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Michael Moore Mousetrap
http://www.movies.go.com/news/2004/5...ues050504.html
NEW YORK (Reuters) — Walt Disney Co. has barred its Miramax film studio from distributing a documentary by director Michael Moore that is critical of President Bush, The New York Times reported today. The film, Fahrenheit 9/11, focuses on how the Bush administration responded to the hijacking attacks on Sept. 11 and on ties between the Bush family and prominent Saudis, including the family of Osama bin Laden. "Yesterday I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film, Fahrenheit 9/11," Moore, known for confrontational documentaries offering sharp political commentary, said in a letter posted on his Web site. Miramax spokesman Matthew Hiltzik declined to comment on Disney's actions. But he said, "We're discussing the issue with Disney. We're looking at all of our options and look forward to resolving this amicably." Disney was not immediately available for comment. A source who has worked on Fahrenheit 9/11 said, "Disney was not going to let this happen. Disney was not specific about the reasons it gave for declining to distribute the film." Disney, which bought Miramax more than a decade ago, has a contractual agreement with the Miramax principals, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, allowing it to prevent the company from distributing films under certain circumstances, like an excessive budget or an NC-17 rating. The New York Times quoted Moore's agent, Ari Emmanuel, as saying that Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner asked him to pull out of the Miramax deal. Emmanuel said Eisner was concerned the film would endanger tax breaks that Disney receives for its theme parks and other properties in Florida, where President Bush's brother Jeb is governor, The New York Times reported. Disney executives denied that accusation, the paper reported. The New York Times quoted an unnamed Disney executive as saying that the company did not want to be involved in a politically controversial film. Moore, in his letter, said, "For nearly a year, this struggle has been a lesson in just how difficult it is in this country to create a piece of art that might upset those in charge." The title of the film is a play on the Ray Bradbury novel Fahrenheit 451, a futuristic story about censorship. The documentary, which also includes footage shot in Iraq and is to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this month, is expected to be commercially released this summer, said Moore, whose other documentaries include Roger and Me and the Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine. Miramax agreed to finance the film a year ago after actor Mel Gibson's Icon Productions withdrew its backing for the production. In several instances, Miramax has found other distributors for films it has financed, such as Kevin Smith's 1999 comedy Dogma and Larry Clark's controversial 1995 drama Kids. Like him or not this is still America. This shows something about the time we are living in. When big corporations and government can attempt to silence someone with a dissenting opinion. When are we going to see heads on pikes in front of the White House? |
![]() seriously, folks, do something |
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I don't like micheal moore... :/ |
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Now, Moore can go put out his slander and his little drones will eat it up and ignore his HUGE FUCKING LIES and call it "nitpicking" when someone debases the whole thing. But, it just won't have Mickey's blessing. |
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Is that what you were getting at? |
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but then you'd be a hero and a few years after you get killed billions of angry teenagers all around the world would wear tee shirts with your face printed on - does it get any cooler ? well, I said "seriously" afterwards so no, it was not to be taken literally, albeit in spirit. I have no practical solution to offer, except to find ways to act, gather in protest groups, I dunno - I sure wouldn't want to be an american citizen right now (if I ever wanted to, hahaha). |
Why? Because a private company decided not to put their money into a product they didn't like?
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it's a symptom of the general state of tyranny you live in. Among many other symptoms.
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So the ability to devote your resources how you see fit is tyranny?
What did the government actually do? Moore's agent is making the claim about the tax breaks, but there is nothing to back it up. But then again, when has truth ever bother Moore? Want to call Disney spineless? Fine. But its far from tyranny. Moore's rights have not been violated in any way shape or form. |
Actually, Blanco, Disney (Miramax) funded the filming of the movie; they're just refusing to distribute it.
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You're right. I should have read it closer. Still, as long as Disney isn't contractually obligated to distribute it, they don't have to. My point still stands, this is not tyrany.
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Disney is retarded, anyways. They've distributed many controversial films in the past. Sure, they have every right to say that they want no part in distributing Moore's movie, but in the end all it's going to do is draw more attention to his work and bring in more money to whoever decides to distribute it in the end.
To refuse the movie based on political grounds is a gay cop-out. Makes me think Eisner is finger-banging Bush. :x |
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I'm going to go dig up the last Moore thread we had, and see what "HUGE FUCKING LIES" we had left off on..... As far as this Disney mess goes, it's a joke. Moore knew about this a year ago. It's a marketing ploy on his part, and a brilliant one at that. Only a select number of people care the next Michael Moore film, but more people might care about "the film Disney didn't want you to see!" etc..... |
It ain't tyranny, it's stupidity. Disney is given them millions in free publicity AND 'Bowling..." was hugely profitable. Documentaries are cheap as hell to make.
They don't have to like it, tey don't have to distribute it, but their stockholders might want to take a,look at the decision. |
If you tell someone they cant read or watch something, its going to explode with popularity. (much like Moore's book ' Dude, Wheres My Country" did). Moore will get his movie out and with this sort of attention it will be VERY popular. If this is a political move on behalf of Dubya and Mickey, well... its going to blow up in their faces.
any publicity is good publicity. |
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Have you seen the crap Disney has released lately?
Pearl HArbor should have been "the movie Disney doesn't want you to see". |
Pearl Harbor.. yuk. The only historical truth that whole movie ever had were the airplanes.
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oh man, who the hell would want mickeys blessing anyway?
if disney endorsed the thing i might not want to see it. :) "huge fucking lies" blanco's already nitpicked me to death on bowling.. i had so much trouble with the sheer volume of nits to unpick that i broke down and admitted that bowling was not a 'documentary' it was a 'documentary styled' movie.. i've been nitpicked down to size. Moore still does a great job showing people the darker side of this country even if he's not 100% correct in all his assertions. |
So in other words he does a great job of having the same opinions as you.
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"It's a marketing ploy on his part, and a brilliant one at that. Only a select number of people care the next Michael Moore film, but more people might care about "the film Disney didn't want you to see!" etc....."
Seeing as how Bowling For Columbine was the most popular "documentary" of all time, and one of the most popular films of 2002, I suspect more than just "a select number of people" are looking forward to Moore's new movie. It'll be a huge hit no matter what type of shit storm is drawn up over who releases it. |
i've got a few nits to pick with him
ive barely read anything about him since he endorsed clark >: |
I'm with Blanco on this topic. That is all.
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