turned it down outright,” Bowman said. “It’s essentially Obama’s energy platform, so they picked it up and started doing fundraising with it.”
Bowman thinks that the low turnout was a result of the presidential debates, which were televised at the same time as the screening.
“I think if the debates had been canceled this place would have been packed,” Bowman said. “I’m planning to screen the film again at a time when more people are likely to attend.”
For the 12 people that did attend, the film was somewhat of a non-traditional political debate-a very one sided one. Obama’s campaign centers around change; and, as political fundraisers go this was definitely different.
“Gas Hole,” is a documentary film about the issue of current gas prices in this country, covering everything from the history of oil to the salaries of gas company CEOs. The primary issues of this on screen debate were: how did it get this bad? Why did we let it? And what do we do now?
Narrated by actor Peter Gallagher, “Gas Hole” portrays the oil industry as unclean and questions the motives and morality of American gas companies by accusing them of controlling the cost of oil.
“Gas Hole” may not have brought in as much money for the Obama campaign as its writers had hoped, but it did generate big questions about the price of gas and why, with all of the developments in technology, nothing has been done to help the effect this has had on the environment and American wallets.
Bowman showed the film for its overall message and connection to the Obama campaign.
“I don’t know if it’s the best documentary ever made, but it is the only one that I know of that has attacked the industry and raised some red flags and I can respect that,” Bowman explained.
“Gas Hole” is the first film Jeremy Wagener and Scott D. Roberts have directed together. The pair met during Wagner’s film directing debut in 2001, “Chicks Man,” and became friends. They planned to attend the Friday screening, but ultimately could not make the trip from Los Angeles.
The reviews from the crowd were mixed, with some viewers doubting its overall effectiveness. Engineer Chris Hartz, currently a public policy graduate student at Cal Poly, said that the overall message of the documentary was important but as a whole it was “fairly over the top,” categorizing it as a “wannabe Michael Moore film.”
The film concluded by showing possible solutions that some Americans, including celebrity Joshua Jackson, are turning to, like biodiesel fuel and cars that run on hydrogen.
“I run films, so I’m no expert, and some of the stuff in there (the film) is a little outlandish, but some of it is working,” said Bowman. “Hydrogen cars exist, and people are using them.”
“Gas Hole” stresses the importance of Americans taking the initiative in conservation and new technology. By the time the movie was over Ben Baughman, 28, was ready to start moving.
“I feel enlightened, I didn’t know how we got here,” Baughman said. “This film illuminated the country’s current situation for me, and made me want to make changes in my life.”