‘Steal Fahrenheit 9/11′ story
p2pnet.net News:- Moorewatch.com is, “dedicated to unearthing the truth behind the doublespeak and falsehood that spews from the mouth (and keyboard) of Michael Moore on a regular basis,” it says, and on June 27, encouraged people to grab a copy of Fahrenheit 9/11 online via BitTorrent.
Under the heading Steal This Movie, the site’s Jim Kenefick says here:
“Let’s see if Moore really wants this to be about the work and NOT the money. Steal this movie. Promote this torrent link everywhere. Let’s get as many people to see this for themselves, and for free, as we can. Mikey, if you want to sue me, I’m not hard to find.”
CNN apparently carried a story on Steal This Movie and Moorewatch has CNN quoting Lions Gate president Tom Ortenberg as saying his company is exploring legal action.
“I think it’s deplorable what enemies of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11′ are doing,” says Ortenberg in the cut. “We are currently looking into our legal options. We are not going to tolerate anybody trying to infringe on (this film’s release).”
As we pointed out, F911 was available on p2p everywhere before the official release. We may have been a little over-enthusiastic in terms of the extent. But it was there.
In a July follow-up to his Steal This Movie post, JimK points out that Moorewatch didn’t host the movie: it merely linked to the torrent, “which was hosted on a public BitTorrent tracker. If that’s illegal, then we’ve truly fallen as a society. All I did was post a link.”
He also points out that “Moore himself has been very, very clear on his feelings” and includes a transcript of a clip from a European press conference where Moore explicitly states he wants people to download the film, to wit:
“Well, I don’t agree with the copyright laws and I don’t have a problem with people downloading the movie and sharing it with people. As long they’re not doing it to make a profit off it, as long as they’re not, you know, trying to make a profit off my labor. I would oppose that. But um, you know I do quite well and I um…I don’t know, I make these books and movies and TV shows because I want things to change, so the more people that get to see them the better, and um, so I’m, I’m happy when that happens, OK? Should I not be happy I don’t know?
“It’s like if a friend of yours has the DVD of my movie, gave it to you to watch one night, is that person doing something wrong? I’m not seeing any money from that. But he’s just handing the DVD to you so that you can watch my movie. A DVD that he bought, but you’re not buying it, yet you’re watching it without paying me any money. See I think that’s OK, and it’s always been OK, we share things with people. And I think information and art, ideas should be shared.”
On the threat of legal action, “Bring it on, Ortenberg,” says JimK. “I’ll fight you every step of the way, and I’ll go on every show in the country with that clip of your boy in tow, and make an ass out of you both. Sue me. I double-dog dare you. You’ll lose, and my counter-suit will allow you to pay my mortgage off and maybe leave me something left over to restore my truck and buy a Powerbook.”
Lions Gate Films Releasing is distributing F911 with IFC Films and the Fellowship Adventure Group, and the movie took in $21.8 million in its first three days, becoming the first documentary to score as Hollywood’s top weekend film, says an Associated Press story here.
July 2nd, 2004 at 5:16 pm
heh, wheres Ray Bradbury in all this, he deserves a chunk of Moores money
July 2nd, 2004 at 8:39 pm
I think it’s great that Moore’s “enemies” are helping Michael Moore. The more people watch his documentary, the happier he is. Do these idiots think they’re hurting Moore by promoting the BitTorrent tracker that offers this movie?
It cost him about $6 million to make this movie and it made over $21 million in theatres in the first 3 days alone! I’m a Michael Moore fan and I’ve been promoting the BitTorrent trackers too.
The more people see it, the better.
July 2nd, 2004 at 10:01 pm
Moore may *say* he doesn’t mind people downloading his film. But since he lies about damn near everything else, why trust him on this one?
July 3rd, 2004 at 8:40 pm
He’s already expressed his discontent.
July 4th, 2004 at 6:16 pm
Funny thing is, it appears that the torrent promoted by moorewatch.com had about 15-20 minutes missing in the middle, where there should be a sequence regarding the Patriot Act.
Said sequence is, though, apparently present in the theater release…
So, problems with camcorder during the screen capture or is some else simply also making use of “manipulation, lies and misrepresentation”?
Two wrongs don’t do a right and since I havent yet seen either version of the movie (which is precisely why I say “it APPEARS that…”) I can’t say with certainty that the movie is even “filled with lies” in the first place.
July 5th, 2004 at 11:07 am
“As long they’re not doing it to make a profit off it, as long as they’re not, you know, trying to make a profit off my labor. I would oppose that.”
This is the guy who supports redistribution of the wealth.
July 5th, 2004 at 11:10 am
“Do these idiots think they’re hurting Moore by promoting the BitTorrent tracker that offers this movie?”
Think about it you self confessed “Michael Moore fan”, more people see this movie..the easier it is to debunk the lies and half truths within this movie. Only Michael Moore is hurting Michael Moore.
July 5th, 2004 at 5:30 pm
So, if you are right, the opposition should be ENCOURAGING people to go see it, via P2P or in thearters. What strikes me as odd (and I have not yet seen it and really have no opinion on Moore yet) is that there were groups threatening theaters not to run it. If it is as bad as you say, I’d be helping Moore promote it.
I can’t wait to see this, something smells funny.
July 5th, 2004 at 11:37 pm
today is 7/5/04
LOVE~EE,
WHEN I WAS A CHILD I WAS QUITE POWERLESS ON EVERYTHING THAT INVOLVED MY MOM. I USE TO THINK WHEN I GREW UP THINGS WOULD CHANGE,… AND NOW THE RESULTS ARE IN,…. I HAVE CHANGED AND HOWEVER THE THINGS THAT INVOLVES ALL WOMEN HAS CHANGED WERE I AM IN PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT WITH THE WOMEN THAT ARE INVOLVED AND WERE THEIR PRESENCE IS NOT AVAILABLE I FIND IT THAT I AM POWERLESS AND I HAVE CHILDHOOD RESENTMENT TOWARDS HAVING A FREINDSHIP WITH “THE SOUNDING BOARD FRIEND,” THAT ONLY LISTENS TO ME WITHOUT ANY RESPONCE.
HOWEVER THE SOUNDING BOARD FREIND IS APPRECIATED AND IT IS A INCOMPLETE FREINDSHIP ON A ONE WAY PATH. SO THERE YOU HAVE IT,….. INTREST IS FADING AS IF YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND YOU NEVER GRADUATE FROM ONE GRADE TO THE NEXT AS IF THE CAUSE IS ACTUALLY HOPELESS,… AND THIS BECOMES THE CRASH LANDING OF YOUR FRIENDSHIP,… SO TO SPEEK ? AND WE AS CITIZENS DID NOT LIKE THE WHOLE 9/11 THING FROM DAY ONE ANYWAY ‘TIL NOW ! FETTY WISHES EVERYBODY PEACE,….
July 6th, 2004 at 2:17 am
I saw it yesterday, thought it was my patriotic duty to see it. And you know whayt? It ROCKS!!! TY Michael Moore – You are a true patriot.
July 25th, 2004 at 1:21 pm
so you are part of bushs cabinet to be able to say what is truth are you so blind that no matter how much evidence has to put in front of your face your still going to blindly followe the village idot we call president
July 29th, 2004 at 4:52 am
Said by a man who HAS NOT SEEN THE MOVIE YET!!! Wow Anonymous Coward you are so unbiased and fair just like the neo-conservative run Fox Network. Your a ditto-head dude…