So what does everyone think about Sony's decision to pull The Interview?
Printable View
So what does everyone think about Sony's decision to pull The Interview?
Sounds like an ingenious marketting strategy. North Korea hacked Sony? I know what North Korean Internet is like and doubt they can hack with a machete. I'm reminded of the Cartmanland strategy. Of course it could be true but I'm a cynic.
Marketing strategy for whom? For Sony? A marketing strategy presupposes a profit end game, there is no scenario where Sony turns a profit on this. The film had a 45$ million price tag, plus a 35$ million marketing budget. Even if they decide to sell this in physical media there is a slim to none chance they break even.
The biggest lamentation here is an artistic one, this sets a dangerous precedent. Now the world knows that if a group of whack jobs start throwing threats around they can accomplish whatever they want.
I think we should start a new thread for this.
Yes, they can't release it in theatres, but they can release it on the internet (or release it in theatres a little later on). How many people will pay to see this just to stick it to North Korea? A lot more than probably would originally paid to see it. Nothing makes people want something more than being told they can't have it. It would be very profitable for Sony pictures, actually. Very.
Lol you're tripping balls if you think it'll make a profit on internet sales. This thing will be pirated to fucking infinity and beyond.
The only thing they would potentially get out of that is that people see the film anyway, resulting in a big F U to North Korea.
Hindsight is always 20-20 of course but, didn't Sony foresee something like this happening? It's not like the films centers around the assassination of a fictional figurehead who just happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to KJO, it's actually supposed to be him. That was a crazy risk in every way imaginable.
Which makes me wonder if this is a fabrication all the more. Imagine if in one month theatres open this movie. It will make a shit killing. I believe North Korea would be upset about the film. But being able to hack Sony's database? That's the part I find hard to believe lol
With any luck, North Korea's retaliation will be like this:
http://youtu.be/DX5MTFWSuM8
HELL! THE! FUCK! NO!
Don't even get me started this is ridiculous. We are a free country and have the right to watch whatever the fuck we want, that's what makes this country great. Now we have some pip squeak tyrant dictating what Americans should watch just because he's upset he has a small dick. Honestly, this should piss every free person on the planet off. It's not just about the movie.
His father had a better sense of humor when Team America World Police killed him, Saddam Hussein didn't get pissed when Hot Shots made fun of him and Osama Bin Laden didn't get his head towel in a bunch when South Park fucked with him.
Fuck this little bitch.
They should never have made it.
Without the theaters being willing to show it they didn't have much choice but to pull it.
Whoever hacked Sony is a potential threat to everyone else involved.
There's news now that China and Russia may have been involved.
To the question: I think it's fucking stupid. They're caving in to what amounts to terrorist threats. Just like Comedy Central did with South Park. They are probably doing it to protect potential movie goers but it just bothers me when this happens. Sure it would be horrible if something were to happen but realistically what are the odds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!an
Why not?
World War III started on 9/11.
Theaters were more than willing to show it until the threats starting coming in. Also, it's impossible to blow up every theater in America like they stated. That's just silly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!an
Basically, it's now known by everybody in the world that if you don't agree with something threaten to blow something up and it will go away. Seems like a shitty way to live life as a "free" person.
I think he's talking about a war where our enemy doesn't hide in caves or in small villages with innocent people.Quote:
Originally Posted by skyofcrack
Bad taste? Lame premise? Poor investment?Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe315Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!an
Why not?
Innocent people = collateral damage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Still ServantI think he's talking about a war where our enemy doesn't hide in caves or in small villages with innocent people.Quote:
Originally Posted by skyofcrack
It's cowardly. That's what it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by fernandito
Like people here (and some celebrities in the movie industry on Twitter) have said, it sets a sad--and scary--precedent: that threats of any kind can have such an impact on (and suppression of) artistic freedom. Shame on the cyber hackers, but even more shame on Sony and theater owners for pulling the movie. And just like that, the cyber hackers win.
I have to agree. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw a commercial for it. I was like wow, I can't believe they're making a film like this. And as much as I love Franco, the film looks like crap. I haven't followed the story about it getting pulled, so I can't comment on that, but honestly I'm not surprised. Not saying I agree though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!anBad taste? Lame premise? Poor investment?Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe315Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!an
Why not?
It was a dumb movie to make. There is a REASON why presidents in films are always made up people, or stretching back (or more recently in Grand Budapest Hotel) filmmakers would invent countries to make fake leaders that draw allusions to real ones. Even with Team America, I mean it's a goddamn puppet. A big difference between a puppet and an actor with a striking human resemblence to a real leader of a real country who's name is the same as the real leader. If Russia made a comedy about two numbskull stoners (if they are that lol) assassinating Barrack Obama or George Bush while they were in office, I think a lot of America would be outraged ("Those red commie bastards!"). Don't agree with pulling the movie but still I said this movie was in poor taste from the get go. Doesn't help America and other parts of the world laughed at him when he was understandably upset at the premise of the film. I'm reminded of Lee Adama when defending Baltar and the double standards placed on Baltar by everyone else, and he says, "It's okay (that we're punishing him, making an example of him) because we just don't like him very much."
The movie being pulled is the thing I'm least upset about. Hope they barely make any money back. Idiots.
That's fair. I'm of the mindset that in the land of comedy everything is fair game. If something is deemed off limits then everything needs to be off limits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!anBad taste? Lame premise? Poor investment?Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe315Quote:
Originally Posted by Br!an
Why not?
If this was a serious movie, I'd feel differently, although I wouldn't begrudge those involved for wanting to make the movie.
In the end, this is just a movie, pure fiction, and people (in this case the Koreans) need to lighten the fuck up.
And if the shoe was on the other foot and an enemy (or quasi enemy) country made a film about assassinating the active American President? Would America just say 'bah, it's just a movie, we're cool' then I think you're sadly mistaken.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe315
No we wouldn't [Just to clarify, I mean to say we wouldn't have a blah attitude to someone making a similar film about a president]. But we wouldn't threaten innocent people or try to scare them in to pulling the movie. I guarantee that there is propaganda in Korea that tells the people how "bad the president is" or "how evil America is trying to destroy them". I guess the difference is that we actually know how bad the Korean people are treated and how horrible their leadership is. The fact that the dictatorship over there needs to be removed and some basic freedom allowed isn't a secret to us.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattrickAnd if the shoe was on the other foot and an enemy (or quasi enemy) country made a film about assassinating the active American President? Would America just say 'bah, it's just a movie, we're cool' then I think you're sadly mistaken.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe315
When movies are made about Nazis or Ww2-cold war era Russia they are never portrayed in a positive light, and they shouldn't be (I'm referring to the leadership here, not the average citizen since for many it was kill or be killed). Just because Kim Jong Un is alive doesn't mean he should be treated with kid gloves. He is oppressing his people and is responsible for many deaths.
Anyone remember the first Naked Gun movie wherein Drebin beats up a bunch of active foreign leaders? Was that not alright? I feel like the U.S is being tested and we are failing. Our media is being censored via terroristic threats. South Park, The Interview...it's ridiculous. I get wanting to protect people in the off chance their threats are valid. No issue with that. They should just release the movie digitally. The Koreans wouldn't be able to bomb every home in the US.
EDIT: Just because we may not agree with the subject matter of a movie, video game, book, or song, doesn't mean that it can't be released or created. That is the beauty of our country. We pretty much say and do whatever we want. Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing.
The I don't think you understand that it's about ASSASSINATION. Frank Drebin threw a few punches. It's not history. It's not a documentary. Itse not about Portraying a culture authentically, it's about the highest level of assassination of a REAL person with real actors.Team America and South Park get away because they are animated or puppets which thems surreal, fantastical here You say America wouldn't get upset, I say you couldn't be more wrong.
I said we would be upset but we wouldn't threaten or terrorize innocent people.
You're right, it's not history or a documentary or an accurate representation of a people. It's a FICTIONAL representation of a real person. Just like South Park and Team America.