King Corn (film)
Encyclopedia
King Corn is a feature documentary film
released in October 2007 following college friends Ian Cheney
and Curtis Ellis
(directed by Aaron Woolf) as they move from Boston
to Greene, Iowa
to grow and farm an acre of corn
. In the process, Cheney and Ellis examine the role that the increasing production of corn has had for American society, spotlighting the role of government subsidies in encouraging the huge amount of corn grown.
The film shows how the perception of industrialization in corn has all but eliminated the image of the family farm
, which is being replaced by larger industrial farms. Cheney and Ellis suggest that this trend reflects a larger industrialization of the North American food system. As was outlined in the film, decisions relating to what crops are grown and how they are grown are based on economic considerations rather than their environmental or social ramifications. This is demonstrated in the film by the production of high fructose corn syrup
, an ingredient found in many cheap food products, such as fast food
.
(based on 15 reviews). Rotten Tomatoes
awarded the film a score of 95% (based on 20 reviews).
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...
released in October 2007 following college friends Ian Cheney
Ian Cheney
Ian Cheney is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer and producer. He shared a Peabody Award in 2008 for King Corn, which he co-produced and starred in....
and Curtis Ellis
Curtis Ellis
Curtis Ellis is a documentary filmmaker and producer. He shared a Peabody Award in 2008 for King Corn, which he co-produced and starred in. Together with Ian Cheney he runs a Brooklyn-based documentary and advocacy company.-External links:...
(directed by Aaron Woolf) as they move from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Greene, Iowa
Greene, Iowa
Greene is a city in Butler County, Iowa, along the Shell Rock River, and along Butler County's northern border, where Butler and Floyd counties meet. The population was 1,099 at the 2000 census...
to grow and farm an acre of corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
. In the process, Cheney and Ellis examine the role that the increasing production of corn has had for American society, spotlighting the role of government subsidies in encouraging the huge amount of corn grown.
The film shows how the perception of industrialization in corn has all but eliminated the image of the family farm
Family farm
A family farm is a farm owned and operated by a family, and often passed down from generation to generation. It is the basic unit of the mostly agricultural economy of much of human history and continues to be so in developing nations...
, which is being replaced by larger industrial farms. Cheney and Ellis suggest that this trend reflects a larger industrialization of the North American food system. As was outlined in the film, decisions relating to what crops are grown and how they are grown are based on economic considerations rather than their environmental or social ramifications. This is demonstrated in the film by the production of high fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup — also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, glucose/fructose in Canada, and high-fructose maize syrup in other countries — comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce...
, an ingredient found in many cheap food products, such as fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
.
Critical reception
King Corn received generally positive reviews. The film earned a review score of 70 from the review aggregate site MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
(based on 15 reviews). Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
awarded the film a score of 95% (based on 20 reviews).
External links
- King Corn site for Independent LensIndependent LensAiring weekly on PBS through ITVS, the Emmy Award-winning series Independent Lens introduces new drama and documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of Independent Lens have been presented by hosts Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrence Howard, Maggie...
on PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia.... - King Corn at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...