"Fahrenheit 9/11" to Open June 25th in 1,000 Theaters

Moore seeks PG-13 on 'Fahrenheit'
6/15/04 CNN.com --EXCERPTS

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Distributors of Michael Moore's documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" are appealing to get a PG-13 rating, instead of R.

A screening by the Motion Picture Association of America's appeals board has been set for June 22, just three days before "Fahrenheit 9/11" hits theaters. But the film's distributors are trying to move that screening up to this week to expedite a decision, said Tom Ortenberg, president of Lions Gate Films, one of the companies releasing the film.

The MPAA ratings board gave "Fahrenheit 9/11" an R rating for "violent and disturbing images and for language."

"I think the message of the movie is so important that it should be available to be seen by as wide an audience as possible," Ortenberg said Monday.

The film's images include a public beheading in Saudi Arabia, Iraqis burned by napalm and a grisly scene of an Iraqi man dumping a dead baby into a truckbed loaded with bodies.

"It is sadly very possible that many 15- and 16-year-olds will be asked and recruited to serve in Iraq in the next couple of years," Moore said. "If they are old enough to be recruited and capable of being in combat and risking their lives, they certainly deserve the right to see what is going on in Iraq."

Theater owners are receiving pressure to not book the film. The Hollywood Reporter reports that a group called Move America Forward, which says its goal is "supporting America's war on terrorism," is urging U.S. movie theaters not to screen the film.


Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/15/film.fahrenheit.911.ap/index.html

I understand there are some really disturbing on the scene war footage so I'm not sure he's going to get anything but an R rating. I don't see that as a drawback. Move America Forward is supporting Bush's war on terrorism, not America's war on terrorism.

Thanks for the link, soz!
Glad to know it will be showing at three theaters here. I was afraid, you know, with this being Bush Country and all...

This film is going to be bigger than 'The Passion of Christ' IMO.

I read where Bill O'Reilly walked out halfway through the film. I guess the truth hurts too much for some people to bare.

I have a feeling this movie could very well affect the outcome of the Presidential election in November.

If enough people see this film, it is going to kill GW's chances for a second term.

Kudos to you Michael Moore.

Moore is being interviewed by Matt Lauer on the Today Show for the next several days. I doubt that it can be tha big at the box office (not nearly enough engagements yet). But, who knows? I suppose O'Reilly will now review the film after seeing only half of it.

I love this build up....Hollywood could not have done better...

'Fahrenheit 9/11' Gets Standing Ovation
(at New York's Ziegfeld Theater)
FOX News Channel-= June 15, 2004
By Roger Friedman

EXCERPTS:

The crowd that gave Michael Moore's controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11" documentary a standing ovation last night at the Ziegfeld Theater premiere certainly didn't have to be encouraged to show their appreciation. From liberal radio host/writer Al Franken to actor/director Tim Robbins, Moore was in his element.

But once "F9/11" gets to audiences beyond screenings, it won't be dependent on celebrities for approbation. It turns out to be a really brilliant piece of work, and a film that members of all political parties should see without fail.

As much as some might try to marginalize this film as a screed against President George Bush, "F9/11" — as we saw last night — is a tribute to patriotism, to the American sense of duty — and at the same time a indictment of stupidity and avarice.

First, I know you want to know who came to the Ziegfeld, so here is a partial list:

Besides Franken and Robbins, Al Sharpton, Mike Myers, Tony Bennett, Glenn Close, Gretchen Mol (newly married over the weekend to director Todd Williams), Lori Singer, Tony Kushner, "Angela's Ashes" author Frank McCourt, Jill Krementz and Kurt Vonnegut, Lauren Bacall (chatting up a fully refurbished Lauren Hutton), Richard Gere, John McEnroe and Patti Smythe, former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Carson Daly, NBC's Jeff Zucker, a very pregnant Rory Kennedy, playwright Israel Horovitz, Macaulay Culkin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kyra Sedgwick, Linda Evangelista, Ed Bradley, Tom and Meredith Brokaw, director Barry Levinson, NBC anchor Brian Williams, Vernon Jordan, Eva Mendes, Sandra Bernhard and the always humorous Joy Behar.

But, really, in the end, not seeing "F9/11" would be like allowing your First Amendment rights to be abrogated, no matter whether you're a Republican or a Democrat.

The film does Bush no favors, that's for sure, but it also finds an unexpectedly poignant and universal groove in the story of Lila Lipscombe, a Flint, Mich., mother who sends her kids into the Army for the opportunities it can provide — just like the commercials say — and lives to regret it.

"F9/11" isn't perfect, and of course, there are leaps of logic sometimes. One set piece is about African-American congressmen and women presenting petitions on the Florida recount, and wondering why there are no senators to support them.

On the other hand, there are more than enough moments that seemed to resonate with the huge Ziegfeld audience.

The most indelible is Bush's reaction to hearing on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, that the first plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.

For complete article, go to:
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,122680,00.ht

Michael Moore: powerful interests trying to block his film
June 17, 2004
Friends,

We're a week away from the nationwide opening of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and not a day goes by where we don't have some new battle to fight thanks to those who are still working overtime to keep people from seeing this film. What's their problem? Are they worried about something?

A Republican PR firm has formed a fake grassroots front group called "Move America Forward" to harass and intimidate theater owners into not showing "Fahrenheit 9/11." These are the same people who successfully badgered CBS into canceling the Reagan mini-series a few months ago. And they are spending a ton of money this week to threaten movie theaters who even think about showing our movie.

As of this morning, a little over 500 theaters have agreed to show the movie beginning next Friday, June 25. There are three national/regional theater chains who, as of today, have not booked the movie in their theaters. One theater owner in Illinois has reported receiving death threats.

The right wing usually wins these battles. Their basic belief system is built on censorship, repression, and keeping people ignorant. They want to limit or snuff out any debate or dissension. They also don't like pets and are mean to small children. Too many of them are named "Fred."

This new nut group is the Right's last hope in limiting how many people can see this movie. All of their other efforts have failed. Let's recap:

1. Roger Friedman at FOX News reported that the head of the company which first agreed to fund our film "got calls from Republican friends" pressuring them to back out. And they did. But... Miramax immediately picked up the film! Except...

2. Michael Eisner, the chairman of Disney, then blocked Miramax (a company owned by Disney) from releasing the film once it was finished. But... public attention and embarrassment forced Disney to let the Weinstein brothers of Miramax find another distributor! But...

3. Instead of a new distributor stepping right in -- as all the media predicted would happen -- it took another month to find distributors who would take on this movie. A number of other distributors, thanks to various pressures, were afraid to get involved. It looked for a while that we would be distributing this ourselves. But then Lions Gate and IFC Films rode in to the rescue!

So, we have beaten back all attempts to kill this movie, and the only thing in the way of you now seeing "Fahrenheit 9/11" is this Republican big-money front group trying to force theaters not to show the movie.

Please, contact your local theaters and let them know you want to see "Fahrenheit 9/11." Tell them that some people don't know that this is America and that we believe in freedom of speech and the importance of ALL voices being heard. (The members of MoveOn.org?-an ACTUAL grassroots organization?-have done a very cool thing. They are pledging to send a message to theater owners and are planning to attend a showing of the film on its opening weekend.)

I appreciate their efforts, but you don't have to be a member of MoveOn to help stop this effort to keep "Fahrenheit 9/11" from making it to screens across the country. If a theater in your area is planning to show the film, just give them a call and thank them for standing up for the freedom of speech. If your local theater isn't showing the film, call them and let them know that you would like to see it and you'd like them to show it.

The White House and their minions in our media have presented one distorted version of the truth after another for the past four years. All we are asking for is the right to show what they HAVEN'T shown us, the real truth. The truth that ain't pretty (and is, sadly, damningly hilarious).

On top of all this, the MPAA gave the film an "R" rating. I want all teenagers to see this film. There is nothing in the film in terms of violence that we didn't see on TV every night at the dinner hour during the Vietnam War. Of course, that's the point, isn't it? The media have given the real footage from Iraq a "cleansing" -- made it look nice, easy to digest. Mario Cuomo has offered to be our lawyer in appealing this ruling by the MPAA. Frankly, I would like to think the MPAA is saying that the actions by the Bush administration are so abhorrent and revolting, we need to protect our children from seeing what they have done. In that case, the film should be rated NC-17!

However it turns out, I trust all of you teenagers out there will find your way into a theater to see this movie. If the government believes it is OK to send slightly older teenagers to their deaths in Iraq, I think at the very least you should be allowed to see what they are going to draft you for in a couple of years.

Finally, some very sophisticated individuals have been hacking into and shutting down our website. It is an hourly fight to keep it up. We are going to find out who is doing this and we are going to pursue a criminal prosecution. I'm preparing lots of cool stuff for the site so watch for new items on it next week (http://www.fahrenheit911.com/ and http://www.michaelmoore.com/).

Thanks again for your support and I hope to see you at the movies on opening night, June 25.

Yours,
Michael Moore

PS. I am sponsoring a number of benefits around the country next week for local and national peace and justice groups, including Military Families Speak Out and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. Please check your local papers and my website next week for further details.

PPS. Also, I am going to be on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Friday night. It's on CBS at 11:35 PM Eastern and Pacific. And on Monday morning (June 21) I will be on "The Today Show" on NBC. Next week, Jon Stewart and Conan. I'd go on O'Reilly but, like a coward, he walked out on a screening we invited him to (with Al Franken just a few rows away!). I personally caught him sneaking out. Embarrassed, he tried to change the subject. He said, "When are you coming on my show?" and I said, "Turn around and watch the rest of the movie and I will come on your show." He walked out. Fair and balanced.

He's also on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart next week -- that should be fun.

Wow - whether you agree with Moore's political view or not - I say, thank goodness for filmmakers like him. He makes us think about our political/social perspectives and his films encourage active discussion. The current Hollywood ennui of "sit back and marvel at our special effects", has its own place. I believe that the higher aspiration of the arts has always been about challenging conformity and traditional belief systems. Every book, every significant piece of art, poetry, or music that has merit, is about disequilibrium. Conformity in and of itself is soothing. Controversy concerns itself with the discomforting effects of growth and change. I commend any man or woman who stands bold enough to face the Goliath of mainstream. Bravo.

PS. Got word from the local "Peace Community" that this film WILL be coming to Harrisburg, PA:)

Will be sure to review the flick on my 'blog:)

Katie Couric tried to fend off Moore's methodical assessment of how the media handled 9/11 but changed the subject quickly. He was right.

It looks like Ray Bradbury is adding to the movie buzz

Moore Film Title Angers Author Bradbury
By PAUL CHAVEZ


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ray Bradbury is demanding an apology from filmmaker Michael Moore for lifting the title from his classic science-fiction novel ``Fahrenheit 451'' without permission and wants the new documentary ``Fahrenheit 9/11'' to be renamed.

``He didn't ask my permission,'' Bradbury, 83, told The Associated Press on Friday. ``That's not his novel, that's not his title, so he shouldn't have
done it.''

link

This is going to be the film event of the summer in NYC, in my opinion.

That's been debated on the political forums.

Bradbury knows he's got no case but he has a new edition of the book coming out in eight weeks -- the Mel Gibson get publicity through controversy forges on. And a new filming of the novel by filmmaker Frank Darabont -

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001104/

Darabont also wrote and directed "The Shawshank Redemption" on the plus side and "The Majestic" on the questionable side.

Fahrenheit 451 is an established scientific terminology so it's not too far off from the Franken "fair and balanced" controversy.

The other question which I have posed to the interested party BTW is why RB waited six months to hear back from the Moore camp.

an F9/11 question from me
hi dudes does any of u a2k experts know when F9/11 opens in the uk?

www.michaelmoore.com

Rating
Michael Moore failed to get the assigned "R" rating changed to "PG-13" that he wanted. Too bad.

Maybe when it comes out on tape or CDs the younger kids can see it.

BBB

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/23/film.fahrenheit911.r.ap/index.html