Disney refuses distribution of new Micheal Moore movie critical of Bush

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Disney Forbids Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush

By JIM RUTENBERG, The New York Times

   
 
AP
Michael Moore  
   
WASHINGTON, May 4 — The Walt Disney Company is blocking its Miramax division from distributing a new documentary by Michael Moore that harshly criticizes President Bush, executives at both Disney and Miramax said Tuesday.

The film, "Fahrenheit 911," links Mr. Bush and prominent Saudis — including the family of Osama bin Laden — and criticizes Mr. Bush's actions before and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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.

   
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Executives at Miramax, who became principal investors in Mr. Moore's project last spring, do not believe that this is one of those cases, people involved in the production of the film said. If a compromise is not reached, these people said, the matter could go to mediation, though neither side is said to want to travel that route.

In a statement, Matthew Hiltzik, a spokesman for Miramax, said: "We're discussing the issue with Disney. We're looking at all of our options and look forward to resolving this amicably."

But Disney executives indicated that they would not budge from their position forbidding Miramax to be the distributor of the film in North America. Overseas rights have been sold to a number of companies, executives said.

"We advised both the agent and Miramax in May of 2003 that the film would not be distributed by Miramax," said Zenia Mucha, a company spokeswoman, referring to Mr. Moore's agent. "That decision stands."

Disney came under heavy criticism from conservatives last May after the disclosure that Miramax had agreed to finance the film when Icon Productions, Mel Gibson's company, backed out.

   
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Mr. Moore's agent, Ari Emanuel, said Michael D. Eisner, Disney's chief executive, asked him last spring to pull out of the deal with Miramax. Mr. Emanuel said Mr. Eisner expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where Mr. Bush's brother, Jeb, is governor.

"Michael Eisner asked me not to sell this movie to Harvey Weinstein; that doesn't mean I listened to him," Mr. Emanuel said. "He definitely indicated there were tax incentives he was getting for the Disney corporation and that's why he didn't want me to sell it to Miramax. He didn't want a Disney company involved."

Disney executives deny that accusation, though they said their displeasure over the deal was made clear to Miramax and Mr. Emanuel.

A senior Disney executive elaborated that the company had the right to quash Miramax's distribution of films if it deemed their distribution to be against the interests of the company. The executive said Mr. Moore's film is deemed to be against Disney's interests not because of the company's business dealings with the government but because Disney caters to families of all political stripes and believes Mr. Moore's film, which does not have a release date, could alienate many.

"It's not in the interest of any major corporation to be dragged into a highly charged partisan political battle," this executive said.

Miramax is free to seek another distributor in North America, but such a deal would force it to share profits and be a blow to Harvey Weinstein, a big donor to Democrats.

Mr. Moore, who will present the film at the Cannes film festival this month, criticized Disney's decision in an interview on Tuesday, saying, "At some point the question has to be asked, `Should this be happening in a free and open society where the monied interests essentially call the shots regarding the information that the public is allowed to see?' "

Mr. Moore's films, like "Roger and Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," are often a political lightning rod, as Mr. Moore sets out to skewer what he says are the misguided priorities of conservatives and big business. They have also often performed well at the box office. His most recent movie, "Bowling for Columbine," took in about $22 million in North America for United Artists. His books, like "Stupid White Men," a jeremiad against the Bush administration that has sold more than a million copies, have also been lucrative.

Mr. Moore does not disagree that "Fahrenheit 911" is highly charged, but he took issue with the description of it as partisan. "If this is partisan in any way it is partisan on the side of the poor and working people in this country who provide fodder for this war machine," he said.

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. He said it closely explores the government's role in the evacuation of relatives of Mr. bin Laden from the United States immediately after the 2001 attacks. The film includes comments from American soldiers on the ground in Iraq expressing disillusionment with the war, he said.

Mr. Moore once planned to produce the film with Mr. Gibson's company, but "the project wasn't right for Icon," said Alan Nierob, an Icon spokesman, adding that the decision had nothing to do with politics.

Miramax stepped in immediately. The company had distributed Mr. Moore's 1997 film, "The Big One." In return for providing most of the new film's $6 million budget, Miramax was positioned to distribute it.

While Disney's objections were made clear early on, one executive said the Miramax leadership hoped it would be able to prevail upon Disney to sign off on distribution, which would ideally happen this summer, before the election and when political interest is high.


May 5, 2004

Copyright © 2004 The New York Times Company.

[Don Breezio]

he talks about that same stuff in Dude! Wheres My Country? and they didn't keep that from being released...thats rediculous...what happened to free speech? "oh yeah you can say that...we just wont let it get out so the public can hear it"...thats fuckin rediculous. and the sad part about it is every point he would've made about bush & the saudi's is totally valid...he goes on for like 2 chapters all about that in his latest book. same with osama...damn thats messed up.

[Woodrow]

Free speech? Come on...

Know about the topics you are complaing aobut. This has NOTHING to do with free speech. Disney feels that this film will hurt their profits. They have every right NOT to release this film

[Don Breezio]

Free speech? Come on...

Know about the topics you are complaing aobut. This has NOTHING to do with free speech. Disney feels that this film will hurt their profits. They have every right NOT to release this film

a new documentary by Michael Moore that harshly criticizes President Bush, executives at both Disney and Miramax said Tuesday.

The film, "Fahrenheit 911," links Mr. Bush and prominent Saudis — including the family of Osama bin Laden — and criticizes Mr. Bush's actions before and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

dont gimme that it will hurt they're profit bullshit...its not like micheal moores movies are big budget films...and after bowling for columbine there are tons of people that would go see this one.

[M Dogg™]

I remember when a company stood up for it's artist and movie makers freedom of speech. Like when Warner Bros. stood up for Ice T releasing Cop Killaz, and Priority with N.W.A., now though, it's about money and not about freedom of speech. And the most important, more than freedom of speech, is messing with the Bush dynasty. Shit, I'm temped to suck it up and get a Bush daughter, being a Bush you get all kinds of power.

[Woodrow]

 

This situation is NOTHING like the Ice T or NWA situations...

If you think this film isn't gonna find another source of distribution, you're a bigger idiot that I thought.

Luke, do us a favor and let the grown folks worry about this.

[Trauma-san]

Lemme break it down for those of you whom are ignorant.  















Disney is a company.  They don't like the movie.  










PERIOD.  Who gives a fuck?  They can do whatever the fuck they want, FUCK michael moore, nobody gives a shit about his bloated ass trying to get some shitty movie distributed.  Move on down the road, somebody else will distribute it, who gives a fuck if Disney doesn't like him? THATS THEIR FUCKING PEROGATIVE.  I don't like the motherfucker either, if he tried to get me to distribute his movie, I'd tell him to fuck off, which apparently is how Disney similarly feels.  What's the problem?  This isn't the government, it's a fucking COMPANY.  They don't like him, so fuck him, simple as that.  Stop being such fucking whiners and crybabies, that's why people don't like a fucking liberal like Moore in the first place.  

[Don Breezio]

Krayzie Eyez...how is this nothing like the Ice T situation? dude made a song about killing cops....it was going to be pulled off of shelves (and eventually was)....micheal moore makes a movie criticizing bush...and they wont distribute it...its the same damn thing.

[Don Breezio]

i love trauma's reply..."Nobody gives a shit about him trying to get out a movie"....well trauma...according to the poll that went along with this article...over 71,000 people have voted...here's the stats:

Do you agree with Disney's decision?
No 52%
Yes 48%
Total Votes: 71,413

so then as close as it is...that still means that 37,134.76 people do care...thats a lot of people.

[The Ghost When I Zone Off]

that still means that 37,134.76 people do care...thats a lot of people.

Yeah...and get off Brian Wilson's crazy half retarded dick.  

Just cuz u agree with Disney doesen't make them right...

[Woodrow]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82CMK380.html

DUR............

Don't you guys feel retarded...

[The Ghost When I Zone Off]

God youre right I feel so stupid now I just wish I was like you and knew everything.

[Don Breezio]

Quote from you:

Disney feels that this film will hurt their profits. They have every right NOT to release this film

Quotes from article you posted:

The confrontational director won an Oscar for his 2002 documentary "Bowling for Columbine," about the Columbine High School shooting and U.S. gun control policy. The film earned $21.5 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing documentary ever.

After lengthy discussions, "Stupid White Men" came out uncensored. It almost immediately sold out a first printing of 50,000 and went on to top The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list.

doesnt look like he's hurting too much as far as the box office/sales go  

now...don't you feel retarded

[Woodrow]

i love trauma's reply..."Nobody gives a shit about him trying to get out a movie"....well trauma...according to the poll that went along with this article...over 71,000 people have voted...here's the stats:

Do you agree with Disney's decision?
No 52%
Yes 48%
Total Votes: 71,413

so then as close as it is...that still means that 37,134.76 people do care...thats a lot of people.

Because an online Poll where anybody can vote is a REALLLLLL scientific poll.

[Don Breezio]

i love trauma's reply..."Nobody gives a shit about him trying to get out a movie"....well trauma...according to the poll that went along with this article...over 71,000 people have voted...here's the stats:

Do you agree with Disney's decision?
No 52%
Yes 48%
Total Votes: 71,413

so then as close as it is...that still means that 37,134.76 people do care...thats a lot of people.

Because an online Poll where anybody can vote is a REALLLLLL scientific poll.

as opposed to those polls that disney would've sent out to a few select people because in real polls not just anybody can vote