Michael Moore Believes Film Leak Was An Inside Job

[orleans]

06/21/07
09:16:49, Categories: Movie News
Michael Moore Believes Film Leak Was An Inside Job

Documentary maker Michael Moore has accused movie executives of leaking his new film Sicko on the internet because he insists the weekend controversy must have been an inside job.

The editors of video-sharing website YouTube.com were forced to pull links to pirated versions of Moore's new healthcare film after learning as many as 600 people had seen the movie illegally online. But Moore isn't buying suggestions the leak was a mistake or the result of a clever pirate - because the online footage was too good.

He fumes, "The film that's leaked onto the internet is not taken at a movie theatre with a little home movie camera the way it's usually done. This is the master. This is the actual digital; it's perfect. You can't really get that unless you've been able to perform an inside job.

"If you were a police detective, one of the first questions you would ask is about motive: Who has a vested interest in ruining the opening weekend's box office of this movie? If I were the police or FBI investigating this felony that's taken place, that's where I would look."

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/06/21/michael_moore_believes_film_leak_was_an_

[pnorman]

1. I guess I was one of those 800!

I saw the it mentioned here on DU, and immediately posted the link on my union's BBS. I watched it in entirety, and then when I went to D/L a copy, I found it was "no longer available". Although I've seen better quality on the internet, this one was quite good. I should have smelled a rat then, but I figured that Mike was just throwing out some chum. I was planning on buying the DVD when it comes out, and I still will. It was that GOOD.

pnorman

[orleans]

3. come on, you gotta see it in the theater. he makes his movies for

the big screen--ya gotta see it again.

i want to see it opening night, but i'm not sure i can. i'm almost as interested in the audience reaction as i am of the movie.

just like with f.9/11.
part of the experience in that movie were the various reactions shared by other movie going strangers. it made it so obvious that we are in this republican mess together.

you gotta go see it in the theater. why miss out on that experience?

[Neoma]

4. Why not just buy a bunch of tickets and never go in to actually see it?

[orleans]

6. (some people just don't "get" the movie going experience i guess) n/t

[Neoma]

9. Yeah, maybe.

[MLFerrell]

41. That's right...

Some of us don't enjoy paying $10+ to go sit in a dark room with blaring sound and sticky floors, surrounded by a bunch of disease-ridden strangers who often don't know when to shut the fuck up and watch the movie.

The popcorn's pretty good though, provided that it's slathered with real, artificial, imitation, ersatz, butter-flavored food-topping substance.

:popcorn:

[orleans]

42. theaters in west virginia charge ten bucks to see a movie?

damn! i'm in the chicago burbs and it's not that expensive!

[Spiffarino]

23. Better yet, buy a bunch of tix and give them to friends

Especially to friends and family who wouldn't otherwise go.

[Generic Brad]

30. I was also one of 800

And I will be paying to see the film next week and I am currently trying to round up as many people as possible to join me. Michael Moore will not lose money on my account.

[glowing]

2. I think most people will actually go and see this or buy the dvd

when its released, but its so hyped up. I can't wait to see it. But I will be patient.

[Deja Q]

5. Why should he care? He's said he doesn't mind it when people illegally download it.

As I've said before, if he didn't care, he'd have hosted it on his own website.

As others have posted his own quotes, he claims he doesn't care when people have downloaded it.

This development, youtube and all, contradicts what he said in the past. Seems he does care after all.

[oldtime dfl_er]

7. Maybe he cares that the very people

who are supposed to be marketing it are pirating it.

I plan to go on opening night, myself.

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/3076154

[Deja Q]

11. Possibly.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michael-Moore-Approves-Of-Downloading-Sicko-5532.html

Michael Moore wants you to download his new movie Sicko illegally. Or at least he doesn’t mind if you do it.

It’s already been in the news that high quality copies of Sicko have leaked out onto the internet early. In response to that, and the good buzz the film has been getting, The Weinstein Company decided to release it a week earlier on June 22nd instead of June 29th. Till now, Michael Moore has been too busy fighting the US government to comment much on the state of his movie and piracy, but yesterday at a press junket Coming Soon caught him answering the piracy question.

After blaming the US government for leaking the film (get real dude) Moore says, “I'm glad that people were able to see my movie.” He then adds, “I'm not a big believer in our copyright laws. I think they're way too restrictive.” I’m right there with you man. Copyright laws were a good idea when they were invented, but they’ve been stretched way beyond their original intention and these days seem to exist only to protect big, all-powerful corporations.

To Moore’s credit, he puts his money where his mouth is. Not only is he none too happy with the current overbearing, unreasonable restrictiveness of copyright law, he was willing to come out and give the okay to people illegally downloading his movie. He says, “I've never supported this concept of going after Napster. I think the rock bands who fought this were wrong. I think filmmakers are wrong about this. I think sharing's a good thing. I remember the first time I received a cassette tape of a band called The Clash. I became an instant fan of the Clash and then bought their albums after that and went to their concerts and gave them my money… but I first got it for free. C'mon. Everyone in here's either young or were young, and that's how it happens, right?” Finally, someone who gets it. Anyone else smell a ripe topic for Michael Moore’s next movie?

The article has more.

[Spiffarino]

25. He's said this on more than one occasion

I don't think he cares about the "pirating" as much as the motive behind the leak of the master copy. He's always been against the totalitarian tactics of audiovisual moguldom.

However, I think he has a point. Whose interest is truly served by tamping down the opening week box office numbers? Big Oil's tentacles are very long.

[itsrobert]

8. He may not care

but he has investors and people to answer to.

[Deja Q]

13. With investors being one reason why the quality of goods has gone down,

that makes a poor argument.

As I quoted in a previous response, Moore is supportive of downloading and has gripes with the industry.

On the other hand, ambivalence is a normal human reaction as well...

[Spiffarino]

26. I don't think Moore gives a crap about the investors

The distribution company, however, cares deeply. They're all over this thing and they're pissed.

[orleans]

17. i think he cares to the degree that he wants to make some money

--i mean, face it, he's not public service broadcasting

but he's talked about copyright laws, etc.
my understanding is that he thinks it's great when you can turn someone on to his work, or the work of another artist because then you are more inclined to spend money on their other products.

example: my friend brought over a tape of roger & me for me to watch years ago. first i ever heard of michael moore. i didn't see it in the theater. thought it was good. i bought the dvd of bowling for columbine, i took several people to see Fahrenheit and bought the dvd of it.

however, this movie is also a financial investment on the part of his backers--and they need to make their money back, and then some.

in order for him to continue doing the quality of work he does--it would be financially insane for him to market this film like abby hoffman's "steal this book"

and

if enough people see this movie online, the box office sales won't be breaking any records, and the publicity and talk about this film will just fade away into the din. it could become a has-been before it has a chance to promote/initiate the dialog of national health care.

[ConsAreLiars]

36. That comment was regarding F9/11 after the film had gone to the theaters and DVD.

It was not a reference to pre-release copies of SICKO.

[loudsue]

38. He didn't care about downloading F-9/11, but I don't think he intended the same

for this one.

:kick:

[BlooInBloo]

10. The version I saw was a dvd rip.

[johnnyrocket]

12. I will absolutely buy a ticket to this movie!!!

Moore deserve the utmost support for what he's done with this project. Buy a ticket folks, no matter how you end up seeing it!

[BrainGlutton]

14. Hmph! And people call Moore a socialist!

Seems he cares about his profit margin as much as any capitalist!

[malaise]

22. You got that from the article in the OP?

Strange.

[canetoad]

37. Hmph? How do you pronounce that

Is the final 'h' silent or is it an F sound with a little spray of spittle.

[Lisa]

15. another good reason to go, even if you've seen it on the small(est) screen

If "the suits" see large crowds on opening weekend, there will be more pressure to expand the film to smaller towns (which otherwise might have to wait for months). I seem to recall that both F9/11 and Gore's film had grassroots "get out the moviegoers" efforts, to pump up the numbers on opening weekend specifically for this purpose. One of the independent cinemas in my town goes out of its way to get documentaries as soon as they're released, but those at the mercy of the big chains have to wait for the magic of capitalism to work (a.k.a. the lure of bums in seats).

[LoZoccolo]

16. That's a lame accusation.

If they didn't want people to see the movie they wouldn't have paid for it to be made.

[orleans]

20. huh?

[LoZoccolo]

29. He's accusing the movie executives of leaking it, right?

Why would they do that?

[orleans]

31. i don't think he is accusing the movie executives at all

they are probably the LAST people who want the film leaked.

my thought/guess/assumption is that he is accusing a repuke operative of leaking the film. because the more the film fails, the more the repuke party can say what a loser michael is and that no one wanted to see his film.

thereby shutting down the dialog on health care, thereby leaving the fucking health insurance industry & big pharma alone, thereby leaving bush's pals alone.

[Joanne98]

18. I'm sure he's right. But I'm taking four people anyway...

Micheal Moore should know that there are no good corporate executives. But that won't stop the money from rolling in. It's more than a movie. It's a statement. The only thing he has to worry about is the theatres ringing up his money to somebody else. When I went to see Fahenheight my ticket was rung up on another movie. I didn't notice it till six months later when I cleaned my purse. Everybody CHECK YOUR TICKETS!

[orleans]

19. wow--never thought of that. do theaters really do that shit? don't you

think that was just an accident on the part of the cashier?

[Joanne98]

21. Actually no. I don't think it was an accident. I wish I would have noticed it at the time.

I would have raised Holy Hell. I'm just hoping they try this again. I swear to God I'll make them wish they were dead!

[Monk06]

27. What you describe would constitute a number of felonies including......

Conspiracy

Grand Larceny

Infringement of Copyright

Tax Fraud

Interfering with Inter-State Commerce

Subornation of Contract .... just to name six

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

24. See it in theaters for the experience

I just came home and it's really almost a communal experience.

[orleans]

32. where did you see it? i mean, what city? and what was the audience

reaction??

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

39. Miami. Great audience reaction.

Lots of applause throughout the movie. Lots of laughs too.

[BlueIris]

28. It's always an inside job, Mike.

I mean, you know I love you, but--duh. And yes, I understand that once again, the media is portraying your for the chump you're NOT, but still--duh. (And I wish you'd get better PR representation.)

[orleans]

34. a couple weeks ago you posted on a thread where i asked if you (anyone)

could ask michael moore a question what would it be

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1112620&mesg_id=1116750

your question was When's the Katrina movie coming out, again?

just thought i'd let you know i printed up the thread, gave it to my friend who passed it on to the guy who was traveling with michael in chicago on thursday--the guy who was telling michael where to go and when (like get in the limo). my friend said here are some other questions people on democratic underground have.
(so maybe he'll take a look at it and think...ah yes, katrina; i should tackle katrina)

:thumbsup: :hi: :-)

(i really wish he would, too.)

[BlueIris]

40. While I hope he continues to make films for as long as he desires to,

I'd hate to see him make a bad or incomplete film about Katrina. So, if he's going after that subject, he should take his time.

Thanks for passing my note along, though.

[Occulus]

33. There was a MASTER?

Oh, wait, there was. I didn't see that one; it was 4.7Gb and I thought to myself, "hmm, some critic uploaded their preview copy."

The copy I was shown was crap, visually. Little 360Mb quick 'n dirty super compressed version. It only made me want to see it on a big screen. Thus, I will be seeing this film in the theaters, very likely more than once as I'm taking a couple friends, one of whom may need to reschedule. I think the audience reaction is itself as much a part of the film as what is going on on the screen. Note: I do not feel that way about anything but documentaries.

The last film I paid to watch in a theater was "Fahrenheit 9/11". An upward glance shows me the DVD.

[orleans]

35. critics were not given copies. they had to go to the screenings. n/t