Ever wondered how many chicken nuggets you can eat before your body starts sending you SOS signals? Probably not, unless you’re a college student on a budget, or perhaps Morgan Spurlock on one of his gonzo documentary escapades.
Spurlock, best known for turning his liver into a fast-food martyr in Super Size Me, carved out a niche for himself by being the guy who’d literally stomach all the tough questions about society. The documentary was a smash hit, and probably caused a few McDonald’s executives to choke on their Big Macs.
His works often peeled back layers on topics that many of us take for granted, or overlook entirely. This ranges from the fast food industry and consumerism to terrorism and the omnipresence of advertising in our lives. Here are a few documentaries you should check out if you want to dive deeper into the mind of Morgan Spurlock.
Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?
In this 2008 film, Spurlock sets out on a quest to find the world’s most wanted man. Spoiler alert: He doesn’t find him. But he does find a lot of interesting people and perspectives along the way. Through his interviews and observations, Spurlock paints a nuanced picture of a world that’s far more complicated than the black-and-white narrative we’re often fed by the media. He shows us the human face of the Middle East, the ordinary people who are just trying to live their lives in the shadow of war and conflict. And he asks tough questions about America’s role in the region, and whether its foreign policy has done more harm than good.
POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
This 2011 documentary is peak Morgan Spurlock, taking on the world of product placement and advertising in the most meta way possible. Basically, the entire film is one giant ad for itself, with Spurlock funding the project entirely through product placement deals with various brands. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold does raise some serious questions about the role of advertising in our lives. Like, how much of what we consume is really just a carefully crafted marketing message? And what does it say about our culture that we’re so willing to buy into it all? Spurlock never quite arrives at any definitive answers, but he sure has a lot of fun asking the questions.
Rats
Why on earth would anyone want to make a whole movie about rats? Well, you clearly haven’t spent enough time in New York City. As Spurlock reveals in the film, rats are everywhere. The documentary explores the influence of rats on society, including their health risks. Further, Spurlock investigates various methods of pest control, including traditional traps, poisons, and more unconventional approaches like using terriers to hunt rats. In Mumbai, the documentary showcases night rat killers known as “rat catchers” who tackle the city’s rat problem using sticks and bare hands. In Hanoi, rats are not only exterminated but also form part of the local diet, being sold to restaurants. Above everything, Spurlock employs horror film techniques to enhance the visceral impact.
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!
This is the sequel to the film that started it all. Released in 2017, this documentary sees Morgan Spurlock returning to his roots and taking on the fast food industry once again. The premise of the film is simple: Spurlock wants to open his own fast food restaurant, one that’s transparent about its ingredients and practices. Along the way, he explores the shady world of industrial chicken farming, exposing the many ways in which big agriculture puts profits over people (and animals). Super Size Me 2 was supposed to be released by YouTube Red (now known as YouTube Premium) as part of a big push into original content. However, just days before the film’s premiere, Spurlock posted a confession on Twitter admitting to past sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse. Following this, YouTube promptly dropped the film.
Inside Man
This is a CNN original series where Spurlock serves as a host and dives deep into various sectors of American life to explore pressing issues. Topics cover a wide range from education, and immigration to elder care and the drought. By spending time with patients, growers, and advocates, he was able to paint a nuanced picture of a complex issue that is often reduced to simplistic stereotypes and fear-mongering.
