Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

As long as it's pro-American or pro-government, etc., it is OK for it to have profanity, violence, and sex, or any combination of the aforementioned. Remember a couple years ago ABC showed the full unedited version of Saving Private Ryan on TV (and yet the FCC complained about a breast being shown for half a second this past year)? I loved that movie, but there's also more than enough swearing and gore. But nonetheless, it was shown during a national holiday because it embodied an accepted idea of brotherhood and sacrifice in this nation (I'm not objecting to these ideas at all). However, there'd be no way Fahrenheit 9/11 would be shown on September 11 of this year to celebrate its anniversary. It'd be too... anti-Bush-administration.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

It's neither pro-American or negative. It's just vulgar. I also believe that Jackson managed to annoy a bunch of parents watching that. Nope. It wouldn't be the Bush administration's fault. It's not mainstream enough for America. Im not saying that there is nothing wrong with not being mainstream is just that most programming tends to lean that way.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

"I have a good point here," said the director.
"Yes, but you're Michael Moore."

Don't you think that's a little circumstantial ad hominem creeping in there? M. Krass was pointing out the absurdidty of an argument, not making one of her own for or against the movie. Any of us may or may not be Moore lackeys, but I think most of us could point that one out.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Canadians, always the voice of reason.


Yeah, I really think we should at least see the movie before we jump to conclusions, although it may be a little too late to say (again) in this thread. I know myself and others have been defending Moore, other people attack him constantly, but we all need to chill out a bit and see the movie before jumpting to conclusions on whether its factual or not, instead of leeting articles by biased journalists tell us how factual the movie is.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Bush does a fantastic job making himself look like an idiot without anyone else's help.

Moore made Bush look like an idiot... Gee that's surprising... I wonder what that could be suggesting?

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Hey, if you went to Europe, showing Saving Private Ryan would be vulgar and seeing the waldrobe malfunction would be ok. But my argument was not as to which was more acceptable, it was that 2 hours of gore and swearing is, imo, a lot worse than half a second of vulgarity.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

The FCC has the rights to protect children and society from such language. I'm glad they have finally started cracking down on what has been such open "say anything and do whatever you want to do"airwaves. If the rules say that movies with swearing deserve an 'R' rating, then by all means they better follow those rules for all movies, and not make an exception to Michael Moore's movie.


There IS somebody looking out for you.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

David,
The FCC doesn't rate movies. The MPAA does.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Okay, so I was wrong about which ogranization rates the movies, not a big deal. FCC does the same thing to control what goes over the open airwaves.


How the movie ratings system works

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

The MPAA ratings are also just a 'suggestion'. Movie theaters decide for themselves what their policy is for admitting people into various rated movies. I know that if I don't go to the big, Regal Cinema 1/2 a mile away from me and go downtown to either of the two local places, they won't check my ID for any film.

Well, Regal won't either most of the time, but that's not my point ;)

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

That isn't completely true anymore.....


A lot of state governments (Indiana is, I know for a fact) is stepping in and telling movie theatres that they must ID and not allow people under 17 into R rated movies.

Actually in fact, in Indiana you can't even purchase tickets for people under age 17 unless you can prove you are their parent or guardian...

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Such as anything that might upset our current flow and groove of things. So explain how we are protecting children from these evil, vicious, un-Americans, by giving an R rating to a documentary that shows insite into an ethically questionable administration? It seems that it only protects the kids if that person dosn't support it.

<sarcasm>Freedome of speech, what non-American bs is that?!?!?</sarcasm>

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

Very true, although some theatres are harder on you about it than others. Point is, this movie has images that children probably shouldn't view without parental consent, I don't see what's so hard to understand about that. Why don't you people understand that? I do.

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

You are right. I spoke too quickly and confused my 'controversies'. I was thinking of ESRB ratings for video games. My bad.

(though it is true that no one cares in Ithaca)

Re: Fahrenheit 9/11
 

I have the distinct honor of working in the Cannon Congressional building and outside today, there was a press conference with Michael Moore. It was outside so they could have a nice background shot of the Capitol so I sat out in the hot & humid weather with my suit on to listen. It was pretty cool because not many people knew about it so it was just me, 20 or so other staffers, and the media.

Most of the stuff was pretty old hat but I did learn some interesting things...

1. The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) escorted Michael Moore to the podium, introduced him, and thanked him for this movie. They made a cameo in his documentary because (I'll try to keep it brief), back in 2000 when there were discrepencies over denying to let people vote in Florida, the CBC wanted to address the floor about this issue. To get the floor, you need the signature of one house member and one senator. Well they got a bunch of Representatives but not one (neither Democrat or Republican, he IS critical of both parties) would sign it. So as they went up the podium, Al Gore who is the President of the Senate, had to painfully gavel them to sit down because even though they were fighting for him, he had to fulfill his constitutional duties. So to people who say that we already know what Michael Moore is going to say, well...guess not. Besides all the war stuff and terrorism, it does bring up a good point about voting. I checked it out, and it did happen, and I'm still amazed (and quite disgusted).

2. This will probably unleash a can of worms for more discussion but the FEC wants to ban commercials for this movie past 7/30 because they believe that it is a corporate financed ad that can sway the election, and that's not allowed. Moore obviously says he will fight this and the Congress members who were with him said they would stand right along with him.

3. Many Congress members are having "movie screening parties" with their constituents back home and then having town hall meetings to discuss it. I thought that was really interested.

4. When it was released yesterday in NY, it had the highest gross of a movie premiere beating MIB (or something like that, it was really hot so I can't remember the exact terminology). It should be really interesting to see what the response is tomorrow. I'm going to the movies tomorrow but to see another movie...hopefully it's not too packed.

So there's my Capitol Hill report, if anyone sees me on CNN from the press conference, let me know.