An Open Letter from Michael Moore

By Wind(up)bird May 10, 2004 8:18 PM

Editor's Note: ?This letter appears on michaelmoore.com and was indeed written by Mr. Moore himself.

The Disney spin machine has been working overtime dealing with this censorship debacle of theirs. I don't think they thought they would ever be outed. After all, they know that all of us are supposed to adhere to the unwritten Hollywood Code: Never tell the public how business is done here, never let them have a peek at the man behind the curtain.

Disney has been hoping for nearly a year that they could keep this thing quiet. As I promised on Wednesday, here are the details behind my sordid adventure with the Magic Kingdom:

In April of 2003, I signed a deal with Miramax, a division of the Walt Disney Co., to finance and distribute my next movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. (The original financier had backed out; I will tell that story at a later date.) In my contract it is stated that Miramax will distribute my film in the U.S. through Disney's distribution arm, Buena Vista Distribution. It also gives Miramax the rights to distribute and sell the movie around the world.

A month later, after shooting started, Michael Eisner insisted on meeting with my agent, Ari Emanuel. Eisner was furious that Miramax signed this deal with me. According to Mr. Emanuel, Eisner said he would never let my film be distributed through Disney even though Mr. Eisner had not seen any footage or even read the outline of the film. Eisner told my agent that he did not want to anger Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida. The movie, he believed, would complicate an already complicated situation with current and future Disney projects in Florida, and that many millions of dollars of tax breaks and incentives were at stake.

But Michael Eisner did not call Miramax and tell them to stop my film. Not only that, for the next year, SIX MILLION dollars of DISNEY money continued to flow into the production of making my movie. Miramax assured me that there were no distribution problems with my film.

But then, a few weeks ago when Fahrenheit 9/11 was selected to be in the Cannes Film Festival, Disney sent a low-level production executive to New York to watch the film (to this day, Michael Eisner has not seen the film). This exec was enthusiastic throughout the viewing. He laughed, he cried and at the end he thanked us. "This film is explosive," he exclaimed, and we took that as a positive sign. But ?explosive? for these guys is only a good word when it comes to blowing up things in movies. OUR kind of ?explosive? is what they want to run from as fast as they can.

Miramax did their best to convince Disney to go ahead as planned with our film. Disney contractually can only stop Miramax from releasing a film if it has received an NC-17 rating (ours will be rated PG-13 or R).

According to yesterday's New York Times, the issue of whether to release Fahrenheit 9/11 was discussed at Disney's board meeting last week. It was decided that Disney should not distribute our movie.

Earlier this week we got the final, official call: Disney will not put out Fahrenheit 9/11. When the story broke in the New York Times, Disney, instead of telling the truth, turned into Pinocchio.

Here are my favorite nuggets that have come out of the mouths of their spinmeisters (roughly quoted):

"Michael Moore has known for a year that we will not distribute this movie, so this is not news." Yes, that is what I thought, too, except Disney kept sending us all that money to make the movie. Miramax said there was no problem. I got the idea that everything was fine.

"It is not in the best interests of our company to distribute a partisan political film that may offend some of our customers." Hmmm. Disney doesn't distribute work that has partisan politics? Disney distributes and syndicates the Sean Hannity radio show every day? I get to listen to Rush Limbaugh every day on Disney-owned WABC. I also seem to remember that Disney distributed a very partisan political movie during a Congressional election year, 1998?a film called The Big One? by, um? ME!

"Fahrenheit 9/11 is not the Disney brand; we put out family oriented films." So true. That's why the #1 Disney film in theaters right now is a film called, KILL BILL, VOL. 2. This excellent Miramax film, along with other classics like Pulp Fiction, have all been distributed by Disney. That's why Miramax exists -- to provide an ALTERNATIVE to the usual Disney fare. And, unless they were NC-17, Disney has distributed them.

"Mr. Moore is doing this as a publicity stunt." Michael Eisner reportedly said this the other day while he was at a publicity stunt cutting the ribbon for the new "Tower of Terror" ride (what a pleasant name considering what the country has gone through recently) at Disney's California Adventure Park.

Let me tell you something: NO filmmaker wants to go through this kind of controversy. It does NOT sell tickets (I can cite many examples of movies who have had to change distributors at the last minute and all have failed). I made this movie so people could see it as soon as possible. This is a huge and unwanted distraction. I want people discussing the issues raised in my film, not some inside Hollywood fracas surrounding who is going to ship the prints to the theaters. Plus, I think it is fairly safe to say that Fahrenheit 9/11 has a good chance of doing just fine, considering that my last movie set a box office record and the subject matter (Bush, the War on Terror, the War in Iraq) is at the forefront of most people's minds.

So what will happen to my movie? I still don't know. What I do know is that I will make sure all of you see it by hook or crook. We are Americans. There are a lot of screwed up things about us right now, but one thing that most of us have in common is that we don't like someone telling us we can't see something. We despise censors, and the worst censors are those who would dare to limit thoughts and ideas and silence dissent. THAT is un-American. If I have to travel across the country and show it in city parks (or, as one person offered yesterday, to show it on the side of his house for the neighborhood to see), that is what I will do.

More to come, stay tuned.

Yours,
Michael Moore
www.michaelmoore.com
mmflint@aol.com

P.S. Be sure to check out yesterday?s New York Times Editorial, ?Disney?s Craven Behavior?

| comments: 20

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

Dear Michael...   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 11, 2004 7:43 AM

Fuck off you big tub of lard.

RE: Dear Michael...   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 11, 2004 8:16 AM

First fuck off, Micheal Moore may rant but its his right to do so at least he has the determination to make his views heard, second do you really think Mr Moore is actually going to read this you loser.

RE: Dear Michael   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 12, 2004 7:17 AM

Fuck off back to Iraq you commie loving Nazi.

Right On!!   reply

Posted by Painkiller (darthdevo2000@yahoo.com) on May 12, 2004 10:38 AM

Mr. Moore, you have absolutely every right to blast Disney for jerking back and forth on this project. Michael Eisner has no idea of the value of "infotainment".  Then again, he may, realizing this is just the sort of thing that incites riots, revolutions, pick your euphemism.  "Bowling for Columbine" was a huge eye-opener, and I'm sure this project will top even that.  I'm a huge fan of your insight, and look forward to seeing it wherever I can, as soon as I can. Keep the faith, and keep it up.  We need more filmmakers like yourself in this country, and abroad, for that matter.
And good for you at the Oscars last year!!
darthdevo2000@yahoo.com

RE: Dear Michael   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 12, 2004 5:10 PM

Some ones watched to many Simpsons (is that even possible)

Dear Michael...   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 13, 2004 7:18 AM

Michael Eisner is just trying to continue the great legacy started by Walt Disney and to help bring happiness to little children across the world by making their dreams come true.

Brainless   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 13, 2004 2:04 PM

Mr moore is the only North American with brain

RE: Brainless   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 13, 2004 4:21 PM

Your from North America then judging from your mono sylabic posting.

dear micheal   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 14, 2004 11:05 AM

dont tell my parents, but my frinds will hang up a white sheet in the yard, set up chairs and a refeshment table and try to find you a decent projector. screen it anywhere people can view it, think about it, and make up thier own minds. whys everyone so scared of information. they shold be scared of why they dont know it.

RE: Brainless   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 14, 2004 3:15 PM

daer mike can you sendd me some more  pics of bush crying on the quicktime and some clips of it as well only just rcntley i have wort to you  and got a reply from you i am going to write you agne when i am in the gamba i am going in two weeks yours secley jonathan desmond

RE: Mickey Moore   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 17, 2004 8:35 AM

"What about non violent protest like Gandhi?"

"Am afriad I don know nothin' bout dat dere"

Michael Moore   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 17, 2004 2:08 PM

Damn, you guys are illiterate...well most of you that have written posts on here.

freedom must be fought for and restrictions must be brought down constantly. That is what the founding fathers of your country demanded of you in the Constitution.

But it is also the right of the Disney company to decide whether they will distribute this film or not.

Michael Moore needs to find another company that will distribute his film and stop whining about the companies that choose not to.

Moore Baby!   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 18, 2004 2:44 PM

Ahhh...I love listening to a grown man cry! The only thing more pathetic is South America.

RE: Moore Baby!   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 19, 2004 6:36 AM

...And Michael Moore.

RE: Brainless   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on May 30, 2004 6:46 AM

Fuck Michael Mooore and all the dumb ass liberals he associates with.  Mr Bush didn't cause 9/11.  The liberal factions that supported Bill Clinton are to blame.

I SUPPORT YOU   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on June 8, 2004 10:30 PM

Michael, I am a huge fan of your political insights and works.  Keep up the wonderful work.  You have my support.

Brian

RE: Dear Michael   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on June 8, 2004 10:33 PM

You're pathetic!

RE: Ply   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on June 10, 2004 8:02 AM

Brian, I am huge... fullstop. I need support... for my enormous man-breasts.

Michael

RE: Dear Michael...   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on July 7, 2004 12:36 PM

second that

Moore's Letter   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 29, 2004 6:05 PM

Anyone who gives that fat fuck and his fat family any more money to feed their fat asses in their million dollar mansion is a moron.  Anyone who does nothing but cash in on other people's tragadies is worthless in my book.  If people like Moore had any real power or influence in this country, or actually were in charge of anything relevant, we'd all be in big trouble.