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SUPER SIZE THIS!
Count Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me along with Bowling for Columbine and The Thin Blue Line when discussing contemporary documentaries which have actually produced real social change.
In an upcoming Filmmaker piece, Spurlock discusses the influence Moore has had on his Sundance hit Super Size Me, in which the filmmaker explores America’s fast-food mania by eating only McDonald’s food for one month. (By day 21 he’s gained almost 20 pounds and is on the verge of liver failure.)
Today, in an echo of K-Mart’s decision to stop selling bullets following Moore’s cinematic targeting in Bowling for Columbine, McDonald’s has turned Spurlock’s title into an anachronism by announcing that, by the end of the year, super-size meals will no longer be offered.
“The driving force here was menu simplication,” explained McDonald’s spokesman Walt Riker. But despite Riker’s protestations to the contrary — “[The decision] had nothing to do with the movie,” he added — it’s hard to believe that Spurlock’s film, which will likely be a publicity magnet upon its release next month, wasn’t a key factor in the fast food chain’s decision.
In a separate McDonald’s memo, it was explained that the elimination of the seven-ounce super-size french fry carton was part of the company’s “healthy lifestyle initiative.” If that “healthy lifestyle initiative” includes McSalads, check out Spurlock’s film when it’s released — you’ll be shocked at the fat content of those leafy treats.
