# Anti-Moore Website Posts Link to Download "Fahrenheit 911" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 2, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141 "2004-07-02T00:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/21 "2004-07-02T08:20:00Z")
One event that didn’t get much play in the media was that Michael Moore held ten [benefit screenings](http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=33) of **Fahrenheit 9/11,** the day before the movie opened, with the proceeds going to various local charitable organizations. So he’s already given _some_ of the money away… ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/22 "2004-07-02T10:41:24Z")
I think Moore’s contempt for the copyright law is rather obvious, isn’t it? After all, he ripped off the title of his film from Ray Bradbury who, by the way, is furious about it and is demanding that Moore change it. Incidentally, he lodged this complaint six months ago and Moore ignored it until the middle of June just before the film’s release. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/23 "2004-07-02T11:01:21Z")
Actually, [titles can’t be copyrighted](http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ34.html). Many works wind up having the same or similar titles, and allusions to other works are fairly common in titles. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/24 "2004-07-02T11:11:12Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Many works wind up having the same or similar titles, and allusions to other works are fairly common in titles. Including some of Bradbury’s own work but people who just want to find reasons to slam Moore are going for anything. It’s actually quite funny to see this reaction. ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/25 "2004-07-02T12:32:44Z")
The whole situation is a win-win. People who may be ashamed to be seen going to this movie, or who live in a town where that sort of liberal entertainment isn’t welcome, can now see the film for themselves and decide for themselves its meaning - rather than relying on something they read or heard. (Which is more than can be said about some of the folks who criticize it around here.) Meanwhile a few right wingers are going to get sued and/or prosecuted for their slimy, extralegal campaign against a popular liberal voice. (Which is more than can be said about 99.99% of slimy, extralegal right wingers during the last 12 years or so.) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/26 "2004-07-02T12:46:50Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I think Moore’s contempt for the copyright law is rather obvious, isn’t it? After all, he ripped off the title of his film from Ray Bradbury who, by the way, is furious about it and is demanding that Moore change it. Incidentally, he lodged this complaint six months ago and Moore ignored it until the middle of June just before the film’s release. From **MEBuckner** ’s cite, it seems Bradbury was not in much a position to demand anything and Moore was under no obligation to humor him. Could you explain how this is contempt for copywrite law? And could you comment on **Yojimbo** ’s point that Bradbury had done the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/27 "2004-07-02T13:06:06Z")
“Cool,” thinks Moore, “lots more free publicity for my film that’s already made a vast profit. And the only trade off is some cheap-skates, who probably wouldn’t have gone to see the film legally anyway, get to see a rotten pirated version.” I guess he’s going to be really upset about that. So much so he may go around to [MooreWatch.com](http://MooreWatch.com) and shake them all by the hand. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/28 "2004-07-02T13:14:01Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > From **MEBuckner** ’s cite, it seems Bradbury was not in much a position to demand anything and Moore was under no obligation to humor him. Could you explain how this is contempt for copywrite law? And could you comment on **Yojimbo** ’s point that Bradbury had done the same thing? My explanation would be that I misunderstood copyright law. Given the facts as stated by Buck, I do not understand why both Moore and his distributors have expressed such deep regrets. Or why Moore did not call Bradbury for months after promising to call promptly. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/29 "2004-07-02T13:33:24Z")
and say what, exactly? “Hey Ray, I’m sorry you are upset at me using a title similar to one of yours, but I’m going to use it anyway and there isn’t really much you can do.” or “Hello, Mr Bradbury, in relation to your claims of plaigarism of the title of one of your works, could you please address any future similar claims to the law firm, Pot, Kettle and Black”. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/30 "2004-07-02T14:14:55Z")
What he actually said was that he was “embarrassed”. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/31 "2004-07-02T15:10:37Z")
I think Moore probably just forgot to call or never got the message in the first place. Not that it matters. The most Moore is guilty of is being rude about returning a phone call. He owes Bradbury nothing and took nothing away from him. I wonder if Ray Bradbury is going to apologize to William Shakespeare for ripping off “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” That’s even a direct quotation, not simply an allusion. Moore didn’t even take Bradbury’s title, he just used a single _word_ from one of Bradbury’s titles. Star Wars is a pretty well known title. Should anyone who wants to use the word “Star” in a title have to call George Lucas for his blessing? How about “Wars?” ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/32 "2004-07-02T15:17:04Z")
That reminds me of when Warner Brothers threatened to sure the Marx Brothers to stop them from spoofing _Casablanca_. Groucho responded to one of WB’s letters with, “You claim you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without your permission. What about ‘Warner Brothers’? Do you own that, too? You probably have the right to use the name Warner, but what about Brothers? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were”. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/33 "2004-07-02T16:30:44Z")
Thanks for the reminder, that’s a [beautiful piece](http://www.chillingeffects.org/resource.cgi?ResourceID=31), **Lib**. > [@](#): > > _Groucho_ > I just don’t understand your attitude. Even if you plan on releasing your picture, I am sure that the average movie fan could learn in time to distinguish between Ingrid Bergman and Harpo. I don’t know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try. As a side note, it’s good to see **manhattan** ’s back in town. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/34 "2004-07-02T16:58:28Z")
Mr. Bradbury needs to go in for an ego trim, and a self-importance tuck. First off, _Farhenhiet 411_ wasn’t exactly _Dune_. We ain’t talking bestseller here, just one of a number of more-or-less forgettable novels from the Sci-fi as smooth, creamy, pablum era (though I hear there’s a new production of _Ewwww! Robot!_) A bold attack on book-burning! Edgy. How many people do you think got the connection the first time they heard it? One in 50? Mostly, the title reflects Moore’s days as a lonely, bookish, teenager who spent time in the library because his lunch money had been extorted. Ray Bradbury is approved, he’s in the school library, Philip Jose Farmer is not. If Moore wanted to pimp a pun-title for the sake of recognition, he should have picked a Stephen King, or, God help us, a Dean Koontz. If I had to guess, I would bet Moore did it as a sentimental _homage_, it certainly doesn’t make much sense otherwise. He probably thought Bradbury would be honored, pleased even to be remembered. Look, Ray, shaddup all ready! You’ll probably get an extra $5 this month from people reading F4/11 again. Use it to pick up some old copies of Harlan Ellison’s _Dangerous Visions_ series and reflect on what might have been… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/35 "2004-07-02T17:07:35Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Use it to pick up some old copies of Harlan Ellison’s _Dangerous Visions_ series and reflect on what might have been… Mr. Bradbury was represented in _Again, Dangerous Visions_. If I recall correctly, the leadoff story. The bulk of his writing is hardly “smooth, creamy pablum.” But as far as in re Moore goes, you’re absolutely right: Bradbury does not have a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/36 "2004-07-02T17:13:32Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Given the facts as stated by Buck, I do not understand why both Moore and his distributors have expressed such deep regrets. Because he’s not the author-disrespecting dipstick you wanted to paint him as? I mean, heck, “Weird Al” Yankovic still regrets the mix-up that led him to parody “Gangster’s Paradise” after he thought Coolio gave permission to do so (when he didn’t), but Al hasn’t stopped playing the song, and nobody thinks less of him for that. Sometimes all you need to do after a goof-up is to apologize and move on. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/37 "2004-07-02T17:17:10Z")
Egg on red face. Just so, _Christ, Old Student in a New School_, as you said. Not the leadoff story, but there, sure as shootin’. _Mea fuckup_ ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/38 "2004-07-03T10:23:26Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > How many people do you think got the connection the first time they heard it? One in 50? … Hell, I got it. And I’ve never read any Bradbury book, let alone Farhenhiet 451. So it can’t be as tough as all that. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/39 "2004-07-03T10:34:25Z")
It sort of stuck out to me since 9/11 isn’t a temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141/40 "2004-07-03T11:57:35Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Given the facts as stated by Buck, I do not understand why both Moore and his distributors have expressed such deep regrets. Or why Moore did not call Bradbury for months after promising to call promptly. So the worst you can accuse Moore of is bad manners? No wonder you’re upset! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-moore-website-posts-link-to-download-fahrenheit-911/253141.md?page=3)