I think it is worth noting that Paramount Pictures- which is a US corp.- has now pulled a 10 year old film from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone from exhibition. Their 2004 comedy film TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE about by Kim Jung Un’s father (Kim Jung-Il) was to be shown on Christmas Day by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and other theatres.
If one is to believe the US Government (an understandable reach for many of us) there are/were no credible threats of violence at movie theatres showing The Interview. What does this mean for the exhibition of controversial films and documentaries in the future? Prior films about abortion, homosexuality, the death penalty and integration have prompted actual demonstrations and credible threats, yet they were shown. Would anyone suggest that the new film SELMA not be shown because there are still racists, Martin Luther King haters or some poorly trained police in our country? I also think it is worth noting, that prior to World War II when the US actually had a Neutrality Act that limited political comment in films, Columbia Pictures (now SONY owned) and The Three Stooges made and released YOU NAZTY SPY despite the law and rampant fear and paranoia across the US. At the same time, Warners made CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY, despite the law, security issues on the Warners lot, credible threats to actors and executives, lawsuits and all kinds of distribution issues. From: MoPo List [mailto:mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU] On Behalf Of Simon Oram Sent: Friday, December 19, 2014 7:15 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Subject: Re: [MOPO] The Interview I think it still amounts to giving in to a terrorist threat. Also Japan economically is not in a good place, I would think that has allot to do with the decision to pull the film as well but I think if Sony had gone ahead with showing the film it would shown the world that they are a strong nation. Unfortunately this is not the case and is worrying. Simon Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. From: Posteropolis Sent: Friday, 19 December 2014 14:32 To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU <mailto:MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU> Reply To: Posteropolis Subject: Re: [MOPO] The Interview Hi, Toochis: Death of a President (2006), about the assassination of George W. Bush was controversial, though not as much as this and it had only limited release anyway because it was not a major studio film. One thing that never gets mentioned in this controversy is that Sony is a Japanese company and thus much more sensitive to pressure to North Korea than a US corporation might be, given the dark history that connects Japan and Korea and of course Japan’s physical proximity to North Korea. Dave _____ From: MoPo List [mailto:mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU] On Behalf Of Toochis Morin Sent: December-19-14 9:20 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU <mailto:MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU> Subject: Re: [MOPO] The Interview I think the 9/11-type threats made it tough for the release. Also the other studios were upset that audiences would be too afraid to go to the movies. One question: which movies have the assassination or killing of a contemporary living person in them? What kind of controversy did they cause? Toochis Sent from my iPhone On Dec 19, 2014, at 4:11 AM, Simon Oram <fab5fre...@btinternet.com <mailto:fab5fre...@btinternet.com> > wrote: Sony have no backbone but that's typical of many if not all Corporations. I would of imagined Team America was more controversial? Nomis Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. From: Tommy Barr Sent: Friday, 19 December 2014 10:38 To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU <mailto:MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU> Reply To: Tommy Barr Subject: [MOPO] The Interview All very quiet here about what I thought would be an item of extreme interest. Who is to blame for pulling the film - Sony or the American cinema chains who refused to show the movie? Tommy _____ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> &A=1 _____ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> &A=1 _____ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> &A=1 _____ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> &A=1 _____ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> &A=1 Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
