(New York) Oscar-nominated documentarian Morgan Spurlock, who made American food and diet his life’s work, eating only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a diet fast food, died. He was 53 years old.
Spurlock died Thursday in New York from complications of cancer, according to a statement released Friday by his family.
“It was a sad day as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects. “Morgan gave so much through his art, his ideas and his generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I’m so proud to have worked with him. »
Spurlock caused a sensation in 2004 with his revolutionary Super Size Meand returned in 2019 with Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! – a sober look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America.
Spurlock was a gonzo filmmaker who leaned into the bizarre and ridiculous. His stylistic touches included vivid graphics and fun music, blending a Michael Moore-style “in your face” camera style with his own sense of humor and pathos.
Since exposing the fast food and chicken industries, there has been an explosion in restaurants emphasizing freshness, artisanal methods, farm-to-table quality and premium ingredients. ethical origin. But nutritionally, little has changed.
“There’s been this massive change and people are saying to me, ‘So, has food gotten healthier?’ And I say, ‘Well, the marketing certainly did,’ he told the Associated Press in 2019.