King Corn (Green Packaging)

I recently showed this film to my local dietitian group, and not only did it get two thumbs up, but we agreed that this is a film everyone should see. This is like the cliff note version for Michael Pollan's excellent book Omnivores Dilemma. Start with the film and if you want to know more, read the book.

King Corn is about two friends who decide to grow corn on an acre of land in Iowa to learn more about how our food system works. They spend a year going through the full growing cycle as well as following where that corn goes (or is likely to go) in the food chain. In their quietly understated way, they tell a story that is disturbing and in the end really grabs you. At least it did me, and I already knew this stuff. Somehow seeing it in the documentary format made it really hit home.

This is well worth the price and the 90 minute running time. It will give you new insight into what you are eating, and is something you'll want to share with friends.

This was an excellent film on consumption and uses for corn and how it is contributing to the obesity epidemic. The film was factual and also very entertaining and kept it's audience's attention for the whole film.

A documentary about Corn. The turning point of the story begins when Republican Earl Butz ushers in the "Get big or get out" era. The idea was to reduce subsidies by dramatically increasing subsidies. (technically there would be fewer farmers receiving subsidies when there are fewer remaining farmers).

The older townsfolk interviewed don't come off as cynical. They come off as fatalistically pragmatic. Both dependent on large subsidies and likely to be run out of business by people better at lining up subsidies and agribusiness contracts, they all know it is the only game in town.

In the end King Corn enables the cheap production of massive amounts of meat and corn syrup. Even most of the poorest americans can now afford to feed themselves into 280 pound bodies and diabetes. We wouldn't have our massive number of fast food restaurants and ubiquitous chain restaurants without King Corn. Those restaurants provide jobs people need: They sure aren't going to be farmers, grocers, or butchers.

i still do not understand the purpose of this movie. o.k. they were trying to raise awareness about the corn industry in america, but the movie itself was drawn out. there seemed to be no real plot. it was definitely way longer than it needed to be. there was also a lot of personal family info. thrown into the movie that did not need to be there. i would recommend reading an essay on corn development in america instead of this movie. it was not nearly as informative as i had hoped.

We had watched the King Corn on PBS. He loved it so much he asked me to go on-line an buy him a copy. He has since watched it an is inviting a friend over to watch it again with him. I checked various sites and found that Amazon.com to have the best price.