The terrorists have won!

[DenverChief]

Earlier Wednesday, Sony pulled the film, which depicts the assassination of North Korea's leader, following a threat that people should avoid going to theaters where "The Interview" is playing. The country's major theater companies had said they had decided to postpone or cancel next week's showing.
"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," Sony said in its first statement on the matter.
"Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. ... We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie. ... We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome."

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Won what, exactly?

Do you think this is the first time in history that a group of people stopped the release of art of any kind, whether it's music, art, film, TV, books, etc.?

Sony could have avoided this situation from the beginning by changing NK to a fictional country, something that's been happening in film for decades. They have no one to blame but themselves.

Altered our daily lives, kowtowed to the enemy.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Yes, they did. Fox also cancelled a NK-based feature film today that was to star Steve Carrell. They're already dealing with one hacking case.

Could you imagine the aftermath of an NK based hack of Fox? Apparently, they did and aren't taking that chance.

I was just answering your question.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

So, apparently, the vocal majority of Chiefsplanet feels like Sony should have ignored the threat and just opened the movie in eight days, correct?



It's not just one country's citizens at stake here: Sony is a Japanese owned company and with their very frosty relations with North Korea, there could be repercussions there as well.

As a former exec in the entertainment business, not the terror or military or police business, erring on the side of caution is a better solution than to put lives at risk, especially when the White House states that this incident was a threat to national security.

Yeah, it's just the CP loony bin. Google 'interview celebrity tweets.'

FTR - I'm no fire breather on this one, Sony made a craven corporate decision but it's not like its an actual national disgrace.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Yeah, it's just the CP loony bin. Google 'interview celebrity tweets.'

Bill Maher, Rob Lowe, Steve Carrell, Jud Apatow, Jimmy Kimmel, Michael Moore, Michael Ian Black......

Who knew they were CP posters, right?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

Altered our daily lives, kowtowed to the enemy.

Corporations now have countries as enemies?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Corporations now have countries as enemies?

That seems like a question to ask North Korea.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

Altered our daily lives, kowtowed to the enemy.

Corporations have never "kowtowed" to people's demands?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Donger

That seems like a question to ask North Korea.

And it seems to me that Sony only screwed themselves.

I can guarantee you that if it was announced that this film featured China or Russia's head of state as the target, the results would have been the same or worse.

It was a dumb move on Sony's part and now, they're paying the price.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Caving to demands like this is always a good thing, because it never leads to a repeat.

This is what I find concerning.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And it seems to me that Sony only screwed themselves.

I can guarantee you that if it was announced that this film featured China or Russia's head of state as the target, the results would have been the same or worse.

It was a dumb move on Sony's part and now, they're paying the price.

They are only paying the price because they are willing to pay the price, it seems.

In these situations, you have to look at the veracity of the threat. If you really think that NK would attack us over a movie, basically declaring war, then you aren't very well-versed in the history of the regime. New Dear Leader or not.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Donger

They are only paying the price because they are willing to pay the price, it seems.

In these situations, you have to look at the veracity of the threat. If you really think that NK would attack us over a movie, basically declaring war, then you aren't very well-versed in the history of the regime. New Dear Leader or not.

Exactly. If NK were really willing to commit an act of war in response to peaceful freedom of expression in the U.S., then we would end that regime once and for all, and it would be their own doing.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Donger

They are only paying the price because they are willing to pay the price, it seems.

In these situations, you have to look at the veracity of the threat. If you really think that NK would attack us over a movie, basically declaring war, then you aren't very well-versed in the history of the regime. New Dear Leader or not.

IMO, the biggest issue here isn't the threat of violence, it's the threat of releasing personal information including bank info, SSN's, medical history, etc. along with the extremely valuable theft of five upcoming and unreleased Sony movies, as well as scripts, including the $300 million dollar Bond film.

Sony's best bet was to cancel the release of this film and hope that NK doesn't release that info.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by wazu

Exactly. If NK were really willing to commit an act of war in response to peaceful freedom of expression in the U.S., then we would end that regime once and for all, and it would be their own doing.

Right. Because the US military continually unleashes its nuclear arsenal.

[Rain Man]

I wonder what will happen if a film maker decides to do a documentary on North Korean political prisons. Is North Korea in hysterics over this movie because it ridicules North Korea or because it ridicules Kim Jong-Un? Is the world now not allowed to say anything negative about North Korea, and if so, will that soon extend to Iran and other bad guys?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I wonder what will happen if a film maker decides to do a documentary on North Korean political prisons. Is North Korea in hysterics over this movie because it ridicules North Korea or because it ridicules Kim Jong-Un? Is the world now not allowed to say anything negative about North Korea, and if so, will that soon extend to Iran and other bad guys?

The biggest issue here is that NK hacked into Sony's system and stole massive amount of data and IP. I supposed that if Iran were able to hack in and hold a corporation hostage over the release of a film about assassinating their Prime Minister or Ayatollah, the result would be the same.

People in the Middle East get crazy over comics. I'm pretty sure they'd get even crazier over this type of film.