Sony cancels 'The Interview'

ace2000 · Dec 17, 2014

With theater chains defecting en masse, Sony Pictures Entertainment has pulled the planned Christmas release of “The Interview.”

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/s...se-for-the-interview-on-christmas-1201382032/

DaveNV · Dec 17, 2014

Seemed like kind of a stupid plot anyway. :shrug:

Dave

Ken555 · Dec 17, 2014

BMWguynw said:
Seemed like kind of a stupid plot anyway.

Dave

+1

Somehow this is news. I recently received at least three news alerts from various sources.

It's time Sony got serious about producing quality entertainment.

Sent from my iPad

ace2000 · Dec 17, 2014

What makes this story newsworthy isn't the fact that it may or may not be a bad movie. I don't care anything about that.

However, the intrigue is how the hackers were able to bring a major corporation to it's knees and eventually those same hackers were also able to impact a major picture release through blackmail. The other angle is how the North Koreans are the prime suspects in the case (the N. Korean dictator is depicted unfavorably in the movie.) You have to wonder if this is the start of more of this behavior in the future, especially when a particular group or cause is depicted in a similar manner.

PigsDad · Dec 17, 2014

ace2000 said:
What makes this story newsworthy isn't the fact that it may or may not be a bad movie. I don't care anything about that.

However, the intrigue is how the hackers were able to bring a major corporation to it's knees and eventually those same hackers were also able to impact a major picture release through blackmail. The other angle is how the North Koreans are the prime suspects in the case (the N. Korean dictator is depicted unfavorably in the movie.) You have to wonder if this is the start of more of this behavior in the future, especially when a particular group or cause is depicted in a similar manner.

+1 Completely agree.

This is kind of scary. The fact that a small, radical group could have this kind of influence -- that's what makes this development interesting.

What if a group of skinheads were able to prevent the release of Shindler's List? Or a group of pro-gun owners were to prevent the release of Bowling for Columbine? Will movie companies now be less likely to take on a controversial topic?

Kurt

dioxide45 · Dec 17, 2014

PigsDad said:
+1 Completely agree.

This is kind of scary. The fact that a small, radical group could have this kind of influence -- that's what makes this development interesting.

What if a group of skinheads were able to prevent the release of Shindler's List? Or a group of pro-gun owners were to prevent the release of Bowling for Dollars? Will movie companies now be less likely to take on a controversial topic?

Kurt

Bowling for Dollars? I remember that as a TV show when I was growing up in Canada. Did you mean Bowling for Columbine?

Given that they probably won't be able to make any money on this movie in the theaters, I say they show it nationwide on national television.

PigsDad · Dec 17, 2014

dioxide45 said:
Bowling for Dollars? I remember that as a TV show when I was growing up in Canada. Did you mean Bowling for Columbine?

I corrected that 2 minutes after I posted. Not sure how my fingers typed that.

Kurt

MuranoJo · Dec 18, 2014

PigsDad said:
+1 Completely agree.

This is kind of scary. The fact that a small, radical group could have this kind of influence -- that's what makes this development interesting.

What if a group of skinheads were able to prevent the release of Shindler's List? Or a group of pro-gun owners were to prevent the release of Bowling for Columbine? Will movie companies now be less likely to take on a controversial topic?

Kurt

++ Now we're being censored by hackers? Quick! Let's issue an apology.

Bucky · Dec 18, 2014

This is scary but keep in mind, this is not a small, radical group doing this! This was done by a section of the North Korean Government!

[Comments deleted, although it's interesting how you started the discussion only to say it's not supposed to be discussed.]

Since I don't want this to get into a political discussion I will refrain from pursuing this further. Just my thoughts.

dioxide45 · Dec 18, 2014

I still find it odd that such a movie was made. Can anyone think of any other movies where the main plot was to assassinate a living head of state? Sure there are a lot of movies based on history where previous heads of state are targeted, but a current one? Manuel Noriega was a target in a video game which resulted in a lawsuit. Even given the head of state being targeted in The Interview, I think the movie was in bad taste.

Tia · Dec 18, 2014

Agree this is the real issue

ace2000 said:
What makes this story newsworthy isn't the fact that it may or may not be a bad movie. I don't care anything about that.

However, the intrigue is how the hackers were able to bring a major corporation to it's knees and eventually those same hackers were also able to impact a major picture release through blackmail. The other angle is how the North Koreans are the prime suspects in the case (the N. Korean dictator is depicted unfavorably in the movie.) You have to wonder if this is the start of more of this behavior in the future, especially when a particular group or cause is depicted in a similar manner.

Sea Six · Dec 18, 2014

Seth Rogan's movies are crude, rude, and offensive.:annoyed:

PigsDad · Dec 18, 2014

dioxide45 said:
I think the movie was in bad taste.

Sea Six said:
Seth Rogan's movies are crude, rude, and offensive.:annoyed:

I don't think whether or not people would like the movie or think that it is in good taste is the issue at all. I didn't care for the material that Larry Flynt produced, but to censor Hustler magazine was wrong. While not a legal censorship, this new situation opens the door to any group effectively censoring a movie they happen not to like. Do we really want to go down that path?

Kurt

Clemson Fan · Dec 18, 2014

dioxide45 said:
I still find it odd that such a movie was made. Can anyone think of any other movies where the main plot was to assassinate a living head of state? Sure there are a lot of movies based on history where previous heads of state are targeted, but a current one? Manuel Noriega was a target in a video game which resulted in a lawsuit. Even given the head of state being targeted in The Interview, I think the movie was in bad taste.

+1

Who are these Sony executives that allowed this movie to even go forward? How stupid can you be!? When I first saw the previews of this movie my first thought was man that's asking for trouble!

Censorship and political issues aside, heads should roll at Sony for making such an epic blunder!

Clemson Fan · Dec 18, 2014

PigsDad said:
I don't think whether or not people would like the movie or think that it is in good taste is the issue at all. I didn't care for the material that Larry Flynt produced, but to censor Hustler magazine was wrong. While not a legal censorship, this new situation opens the door to any group effectively censoring a movie they happen not to like. Do we really want to go down that path?

Kurt

Uhm, do we really have a choice? It's a rogue government with presumed nuclear weapons that's doing the hacking and making the terrorist threats. The worlds sanctioning the hell out of them and short of any military action there's not much else we can do about them.

Our government isn't censoring anything as its a combination of Sony self censoring and movie theater groups deciding they don't want to run it for whatever reasons they choose. It really has no relation to the government led other Censoring issues like Hustler.

The Sony executives that didn't have the foresight to see this happening should really lose their jobs!

Patri · Dec 18, 2014

dioxide45 said:
I still find it odd that such a movie was made. Can anyone think of any other movies where the main plot was to assassinate a living head of state? Sure there are a lot of movies based on history where previous heads of state are targeted, but a current one? Manuel Noriega was a target in a video game which resulted in a lawsuit. Even given the head of state being targeted in The Interview, I think the movie was in bad taste.

Totally agree. My grown kids and I were discussing this yesterday, before the cancellation. I said essentially the same thing, why was it ok to make a movie about assassinating a living person? Just opening the door for trouble, and sending out bad messages. Now, if the movie was based on an Asian country with a leader under a different name, that is more palatable, and people could make the connection.
I assume the movie is a comedy, and they fail in their mission. But how could any of it be funny?

davidvel · Dec 18, 2014

dioxide45 said:
I still find it odd that such a movie was made. Can anyone think of any other movies where the main plot was to assassinate a living head of state? Sure there are a lot of movies based on history where previous heads of state are targeted, but a current one? Manuel Noriega was a target in a video game which resulted in a lawsuit. Even given the head of state being targeted in The Interview, I think the movie was in bad taste.

There was movie not too long ago about the fictional assassination of George W. Bush. Not attempted. The movie was a faux documentary that actually depicted the president being fatally shot by a sniper after an address at a Chicago Hotel.

No world-wide coverage of that movie. Most probably never heard of it.

wilma · Dec 18, 2014

Bucky said:
This is scary but keep in mind, this is not a small, radical group doing this! This was done by a section of the North Korean Government!

[Comments deleted ...]

Since I don't want this to get into a political discussion I will refrain from pursuing this further. Just my thoughts.

I love it when people make blatantly political, anti-govt. statements and then say "let's not make this a political discussion"!

Beefnot · Dec 18, 2014

Patri said:
Totally agree. My grown kids and I were discussing this yesterday, before the cancellation. I said essentially the same thing, why was it ok to make a movie about assassinating a living person? Just opening the door for trouble, and sending out bad messages. Now, if the movie was based on an Asian country with a leader under a different name, that is more palatable, and people could make the connection.
I assume the movie is a comedy, and they fail in their mission. But how could any of it be funny?

It might actually be a hilarious movie, we don't know. It was in poor taste to make the movie about a living head of state, but it could still be really really funny if you suspend that piece of it, which shouldn't be hard to do since we as Americans have no affection or appreciation toward North Korea.

Clemson Fan · Dec 18, 2014

Beefnot said:
It might actually be a hilarious movie, we don't know. It was in poor taste to make the movie about a living head of state, but it could still be really really funny if you suspend that piece of it, which shouldn't be hard to do since we as Americans have no affection or appreciation toward North Korea.

Yeah, I actually wanted to see it. The previews made me laugh.

I still think the Sony execs who ok'd it's production were nuts, but I still want to see it.

bogey21 · Dec 18, 2014

Bucky said:
This is scary but keep in mind, this is not a small, radical group doing this! This was done by a section of the North Korean Government!

It is probably a good thing I am not President. If I was and if we knew with absolute certainty that the North Korean Government was behind this, I would bomb the Hell out of one of their military bases.

George

SueDonJ · Dec 18, 2014

PigsDad said:
I don't think whether or not people would like the movie or think that it is in good taste is the issue at all. I didn't care for the material that Larry Flynt produced, but to censor Hustler magazine was wrong. While not a legal censorship, this new situation opens the door to any group effectively censoring a movie they happen not to like. Do we really want to go down that path?

Kurt

I vote no. But I don't know what the answer is because if this situation repeats with other movies I'll be one of the people who will stay away from theaters when threats are lodged. Say what you want, that I'll be enabling the bad guys or giving in to the terrorists or whatever, but it would frighten me enough to not go.

ace2000 · Dec 18, 2014

bogey21 said:
It is probably a good thing I am not President. If I was and if we knew with absolute certainty that the North Korean Government was behind this, I would bomb the Hell out of one of their military bases.

George

You have to wonder if there will be some retaliation coming. IMO, a military option seems excessive though. I did read that some are estimating the costs to Sony as greater than $200M. That's a lot. Sony headquarters is based in Tokyo Japan though so that might be a factor in our decision process. I'd be willing to bet that our intelligence knows exactly who's behind it.

The more frightening aspect is how many more companies are at risk? Sony is a technology company and they got burned here by the hackers.

PigsDad · Dec 18, 2014

SueDonJ said:
I vote no. But I don't know what the answer is because if this situation repeats with other movies I'll be one of the people who will stay away from theaters when threats are lodged. Say what you want, that I'll be enabling the bad guys or giving in to the terrorists or whatever, but it would frighten me enough to not go.

I would fully understand your fear and whatever decision you would make based on a threat like that. It just makes me sad, I guess, that we have gotten to this point where anonymous threats can have such a huge impact.

Kurt

Beaglemom3 · Dec 18, 2014

PigsDad said:
I would fully understand your fear and whatever decision you would make based on a threat like that. It just makes me sad, I guess, that we have gotten to this point where anonymous threats can have such a huge impact.

Kurt

+1.

Concerned that a precedent has been set here, possibly.

-

Sony cancels 'The Interview'

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