Disney may be burned by Fahrenheit 9/11

[nodictators]

The Walt Disney company could wind up in hot water again with investors if Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 turns out to be the blockbuster success at the box office that many analysts are predicting it will be...
http://us.imdb.com/news/sb/#1

Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner was recently in trouble with major Disney shareholders. With F-9/11 looking like a blockbuster bigger than Bowling for Columbine (which grossed more than $120 million worldwide) Eisner may find shareholders angry at him again for turning down F-9/11 and missing out on the likely large profits.

Note: the link above will only be good for today (Tuesday) and early tomorrow. After that, go to the main IMDB web page and click on Studio Brief on the right side.

[WillyT]

1. Investors: I May Not Like Michael Moore, But I Sure Like Money !!!

I guess greed CAN be good sometimes, LOL!!!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

29. Sad isn't it?

but not surprising.

[papau]

37. I like Moore's Cannes speech where he thanks his cast - should be

part of the DVD extra's when it comes out!

"I forgot out there on the stage to thank my cast. So if I could do that now, I want to thank Mr Bush, Mr Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld. The love scene between Cheney and Rumsfeld brought a tear to my eye."
--Michael Moore, after winning Cannes for Farenheit 9-11

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Jeez--what could be cooler

than Eisner getting his ass handed to him by stockholders for preventing the distribution of F-911?

[abelenkpe]

3. for various reasons

I'm just gonna be happy to see Eisner go.

[Hekate]

5. Just tell the American people they can't see something...

...and they'll line up for blocks to plunk down the cash, like they did with Moore's latest book. Sometimes my fellamurkins warm the cockles of my heart.

Hekate

[Tellurian]

13. Isn't that the TRUTH!

Eisner deserves what he gets..imo

[OneBlueSky]

34. every theater showing this film should do a special promotion . . .

at the snack bar for pretzels . . .

[Imperialism Inc.]

36. Lol. Buy some cheese pretzels and get a GW Bush doll that

bruises when you hit it.

[progressiveBadger]

12. Almost as good as the Pixar fiasco!

Now we just need to drop him in the middle of an angry mob of overworked, third-world, Disney slave-laborers!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. read the news release from Disney

they were put between a hard rock and a hard place.

The story is not that they were refusing to relase the movie

THE REAL STORY is that Jeb Bush threatened them with
removal of the tax free exemptions that make Florida so
good.

The REAL STORY is the fixer, little brother Jeb, pulling some
strong arming to get them to stop.

I know most have missed this part of the story, chiefly the media.

But some of us have not.

[Tempest]

8. I wonder if Eisner will still support Bush...

After stockholders hand his ass to him?

[nadinbrzezinski]

I wonder if you even understand the depth of what happened

It is not support, or not

Moore's movie will garner, oh a 100 million, being really possitive
here

The tax excemptions are wroth billions

This was strong arming of the worst kind

Do you get it now?

THAT is the story.

[Tempest]

22. YOU fail to understand the stockholders

What will the stockholders consider more important, tax exemptions or profits?

Next time try not to be so insulting.

Especially since you seemed to have missed the context of my message.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

30. Florida's tax exemptions worth billions?!! I doubt it.

I'm highly skeptical. And if Disney is getting away without paying those kind of taxes then that is Bullshit.

[Imperialism Inc.]

35. I don't understand how that is legal.

Is there nothing that can be done? Or, is it that there is something that can be done through the legal system, but it would have to be initiated by Jeb or George?

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. I wonder if you even understand the depth of what happened

It is not support, or not

Moore's movie will garner, oh a 100 million, being really possitive
here

The tax excemptions are wroth billions

This was strong arming of the worst kind

Do you get it now?

THAT is the story.

[Just Me]

25. Even better, after Eisner, cocky Jeb being handed his ass *LOL*! n/t

[Justice]

9. Link To News Release?

I thought Disney denied the tax exemption thing.


Not arguing with you, just want to be sure I have my facts straight.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. It was in the ORIGINAL news release as posted at the NYT

[Tempest]

23. So where's the link?

And stop being so condescending.

[beyurslf]

14. Is there a link for this? I would like to share with a few people...

[prolesunited]

15. They are are a retaliatory, vindictive bunch, for sure

Kind of like mafia bosses.

And, yes, I'm sure there were threats made to Disney, which has gotten special treatment. After 9-11, Disney received special status that restricted air space around it. Chicago applied for the same thing and the FAA wouldn't grant it.

So, Disneyworld is more important than Chicago?

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Original AP release on the NYT

I can't get from here to there on this computer

[Shakespeare]

20. That was not in the press release.

Disney flatly denied the tax angle--that quote came from Moore's agent. I don't doubt for a moment that that's what motivated Disney to refuse distribution, but there's no official company press release that says it was a decision based on fear of losing tax breaks.

[TahitiNut]

21. Yup. Here's one story still up on the web.

Moore's agent Emanuel told the New York Times that Eisner asked him last spring to pull out of the deal with Miramax. Emanuel said Eisner expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where President Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, is governor.

The Times reported that Disney executives denied that allegation. One executive told the paper it did not want to be seen taking sides in the election and risk alienating customers of different political views.

"It's not in the interest of any major corporation to be dragged into a highly charged partisan political battle," said the executive, who was not identified by the paper.

But Moore said he believed the protection of tax cuts was the reason for the media conglomerate's position.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/05/news/fortune500/disney_... /

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

26. That's what Disney claims. Unverified.

I'm torn between my natural suspicions of Disney and Jeb.

Who is more likely to bullshit?

[2Design]

31. thanks for remind us....this is what the other bush is doing to everyone t

the strong arm of coercion sure has hurt many........maybe the media need this pointed out to them.....

[David__77]

6. I'm not a moviegoer, but I'll see this.

What I'm wondering is: will this film actually be shown in cineplexes and the like? I hope so. I hope it isn't sidelined to "alternative" venues.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. It serves those Disney Fascists right!!!

Disney getting burned is G-R-E-A-T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lorien]

10. Here's a similar article and link:

http://www.nypost.com/business/24657.htm

Yesterday, Disney and Miramax co-chiefs Bob and Harvey Weinstein were finalizing a deal to sell the film to the Weinsteins personally, who will then seek a distribution deal.

Moore's latest flick has set off a flurry of negotiations among other film companies seeking to distribute the movie in the U.S. Suitors include NBC Universal's Focus Features, New Market, Lions Gate and Paramount, say sources familiar with the matter.

Analysts say the movie could match or surpass the take from Moore's "Bowling For Columbine," the highest-grossing documentary of all time

(snip)

related articles can be found at:www.savedisney.com

[wryter2000]

16. That's what I've been thinking

And if Eisner loses his job, it couldn't happen to a better person for a better reason.

[al bupp]

24. Sometimes there is poetic justice

like the fact that the chief unintended consequence of Jeb's strong-arming is that the film got a whole bunch of free publicity.

I thought it was Rove's job to engineer these things so that they to play out their way?

Maybe he's not as smart as we give him credit. Or maybe Jeb did it on his own initiative.

[wryter2000]

32. Welcome to DU, btw

[proud patriot]

18. Especially considers the bumpy road Disney movies have been on

Now with the breakoff from pixar and all .

[The Animator]

27. As a Disney Stockholder... I want Eisner out.

I have been a Disney stockholder since 1994, small investment only 12 shares, but I'm seriously considering picking up a few more soon. Last I checked Disney was trading at $23 a share. As soon as they put Eisner out on his ass, the company will turn itself back around. There are far too many talented and creative people still working there for it to fail.

Eisner hasn't made a good decision since the 1980's, and he's pissed off a hell of a lot of people. I live in Orlando and I know alot of people who work at the Walt Disney World Resort, and even the lowest guy on the totem pole can give you a million reasons why Eisner is bad for the company. Every night, when the dark skies over the Magic Kingdom are set ablaze with light and sound, someone below with a pan and broom looks up and sighs, because he knows if his company decided to go one night without fireworks, they could afford to give every Disney employee a huge raise. If they didn't have to pay Eisner the outrageous sums of money that commands to steer the company into the ground, they could probably lower gate prices to the point that an average Orlando Joe could take a date to the park without having to get aproval from the bank.

With strong, effective leadership, Disney Co. could be great again, then perhaps, the "happiest place on Earth" could afford to lift it's employees out of poverty. It would be nice to go to the parks, see a happy looking ride attendant, and realize that, for a change, she's not faking it.

[amazona]

28. eisner is stunningly incompetent

I'm glad to be a former shareholder. Once he lost Pixar, I realized there was simply no hope for this man. He should resign in my humble opinion, he does not belong in front of a publically held company. He may be a wonderful person for all I know but he is just not capable of the job.

[loftycity]

38. He is a brick

I was at Mattel for years. When he came to announce the Mattel/Disney deal to make Disney Toys, he is an absolute dullard.
But, that is what corporate American wanted in the eighties dull and boring and now they are old and dull and excruciatingly boring.

[Shakespeare]

39. How far (down) he's come since the 70s-did you know it was Eisner...

...who approved the Schoolhouse Rock shorts for television? He was head of children's programming at ABC at the time, and gave thumbs up to the pitch. That's the ONLY good thing I will give Eisner credit for.

[symbolman]

33. The old saw is:

"Don't f*ck with the Mouse!"

[sjgman9]

40. Eisner is such a fool

Disney refuses to bankroll Lord of the rings.
Disney screws up the relationship with pixar
Everyone hates eisner

I dont know how he keeps his job