Favourite quotes from the story:
Moore describes “Fahrenheit 9/11” as a comedy, and, according to Variety, the film examines the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and paints the Bush administration in an unflattering light. […] Moore's agent, Ari Emanuel, told the New York Times that Eisner asked him last spring to pull out of the deal with Miramax. Emanuel said Eisner expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where President Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, is governor.
S'good to be the king…
Reports: Media company attempts to stop Miramax from releasing Michael Moore documentary.
May 5, 2004: 10:07 AM EDT
Original Link: http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/05/news/fortune500/disney_moore/index.htm
Reuters Link: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=DTNLHCMPN0IROCRBAEOCFFA?type=politicsNews&storyID=5046951
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's documentary linking President Bush with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden, is sparking the latest fight within Walt Disney Co..
The film, set to debut at the Cannes film festival later this month, has yet to be released. The New York Times and Hollywood trade paper Daily Variety said in their Wednesday editions that Disney has moved to prevent its Miramax Films unit from distributing “Fahrenheit 9/11.”
The controversy had little effect on Disney (DIS: Research, Estimates) stock, which was little changed in early trading Wednesday.
The Disney edict could herald the bloodiest political battle yet between Miramax's feisty co-chairman, Harvey Weinstein, and Disney CEO Michael Eisner, who oversaw the purchase of Miramax a decade ago, Daily Variety said.
“Fahrenheit 9/11,” is Moore's follow-up to his Academy Award-winning “Bowling for Columbine.” Rumors had been circulating of a July release in North America, but the film does not appear on Miramax's summer schedule, the Variety said.
Moore, a vocal critic who denounced Bush and the war in Iraq during his Oscar acceptance speech, caused a controversy during the Democratic primaries when he called Bush a “deserter” for not finishing his National Guard service during the Vietnam War.
Moore describes “Fahrenheit 9/11” as a comedy, and, according to Variety, the film examines the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and paints the Bush administration in an unflattering light.
The Times quoted a Miramax spokesman as saying that the company was “discussing the issue with Disney. We're looking at all of our options and look forward to resolving this amicably.”
But the paper said Disney isn't willing to budge on the issue.
“We advised both (Moore's) agent and Miramax in May of 2003 that the film would not be distributed by Miramax,” Zenia Mucha, a Disney spokeswoman, told the newspaper.
Officials from Miramax and Disney were not immediately available for comment Wednesday morning.
Independent stock analyst Dennis McAlpine said that there has always been a tension between Miramax and Disney since the media conglomerate bought the independent studio in 1993.
“They've done their own thing for the most part. Disney has been content to leave them alone and give them money and pull in all the Academy Awards,” said McAlpine.
He said that despite the shareholder criticism of Eisner, he doesn't think that this battle will necessarily cause the embattled executive more problems.
“If there is a fallout, it's that some of the creative types say, 'I'm not going to take my next pic to Disney,'” said McAlpine. “But Hollywood is a wonderful place for saying one thing and doing the opposite the next time.”
McAlpine said that he could see Miramax releasing the film under a separate label, as it has done with some controversial films in the past. The controversy and the attention the battle is getting will help draw viewers to the film, according to McAlpine and other box office analysts.
“There is no better way to do this,” said David Mumpower, president of box office tracking firm Box Office Prophet. “They're taking a page out of Mel Gibson's play book for 'The Passion of the Christ' to let the media coverage sell the movie. All the coverage is better than ads.”
Mumpower doubts that Disney will be able to stop the film from being released altogether.
“I'm absolutely certain it will be released. Whether it's done by a Disney subsidiary is another question,” he said.
Moore's agent, Ari Emanuel, told the New York Times that Eisner asked him last spring to pull out of the deal with Miramax. Emanuel said Eisner expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where President Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, is governor.
The Times reported that Disney executives denied that allegation. One executive told the paper it did not want to be seen taking sides in the election and risk alienating customers of different political views.
“It's not in the interest of any major corporation to be dragged into a highly charged partisan political battle,” said the executive, who was not identified by the paper.
But Moore said he believed the protection of tax cuts was the reason for the media conglomerate's position.
“I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter,” Moore said in a statement Wednesday, referring to his agent's charge against Eisner.
“The whole story behind this (and other attempts) to kill our movie will be told in more detail as the days and weeks go on. All I can say is, thank God for Harvey Weinstein and Miramax, who have stood by me during the entire production of this movie.”