Posted on 06/15/2007 8:52:17 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
Every Movie Marketer's Worst Nightmare Becomes Grim Reality for Weinstein Company
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Michael Moore's new documentary "Sicko" has been pirated and is now widely available for download on peer-to-peer content sites like www.thepiratebay.org. Michael Moore's controversial 'Sicko' movie is now available for free online.
Last week, the Oscar winning director announced that he'd decided to stash a copy of "Sicko" in Canada, in case the Federal government decided to impound it over an apparently unauthorized trip to Cuba made during its filming. As it turns out, the hard part won't be getting the film released, but getting audiences to pay to see it now that its available for free.
If the breach is as wide as it appears -- and this reporter downloaded a copy and watched it late Thursday night with ease -- Moore, and his distributor, The Weinstein Company, have a every film maker's worst marketing nightmare on their hands -- how to persuade people to go to the theater to see a show that's available free on the Internet. (Officials at the Weinstein Company were unavailable for comment late Thursday evening.)
Al Gore steps in Moore had recently hired Al Gore attorney David Boies, who has said he believes Moore is being unfairly harassed by the U.S. Treasury Dept. over his trip to Cuba because he'd criticized the current Administration in his penultimate documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11."
While it remains to be seen if that is simply Moore's famous showmanship and posturing, or actually true, what is clear is that the blogosphere isn't reacting to the leak with anything approaching apolitical neutrality: One pirate link encouraged potential downloaders to view the film online saying," Watch this free copy and keep $ out of that fat f-cks hands."
"Sicko's" general release date is June 29.
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy
Excuse me, I’m still laughing....
You mean Moore is actually charging people to see his film? Capitalist pig!!!
HAHAHAHA
And that is all I have to say about that.
Reap = Sow
ROTFLOLPMP
What is “sicko” about? Is it an autobiography film?
Is that legal? Did the reporter just admit to breaking the law? I'm just asking.
Hey, Mike--here is hopin you and your studio lose MILLION$ 'cause of your stealing, leftist liberal "fans"!!!!
I’m sure it has been “leaked” ON PURPOSE by Moore.....for publicity purposes.
And Michael Moore has a personal encounter with the dark side of Socialism.
Ray Bradbury is scheduled to be on Coast tonight. He is the author of the original and genuine Fahrenheit who showed Michael Moore to be totally derivative and what’s more totally wrong on the meaning of Fahrenheit.
There is NO WAY he leaked it himself. The distributor would be livid. before they are socialist scum they are capitalists. (go figure) and any copy out there is PURE money out of their pocket. IMO
He voted democrat in the last election. He’s fine.
Putting myself as best I can into the minds of hippies, I can’t imagine wanting to see this movie in the first place, except as a kind of political act. Bowling for Columbine and Farenheit 911 had a certain topical interest about them. I doubt whether Cuban healthcare will have the same appeal. People will only go to make a political statement, and I don’t know if that’s enough to convince them to actually go.
A drugged out rock concert would be more fun.
Would normally be a problem...but the left subsidizes this guy...so they’ll see that he gets paid.
Much like the mysterious purchasers of Hillary’s book.
Blahh! It’s lunch time here, we don’t need to see that and try to eat.....
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