"I think I’m banned from Fox News,” smiles filmmaker Robert Greenwald.
And I think I might know why. Though he’s been pounding out issue-driven movies for 25 years, since moving into the documentary sector in 2002, he’s been ruffling a much finer variety of plumage.
Unprecedented presented a clinical examination of George W. Bush’s election ‘win’ in 2000; Outfoxed provided a chilling excavation of right-wing bias in Rupert Murdoch’s television news network and Uncovered questioned the Iraq war without resorting to the bluster of Fahrenheit 9/11. Most recently, Mr. Greenwald has turned his attention to the real power base, taking on the corporations in Walmart; The High Cost Of Low Price.
The film presents a jaw-dropping case against the retail juggernaut. Bonanza tax breaks in the US encourage Walmart to move into small communities. Alternative outlets close. The entire population is forced to shop and often work for Walmart. The employees are denied health benefits, are paid minimum wage and are encouraged to apply for welfare payments – Walmart employees cost American taxpayers somewhere in the region of $1,557,000,000 annually. Add to this assorted labour abuses, sweatshops in China, environmental damage and Walmart’s tendency to pack up, leaving a ghost community behind, and the documentary makes for devastating critique. But does that really distinguish them from many multinationals, I wonder.
“That’s fair,” nods Mr. Greenwald. “But it is clear to me from the research that they are way up in front in the abusive category. You know, during the last 20 years, economic conservatism has taken a great toll on the rules and regulations that were meant to protect us. Everyone else accepts the notion you need rules. You don’t cross the street in the middle of the block. You don’t pick up a gun. But the multinationals are different. There’s no conspiracy. It’s down to their power and money and influence. Walmart are special because they are breaking laws literally and taking advantage in so many different areas. Some corporations might just exploit the environment or sweatshops or health care or racial issues. But they do it all. And size does matter here. They are the biggest private corporation in the world. They employ three or four times more people than Microsoft. Around 1.7 million people worldwide. They own Asda in the UK for example. When we force them to change it will impact on other corporations.”
Instead of a conventional theatrical release, Mr. Greenwald employed a groundbreaking grassroots distribution strategy, screening the film in community centres and church halls across America.
“If the film had just been showing at the Cineplex and you had to pay nine bucks to get in, you’re only going to reach people who already agree with you. But if your neighbour says come over or if it’s playing at your church or school or at the bike shop then it is a whole other thing. The response has been phenomenal. We had 8000 screenings in the first week alone and reached almost 700,000 people.”
Though representatives from Walmart refused to appear in the documentary, they certainly took an interest, sending a representative to an early screening. In a ridiculous turn, the stooge in question was ejected for attempting to record the film on his mobile phone. Even more bizarrely, they circulated a poor notice for Xanadu, the Olivia Newton John vehicle directed by Mr. Greenwald some decades ago. The film ends on a positive note though, visiting communities who have resisted the mega-markets.
“It’s a start,” he says. “I’m hoping the film will be a tool for social activists. In my opinion we’ve all got pulled into electoral politics and we’ve lost the role of social movement. Nobody is asking the questions that need to be asked about the system because we have the perfect system and it was God given. But I believe with time, as the crisis gets more severe, and the cracks appear from a classical Marxian analysis, then conflicts will arise. Just remember that great line. If you give capitalists the rope, they will create the noose to hang themselves if they can sell it to you.”