Disney Forbids Distribution of Moore Film

Disney and Michael Moore

By MICHAEL D. EISNER

To the Editor:

You accuse the Walt Disney Company of cowardice and censorship because of its decision a year ago not to distribute Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11" (editorial, May 6). In fact, the cowardly thing would have been to be intimidated into distributing the film. We did not block its distribution. There are many avenues for Mr. Moore to pursue to get his film distributed.

Your accusations of stifling free expression are misplaced. The First Amendment does not say that The New York Times must print every article presented to it or that the Walt Disney Company must distribute every movie. If a government entity had blocked Mr. Moore's film from being released, that would have violated the First Amendment, and we would have quickly signed up to join any protest.

In the case of "Fahrenheit 9/11," we chose a path that was right for the company and its stakeholders.

The creation of intellectual product rises and falls on similar judgments by creative people and executives across America. We would hope that The Times would recognize that the Walt Disney Company has the same right of freedom of expression that it is advocating for Mr. Moore.

MICHAEL D. EISNER
Chief Exec., Walt Disney Company
Burbank, Calif., May 7, 2004

Eisner is right. Disney can distribute (or not) what they want.

Now we can only hope the film makes a fortune for another company...

We haven't hear from Harvey Weinstein at MIRAMAX which would be very illuminating indeed.

The Weinstein brothers (MIRAMAX) are going to buy the film back from Disney and distribute it on their own.

If Disney owns MIRAMAX doesn't this mean that Disney still gets a cut?

Only in the transaction which can be just what they have invested.

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/12/disney.moore.reut/

Interesting.

The Phillip Morris version of citizenship.

But that Blatham is what this culture has been reduced to. (in a blacker than usual mood today)

Acq

Well, a happy consequence of ordinary folks loosing a lot of money when the bubble burst is some lessening of zest to invest and that unreflective buying into the 'greed is good' theology. At least, I hope so.

Where there's cigarette smoke, there's fire? Looks to me like the Weinstein brothers were keeping Moore in the dark about any deals which is typical boardroom covert operations.

More Moore comedy...

PETA says Moore's size a weighty issueLink

Moore's weight has fluctuated up and down -- just look at his book jackets. As I've said before, around 70% of Americans are overweight. Tread lightly if you aren't in that 30% or ye may be judged by the weight of your hypocrisy.

What? Only skinny people can make fun of a tub of lard like Moore? Now THAT would be hypocrisy...

I'll admit if their stomachs are constantly hitting the space bar on their PC it would be a good idea to call attention away from their lard to the lard of others.