The Interview

[Keith]

Cynics field day!

BBC News - The Interview makes $15m in online release

Leaving aside the politics and the sheer crapness of the movie (if we can), does the panel think that Sony's actions of preventing it's release, was a genuine blow against "free speech?" If you switch the positions, would the American press & public be concerned at a movie that had the assassination of the US President as it's core story for example? An actual person, not fiction.

OK, cue predictable & cheap shots at Obama here...

I pretty much know our American friends will go into hyperdrive defending the First Amendment, but that shouldn't make it a charter of racial incitement or insults to foreign Govts (yes, I know it's North Korea a pariah state and all that).

Just interested in the principle. The film (by all intents and purposes) is crap which will now make loads of money. Was this the intention all along? A cynical play by Sony?

 

[Larry L.]

Leaving aside the politics and the sheer crapness of the movie (if we can), does the panel think that Sony's actions of preventing it's release, was a genuine blow against "free speech?" If you switch the positions, would the American press & public be concerned at a movie that had the assassination of the US President as it's core story for example? An actual person, not fiction...

It's already been done...about <10 years ago...and a British public t.v. outlet produced it. It even won "awards".

Before Sony and ‘The Interview’: This award-winning movie imagined George W. Bush’s assassination - The Washington Post

But, to answer your other question ("was a genuine blow against "free speech?"): In my own view 'twas not so much that (on Sony's part anyway) as 'twas an attempt at censorship by a foreign country via threats of violence. (And to address one other of your questions: I can't see Sony [or any other company] playing games like that to 'up' their movie revenue.)

'Back in the day', Teddy Roosevelt would likely have turned the whole of N. Korea into San Juan Hill over something like that.

 

[Keith]

Interesting, I didn't know that (about Bush).

Fair enough, shoot the bastard... :rifle:

(The Fat Man that is)

 

[Larry L.]

Fair enough, shoot the bastard... :rifle:

(The Fat Man that is)

In a way I'm amazed no one has to this point.