Theaters To Drop Controversial 'The Interview'

alberchico · Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:17 pm

The country's largest chains won't be showing the movie

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...e-top-five-theater-circuits-758843

I haven't seen this much uproar over a film since " A Serbian film" premiered a few years back...

casinterest · Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:24 pm

Sony just pulled it from Dec 25th release.

mham001 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:34 pm

Blackmail works.

..........................

alberchico · Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:44 pm

Sony cancels 'The Interview' after major theaters pull out

http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/17/medi...ers/index.html?hpt=hp_t2&hpt=hp_t1

what a bunch of pathetic spineless cowards

Mir · Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:02 pm

I was all set to see this on opening day. Not because I really care about the movie - I don't - but as a "piss off" to whoever was making those threats.

Disgusting, really. And that applies to those who made the decision to cancel the showings just as much as it does those who made the threats. Are we really going to let ourselves get blackmailed like this?

-Mir

flyingturtle · Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:15 pm

WTF? Do they fear rogue North Korean agents entering movie theatres, and shooting up the audience?

Wait, there was an incident with a Batman movie......

Quoting alberchico (Thread starter):
A Serbian film

...a film I've seen. A very disturbing, but yet well-made film. I'm thankful to have seen it, but I don't think I could watch it again.

David

WestJet747 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:26 pm

I don't see North Korea as being the theater-bombing type. What other threat could there be? They've already hit them in the wallets with the hacking.

Quoting alberchico (Thread starter):
I haven't seen this much uproar over a film since " A Serbian film" premiered a few years back...

I'm not a movie person at all, so I have no idea what you're referring to here. Please enlighten me?

Quoting alberchico (Reply 3):
what a bunch of pathetic spineless cowards

I guarantee you Sony and the theaters had their counsel quivering in their boots going "b-but if something happens, we'll get SUED!".

Cowards indeed.

Quoting Mir (Reply 4):
Not because I really care about the movie - I don't - but as a "piss off" to whoever was making those threats.

Although I do find Seth Rogen to be hilarious.

flanker · Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:42 pm

Spineless twats! Screw them and screw that Kim in the shitter.

flyingturtle · Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:52 pm

Quoting WestJet747 (Reply 6):
I'm not a movie person at all, so I have no idea what you're referring to here. Please enlighten me?

About "A Serbian Film"...

* Dragons and spoilers be here *

A movie actor gets a deal he cannot refuse. He has to play in a "art" movie that is shown, in episodes, live to a select and well-paying viewership. His roles involve killing people, molest women, "newborn porn" and necrophilia, and he tries to fight his way out of this role. In the end, he shoots himself and his wife - which, again, is televised live to the viewers.

Excerpt from Wikipedia: Scott Weinberg wrote "I think the film is tragic, sickening, disturbing, twisted, absurd, infuriated, and actually quite intelligent. There are those who will be unable (or unwilling) to decipher even the most basic of 'messages' buried within A Serbian Film, but I believe it's one of the most legitimately fascinating films I've ever seen. I admire and detest it at the same time. And I will never watch it again. Ever."

David

[Edited 2014-12-17 15:53:33]

alberchico · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:12 am

Quoting WestJet747 (Reply 6):
I'm not a movie person at all, so I have no idea what you're referring to here. Please enlighten me?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/foru...nally-got-around-to-A-Serbian-Film

"It is probably THE most thematically and visually disturbing film i have ever seen, and it certainly pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable and unacceptable."

It is available on YouTube for anyone who is interested...

[Edited 2014-12-17 16:15:52]

Aaron747 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:33 am

What an unbelievably poor response...I cannot believe that anyone takes such a general and laughable threat from North Korea seriously.

S75752 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:37 am

Quoting flyingturtle (Reply 8):
About "A Serbian Film"...

Doesn't the main character use his you-know-what to kill some guy in it?

What sort of threats have been actually going around, besides the hacking things? Didn't North Korea claim that they weren't responsible?

I don't think they were responsible for those hacks, either. It honestly seems like something that various internet groups would do for fun to humiliate Sony (which they did), and then frame North Korea for it for s****s and giggles.

flyingturtle · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:49 am

Quoting S75752 (Reply 11):
Doesn't the main character use his you-know-what to kill some guy in it?

Uh, yes.

Sad to see the theatres caving in to these rather unsubstantiated threats.

David

WestJet747 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:49 am

Quoting flyingturtle (Reply 8):

Quoting alberchico (Reply 9):

Thanks guys. I guess my first issue was that I thought "A Serbian Film" was code for the movie's actual title

Sounds like a rough watch!

mham001 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:01 am

Quoting S75752 (Reply 11):
I don't think they were responsible for those hacks, either. It honestly seems like something that various internet groups would do for fun to humiliate Sony (which they did), and then frame North Korea for it for s****s and giggles.

Except they used a server in Bosnia that had previously been used in another attack thought to be from NK.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/wo...s-north-korea-to-sony-hacking.html

Francoflier · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:38 am

What exactly is the point of freedom of speech if we roll over each time an obscure terrorists groups/countries threatens us?

I hope the pirates dump all the stuff they have on them on the internet. It'll serve Sony right. A company I increasingly despise.

BMI727 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:39 am

Quoting alberchico (Thread starter):
The country's largest chains won't be showing the movie

This is deplorable. They're giving in to a whiny piece of excrement with the physique of a South Park character.

Quoting WestJet747 (Reply 6):
Although I do find Seth Rogen to be hilarious.

You're literally the only person not related to Seth Rogen who thinks that. Unless, of course, you are related to Seth Rogen.

fr8mech · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:41 am

I had no intention of seeing this movie, but:

I can not freaking believe that Sony and the big movie houses have given in.

What did they just tell the lunatics of the world?

What happens the next time someone produces a movie that pokes fun at Islam, or at Putin or some other person or group that is easily offended? Make threats and get the movie pulled. Blackmail works.

Come to think of it, if I knew this worked I would have made threats about Anchorman 2. Yuck!

Cowards.

mham001 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:48 am

Quoting francoflier (Reply 15):
It'll serve Sony right. A company I increasingly despise.

And there is quite a lot to despise in many areas, imo. But I think this was the Japanese office making that call. They have more reason to fear NK in Tokyo since they've seen his rockets flying over their heads. Anyway, when all the theaters pull out, what are they going to do? We should be blaming the theater chains.

fr8mech · Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:10 am

Quoting mham001 (Reply 18):
Anyway, when all the theaters pull out, what are they going to do? We should be blaming the theater chains.

They could have gone ahead with the release and let the movie houses take the bad publicity, but they jumped on and showed themselves for the cowards they are.

That's not really that fair. They made a business decision. My opinion is that it is a cowardly business decision, but it is a business decision.

Quoting francoflier (Reply 15):
What exactly is the point of freedom of speech if we roll over each time an obscure terrorists groups/countries threatens us?

Last time I checked, North Korea couldn't care any less about anyone's freedom of speech.

S75752 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:27 am

Quoting mham001 (Reply 14):
Except they used a server in Bosnia that had previously been used in another attack thought to be from NK.

I think what I find more disbelievable is that NK has the resources to pull off a Sony hack.

...Not like such a task exactly takes many resources as we learned with the last supposed hack...
...And with them getting rid of their Cybersecurity...

WestJet747 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:55 am

Quoting BMI727 (Reply 16):
You're literally the only person not related to Seth Rogen who thinks that. Unless, of course, you are related to Seth Rogen.

Ok.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=sethrogen.htm

Francoflier · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:00 am

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 19):
Last time I checked, North Korea couldn't care any less about anyone's freedom of speech.

North Korea doesn't, but the country where this movie was made, as well as pretty much every country where it was going to be shown, do.

Ironically, this is probably the greatest publicity stunt any movie has ever had...

fr8mech · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:15 am

Quoting francoflier (Reply 22):
North Korea doesn't, but the country where this movie was made, as well as pretty much every country where it was going to be shown, do.

And, when I checked, it wasn't the US government or the Japanese government or any government, except the North Korean government demanding this film be pulled. Freedom of Speech does not apply.

Quoting francoflier (Reply 22):
Ironically, this is probably the greatest publicity stunt any movie has ever had...

All the publicity in the world doesn't help if it doesn't pull them in at the box office. And, as long as Sony doesn't release it and the movie houses don't air it, it won't make box office gold, will it?

I guess they can go right to DVD...it'll make some money, but nothing like a 4 week run at in the theaters.

Pellegrine · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:23 am

It is in poor taste to make comedy of killing a country's leader. No matter how backwards they are. Besides, what incentive does NK have not to do what they did? More sanctions? lol.

Also, the reviews were pretty horrible.

fr8mech · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:40 am

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 24):
It is in poor taste to make comedy of killing a country's leader. No matter how backwards they are. Besides, what incentive does NK have not to do what they did? More sanctions? lol.

Who cares if it's in bad taste? You think that justifies the threats NK is firing around? Do you think that it's ok for a nation-state to make threats against the citizens of other nation-states for something as trivial as a movie? Just because the topic could be considered "poor taste"?

Did you feel the same way about the movie made about GWB?

Pellegrine · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:44 am

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 25):
Did you feel the same way about the movie made about GWB?

I knew someone was going to bring up that. I do think it is in poor taste.

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 25):

Who cares if it's in bad taste? You think that justifies the threats NK is firing around? Do you think that it's ok for a nation-state to make threats against the citizens of other nation-states for something as trivial as a movie? Just because the topic could be considered "poor taste"?

People have to be realistic. North Korea has NOTHING to lose. So why wouldn't they do this? It's stupid to play with fire. You get burned.

It isn't like the US is about to go bomb them. They have a few nukes, missiles that can hit South Korea and Japan, and a million troops who have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Like they say, "bitch please."

WarRI1 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:45 am

A spineless decision to me by the studio. All it does is make one wonder what other information the hackers have for them to cave into this blatant blackmail.

Mir · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:56 am

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 26):
People have to be realistic. North Korea has NOTHING to lose. So why wouldn't they do this? It's stupid to play with fire. You get burned.

I don't blame North Korea. Idiots are going to be idiots. I blame the theaters and Sony for being scared of the idiots. To say that it's stupid to make certain movies because idiots are going to react negatively to them is absolutely ridiculous.

-Mir

flymia · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:04 am

Supposedly the FBI did say there was a threat for a cyber attack for other companies/theaters etc.. I don't think anyone actually believes actual physical harm was a real threat.

Aaron747 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:30 am

Quoting BMI727 (Reply 16):

Not sure if you were just deadpanning, but your statement is obviously untrue. Seth Rogen is not my favorite either, but he has already earned $50 million+ in film salary - far more than you or I combined. And his career has been relatively short, so he will likely earn even more.

Pellegrine · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:37 am

Quoting Mir (Reply 28):
I don't blame North Korea. Idiots are going to be idiots. I blame the theaters and Sony for being scared of the idiots. To say that it's stupid to make certain movies because idiots are going to react negatively to them is absolutely ridiculous.

It's stupid to make movies that are offensive to a certain sect of people, simply because you're a rich white Hollywooder and you think something tasteless and offensive to someone else is funny.

The best part are the emails though. I had to LOL at the email re. Obama...a supremely educated black person like Pres. Obama only likes movies about black slaves...ok.

fr8mech · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:44 am

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 31):
It's stupid to make movies that are offensive to a certain sect of people, simply because you're a rich white Hollywooder and you think something tasteless and offensive to someone else is funny.

You do realize that all humor is offensive to someone, right? Jokes are made at someone's expense.

To not make a movie because someone would be offended is freaking ridiculous. Is that the yard stick we should use? Will this offend? I suspect that many movies are made because they will offend. Movies like that tend to make us think.

Not, that I'm suggesting this movie has such a high motive.

D L X · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:56 am

I wonder how much Sony was afraid of more leaks.

Anywho, not only does this hacking prove Sony is racist, but it proves that they want the terrorists to win too.

EA CO AS · Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:25 am

Sony shouldn't go forward with theatrical release.

Instead, they should release it absolutely free of charge in HD on the Internet via any and all platforms available, including YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc.

PHX787 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:50 am

Pathetic. Giving in to North Korea? what's next! signing a treaty allowing the IS to have the land they're destroying?

Quoting flyingturtle (Reply 5):
WTF? Do they fear rogue North Korean agents entering movie theatres, and shooting up the audience?

I don't ever see that happening. They're so powerless...except with hacking.

Quoting flyingturtle (Reply 5):
Wait, there was an incident with a Batman movie......

Bad taste...and that was a mental patient.

CXfirst · Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:51 am

I don't really blame Sony for this. I think they're hands were somewhat forced by the large cinema chains. When some of the biggest chains decide not to show the film, Sony risk losing a lot of money still showing it.

Opening weekends are important, and when an opening weekend has a hugely reduced number of outlets, that will hurt them. Sure, the cinemas that would show the film would probably see higher attendance, simply due to this publicity, the loss of the other chains would hurt more.

I have no doubt that they will show the film, but only after the chains themselves feel confident enough, then Sony will reschedule the premiere.

-CXfirst

ltbewr · Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:20 pm

It is a sad but necessary decision. Sony or any other US or international company cannot afford any more attacks on their computer systems, or end up in lawsuits if there were cyber or terror attacks on movie theaters. I wonder if the US government put pressure on Sony to pull the movie.

For a number of years, we have seen the entertainment media not make in their movies and TV programs China, Russia and the Middle East be connected to be the enemies in them out of fear of cyber or physical attacks.

What I further fear from this attack and reaction by Sony will be a chilling in the USA and international news media as to reporting or having access as to North Korea, Russia, China and the Middle East unless we only do positive stories or ignore them.

The USA has done state sponsored cyber terror, in Iran to screw up their nuclear program. China has done extensive cyber theft of corporate computer sites to steal corporate secrets, to copy consumer products and military secrets. Now other countries can do cyber war and we are the target. We are going into a brave new world and I don't know how it will go.

HOMER71 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:07 pm

Looks like the Dallas location of the Alamo Drafthouse chain, in lieu of The Interview, will screen Team America: World Police

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...s-theater-show-team-america-759037

Too funny...

flyingturtle · Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:48 pm

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 24):
It is in poor taste to make comedy of killing a country's leader. No matter how backwards they are. Besides, what incentive does NK have not to do what they did? More sanctions? lol.

In nearly every country, insulting a foreign head of state, or foreign diplomats, is punishable. Countries have such laws because of diplomatic treaties.

For example Switzerland:

http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/311_0/a296.html

But I've never heard of anyone being tried for it - except a case in France.

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 24):
Also, the reviews were pretty horrible.

I never thought it would be a good film. But people must have a right to access, watch and experience bad art.

Quoting PHX787 (Reply 35):
Bad taste...and that was a mental patient.

No bad taste intended, but if anyone wanted to shoot up the cinema audience in the style of that mental patient, he or she could easily do so. But why does Sony specifically fear North Korean terrorism? Do they have that many trained sleeper cells in the U.S.? Or did the hacker steal *really* sensitive stuff? In what way is Sony exposed to extortion? In the worst case, a nearly finished film would leak, costing Sony 2-3 billions in revenue. But it wouldn't cripple such a company. Large banks have suffered losses of billions, and still survived.

David

Francoflier · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:02 pm

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 23):
except the North Korean government demanding this film be pulled.

And they got what they wanted. I think we both agree on the fact that when we feel threatened by a pseudo-country like NK to do things we'd rather not do, or vice-versa, that is a big problem.
I understand that corporations don't do politics, they only do money. I also understand that had the blackmailer come true on its threat, Sony would have had a lot to answer for, not to mention the bad publicity.
Yet this still aggravates me to the highest degree...

Quoting EA CO AS (Reply 34):
Instead, they should release it absolutely free of charge in HD on the Internet

They might just do that with every other movie they have, unwillingly.

skyservice_330 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:15 pm

Quoting BMI727 (Reply 16):
Quoting WestJet747 (Reply 6):
Although I do find Seth Rogen to be hilarious.

You're literally the only person not related to Seth Rogen who thinks that. Unless, of course, you are related to Seth Rogen.

And you're literally totally wrong. I am not related to Seth Rogen and find him very funny. Same for many other people I know. Same for all the people that have paid to see his movies and have contributed to his +$40M in net worth.

You may not find him funny, but that is just your opinion .. one opinion.. and opinions are like a**holes... we all have one and sometimes they stink.

HOMER71 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:53 pm

Quoting skyservice_330 (Reply 41):

Way to defend a fellow Canuck!

mbmbos · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:09 pm

I hate to see any organization cave to blackmail. However, there are some other factors to consider:

- How would U.S. citizens feel if a foreign film company produced a movie about assassinating our current president? Seems wildly and unnecessarily provocative to me; insensitive at the very least.

- Before this whole controversy, Sony had already made the decision not to release the movie in Asia, which is a huge market for them.

I've seen the trailer for this movie and it looks like it's based on a lame joke. It looks awful. Wasn't planning on seeing it anyway.

casinterest · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:24 pm

Quoting mbmbos (Reply 43):
- How would U.S. citizens feel if a foreign film company produced a movie about assassinating our current president? Seems wildly and unnecessarily provocative to me; insensitive at the very least.

The US would have people opposed, but even in the US, countless shows and movies have centered around plots to kill fictional as well as real presidents.

I think the movie would have not made much money anyway, but truthfully I lost a lot of respect for Sony in this whole charade.

flyingturtle · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:27 pm

Quoting mbmbos (Reply 43):
- How would U.S. citizens feel if a foreign film company produced a movie about assassinating our current president? Seems wildly and unnecessarily provocative to me; insensitive at the very least.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_a_President_%282006_film%29

Quoting mbmbos (Reply 43):
it's based on a lame joke. It looks awful. Wasn't planning on seeing it anyway.

But one should be able to see the film, and make up an opinion instead of relying on other people's judgements.

David

blueflyer · Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:35 pm

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 25):
Who cares if it's in bad taste? You think that justifies the threats NK is firing around?

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand I think it is regrettable that a country, any country, can blackmail a company that hasn't broken any domestic law into a certain conduct using computer crime and threats of violence. On the other hand, I do believe that making fun of other countries and other culture solely for profit (let's not pretend this movie was a cultural exercise) is, to say the least, in bad taste, and needs to end.

Ultimately, what I hope happens out of this sorry experience is that Sony loses a fortune and a few executives lose their job. That, more than anything else, would kill the genre, and that would be a good thing.

skyservice_330 · Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:04 pm

Quoting homer71 (Reply 42):
Way to defend a fellow Canuck!

LOL thanks. To be honest, it has nothing to do with him being a Canuck. Reply 16 was deserving of a response if only because it was just so dismissive for no real reason and generally incorrect (the over the top, bastardized use of the word 'literally' in our current culture just really grinds my gears sometimes).

I can totally appreciate that people won't find Seth Rogen funny - the same way I find the whole Blue Collar/Larry the Cable guy shtick to be old and tired - but that doesn't mean that lots of other people do find him funny.

mbmbos · Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:26 pm

Quoting casinterest (Reply 44):
But one should be able to see the film, and make up an opinion instead of relying on other people's judgements.

Quoting casinterest (Reply 44):
The US would have people opposed, but even in the US, countless shows and movies have centered around plots to kill fictional as well as real presidents.

And I am not saying they shouldn't. I am saying - and I think I made it very clear - this is a more nuanced situation than the outrage portends.

Mir · Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:33 pm

Quoting ltbewr (Reply 37):
It is a sad but necessary decision.

It's sad, but it's not necessary at all. One doesn't have to cave to blackmail.

Quoting ltbewr (Reply 37):
Sony or any other US or international company cannot afford any more attacks on their computer systems, or end up in lawsuits if there were cyber or terror attacks on movie theaters.

Freedom isn't free. Sometimes you've got to take risks for it.

Quoting mbmbos (Reply 43):
- How would U.S. citizens feel if a foreign film company produced a movie about assassinating our current president? Seems wildly and unnecessarily provocative to me; insensitive at the very least.

Wouldn't bother me.

Quoting mbmbos (Reply 43):
- Before this whole controversy, Sony had already made the decision not to release the movie in Asia, which is a huge market for them.

There's a difference between deciding not to release a product in a certain market well in advance of the release date and pulling the plug a week before the release date because you're scared about threats that aren't particularly credible at all.

-Mir

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