United Gates of America
Encyclopedia
United Gates of America is a 2006 BBC documentary
directed by Alex Cooke, featuring journalist
Charlie LeDuff
. He lived for a month within the gated community
of Canyon Lake
in Riverside County, California
, to try and discover why people wanted to lock themselves behind gates and fences, and what effect it had on the residents. The documentary also explored the issues of immigration
from Mexico
and Central America
, and highlighted the issues of segregation
and racism
that exist in the United States
.
The one-hour made-for-TV documentary premiered on British TV channel BBC Four
in 2006, with ongoing repeat showings. The film also appeared at the 2007 Ann Arbor Film Festival
, the USA Film Festival
, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
.
The film met with positive reviews. Ian Johns of The Times
(London) found LeDuff to be "an acute interviewer and astute observer in this entertaining documentary."
TV Scoop found it "hilarious", emphasizing LeDuff's style: "He just ambles along, asking simple questions before pouncing Columbo-like with a killer last line. 'Oh look, there's a Mexican over there....gardening.' "
Matt Kettman of the Santa Barbara Independent
wrote that the documentary was "eye-opening", "hilarious, probing, and meaningful," and that LeDuff "does not draw any solid conclusions for the viewer. We are left wondering whether these Canyon Lake residents are paranoid or correct."
Soon after filming completed, Sharon Rice, the assistant editor of Canyon Lake's The Friday Flyer wrote an open letter to LeDuff listing a large number of "good people" and activities not covered in the documentary.
Three residents of Canyon Lake who later previewed the film were "disgusted by it" enough to write letters to the editor.
After the show was broadcast in the UK, and a UK tabloid labeled Canyon Lake "The World's Most Paranoid Town", the editor again wrote that the film omitted truthful positive information about the "little bit of paradise."
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
directed by Alex Cooke, featuring journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Charlie LeDuff
Charlie LeDuff
Charlie LeDuff is a Pulitzer Prize winning American journalist, writer, and media personality who left The Detroit News in October 2010 after two years and joined Detroit Fox affiliate WJBK Ch. 2 to do on-air journalism.-Life:...
. He lived for a month within the gated community
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
of Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake, California
Canyon Lake is a gated community in Riverside County, California, United States. One of only five gated cities in California, Canyon Lake began as a master-planned community developed by Corona Land Company in 1968. The “City of Canyon Lake” was incorporated on December 1, 1990. It geographically...
in Riverside County, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to try and discover why people wanted to lock themselves behind gates and fences, and what effect it had on the residents. The documentary also explored the issues of immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and highlighted the issues of segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
that exist in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The one-hour made-for-TV documentary premiered on British TV channel BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
in 2006, with ongoing repeat showings. The film also appeared at the 2007 Ann Arbor Film Festival
Ann Arbor Film Festival
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Ann Arbor in the U.S. state of Michigan. Established in 1963, it is the third-oldest film festival in North America ; and the oldest experimental film festival...
, the USA Film Festival
USA Film Festival
-History:Founded in 1971, the USA Film Festival has presented the world, national and regional premieres of thousands of studio and independent feature films and short experimental, animated, documentary and dramatic films....
, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a film festival and non-profit organization, established in 1985, that showcases independent American and international films. The SBIFF line-up includes 20 world premieres and 11 U.S. premieres, with newly expanded 11-day festival...
.
The film met with positive reviews. Ian Johns of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
(London) found LeDuff to be "an acute interviewer and astute observer in this entertaining documentary."
TV Scoop found it "hilarious", emphasizing LeDuff's style: "He just ambles along, asking simple questions before pouncing Columbo-like with a killer last line. 'Oh look, there's a Mexican over there....gardening.' "
Matt Kettman of the Santa Barbara Independent
Santa Barbara Independent
The Santa Barbara Independent is a news, arts, and entertainment newspaper published every Thursday in Santa Barbara, California.-History:The paper was founded in November 1986...
wrote that the documentary was "eye-opening", "hilarious, probing, and meaningful," and that LeDuff "does not draw any solid conclusions for the viewer. We are left wondering whether these Canyon Lake residents are paranoid or correct."
Soon after filming completed, Sharon Rice, the assistant editor of Canyon Lake's The Friday Flyer wrote an open letter to LeDuff listing a large number of "good people" and activities not covered in the documentary.
Three residents of Canyon Lake who later previewed the film were "disgusted by it" enough to write letters to the editor.
After the show was broadcast in the UK, and a UK tabloid labeled Canyon Lake "The World's Most Paranoid Town", the editor again wrote that the film omitted truthful positive information about the "little bit of paradise."
External links
- United Gates of America trailer (Flash video). Google Video.