Gasland II

Directed by Josh Fox, this 2013 film is a follow-up to the original GasLand, a film that brought Fracking further into the public consciousness. And GasLand Part II is also significantly about fracking, a reality the film doesn’t ignore, pointing out that three ultra-popular words in 2011 were “occupy,” “deficit,” and yes, “fracking.”

This film is a rehash of the original in a number of ways, retelling the story of the Fox family home in the woods, revisiting DISH, Texas, and finding new opportunities to show water lit on fire. Those are okay, and still interesting. But the schtick of Josh Fox being featured prominently in his own film was already old with the original. The cringeworthy whisper-narration makes an unwelcome return, taking away credibility from the film even as it believably shares alarming information.

One improvement GasLand Part II makes over GasLand is in how it chronicles American politics. First off, prominent elected officials of both major parties are featured over their support for fracking. President Barack Obama and especially Gov. Ed Rendell are depicted as major supporters of fracking, even while brandishing a capital “D” next to their names. Rendell, Fox explains, even works directly for the frackers.

On the other hand, then-Mayor Calvin Tillman of DISH, Texas, a former Republican, highlights the single greatest conservative ideological trap when it comes to oil infrastructure in the film: private property rights. In DISH and other places in the US (Wyoming is featured in the film), no permission is needed to drill on someone’s land. In my home county, for example, private property rights and opposition to eminent domain are the reasons why our conservative county commissioners oppose a pipeline project even as other county commissioners from other counties support it.