# Disney won't let Miramax distribute "Fahrenheit 911"! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 5, 2004, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616 "2004-05-05T10:41:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/81 "2004-05-07T15:34:58Z")
I think he’s been drinking the Drakkar Noir. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/82 "2004-05-07T15:38:33Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > Sheesh, nowadays Disney can’t even do the megalomanaical soulless greedbag corporation thing right anymore. > > Look, I’ve seen how they operate. The only color they care about is green, and their only god is the Almighty Dollar. _Especially_ now, in light of their financial woes. They don’t give a damn about the quality of their movies; the recent flurry of direct-to-video sequels alone destroys that myth. Let’s not forget that a sizable (and growing) chunk of America absolutely loves Michael Moore, and the recent flap over Bowling For Columbine was because _it won an Oscar_. > > This is a golden opportunity to run a thought-provoking movie that’ll drum up a ton of controversy and make a ton of money, and the only people it’ll tick off likely hated them to begin with. I mean, what’s their problem? I’ve got to wonder about your declaration that “a sizable (and growing) chunk of America absolutely loves Michael Moore”. While I am liberal-leaning, I just can’t agree with you on that. I tend to agree with Moore on a bunch of things, but sometimes the way a message is delivered affects the message. I can calmly and rationally explain to you that there were no WMDs in Iraq, and the Bush Admin lied, and that they’re all horrible people that were one of the worst thing to ever happen to this country. As a matter of fact, I have done so, and was able to change the mind of a friend who was convinced that “they found nukes in Iraq”. However, if I had done so by pushing him into a chair and screeching for two hours “BUSHISEVIL!ASCROFTISEVIL!RUMSFELDISEVIL!THEWARWASUNJUST!YOU’REEVILBECAUSEYOU’REAWHITEMAN!”, well, it’s safe to assume that he’d walk away two hours later without having learned anything other than, “Christ, what an asshole”. For my part, while I tend to agree with Moore on a bunch of things, the way he delivers the message is not helpful. I think he’s hurting his cause because of the way he does things. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/83 "2004-05-07T15:38:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Stop it. Now you’re just embarrassing yourself. Is it not in France? I could be wrong, but thought it was there. The quote from you doesn’t do a whole lot, I’ve been slammed before. Many have told me how wrong I am. But I still stand by my previous posts (yeah, yeah, cites are coming). **mhendo** if this thread is the most embarrassing I’ve been involved in, I better reconsider my status. I thought I was much more offensive. _Asshole poster_ is something I can live with. All I ask is that readers consider what I say. Kerry in '04! Nader in '04! Bush in '04! Disagre with that! (mhendo, I’ll save a post and a hampster by saying my reply was only to you was only the first paragraph 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/84 "2004-05-07T15:40:31Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > I think he’s been drinking the Drakkar Noir. Nope, Stolichnaya. I’ll buy you one if we ever meet. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/85 "2004-05-07T15:44:12Z")
Only if you buy a bottle of Bollinger to wet my throat first. Seriously, what difference does it make if Cannes is in France? What if it was debuting at the Sundance festival instead? Whatever your opinions about Moore are, what have they do do with France? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/86 "2004-05-07T15:47:46Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > Duffer, Mel Gibson called. He wants you to play the martyr in “The Passion of the Christ 2: Judgement Day”. Can’t believe I missed that one. I got the message, but I’ll only do it if I can go Mad Max on a boat. Kevin Costner’s agent agreed to call back after a consultation. I want something where I can go postal on a world filled with water. (yeah, weak, but not much to work with) :dubious: I’d love to get you guys into my bar. Soon. I got a job today, look for the MPSIMS thread soon. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/87 "2004-05-07T15:51:48Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > Only if you buy a bottle of Bollinger to wet my throat first. > > Seriously, what difference does it make if Cannes is in France? What if it was debuting at the Sundance festival instead? Whatever your opinions about Moore are, what have they do do with France? Unless you can prove otherwise, I’ll just take the Whoosh here. You have to know why the French thing is a stick in my craw, **Twist**. No, not a stick in my ass, liberals, save it for someone that cares. (Man, that was harsh, but still valid) ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/88 "2004-05-07T15:56:43Z")
What, because they didn’t fall for the “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” shtick? Because they threatened to use their veto on any resolution that provided an automatic trigger for going to war? does the fact that there are French troops in Afghanistan alongside the US troops mean nothing? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/89 "2004-05-07T16:02:17Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > What, because they didn’t fall for the “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” shtick? Because they threatened to use their veto on any resolution that provided an automatic trigger for going to war? > > does the fact that there are French troops in Afghanistan alongside the US troops mean nothing? Why do I get the feeling that we’d get along famously with a pitcher of beer between us rather than a couple of keyboards? Oh, I know. Because we can “fight” without getting personal. Allow me to change that. I’ll kick your ass in a game of Cricket (darts). Loser buys the off-sale. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/90 "2004-05-07T16:37:39Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > For my part, while I tend to agree with Moore on a bunch of things, the way he delivers the message is not helpful. I think he’s hurting his cause because of the way he does things. > > -Joe I must say, i’m in about the same position. I agree with many of Moore’s political positions, and i certainly agree with most of what he says about Bush, but i just find his documentary and journalistic techniques to be a little too slippery for comfort. I know that film-makers often use visual and rheotircal devices to make their point, but i thought that some of Moore’s techniques in _Bowling for Columbine_ were pretty awful. I cringed, for example, when he was leaving Charlton Heston’s place after that god-awful interview, and he placed the girl’s photo on the ground and just kept looking mournfully back at Heston. I know we get manipulated by the media all the time, but at least have the courtesy not to openly insult my intelligence while you’re doing it. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/91 "2004-05-07T17:12:31Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > For my part, while I tend to agree with Moore on a bunch of things, the way he delivers the message is not helpful. I think he’s hurting his cause because of the way he does things. “She’s her own worst enemy.” Groucho Marx: “Not while I’m alive, she isn’t!” ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/92 "2004-05-07T17:48:26Z")
Just thought I’d let you lot know this film will be released in the UK in ‘late summer’ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3689121.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3689121.stm) ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/93 "2004-05-07T23:42:08Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Mel Gibson paid for it all out of his pocket. Icon productions is his baby. I hope you’re not arguing that point. Like I said, no cite yet, but I will do what I can to get it out there. No, what I’m arguing is the idea that no one would distribute the film, when in fact it was courted by several studios. > [@](#): > > My main point was that the NY _Times_ (among a myriad of others) hammered _Passion_ and mocked the fact that some might want to see it. In fact the _NY Times_ in their editorials/Op-Ed’s/Reviews told people why NOT to see _The Passion_ because they said it was Anti-Semite. Yet they failed to decry the trouble of getting this movie to regular distribution. The film had very little trouble getting to regular distribution. The above ‘controversy’ is in fact the **reason** the film has made as much as it has. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/94 "2004-05-08T21:00:52Z")
Can someone explain to me what Mel Gibson and The New York Times has to do with Michael Moore and Disney? Despite reading a couple dozen florid posts from **duffer** , I’m still not getting the connection. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/95 "2004-05-09T01:04:49Z")
Certainly, **Miller.** First, some vocab: _Passion_ = Movie for God-fearing (good) Americans. _New York Times_ = Liberal media. Hates America. Also represents everything for which every non-Republican in America stands. Michael Moore = Liberal. Hates America. Michael Moore’s movie = Some Frenchy garbage about how much the left loves terrorists and hates America. Now, **duffer** has pointed out that the NYT “ran many articles denouncing Passion and those who watch it as anti-Semites.” Also, although it has been demonstrated that major distributors vied for the rights to the distribution of _Passion,_ I think we can agree that nobody would distribute _Passion.__Conclusion: Pinko liberals hate America and hate God, didn’t want Mel Gibson to make money off movie._ Now Michael Moore (consult key above) is having a problem with film distribution. There is a thread about this issue. _Conclusion: America-haters are crying in their Neufchâtel because their America-hater movie is meeting resistance, even though they conspired to keep the truth about Jesus under wraps. Typical Clinton-lover double standard._ In other words, the liberal media was united against Mel when he couldn’t (could) find distribution, but is backing up Moore in his efforts to undermine American security. See? I shall now post six times in succession about tangentially related subjects. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/96 "2004-05-09T01:29:36Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Mel Gibson paid for it all out of his pocket. Icon productions is his baby. I hope you’re not arguing that point. Like I said, no cite yet, but I will do what I can to get it out there. > > . Can I get cite for Gibson’s ownership of Icon? ---
**Author:** ![Necro\_Romancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@Necro\_Romancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necro_Romancer)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/97 "2004-05-09T01:52:34Z")
[Mel Gibson’s ownership of Icon.](http://www.hoovers.com/icon-productions/--ID__132567--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml) ---
**Author:** ![HoldenCaulfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@HoldenCaulfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoldenCaulfield)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/98 "2004-05-09T02:16:01Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Can I get cite for Gibson’s ownership of Icon? [http://premium.hoovers.com/subscribe/co/factsheet.xhtml?ID=132567](http://premium.hoovers.com/subscribe/co/factsheet.xhtml?ID=132567) [http://www.sassiweb.it/thepassion/](http://www.sassiweb.it/thepassion/) Those are the best I can do. Hopefully it’s enough for the free subscription. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/99 "2004-05-09T02:28:32Z")
Thank you both! ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616/100 "2004-05-09T10:08:55Z")
From his website at [http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php](http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php) Friday, May 7th, 2004 When You Wish Upon A Star by Michael Moore Dear Friends, Thank you for all the incredible letters of support as my film crew and I once again slog our way through the corporate media madhouse. Does it ever end? Are we ever going to get control of our “free press” again? Can you wish upon a star? The Disney spin machine has been working overtime dealing with this censorship debacle of theirs. I don’t think they thought they would ever be outed. After all, they know that all of us are supposed to adhere to the unwritten Hollywood Code: Never tell the public how business is done here, never let them have a peek at the man behind the curtain. Disney has been hoping for nearly a year that they could keep this thing quiet. As I promised on Wednesday, here are the details behind my sordid adventure with the Magic Kingdom: In April of 2003, I signed a deal with Miramax, a division of the Walt Disney Co., to finance and distribute my next movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. (The original financier had backed out; I will tell that story at a later date.) In my contract it is stated that Miramax will distribute my film in the U.S. through Disney’s distribution arm, Buena Vista Distribution. It also gives Miramax the rights to distribute and sell the movie around the world. A month later, after shooting started, Michael Eisner insisted on meeting with my agent, Ari Emanuel. Eisner was furious that Miramax signed this deal with me. According to Mr. Emanuel, Eisner said he would never let my film be distributed through Disney even though Mr. Eisner had not seen any footage or even read the outline of the film. Eisner told my agent that he did not want to anger Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida. The movie, he believed, would complicate an already complicated situation with current and future Disney projects in Florida, and that many millions of dollars of tax breaks and incentives were at stake. But Michael Eisner did not call Miramax and tell them to stop my film. Not only that, for the next year, SIX MILLION dollars of DISNEY money continued to flow into the production of making my movie. Miramax assured me that there were no distribution problems with my film. But then, a few weeks ago when Fahrenheit 9/11 was selected to be in the Cannes Film Festival, Disney sent a low-level production executive to New York to watch the film (to this day, Michael Eisner has not seen the film). This exec was enthusiastic throughout the viewing. He laughed, he cried and at the end he thanked us. “This film is explosive,” he exclaimed, and we took that as a positive sign. But “explosive” for these guys is only a good word when it comes to blowing up things in movies. OUR kind of “explosive” is what they want to run from as fast as they can. Miramax did their best to convince Disney to go ahead as planned with our film. Disney contractually can only stop Miramax from releasing a film if it has received an NC-17 rating (ours will be rated PG-13 or R). According to yesterday’s New York Times, the issue of whether to release Fahrenheit 9/11 was discussed at Disney’s board meeting last week. It was decided that Disney should not distribute our movie. Earlier this week we got the final, official call: Disney will not put out Fahrenheit 9/11. When the story broke in the New York Times, Disney, instead of telling the truth, turned into Pinocchio. Here are my favorite nuggets that have come out of the mouths of their spinmeisters (roughly quoted): “Michael Moore has known for a year that we will not distribute this movie, so this is not news.” Yes, that is what I thought, too, except Disney kept sending us all that money to make the movie. Miramax said there was no problem. I got the idea that everything was fine. “It is not in the best interests of our company to distribute a partisan political film that may offend some of our customers.” Hmmm. Disney doesn’t distribute work that has partisan politics? Disney distributes and syndicates the Sean Hannity radio show every day? I get to listen to Rush Limbaugh every day on Disney-owned WABC. I also seem to remember that Disney distributed a very partisan political movie during a Congressional election year, 1998¡Xa film called The Big One¡K by, um¡K ME! “Fahrenheit 9/11 is not the Disney brand; we put out family oriented films.” So true. That’s why the #1 Disney film in theaters right now is a film called, KILL BILL, VOL. 2. This excellent Miramax film, along with other classics like Pulp Fiction, have all been distributed by Disney. That’s why Miramax exists – to provide an ALTERNATIVE to the usual Disney fare. And, unless they were NC-17, Disney has distributed them. “Mr. Moore is doing this as a publicity stunt.” Michael Eisner reportedly said this the other day while he was at a publicity stunt cutting the ribbon for the new “Tower of Terror” ride (what a pleasant name considering what the country has gone through recently) at Disney’s California Adventure Park. Let me tell you something: NO filmmaker wants to go through this kind of controversy. It does NOT sell tickets (I can cite many examples of movies who have had to change distributors at the last minute and all have failed). I made this movie so people could see it as soon as possible. This is a huge and unwanted distraction. I want people discussing the issues raised in my film, not some inside Hollywood fracas surrounding who is going to ship the prints to the theaters. Plus, I think it is fairly safe to say that Fahrenheit 9/11 has a good chance of doing just fine, considering that my last movie set a box office record and the subject matter (Bush, the War on Terror, the War in Iraq) is at the forefront of most people’s minds. So what will happen to my movie? I still don’t know. What I do know is that I will make sure all of you see it by hook or crook. We are Americans. There are a lot of screwed up things about us right now, but one thing that most of us have in common is that we don’t like someone telling us we can’t see something. We despise censors, and the worst censors are those who would dare to limit thoughts and ideas and silence dissent. THAT is un-American. If I have to travel across the country and show it in city parks (or, as one person offered yesterday, to show it on the side of his house for the neighborhood to see), that is what I will do. More to come, stay tuned. Yours, Michael Moore > **[Michael Moore | Substack](https://www.michaelmoore.com/)** > > Writer. Filmmaker. Podcaster. Eagle Scout. Citizen. [mmflint@aol.com](mailto:mmflint@aol.com) =========================================== [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-wont-let-miramax-distribute-fahrenheit-911/243616.md?page=6)