Posted on 06/13/2004 2:49:47 PM PDT by Pikamax
Press Release Source: Lions Gate Films
Lions Gate Films and IFC Films to Contest 'R' Rating for Controversial, Award-Winning Film 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Sunday June 13, 4:03 pm ET
VANCOUVER, BC, SANTA MONICA, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 13, 2004--
Academy Award Winner Michael Moore's Critically Heralded Film to Open
Nationwide On June 25
Lions Gate Films, a division of Lions Gate Entertainment (AMEX and TSX: LGF - News News) and IFC Films have begun the process of contesting the R rating the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has applied to its June 25 nationwide release "Fahrenheit 9/11", it was announced today by Tom Ortenberg, President of Lions Gate Films Releasing. The MPAA issued the current rating due to "violent and disturbing images and for language." Lions Gate Films has filed an emergency appeal with Jack Valenti of the MPAA for an expedited screening.
"It is sadly very possible that many fifteen and sixteen years olds will be asked and recruited to serve in Iraq in the next couple of years," said Michael Moore. "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."
"Lions Gate Films will continue to aggressively support the artistic visions of our filmmakers. The MPAA rating applied to 'Fahrenheit 9/11' is completely unjustified," said Ortenberg. "We are adamant about overturning this decision in an expeditious manner to ensure that as many people as possible, including young adults who represent the future of our nation, are able to see one of the most important and thought-provoking films of our time in theaters on June 25."
"IFC has great concerns with the MPAA's decision and will do everything within its legal power to fight this unjust rating judgment," stated IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring. "With a film like 'Fahrenheit 9/11', IFC is of the strong belief that all filmgoers should be empowered to make their own viewing decisions. The bottom line is this - during these times, it is crucial for the young people of this country to be fully informed. Michael Moore's voice deserves a broad audience and we are confident this ratings decision will ultimately be overturned."
In their recent review of the film, Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper of "Ebert & Roeper" gave the film two big thumbs up, and Richard Roeper said "Whether you are completely in favor of the war or you are completely against the war, or maybe most important of all, if you haven't made up your mind, you should see this movie."
Lions Gate Entertainment is a premiere independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of approximately 8000 titles is one of the largest in the entertainment industry. The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.
IFC Entertainment consists of IFC Productions, a production company that provides financing for select independent feature films and offers filmmakers unusual creative freedom to realize their personal cinematic visions; IFC Films, a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters; and InDigEnt, an initiative for established filmmakers to explore the medium of digital video.
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Still trying to gin-up an audience via controversy. This, like his earlier films, will meet a mutual fate: forgtten and at the bottom of the bargain bin at your local video store.
"Passion" gets an R, 911 gets an R. Sounds fair to me.
I think its about time we display some gonads.
NC-17 or worse comes to mind.....
Give it an X for execrable.
I agree. But you ARE NOT the outlet to convey what is going on in Iraq, Mr. Moore. If you walked up to me, in person, and said, "Hi. I'm Michael Moore.", I would not believe you.....
You can almost see the depth of thought in his eyes and wisdom in his face (/sarcasm). What a brilliant trubador for the socialist demonrat America haters.
We should be thankful he and al franken are about the best they've got to offer. Reminds me of the story about the one-legged man in the a$$-kicking contest. No matter how hard he tried, he fell on his butt. EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!
Gads! Look at those teeth. With the dough he makes, one would think that he could have those choppers cleaned and straightened.
Does anybody have a first hand account of what is in this film ? I thought the picture of Bush whacking that golf ball after they cut from some speech made Bush look cool.
Actually, no. Let it die the quiet death it deserves. Picketing is just what the fat tub of goo wants you to do. He even thinks the MPAA is in on the "conspiracy" to keep his lie-o-pic from finding a mass audience. Don't give the fool any ammunition.
A denist couldn't get within 200 yards of that mouth.....for fear of being harmed by the flailing arms shoveling food into it, plus it won't stop moving long enough to do any work on it.......
You have a point. Picketing may bring it undeserved PR. But, I will hold the theater owners responsible just as I do my local commie newspaper editors for running the drivel of molly ivins.
Should be rated "RL" for Rat Lies.
Ya can't sign on the dotted line until you're 18. Moore is just trying to gin up controversy -- yet again.
Passion was one of the most violent movies I have seen. It deserved an R, don't you think?
I suggest a new rating: BS.
Truly excellent. Good job.
Michael Moore is certainly an expert manipulator at getting free publicity from the media. And they don't mind playing along, because they back his agenda.
But this is only a press release. We'll see if the media give it any spin.
This film, like Bowling for Columbine, merits a new rating category: "BS".
Great minds think alike!
Let's see... The pundits all said that "Passion" was a bad movie because it was controversial, and it is the duty of movie makers to avoid controversy that might offend anyone (as opposed to the "controversy" that offends no one, I guess). The same pundits are saying that "911" is good because it is controversial, and it is, once again, a movie makers duty be controversial.
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Notify Disney that you will boycott Miramax films as long as the Wiensteins are employed there (their contract is about up and may not be renewed).
No, I think an 'R' for retard is an excellent rating.
"If you walked up to me, in person, and said, "Hi. I'm Michael Moore.", I would not believe you....."
Then how would you explain the smell?
I don't know..I'm nervous about this film. By itself, I wouldn't be, but he has the full force of the mainstream press behind him.
I have to agree with them. The film deserves an NC-17 (with NC in this case standing for "no class").
From what I've seen of the trailer, 911 will make Passion look like a piker. Instead of gazing at copious amounts of fake blood, the viewer will be asked to watch our troops killed in battle. Never an easy sight.
Sounds like they're going after the young and impressionable with their brainwashing and propaganda.
Maybe they should just give the film a G rating, so that they can show it in elementary school.
For as long as I can remember Disney has been at the forefront of many counter cultural endeavors. From gay-day to Peter Jennings to the rancidly socialist Ann Compton and ABC Radio news, they are the poster child of the liberal elite media. We MUST strive to inform our friends and neighbors that Disney is not, and has not been for many years, a family friendly company.
Be sure to mention this film in relation with Nazi films like "Triumph of the Will" and "The Eternal Jew" and the public will have the proper perspective to shun this piece of propaganda. Michael Moore couldn't even get a US owned distributor for this election year political smear.
Sent the following to LGE's public contact, Sarah Greenberg. I encourage you all to do the same:
Subject: Congratulations!
To: sgreenberg@lgecorp.com
From: xxxxxx
Thanks to the unmitigated support of the falsified documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11", by your Lions Gate Entertainment company, you've just earned yourself one more boycotting consumer.
My advice to you and your company is this, when a film is rated R for gratuitous violence, encourage children to see the movie with a parent rather than try to sneak them into a film that contains content beyond their maturity level.
I also encourage you to get your facts straight. The entirety of Americans serving in Iraq are serving on a volunteer basis. It is the agenda of liberal Democrats such as Charles Rangel of New York to bring back the draft as well as require mandatory military service for all American citizens age 18-26. I fall into this age demographic, and I suspect that you or some of your fellow employees have children or relatives falling into this age demographic as well.
I'm also willing to wager that, in your company's unqualified support for Michael Moore, one minor detail was left out; Moore is a subversive individual who cannot separate fact from fiction, and was so bold as to even steal the name of his "documentary" from the well-known book _Fahrenheit 451_.
However, since LGE appears to put atheirpolitical agenda ahead of the well-being of America's youth, I am now boycotting all LGE productions, as well as passing the word on to all my acquaintances, friends, and family throughout the entire country to do the same, pending a retraction from LGE regarding their attempts to reduce the MPAA rating of F9/11.
Enjoy your support of Michael Moore. I simply warn that it will cost your company.
Sincerely,
Tim Barnett
xxxxxxxxxxx
I say ignore the flick. Controversy converts to interest.
/sarcasm off
Just ignore it and it will go away. How many Last Temptations of Christ is it going to take for people to realize that a movie needs publicity, even negative publicity, to make money. Silence kills a movie, not protest.
Well, when you lay with pigs........
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