Moore admits Disney 'ban' was a stunt
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
07 May 2004
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Less than 24 hours after accusing the Walt Disney Company of pulling the plug on his latest documentary in a blatant attempt at political censorship, the rabble-rousing film-maker Michael Moore has admitted he knew a year ago that Disney had no intention of distributing it.
The admission, during an interview with CNN, undermined Moore's claim that Disney was trying to sabotage the US release of Fahrenheit 911 just days before its world premiere at the Cannes film festival.
Instead, it lent credence to a growing suspicion that Moore was manufacturing a controversy to help publicise the film, a full-bore attack on the Bush administration and its handling of national security since the attacks of 11 September 2001.
In an indignant letter to his supporters, Moore said he had learnt only on Monday that Disney had put the kibosh on distributing the film, which has been financed by the semi-independent Disney subsidiary Miramax.
But in the CNN interview he said: "Almost a year ago, after we'd started making the film, the chairman of Disney, Michael Eisner, told my agent he was upset Miramax had made the film and he will not distribute it."
Nobody in Hollywood doubts Fahrenheit 911 will find a US distributor. His last documentary, Bowling for Columbine , made for $3m (£1.7m), pulled in $22m at the US box office.
But Moore's publicity stunt, if that is what is, appears to be working. A front-page news piece in The New York Times was followed yesterday by an editorial denouncing Disney for censorship and denial of Moore's right to free expression.
Moore told CNN that Disney had "signed a contract to
distribute this [film]" but got cold feet. But Disney
executives insists there was never any contract. And a
source close to Miramax said that the only deal there was
for financing, not for distribution.
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Bowling for Bush filmmaker cries political censorship
The Star
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Fahrenheit 911 film too hot to handle
Al-Jazeera, Qatar
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WHILE DISNEY CLAIMS IT IS REFUSING TO DISTRIBUTE THE MOORE FILM ...
The Moderate Independent
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Disney blocks Michael Moore film -
Mail & Guardian
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Disney censoring Michael Moore
eTalkinghead
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Defending the freedom of all speech
OSU Daily Barometer
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Moore takes 'Fahrenheit 911' fight to the airwaves - Los Angeles Daily News
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US Corporation Censors American Movie
The Progress Report |
