Filmmaker Michael Moore began streaming scenes from his controversial documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" on the Web on Thursday.
A trailer for the movie is available via Moore's Web site and is scheduled to begin showing in theaters Friday.
The film takes a critical, highly personal look at events surrounding the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and has become a cause celebre since Moore revealed that Walt Disney had refused to distribute it.
Moore, whose previous films have tackled issues such as gun control and labor policies, alleged that Disney's move was an attempt to silence material in the film critical of President Bush and his administration.
The controversy picked up steam last week, when "Fahrenheit 9/11" won the top prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Moore announced Wednesday that brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, heads of movie studio Miramax, had bought the film for $6 million and would distribute it through a partnership with Lions Gate Films and IFC Films.
The movie is set to arrive in theaters June 25, but the curious can get an early taste from the trailer. Clips show Moore in fine confrontational style, inviting members of Congress to enlist their children in the Army and send them to Iraq, and driving through Washington reading the text of the Patriot Act over a loudspeaker, for the benefit of lawmakers who didn't read the bill before approving it.
The Web has become an increasingly important venue for Hollywood to promote its wares, with streaming trailers for high-profile films drawing heavy traffic well before the material shows up in theaters.
I appreciate you covering this story, but you need to update it to reflect actual facts. Michael Moore did announce, via his website, that Disney had refused to distribute his film. However, 1 day later, he admitted that he had in fact lied with thi s statement. The facts show that when Miramax agreed to finance the production of the film, it was also stated in the contract that distribution would not be part of the deal. Mr. Moore knew this going in (or if he didn't, it's only through his own fault). Please don't leave out information that causes a story to propagate a lie any further.
> "Michael Moore did announce, via his website, that Disney had refused to distribute his film. "
Yes, and so did Miramax (Harvey).
> "However, 1 day later, he admitted that he had in fact lied with this statement. "
Where did you get this information about Moore admitting to lie?
>"The facts show that when Miramax agreed to finance the production of the film, it was also stated in the contract that distribution would not be part of the deal."
Yes, but the company that has distribution posibilities and pays for a film to be made usually distributes it. And Disney did refuse Miramax to distribute it.
There is no wrong information in this article.
But Moore probably suspected they wouldn't want to distribute it. He thereby makes a point: There are a small number of large media companies in US today that do not want to show people things they consider "disturbing". No matter if it's a naked breast or a political satire movie. Therefore the american people don't get to see all sides of reality and therefore there is some sort of censorship going on. The limits of what is "disturbing" is currently getting narrower in US. In this case it worked out for Moore anyway. But in a few years time it maybe won't.
There are two ways of stopping this.
Either you make sure there are more independent media companies by regulations. (By law, stopping monopoly situation, Public Service or Taxes etc.)
Or you use your democratic right as an individual and stop watching crap-TV or whatever you don't like. Choose your media consumtion.
In your case I would suppose you use that right and don't go see this movie. I will see it. For sure. And thank god for internet.
THANK GOD FOR GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOTS LIKE MICHAEL MOORE. HE HAS THE COJONES TO STAND UP AGAINST THE LIES AND DECEIT OF OUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION AND POINT OUT ALL ITS FLAWS AND WAKE UP A LOT OF SLEEPING, APATHETIC AMERICANS. THE OTHERS JUST LISTEN TO THE LIKES OF RUSH, SAVAGE, COULTER, SCARBOROUGH,SHAWN, BILL, DENNIS,PAT, THE SWIFT BOAT GROUP, THE SKULL AND BONES, AND THE F** WORD NETWORK. I WAS, KEY WORD WAS, A VERY LOYAL REPUBLICAN FOR OVER 30 YEARS. GEORGE W HAS CURED ME OF THAT AFFLICTION. I AM NOW A MAJOR NEWS HOUND AND READ, SOMETHING GEORGE W CLAIMS HE DOESN'T DO, I READ NEWS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THANKS TO GOOGLE. I CANNOT WAIT FOR FARENHEIT 9-11 TO COME TO THE THEATER. THOSE VETS WHO CLAIM THAT JOHN KERRY IS NOT FIT TO SERVE AS OUR PRESIDENT BECAUSE OF HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS RE ATTROCITIES DURING THE VIET NAM WAR I SAY THIS. SEN KERRY'S TESTIMONY PROBABLY HELPED HASTEN THE END OF THE VIET NAM WAR. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN MANY MORE THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS DIE IN VIET NAM IF NOT FOR HIS COURAGE TO STAND UP. LIKE HUGH THOMPSON AND HOW MR THOMPSON STOOD UP AND TRIED TO HELP THOSE INNOCENT VIETNAMESE AT MY LAI, SEN KERRY SHOULD BE GETTING ALL THE SUPPORT IN THE WORLD FROM HIS FELLOW VETS. THOSE WHO SAY THE ATTROCITIES DID NOT OCCUR I SAY THIS. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS A SNIPER IN VIET NAM (GREEN BERET). HE CAME HOME IN THE LATE 1960'S, EARLY 1970'S AND SHOWED PICTURES HE HAD SMUGGLED IN FROM VIET NAM. THE PICTURES WERE HORRIFIC. THE FEW PICTURES I LOOKED AT WERE PICTURES OF NAKED DEAD LITTLE VIETNAMESE GIRLS SPREAD EAGLED WITH THEIR GENITALS MUTILATED. I SAW PICTURES OF VIETNAMESE MEN WITH THEIR GENITALS MUTILATED, CUT OFF AND STUCK INTO BODY ORIFICES. DON'T TELL ME THAT ATTROCITIES DIDN'T OCCUR IN VIET NAM. THEY DID. GO MICHAEL MOORE, GO! YOU ARE MY HERO. QUESTION THOSE WHO DENIGRATE FREE SPEECH AND REMEMBER THE SAYING THAT WHEN THEY CAME TO GET THE JEWS I DID NOTHING. WHEN THEY CAME TO GET THE CHRISTIANS I DID NOTHING...WHEN THEY CAME TO GET ME NO ONE WAS THERE TO STAND UP AND HELP ME. THOSE WITH LIKE PHILOSOPHIES OF WWII NAZI'S ARE ALIVE AND WELL IN THIS WORLD.
From here in London (and, incidently, Rome, Moscow, Paris, Berlin, Baghdad etc.) Michael Moore appears to be a true American patriot, trying to allow Americans to see an alternative view of the world from the one the executive branch has been feeding you all pretty much since the dawn of television.
Since Tony Blair hasn't actually got round to collecting his Congressional Gold Medal yet, perhaps the Congress could award it to Michael Moore instead.
Thank you Mr Moore for taking on the hydra single handedly. In showing the truth you are a target for the party followers, keep the faith. The American people have been in the dark too long. How many congressmen or senators sons or daughters are serving in the armed forces ? There is a REAL meat grinder, and the elitists are not going to send thier spawn .
1. This has nothing to do with Tech. I didn't realize you were so damn liberal News.com
2. What is done is done. What does it matter that Bush or his administration missed something or made mistakes. No one is pointing out how Clinton didn't do enough to end the threat before it got out of control in some ill-begotten movie.
3. God help us if Kerry gets elected. I'd rather go with the demon I know than the obvious one that I don't know (and who - btw - is supported by France - can't stand those buggers).
The article is inaccurate and incomplete by not including the fact that Moore's previous films have misconstrued, misrepresented, and flat out created lies from disparate pieces of film and information spliced together to create fiction that unfortunately most of the viewing pubic, including the Hollywood OSCAR committee, is too ignorant to discern.
I'm eager to see Fahrenheit 9/11, and web streaming of excerpts is a great idea. As a veteran (Vietnam era) I despise the dozens of administration's chickenhawks who think war is "glorious" (since they were never in one) and couldn't tell the truth if it was printed in simple English on their Skull & Bones cravats. They've gotten us into another Vietnam quagmire, with the same old obligatory body count binge and fiscal irresponsibility. My happiest dream is to walk into a fast food joint & see Dubya flipping burgers. Then let's run Moore for President in 2008! He's absolutely on target when he aims his humor and sarcasm against the fanatics who stage-managed that slimy coup in 2000 and have been wrecking the ideals and morals of our country ever since.
God bless you, Deb, for your conscience and good citizenship. As a military woman I didn't serve in combat during my years in the Navy (early '57-Dec '68), but only fools still make up excuses about what went on there, and is currently happening in Iraq. John Kerry gets my vote -- and my energy, since my friends and I are campaigning for him. (So should you and your friends!) Thanks for sharing your sad family story of the mutilations in Nam. They happened, and a lot of officers higher up than the ones punished for My Lai needed to be tried. I resigned my commission in '68, and, checking out, I ran into a formed work colleague, a Marine with NEARLY 19 YEARS SERVICE -- about 14 months to retirement! He was resigning because he couldn't stand the unnecessary slaughter any longer. He gave me graphic and stomach-turning details why, then burst into tears. PS: I was resigning, too, and a couple of weeks later I joined the VVAW, and am still a member. Now I'm active in the Veterans for Peace, and helped put together a solemn and reverent memorial service for the all those lost in Iraq -- for NOTHING but oil-hunger, lies, and narrow fanaticism! Thanks.
I hope everyone reads your narrow-minded, foreign-bashing, jingoistic piece of blather. Your kind of comments do more to bring people to vote for Kerry than a thousand TV ads or bumper stickers. Anyone with decency, genuine religious morality, and true American patriotism would NOT wish to be associated with you. KEEP GOING!
anyone who grew up in Flint appreciates the outrageous behavior of our leaders who do not do the job for the citizens either by choice, ignorence or bad politics...GO GET'EM MIKEY (E =R)
Web giant is spending $120 million to beef up its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, according to filings with the city reviewed by the San Jose Mercury News.
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MIT creates a simulation to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Spacewar. A relic of the early days of minicomputers, it was one of the first computer video games and set the stage for many others, including Asteroids.
Disney had refused to distribute his film. "
Yes, and so did Miramax (Harvey).
> "However, 1 day later, he admitted that he had in fact lied
with this statement. "
Where did you get this information about Moore admitting
to lie?
>"The facts show that when Miramax agreed to finance the
production of the film, it was also stated in the contract
that distribution would not be part of the deal."
Yes, but the company that has distribution posibilities and
pays for a film to be made usually distributes it. And Disney
did refuse Miramax to distribute it.
There is no wrong information in this article.
But Moore probably suspected they wouldn't want to
distribute it. He thereby makes a point: There are a small
number of large media companies in US today that do not
want to show people things they consider "disturbing". No
matter if it's a naked breast or a political satire movie.
Therefore the american people don't get to see all sides of
reality and therefore there is some sort of censorship going
on. The limits of what is "disturbing" is currently getting
narrower in US. In this case it worked out for Moore
anyway. But in a few years time it maybe won't.
There are two ways of stopping this.
Either you make sure there are more independent media
companies by regulations. (By law, stopping monopoly
situation, Public Service or Taxes etc.)
Or you use your democratic right as an individual and stop
watching crap-TV or whatever you don't like. Choose your
media consumtion.
In your case I would suppose you use that right and don't
go see this movie. I will see it. For sure. And thank god for
internet.
DEBORAH J WOOD
WIMBERLEY, TEXAS
What does this have to do with Tech News?
I think it's just the liberal media reporting on the liberal media to promote liberal ideas.
Sincerely, Mark
Since Tony Blair hasn't actually got round to collecting his Congressional Gold Medal yet, perhaps the Congress could award it to Michael Moore instead.
information and creative editting.
Farenheit-911 is more of the same.
www.bowlingfortruth.com
The American people have been in the dark too long. How many congressmen or senators sons or daughters are serving in the armed forces ?
There is a REAL meat grinder, and the elitists are not going to send thier spawn .
2. What is done is done. What does it matter that Bush or his administration missed something or made mistakes. No one is pointing out how Clinton didn't do enough to end the threat before it got out of control in some ill-begotten movie.
3. God help us if Kerry gets elected. I'd rather go with the demon I know than the obvious one that I don't know (and who - btw - is supported by France - can't stand those buggers).
that Moore's previous films have misconstrued, misrepresented,
and flat out created lies from disparate pieces of film and
information spliced together to create fiction that unfortunately
most of the viewing pubic, including the Hollywood OSCAR
committee, is too ignorant to discern.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.prisonplanet.com/video.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.prisonplanet.com/video.html</a>
Click halfway down the page on
911: The Road To Tyranny
Or any other link I guess
Or just keeep believing the government isn;t lying about just about everything..
Weapons of Mass Destruction..."They must be under the rug".."Yea that's the ticket"
Or ..."saddam has weapons of mass destruction..we know...we kept the receipts"!!
Or maybe Wake up./.
Or just go back to sleep...
It is all fine..
Big Brother is your friend..
There are not cameras on you everywhere..
Only Bad guys torture, lie and steal oil..
Ooooops/// I mean if they are not us...
I mean..
No go back to sleep
or go to
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.prisonplanet.com/video.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.prisonplanet.com/video.html</a>
TIme to wipe the sleep from those eyes..
Twinkle..Twinkle
On this propaganda video, I object strongly to having Apple host
it on thier server.