Oxyana And Trouble The Water Essay

In the documentary films Oxyana and Trouble the Water, there is an explicit usage of the ethos appeal, thus affording the filmmakers credibility by way of visualizing and personalizing each troublesome topic. The methods of attainment are as varied as the subject matter, and despite the fact that both films share many similarities, there are several aspects of both films that vary greatly from one another. From the process of creating a convincing narrative through the use of actual footage and testimonies from the unfortunate human subjects, to the formation of each respective agenda, both Oxyana and Trouble the Water use a strong appeal to ethos. However, there are vast differences by the manner in which each filmmaker goes about achieving this appeal. A …show more content…
In the attempts throughout the film to appear credible (during the scenes of heartfelt overdose stories or the pitiful onscreen injections of oxycodone), the credibility is lost amongst a flood of disgust and empathy for the subjects of the film. The agenda which the documentary sets out with (presumably to combat the growing drug abuse problem within the continental United States), fades behind a barrage of increasingly repugnant footage featuring drug addicts pleading for mercy and sympathy, all while barely able to speak or function. Completely in opposition to a film like Trouble the Water (one that sets forth with no apparent agenda in mind, resulting in an organically developed case for action), Oxyana begins with what appears to be a very strong case against the drug problem in America. However, instead of approaching the topic with grace and subtlety, the film grasps at shock value and disturbing imagery, ultimately losing itself during failed attempts at an ethos