Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush (Moore's Fahrenheit 911)

[Beav]

did I read you right?

No not really, but make no mistake I don't like the man.

That we'd tolerate suppression of free speech as long as it's Michael Moore's speech?

If he was being locked away or gagged then I would have a problem. It would make me sick but yes I would have a problem with it. But like said already this was a business decision brought on by his own controversial subject matter. Much like Stern getting booted once the fines started stacking up. Much like I would get sent home or maybe fired if I showed up at work with a Pro-Life T shirt on casual Friday.

 

[dischord]

If anything, Moore is attempting to violate Disney's free speech by trying to force Disney to "say" something it doesn't want to say -- it's just a more complex version of someone trying to force w4rma to place a Bush2004! sign on his lawn.

In reality, it depends on what Moore's contract says.

 

[Mute]

Maybe Disney just doesn't want to be associated with releasing a fictional work as an alleged documentary.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

Only the left has a "right" to be heard. If Disney doesn't want to play, they can take their ball and go home. Moore can jump up and down all he wants.

 

[Sean Smith]

Much like Stern getting booted once the fines started stacking up.

Actually, Stern has much more basis for complaining about his rights being violated than Moore does. Because it is the GOVERNMENT making him (potentially) unprofitable, by fining him based on vaguely defined standards that you get to evade if you are Oprah. Disney just doesn't want to do business with Moore because they think he is a twit.

Censorship-by-proxy is very different from a business deciding not do business with you... without any evident government pressure.

 

[killermarmot]

Ya know F$#@ disney. I blame them for 70% of the misconceptions and biases in our society today. Ya got cinderela and anerexic chicks wanting gigantic 100,000 dollar weddings, Bambi and brother bear making every hunter seem like a drunk red neck poacher, snow white makes every croan seem like ....an ....evil...croan, Mulan makes monguls look bad..... I'm done

And on Moore I'd heard he was having alot of trouble coming up with data he could scew enough for his black senationalist needs and was resorting to making things up and making baseless insults as in Bowling. I'd agree with the sentiment that Disney is woried this one will tank. I mean the connection between Bush and the Bin Laden family? Yeah they're both wealthy oil families, I'm sure there are alot of very important international leaders that the Bin Ladens know.

 

[DadOfThree]

If Michael Moore believes in his film and no company is willing to back it and show it, he should do what Mel Gibson did and sink 20 or 30 million dollars out of his own pocket into the movie. That way when it makes $100 million at the box office he won't have to share the profits. Of course the risk would be all his as well. Put up or shut up.

 

[flatrock]

Every time I read over this I'm more amazed that people buy into Moore's B. S.

Mr. Moore said the film describes financial connections between the Bush family and its associates and prominent Saudi Arabian families that go back three decades.

You mean a family that's involved in the oil busines has fincial connections to prominent Saudi families? I wonder why that would be?

He said it closely explores the government's decision to help members of the bin Laden family leave the United States immediately after the 2001 attacks.

You mean the family that has long disavoud Osama Bin Laden's actions and politics? How dare the government help those people leave the country where they might be in danger of reprisals for the actions of a relative they have no influence over?

The film includes comments from American soldiers on the ground in Iraq expressing disillusionment with the war, he said.

You mean there are some people fighting in a foreign country that's obscenely hot, and takes them far away from their families that are dissillusioned? I wonder how many soldiers he interviewed before he found the ones with the views he wanted? I've talked to soldiers who have come home from Iraq. I haven't met one yet that thinks we should pull out and leave Iraq to fall into chaos. However, I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find some soldiers there that object to the war.

Do I think Moore is really looking closely at these things? His past history doesn't show proof of him investigating the facts carefully. He finds things that he can put in a context where they appear to support the message he wants to provide, and then calls it a documentery. Then he does his fighting for the common man dance, and tries to make more millions off of the movie so he can afford his lavish lifestyle.

He's a fraud who makes money off of stupid people.

The real stoy here is that Harvey Weinstein completely ignored his duties to the stockholders of Miramax by buying this movie after being told by Disney that he couldn't distribute it. In stead of doing his duty to those stockholders he bought the film to advance his own personal political goals.

Now Miramax has a considerable amount of money tied up in a film that they will have to split the profits from with a different distributor. Even if the movie does bring in a considerable amount of money, it's unlikely that Miramax will make a reasonable profit for the resources they've invested.

The stockholders should be calling for his removal. If he wants to push his social adgenda with his own money, that's his right. When he does so with the money of a public company, he's abusing the trust of the stockholders.

 

[Lord Grey Boots]

Given Moore's record for being "creative" in his movies, wanna bet those "soldiers" are NOT in Iraq or Afghanistan, and are NOT soldiers?

 

[killermarmot]

that's probably a pretty safe bet

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

Whatever happenned to the Anti-Moore film? Wasn't that guy looking for donations to get it to distribution?

 

[Obiwan]

Late breaking revelations that Mr. Moore is full of it???


http://www.marccooper.com/


"Disney officials appeared to be caught off guard by this onslaught and denied that the company’s decision was motivated by political interests in Florida. They also pointed out they had made it clear a year ago that they wanted no involvement with Fahrenheit 911, which was picked up by Miramax against the wishes of its corporate parent"

"Mr Moore was not immediately available to answer the charge that he was creating controversy for promotional purposes. He is still at work finalising the print to be shown at Cannes."

shock......horror

 

[greyhound]

The real bottom line is Moore desparately needs these kinds of pseudo-conspiracies to prove to his kool aid drinking fan base that the Bush Cabal is truly running their lives and only he can tell the real story before they take him out.

Bingo! He hoped it would play this way all along. The "Vast Right Wing Conspiricy" strikes again......

Then again, the "Progressives (not Liberals)" carping about "The Passion" pretty much killed any success that film had, eh?

 

[LD]

Disney pretty much has a lock on the cartoon industry. However, just because Michael Moore looks like Porkey Pig, speaks like a Daffy Duck, and acts like Foghorn Leghorn doesn't mean that Disney is mandated to distribute his cartoonish antics.

IMHO, Yosemite Sam has Mikey Moore beat hands down.

 

[Unlucky]

The BBC spent about 5 minutes on this story tonight, showing how much time they give to the leftist, anti-gun agenda and their willingness to give their fellow travelers on this side of the Pond a boost.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

The BBC spent about 5 minutes on this story tonight,

That is pathetic.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

and acts like Foghorn Leghorn

I can't believe you cut down Foghorn like that! Comparing Moore to him.

You do know of course that all of the cartoon characters you listed are from Looney Toons/Warner Brothers and not Disney.

 

[Stebalo]

some things

1) The only source for this accusation that Disney is afraid of pissing off the Bush's is Michael Moore's agent. Disney has denied this accusation. Moore knew 1 year ago Miramax wasn't going to distribute this film.

But in a statement Wednesday, Disney spokeswoman Zenia Mucha said Moore has known since May 2003 that Miramax would not release his film.

This is all an attempt for some free publicity going into the Cannes Film Festival where Moore is hoping to win honors for this vicious attack piece. If you read the original NY Times piece on this, Moore's agent is the only quoted source making the accusation that this is somehow connected to Jeb Bush. Many secondary sources are quoting that though as the New York Times statement, implying that paper endorses the accusation.

2) The anti-Moore film is due for release about the same time as Farenheit 911. The film is called "Michael Moore Hates America" and the web page is

http://www.michaelmoorehatesamerica.com/

 

[glocksman]

Interestingly enough, Moore's letter to his 'friends' mentions the Times article and uses it for 'proof' of his allegations of Disney bending to Bush pressure>

Disney Has Blocked the Distribution of My New Film...
by Michael Moore

Friends,

I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter.

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." The reason? According to today's (May 5) New York Times, it might "endanger" millions of dollars of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will "anger" the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush. The story is on page one of the Times.

The whole story behind this (and other attempts) to kill our movie will be told in more detail as the days and weeks go on. 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 (well, OK, sorry -- it WILL upset them...big time. Did I mention it's a comedy?). All I can say is, thank God for Harvey Weinstein and Miramax who have stood by me during the entire production of this movie.

There is much more to tell, but right now I am in the lab working on the print to take to the Cannes Film Festival next week (we have been chosen as one of the 18 films in competition). I will tell you this: Some people may be afraid of this movie because of what it will show. But there's nothing they can do about it now because it's done, it's awesome, and if I have anything to say about it, you'll see it this summer -- because, after all, it is a free country.

Yours,

Michael Moore
[email protected]
www.michaelmoore.com

Notice how he doesn't mention that the 'source' quoted in the NYT article is his own agent.


Moore is incapable of being honest.