From Amazon.com
Ross McElwee's films are to documentary what the personal memoir is to biography: McElwee presents his view of the world, coming as close to first-person narrative as is possible in a film. These are not documentaries you watch for an objective view of the world; in fact, what makes McElwee's films so remarkable is his unabashed bias, his outspoken commentary, and the voyeuristic glimpses into his personal life.
Six O'Clock News, McElwee's third feature-length film, continues the autobiographical journey begun with Sherman's March and Time Indefinite. Here, though, rather than outside events launching personal exploration (as in March), the existence of his 8-month-old son initiates his investigation of the six o'clock news. Questioning the wisdom of bringing a child into a world full of violence and mayhem, he travels across the country, chasing the disasters he sees nightly on TV: the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo (where we revisit one of his favorite subjects, the lively and always entertaining Charleen); a widower whose wife was murdered in a wig shop; a man who had been trapped in a parking garage during the Los Angeles earthquake. Along the way, glimpses of McElwee's own life squeak in: a possible film deal with Miramax, metaphysical musings, and his son's views on God. This film is more polished than earlier ones (the editing is much tighter), effectively conveying themes ranging from the question of what is reality in the media to the randomness of disaster to fate and higher powers. Yet despite the weighty subjects, Six O'Clock News is not a heavy film; indeed, parts are extremely humorous, including a scene with a colorful next-door neighbor who records thousands of hours worth of TV shows, making this a well-rounded film that's both provocative and enjoyable. --Jenny Brown
