Not Evil Just Wrong
Encyclopedia
Not Evil Just Wrong is a documentary film
by Ann McElhinney
and Phelim McAleer
that challenges Al Gore
's An Inconvenient Truth
by suggesting that the evidence of global warming
is inconclusive and that the impact global-warming legislation will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial. The movie was filmed in 2008 and was screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and at the Right Online conference in 2009.
Despite earlier screenings at conservative political conferences, filmmakers promoted a "premiere" on October 18, 2009. The film attempted to break a World Record
for largest simultaneous premiere, which is currently held by the documentary The Age of Stupid
, another global warming documentary. The film's website claims that there were 6,500 U.S. screenings and 1,500 foreign screenings and reached 400,000 people.
which found nine errors in Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth
. The film also highlights information about the Medieval Warm Period
and Stephen McIntyre's
claimed debunking of the hockey stick graph
.
The film also focuses on the impact of climate legislation in developing counties and average families in America. The film states that one of environmentalist
s' first restrictions on industry was when DDT
was banned, led by Rachel Carson
. According to the film, the ban on DDT "...has needlessly resulted in the deaths of more than 40 million children and adults in the developing world".
The film then continues to on a similar tack, arguing that climate legislation like cap and trade would negatively impact the life for middle and low-income families in America
, particularly those working for energy-related jobs. The directors follow Tiffany McElhany and her family in rural Indiana, to see how fossil fuels have given them better opportunities.
, the filmmakers then began taking donations online. The film failed to find a commercial distributor.
documentaries by using file footage of old movies, cartoons and class-based arguments. McAleer has been quoted saying, "I would not be making documentaries if it wasn't for Michael Moore," he says. "He aroused my interest and people's interest in documentaries. He's also made it acceptable for people to go to the movie theatre and watch documentaries. I hate to say it but we're all children of Michael Moore."
, where it was also broadcast on Ustream
and the American Family Association
channel. "“We may at last be getting our Michael Moore,” said Fred Smith, of the AFA
, “A virtuous Michael Moore!” Suzanne Fields from the Washington Times said, "Ann McElhinney's film focuses on people (not polar bears) whose paychecks and families are dependent on coal-generated energy, and whose interests are usually ignored in abstract statistics." The Online Opinion, said that the movie excelled "in pointing to the absurdities and gross contradictions in the current scare over global warming
."
However, Mother Jones
published a highly critical article on the movie. Stephanie Mencimer wrote that "The film is poorly organized and rehashes the familiar talking points of climate change deniers—global warming as bad science; climate concerns as hysteria akin to that over killer bees, etc. Pushing those views are the usual suspects, including Patrick Moore
, the Greenpeace founder turned nuclear power lobbyist, and Thatcher-era British politician Sir Nigel Lawson
."
to launch a Balanced Education for Everyone (B.E.E.), which promotes balanced education
in public schools about climate science
. The program suggests that if An Inconvenient Truth
is shown in classroom
s, then Not Evil Just Wrong should also be shown to offer students a broader curriculum about the climate
debate
. The directors also created a peer-reviewed educational guide to teach about climate change, in conjunction with offering the free dvd
to classrooms.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
by Ann McElhinney
Ann McElhinney
Ann McElhinney is an Irish journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has written and produced the political documentaries Not Evil Just Wrong and Mine Your Own Business, as well as The Search for Tristan's Mum and Return to Sender...
and Phelim McAleer
Phelim McAleer
Phelim McAleer is an Irish journalist and documentary filmmaker. He has written and produced Not Evil Just Wrong and Mine Your Own Business, as well as The Search for Tristan's Mom and Return to Sender...
that challenges Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
by suggesting that the evidence of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
is inconclusive and that the impact global-warming legislation will have on industry is much more harmful to humans than beneficial. The movie was filmed in 2008 and was screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and at the Right Online conference in 2009.
Despite earlier screenings at conservative political conferences, filmmakers promoted a "premiere" on October 18, 2009. The film attempted to break a World Record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for largest simultaneous premiere, which is currently held by the documentary The Age of Stupid
The Age of Stupid
The Age of Stupid is a 2009 British film by Franny Armstrong, director of McLibel and Drowned Out, and founder of 10:10, and first-time producer Lizzie Gillett...
, another global warming documentary. The film's website claims that there were 6,500 U.S. screenings and 1,500 foreign screenings and reached 400,000 people.
Summary
The film argues that the science behind climate change science is not settled. Not Evil Just Wrong focuses on the British High Court rulingDimmock v Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Dimmock v Secretary of State for Education and Skills was a case heard in September–October 2007 in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, concerning the permissibility of the government providing Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth to English state schools as a teaching aid...
which found nine errors in Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
. The film also highlights information about the Medieval Warm Period
Medieval Warm Period
The Medieval Warm Period , Medieval Climate Optimum, or Medieval Climatic Anomaly was a time of warm climate in the North Atlantic region, that may also have been related to other climate events around the world during that time, including in China, New Zealand, and other countries lasting from...
and Stephen McIntyre's
Stephen McIntyre
Stephen McIntyre is a Canadian mathematician, former minerals prospector, and semi-retired mining consultant who is best known as the founder and editor of Climate Audit, a blog devoted to the analysis and discussion of climate data...
claimed debunking of the hockey stick graph
Hockey stick controversy
The hockey stick controversy refers to debates over the technical correctness and implications for global warming of graphs showing reconstructed estimates of the temperature record of the past 1000 years...
.
The film also focuses on the impact of climate legislation in developing counties and average families in America. The film states that one of environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
s' first restrictions on industry was when DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
was banned, led by Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement....
. According to the film, the ban on DDT "...has needlessly resulted in the deaths of more than 40 million children and adults in the developing world".
The film then continues to on a similar tack, arguing that climate legislation like cap and trade would negatively impact the life for middle and low-income families in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, particularly those working for energy-related jobs. The directors follow Tiffany McElhany and her family in rural Indiana, to see how fossil fuels have given them better opportunities.
Funding
In 2008, McElhinney and McAleer raised almost $1 million (€799,000) from real estate investors, but said they needed a total of $4.5 million for a cinema release. After the film was turned down for funding by the Irish Film BoardIrish Film Board
The Irish Film Board is Ireland’s national film agency and major film funding body. It was recommended for abolition by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2009.-Formative years:...
, the filmmakers then began taking donations online. The film failed to find a commercial distributor.
Production
The documentary has been noted for being a very similar style to Michael Moore'sMichael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
documentaries by using file footage of old movies, cartoons and class-based arguments. McAleer has been quoted saying, "I would not be making documentaries if it wasn't for Michael Moore," he says. "He aroused my interest and people's interest in documentaries. He's also made it acceptable for people to go to the movie theatre and watch documentaries. I hate to say it but we're all children of Michael Moore."
Reception
A premiere party was held by the Heritage FoundationHeritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, where it was also broadcast on Ustream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
and the American Family Association
American Family Association
The American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
channel. "“We may at last be getting our Michael Moore,” said Fred Smith, of the AFA
American Family Association
The American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
, “A virtuous Michael Moore!” Suzanne Fields from the Washington Times said, "Ann McElhinney's film focuses on people (not polar bears) whose paychecks and families are dependent on coal-generated energy, and whose interests are usually ignored in abstract statistics." The Online Opinion, said that the movie excelled "in pointing to the absurdities and gross contradictions in the current scare over global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
."
However, Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
published a highly critical article on the movie. Stephanie Mencimer wrote that "The film is poorly organized and rehashes the familiar talking points of climate change deniers—global warming as bad science; climate concerns as hysteria akin to that over killer bees, etc. Pushing those views are the usual suspects, including Patrick Moore
Patrick Moore (environmentalist)
Patrick Moore is a former environmental activist, known as one of the early members of Greenpeace, in which he was an activist from 1971 to 1986...
, the Greenpeace founder turned nuclear power lobbyist, and Thatcher-era British politician Sir Nigel Lawson
Nigel Lawson
Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC , is a British Conservative politician and journalist. He was a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Blaby from 1974–92, and served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the government of Margaret Thatcher from June 1983 to October 1989...
."
Balanced Education for Everyone
In 2010, the directors of Not Evil Just Wrong teams up with the Independent Women's ForumIndependent Women's Forum
The Independent Women's Forum is an American conservative, non-profit, non-partisan research and educational institution focused on domestic and foreign policy issues of concern to women...
to launch a Balanced Education for Everyone (B.E.E.), which promotes balanced education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in public schools about climate science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
. The program suggests that if An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
is shown in classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s, then Not Evil Just Wrong should also be shown to offer students a broader curriculum about the climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
. The directors also created a peer-reviewed educational guide to teach about climate change, in conjunction with offering the free dvd
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
to classrooms.