...or lack thereof.
http://deadline.com/2014/12/sony-scraps-the-interview-1201328639/
QuoteIt's Official: Sony Scraps 'The Interview'
Sony Pictures has made official what has been painfully obvious to everybody since yesterday morning, when hackers threatened to blow up movie theaters if The Interview was released next week. The studio has officially scrapped its release plans. Sony had little choice here, after the major theater chains announced earlier today they would not display the film given the threatening circumstances. Here's the statement:
In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the
film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the
planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners'
decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety
of employees and theater-goers.
Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against
our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our
intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material,
and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the
release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen
effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to
our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers
and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this
outcome.
Say what you will about Seth Rogan's movies or The Interview in particular, but this sets a very, very dangerous precedent. It's been painfully obvious over the last few years that the picture studios/distribution houses are starting to pander more and more to the Asian markets, and this is pretty much a collapse of will in the face of threats. I can't believe this.
F&ck it. I would go to see this movie on 12/25 just because I doubt these idiots can blow up movie theatres - what a crock of sh!t. I probably would not have seen this until it comes out on DVD, but it's the principle of the thing, dammit. The precedent that has now been set is any group can decide they don't like a movie and threaten entire chains to get them to not show it.
I mean, it's a SATIRE movie, for chrissakes. Rogan admitted they make fun of the U.S. just as much - nobody is safe in this film. These idiot hackers probably don't even know what it's about. Nor does the fat twinkie in charge that all of this can no doubt be traced to.
I know, it's "just a movie" and some people might think 'who cares.' Still, I am very disturbed by this precedent.
If Sony wants back at the little fatty and his code serfs there is an easy (though not cheap) middle finger: release the movie for free on the internet. Skip the DVD release, let it go everywhere at once, and watch Li'll Kimmy 2.0 swell up into a giant blueberry with impotent rage. Hilarity ensues.
One less Seth Rogan film in the world... Not exactly a bad thing in my book.
No desire to see the movie but to not show it is dumb, dumb, dumb. It's clear that North Korea is behind this and
their powerless threats should be ignored.
Well, what I'm reading online says Sony is just telling theaters they don't have to show it if they don't want to. I hope they all show it.
[edit] Nevermind, it's been pulled by Sony. Cowardly bastards.
I expect Sony to make some kind of amends to Lil' Kim like a huge donation( bribe) to the N.Korean widows and orphans fund or something and all the threats will go away. Then Seth and Sony can make their millions back.
Im still seeing adds for it on tv.
Rumor I am hearing is direct release to PPv.
Con
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on December 17, 2014, 08:08:42 PM
Im still seeing adds for it on tv.
Ad slots were probably bought and paid for months ago. It could take time to pull them out of rotation.
NBC News says it has confirmed NK is behind this.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-behind-sony-hack-u-s-officials-n270451
Now I really want to see it just to tell the norks to suck it. And I'll buy the blu-ray, too, as support.
The whole thing is stupid, but I'm not sure what else Sony was supposed to when all the major theater chains refused to show it.
Quote from: LongBlade on December 17, 2014, 08:29:21 PM
NBC News says it has confirmed NK is behind this.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-behind-sony-hack-u-s-officials-n270451
Now I really want to see it just to tell the norks to suck it. And I'll buy the blu-ray, too, as support.
Yeah, I probably wouldn't have bothered with it before. Now I want to see it.
or this is among the most brilliant marketing ploys ever.
I still haven't ruled that out. The movie may blow chunks and this is the only way they could make something out of it.
After that asshole shot up the theater showing the Batman film the chains don't want to take any chances. How long before they also shy away from any films which are the least bit critical of Islamic Fundamentalism?
Quote from: Staggerwing on December 17, 2014, 08:39:58 PM
How long before they also shy away from any films which are the least bit critical of Islamic Fundamentalism?
I thought had been going on for years.
I hear now Japan is threatening to bomb Pearl Harbor again if "Unbroken" is released. And "American Sniper" is due in January.
Opie and Jim were discussing this at great length this morning (they had Rogan and Franco on the show last week, and both were pretty shaken up so there must be more under the hood). They brought up a great point, that the studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation. That idiot that shot up the theatre and killed so many for that Batman movie...literally a few hours later the theatre was swimming in subpoenas. So there's that.
They say it definitely sucks, but our society is partially to blame, and I can see that. I hate to bend to the will of some fat idiot in a sh!thole third-world dictatorship, and the little code monkeys that have caused all this to happen, but stupid people have as much potential culpability in this.
I think this movie will find its way to the light of day sooner rather than later, whether officially released or one guy deciding to put it out there on the Interwebs. Regardless, I think NK has created a monster and generated more interest in this movie than would have been garnered had they just ignored the damn thing in the first place, like they should have.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 18, 2014, 08:27:05 AMthe studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation.
this
Sony needs to release the movie for free on YouTube. Screw the Norks.
I've heard that iTunes has already said they won't touch this movie. I doubt YouTube would too. Everyone's scared to death of getting sued, not necessarily of the Norks.
I still think it's complete bull$hit that everyone caved like this, but it makes more sense considering they're all scared of getting sued by the average idiot American movie-goer.
Quote from: bayonetbrant on December 18, 2014, 09:33:14 AM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 18, 2014, 08:27:05 AMthe studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation.
this
^ Agreed.
I don't think they are worried about the Norks 'retaliation'. The Norks have been 'retaliating' against South Korea for decades, life still goes on there (and in the rest of Asia), even after multiple kidnappings, bombs, missile launches, border incidents and Gangnam style atrocities. I think Sony is more afraid of the potential lawsuits that could happen if some nutter goes and does something stupid.
What other sensitive information was stolen when Sony got hacked? The Bond movie script apparently got leaked, along with some emails & gossip between the execs.
Those emails were more than just gossip, apparently, as Sony has already been sued by numerous people over it. I guess they're suing over Sony not having 'good enough security' but good luck proving that. I would think a company like Sony would already have a hell of a security package in place. $hit happens, no doubt, and things do get leaked, but that's usually because of someone putting studio pre-release DVD copies up on the 'net or other such horseplay. Sony's already trying to batten down the hatches and hope this doesn't get bigger. I bet they'll do a lot of settling instead of letting this drag out.
Count on movies being less creative and MUCH less pushing edges of envelopes, though. Especially when ethnicities or two-bit dictators are concerned.
Quote from: Staggerwing on December 17, 2014, 06:45:50 PM
If Sony wants back at the little fatty and his code serfs there is an easy (though not cheap) middle finger: release the movie for free on the internet.
exactly my thoughts.! .. i would have simply uplloaded it to all platforms for free ... in your face little Kimi :knuppel2:
Did they get pissed that their buddy Dennis Rodman didn't get a part in the movie? ;)
Quote from: endfire79 on December 18, 2014, 09:48:50 AM
What other sensitive information was stolen when Sony got hacked? The Bond movie script apparently got leaked, along with some emails & gossip between the execs.
At least one whole completed movie got released to torrent thereby. (Not "The Interview", but I don't recall what it was.)
Some backchannel discussion about wth they should do with the Spiderman franchise, but nothing that changes the current plan (of flailing around for Avengerish setups before the next full Spiderfilm).
Sony's president had to issue an apology to Obama and to black people in general, and seek absolution from two liberal black Protestant popes (in effect), because of some harmless private satire about how terrible films made by and aimed for black audiences tend to be (thus joking about what Obama would, within that satire, end up financing.)
I... guess there were also secret plans stolen on how Sony could detonate theaters by remote internet control if necessary??? I'm a little vague on the particulars there.
I agree, btw, that the ballsy thing to do would be to release the movie on torrent (let the hackers try to detonate that! -- or anyone try to sue them if they did!)
I've also read at least one pre-release review saying the movie is actually quite dang good, near genius -- and that Kim's character, though eventually the clear bad guy, comes off a lot more clever and competent than in real life.
James Gunn posted a Facebook pic today proving he has formally removed Kim Il Jung from the list of potential Dads for Star-Lord.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toplessrobot.com%2Fjamesgunnkim.jpg&hash=a815d8ce5408b8f263075009fa20fde8589f19c8)
Hat Tip: Topless Robot (http://www.toplessrobot.com/2014/12/james_gunn_responds_to_north_korean_hackers_refuse.php)
Quote from: JasonPratt on December 18, 2014, 01:42:50 PM
Sony's president had to issue an apology to Obama and to black people in general, and seek absolution from two liberal black Protestant popes (in effect), because of some harmless private satire about how terrible films made by and aimed for black audiences tend to be (thus joking about what Obama would, within that satire, end up financing.)
No kidding?
Well, this is not anything but truth. Madea movies aren't exactly made for MENSA members.
Then again if Ferguson is any indication, problems within the black community are everyone else's fault but their own. Makes sense the weepy types would try to foster this on Sony too.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwhec-assets-live.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2014%2F09%2F42906_1dd54fa5823a747d13064fdad5e87d62.jpg&hash=59976c964f829ca181151dd2fbd3ccd73db15485)
No kidding (about Sony's president issuing public apology to Obama et al). Saw the news on it the other morning. She had voluntarily reached out to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson "to start the healing process".
(I have a white more-or-less 'redneck' employee who has high praise for the Madea movies, btw, and says thematically they have a lot more intelligence going on under the hood than you'd think just from surface descriptions. He's critically fair and thoughtful about movies generally, including many I'd never watch, so I'm inclined to believe him. But I couldn't vouch for it myself.)
As I thought I recalled, it was indeed also Topless Robot where I read the review of The Interview (http://www.toplessrobot.com/2014/12/tr_review_the_interview_sends_a_grown_beavis_and_b.php).
They aren't puffers for Sony, and I'm not gonna lie -- after reading that I'm at least 60% interested in seeing the movie despite my dislike of Seth Rogen.
Quote from: JasonPratt on December 18, 2014, 02:01:44 PM
(I have a white more-or-less 'redneck' employee who has high praise for the Madea movies, btw, and says thematically they have a lot more intelligence going on under the hood than you'd think just from surface descriptions. He's critically fair and thoughtful about movies generally, including many I'd never watch, so I'm inclined to believe him. But I couldn't vouch for it myself.)
Perhaps. I've never seen a Madea movie nor will I ever. Then again I liked Half Baked, so what the hell do I know? :)
I have a friend who worked in the video game industry for a while and told me that Sony has very little accountability for who has access to their data. It was inevitable that something like this would happen, was his conclusion.
This password is always buffalo, hm? ...wait, that's BBC. >:D
Huh.
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/obama-sony-made-mistake-pulling-interview-movie-n271786
I'm actually surprised at this, even considering North Korea called him a "cross-breed" and a "monkey."
(https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10850027_896777510355401_2370908690838255117_n.jpg?oh=d9867b458817a2379d196074a835d92b&oe=5545F9EF)
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 19, 2014, 05:04:20 PM
Huh.
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/obama-sony-made-mistake-pulling-interview-movie-n271786
I'm actually surprised at this, even considering North Korea called him a "cross-breed" and a "monkey."
I didn't quite agree for the Prez to say Sony made the mistake. Everyone kind of caved in on this. The theatres, the distributors, the insurance companies who did not want to insure all of them, and then finally Sony which is a huge multinational corporation. Why does he decide to finger Sony? Would he have bailed out Sony (or another company) if they got screwed after a potential incident? I don't really weigh in on this stuff, but this prez is really opportunist.
On a lighter note (and it was inevitable), Hustler shows they have a few balls ;)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hustler-produce-porn-parody-interview-759578 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hustler-produce-porn-parody-interview-759578)
Hustler Video, the purveyor of an endlessly expanding library of pornographic parodies of pop cultural touchstones, from The Simpsons to Glee to Game of Thrones, will produce This Ain't the Interview XXX, an adult-video spoof of the Seth Rogen North Korea-set comedy.
(https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10402725_496787440462204_1696004748645973857_n.jpg?oh=382c9c58c95c0a40a26da2b62ab817aa&oe=550C45B2)
Is the Empire George Lucas?
Simpsons fans will get the reference
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F37MSSz4.jpg&hash=52ce9790fac0e10c43f4cd6031d84959dced308a)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t31.0-8/s720x720/10257238_897882940244858_7052697531556092224_o.jpg)
I guess Hollywood needs to re-redo Red Dawn and change the protagonists to...whom? Polynesia? Cuba? Grand Cayman?
Just saw the Hobbit on Wed. and was VERY careful to cheer for each of the Five Armies involved so as to not offend any pro- Orc or Troll viewers close to me. Also when playing Rome 2, I'm going to let each of the barbarian tribes beat me in battle once before taking their cities because..... THEY may be watching. ^-^
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 22, 2014, 07:32:23 AM
I guess Hollywood needs to re-redo Red Dawn and change the protagonists to...whom? Polynesia? Cuba? Grand Cayman?
Pretty sure there were Cubans in the original. I'm going to vote "Mexcio".
Yeah, the Cubans and a lot of Central America domino-effect victims were among the invasion forces, but they were support troops for the 'real' Commie invasion.
(I wonder how much Star laughed while watching the original Red Dawn...or any of you for that matter...)
I don't know about 'Mexcio' as an antagonist. 'Latnios' are pretty passionate but I don't know if they're that ornery. :)
Oh my, well.....imagine that!
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2014/12/north_korea_experiencing_severe_internet_outages (http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2014/12/north_korea_experiencing_severe_internet_outages)
"North Korea experienced sweeping and progressively worse Internet outages extending into Monday, with one computer expert saying the country's online access is "totally down." The White House and the State Department declined to say whether the U.S. government was responsible."
(https://i.imgflip.com/7rdg9.jpg)
They shut down a company, we shut down a country. Now if only we would release all the found emails detailing various depravities and the videos of Supreme Brat Kim Jong-un playing naked patty cake with Dennis Rodman......you know we have them.
I still maintain that Rodman was possibly the most brilliant CIA plant ever.
He sure as hell fooled me! Of course, it's not like Rodman would even stand out among the Groghead bunch. ???
my theory is that it wasnt Rodman but the camera crew that went with him.
Makes sense, but damn...I liked the idea of Rodman as a spook >:D
well, he was the front man for the op.
hes actually a pretty nice guy. Ive bounced into and off of him quite a few times in Chicago mosh pits back in college.
You and Rodman.....so which one of you was the weird one?
well it was at Crobar Chicago on Wednesdays, which was the clubs fetish night. honestly neither of us were remotely in the same league as the pros.
Considering what Rodman has worn in public, that's a disturbing thought....
the stage had a 9 person rack made from old rail road ties with iron torches on the corners. :smitten:
those where the days.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 22, 2014, 02:52:01 PM
Yeah, the Cubans and a lot of Central America domino-effect victims were among the invasion forces, but they were support troops for the 'real' Commie invasion.
(I wonder how much Star laughed while watching the original Red Dawn...or any of you for that matter...)
I was 15ish at the time (that was 85, right? -- I'm pretty sure I had to wait till HBO to see it). My friend and bro and I liked it a lot. There was even a board game, still around now I think, more or less based on the story. "Fortress America". Thus, by the way, my reference to Mexico for the next Red Dawn remake: Mexico teams up with Russia in that game.
QuoteI don't know about 'Mexcio' as an antagonist. 'Latnios' are pretty passionate but I don't know if they're that ornery. :)
(I just got the mis-spell joke, btw. >:D )
Well, we've fought several wars in the past, and came close to fighting another one in WW1. They might need a coalition from a bunch of Central and South American countries, and a historical precedent for violent revolution so the current government isn't a foregone conclusion (as admirable and hard-fought as their relative stability has been since... the 80s? 70s? They're stable only by comparison to most other C/SA countries.)
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on December 22, 2014, 05:45:41 PM
I still maintain that Rodman was possibly the most brilliant CIA plant ever.
There was even a recent movie satirizing that ide... ohhhh... :))
Just a stray thought, but aren't we kinda helping out the Norks by shutting down their internet access? I mean, don't they *want* it shut off so that no one can read about what a craphole they live in?
I don't think they're allowed to visit the, "We're Living in a Craphole" sites. N. Kor. has 2 websites. The first is the government propaganda website and the second one has one post that says, "GO BACK TO OTHER SITE!!!" I know that's an old one but not as old as the Korean War. If we really want to scare the shit out of the N. Kor's, we ought give them access to Grogheads I say. O0
Well, ain't THIS sh!t interestin'...
http://www.mediaite.com/online/alamo-drafthouse-announces-christmas-day-screenings-of-the-interview/
I will probably go see The Interview when I get a chance, because I don't like the idea of some third world moron telling me what I can go see. And then I will probably never go see another Sony movie again if I can help it, because they caved to a tin pot thin skinned dictator with the brains of the trout instead a standing up and having some balls
Quote from: Steelgrave on December 22, 2014, 05:44:16 PM
They shut down a company, we shut down a country. Now if only we would release all the found emails detailing various depravities and the videos of Supreme Brat Kim Jong-un playing naked patty cake with Dennis Rodman......you know we have them.
Shutting down a country with perhaps a whole seven functional computers in total isn't exactly impressive... :P
Look, if North Korea now controls Hollywood, maybe they could throw us a solid and demand an end to the Paranormal Activity series? Perhaps we could send them Michael Bay and have him torn apart by dogs? This could work out for both sides!
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 23, 2014, 01:32:33 PM
Well, ain't THIS sh!t interestin'...
http://www.mediaite.com/online/alamo-drafthouse-announces-christmas-day-screenings-of-the-interview/
Yep. Sony decided to release in a 'select number of theaters'. My guess is that they got plenty of small chain and single owner theaters volunteering to show the film once the media went crazy with the story.
If they wanted to bomb a bad movie, they should've bombed Evita. I'd throw a hand grenade at that one myself. The only 99 cent movie I've ever walked out on. I mean ran.
The Year of Living Dangerously. And the only concert I ever walked out on was Ozzy. On his birthday.
Harry probably just wants to see if the Norks can really detonate a theater.
(But if they do, it'll be okay, he'll act as a shield and buffer everyone else. O0 )
The movie is on YouTube now, for rent.
I assume it's going up elsewhere as I type this, too.
I found one site where it's been streamed free, and it's a DVD quality copy, but it's running very slow as there's thousands of people no doubt checking it out now.
Slow clap for Sony. They knew exactly what they were doing. I wonder how many are paying the 5.99 for YouTube viewing.
Welp, I just watched it on one of those free sites.
The Interview is pretty terrible. At the very best, it's totally underwhelming. But I can see why Kimmy wouldn't want this to see the light of day. I won't drop spoilers but it will be obvious just before the credits end.
Rogen and Franco do make some decent movies - I actually enjoyed This Is The End quite a bit - and this movie was what sounded like a really good idea, but it boils down to poo jokes, anal intrusion, and over-the-top bloodshed, 'just because' and not for any really redeeming comedic value. The entire time I watched it (and my daughter and son watched it with me), I kept hoping something funny would happen. I snickered occasionally, but it just didn't generate any funny in me.
To put it bluntly, my daughter said, once it ended: "That sucked."
On a 40@ the movies scale, this was maybe a 16, 18 tops.
They also reportedly approached Apple about putting it up on iTunes, but they refused.
Sony and the theater industry weren't the only ones being limp about it.
I've read so many gushing, glowing reviews of this movie that I keep wondering if I saw the same one they did.