'Fahrenheit 451' Author Wants Moore To Change Film's Name

theLouisvillechannel.com ^ | 6/19/04 | AP

[wagglebee]

LOS ANGELES -- Author Ray Bradbury is demanding an apology from filmmaker Michael Moore for lifting the title of his classic science-fiction novel "Fahrenheit 451" without permission.

Bradbury wants Moore's new documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11," to be renamed.

Bradbury's 1953 novel portrays an ugly futuristic society in which firemen burn books.

"Fahrenheit 451" takes its title from the temperature at which books burn.

Moore has called "Fahrenheit 9/11" the "temperature at which freedom burns."

The film, which won top honors at the Cannes Film Festival, charges the Bush administration acted ineptly before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, then played on the public's fear of future terrorism to gain support for the war against Iraq.

It opens nationwide next Friday.

A spokeswoman for "Fahrenheit 9/11" said the film's makers have "the utmost respect for Ray Bradbury."

[wagglebee]

I hope he takes fat-a$$ to court and stops the release of the movie. Moore is a lying sack of sh!t if he say's he didn't know about "Farenheit 451".

[Desdemona]

Go Ray Bradbury!

[Clara Lou]

Heh heh heh! I hope Bradbury is riled enough to take legal action. LOL! It's too much to ask for. [Lesson: Never rile a grumpy old man-- even if you are Jabba the Hutt.]

[Flash Bazbeaux]

I think that book and movie titles are not protectable under copyright law. There are some other laws that may apply, but merely playing off a previous title is probably not actionable.

[Buck W.]

Perhaps he should lift other Bradbury titles:

"Dandy Lyin' Whine"
"The Ill and Straining Man".

I'll stop now. Others?

[muawiyah]

You can't copyright a title. You can, however, register a trademark.

My next two books are "Gone With The Wind" and "The Bible".

[wagglebee]

I'm gonna write a book called "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" about all the leftists in Hollywierd.

[Desdemona]

I'm gonna write a book called "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" about all the leftists in Hollywierd.

How about "One Flew INTO the Cuckoo's Nest"? That has a nice ring to it.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I want Michael Moore shaved, neutered, and destroyed.

[atomicpossum]

I think that book and movie titles are not protectable under copyright law. There are some other laws that may apply, but merely playing off a previous title is probably not actionable

Titles are not copyrightable. But Bradbury could sue claiming damages, having his name and work obviously linked to something that may be disreputable. Mooron's selection of a play on 'Fahrenheit 451' is an obvious reference to Bradbury. If Bradbury thinks that this association damages him, or even implies his agreement to the association, he can try to get compensation. The title isn't copyrightable, but that doesn't make the association implied okay.

It might also have some effect on those people who have exercised options on Bradbury's work-- would they want their upcoming adaptation of 'Fahrenheit 451' to be linked to a whack-job piece of political propaganda?

(And this doesn't address the facts if they've happened to trademark the phrase 'Fahrenheit 451^{tm, just in case}'.)

Actually, Mooron might have the strongest case against this if he asserts, in court, that his movie is a work of satire and parody, which is much more strongly protected. It would be sweet if, to protect the $$$ he obviously cares NOTHING for (/sarcasm), he would have to admit, in the public record, that he is an absolute BS artist and not a documentarian after all.

[IronJack]

the Bush administration acted ineptly before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

Yeah, the whole whopping 8 months the president had to anticipate something nobody saw coming. The same event that blindsided the entrenched intelligence community that had been studying terrorists for decades.

Yeah, 9/11 was Bush's fault. Uh huh.

[Salamander]

"R Is For Racket"......:)

[mikegi]

Moore recently fired the guy writing his autobiography after his attorneys explained to him what the title meant. The ghost writer suggested: "IQ 75 - The Intelligence at which Moore Operates". IMHO, the writer was being generous...

[Paul Atreides]

A spokeswoman for "Fahrenheit 9/11" said the film's makers have "the utmost respect for Ray Bradbury."

Translation: "Eff off! I'm Michael Moore. I can do anything I wish."

[TommyDale]

Julie Christie won an Oscar for her performance in "Farenheit 451", and I'm sure everyone in Hollywood knows about the book and the movie.

[Publius6961]

Unfortunately a parody is protected speech even when exercised by Jabba the Hutt. He can't be stopped. And yes, the film is a parody at best, certainly not a documentary.

[muawiyah]

Moore's defense in this case is simple. It's clear that he might have an association with "Farenheit", and Mr. Bradbury might also have such an association (with "Farenheit"), but that does not prove Moore has an association with Bradbury.

Then, regarding the "451" part, it's obvious to anyone that it is not "911". After all, numbers are numbers and everybody uses them.

I suspect the judge would slap Ray with the costs of opening the doors to hear this frivolous case.

Best way to deal with Moore is to toss some Twinkies in his path when he's walking along. Then, when he bends over, mouth to ground, to gobble them up, sneak up and whack his arse with a 2X4 or a wrecking bar.

[mastercylinder]

every time that damn trailer comes on i mute it i just can't stand the lies of Moore.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

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