“Fahrenheit 601”: JFP Readers Want Film in Jackson

More on the radical-right campaign to block the film:
http://www.politicalstrategy.org/archives/000109.php

Nothing but questions from me...

Haven't these people (in these situations) realized more controversy means more sales and prolonged hype? The author notes it... I figured, by now, this had been burned into the common sense of the modern mind regardless of conservative, liberal, or indie status.

Even those that "disagree" will need to see the movie to establish that they "disagree" within their own minds and circles without risking absurdity -- though absurdity is often abundant in these circles. This is much like saying you do not like spinach while thinking it is an orange, furry animal served best with white wine.

I am curious how many of those involved in protest (or have signed-on to protest) have seen screenings of the film? If so, I would appreciate comments from them explaining why they feel it is necessary to stifle Moore's right to free-speech. Why is it so dangerous?

If it is misinformation, they should counter it with a documentary highlighting the beauty of Bush and his administration. If it is complete fallacy, Bush should have his lawyers contact Moore's.

It is simple. Protests and pickets against something of this nature do nothing but make people look at what the protestors do not want them to see.

To your point, Knol, legend has it that my father-in-law once gave an impassioned speech before the San Antonio city council, arguing that, if they wanted to ban certain music (which they did), they should really focus on banning the work of struggling, local musicians, since they really needed the publicity.

Y'all. Support needs to be shown for those theaters that do choose to encourage open debate (and make some serious jack in the process, no doubt) and run the film. So far, the only Mississippi theater listed as having the courage to do so is the Malco in Tupelo. They should receive some positive reinforcement for their choice. It could only help, too, in getting the film on more screens in the South. I've got contact info and details over at The Thorn Papers. Y'all come by.

MoveOn PAC has posted the trailer for Michael Moore's new movie "Fahrenheit 9/11": http://www.moveonpac.org/f911/

I'd also love to see "Control Room" and "The Hunting of the President." Anyone know if these two films will be showing anywhere?

I'll poke around, Kate. But, while I have y'all here, has any checked out Gunner Palace? Pretty surreal. There's two clips for download there. Y'all should check it out.

I support the right of any theater to show Fahrenheit 9/11, although I wouldn't want to force theaters to show it any more than I want to see people force them not to show it. Movie theaters ought not be forced to show films that they will lose money on.

Having said that, Moore is one "progressive" who does not impress at all - mainly due to Roger & Me, which I saw over ten years ago. If you ask me, he came off as someone with an axe to grind, caricatures to paint, and an agenda to push rather than a serious investigative documentor. Even to this day, he still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Even today, it would take heroic pride-swallowing for me to see Bowling For Columbine - never mind its been out for a few years.

Has anyone learned of a local (Jxn) cinema that will be showing this film? All I can find is a screen in Tupelo (home of the AFA, ironically). If Tupelo can get this film, knowing that bomb threats from angry AFA members are likely, CERTAINLY Jackson can and will... Right?

Knol, as far as I know, the one Malco screen in Tupelo is the only theater in the entire state of Mississippi willing to show the film.

Maybe we need to pre-order tickets for thousands....a little profit motive is all these theater owners need.....



The Thorn Papers
Y'all come by now...

The Nationwide Listing of theaters showing Moore's film

http://www.f911tix.com/

Tinseltown in Shreveport can show it -- but not in Jackson??? (Or, should I say Pearl.) Once again, it is assumed that Mississippians don't deserve, or want to be, in the cultural loop.

We need to do something about this. Petition, anyone?

That's it. The doc is showing in friggin' MONTGOMERY, ALA.??? And where the hell is Hoover, Ala.? And it's all over Tennessee.

BTW, you'll notice that within the Middle South area, the list of cities of similar size to Jackson showing it include those Peoples Republics <snort> know as.....Shreveport! Baton Rouge! Mobile! Little Rock! Fayetteville! On top of that, even smaller cities like Jonesboro and Fort Smith will get it. Surprisingly, Huntsville won't get it either (which surprised me, given how highly educated and intellectually inclined the areas seems to be relative to the rest of Alabama).

Take heart! If all these places can get it, Jackson can as well.

We crossed posts, Philip. Totally agreed: the wheels are turning as we speak. Keep an eye out for updates.

donna, my guess is it has less to do with the "cultural loop," and more with the folks who own the theaters in Jackson (and the rest of the state as well) and how they feel about the film itself.

we need to organize busloads of folks, a la The Passion. That'll learn em.

Actually, Mitch, I think that is precisely the problem with our "cultural loop" -- fear or the belief that we don't want to be in that loop. You're right, though: It is up to Jacksonians, and Mississippians as a whole, to show 'em. Get out the clipboard; you're in charge of the buses. ;-)

Seriously, I'll see what I can find out. But it happens, I do expect to see the buses out front. <grin>

well, who owns the theaters in Jackson? That would be interesting to know. If I remember correctly, there aren't all that many individual theaters citywide (though it's been many years since I've gone to the movies in Jackson)

Donna,

I think Hoover is a Birmingham suburb.

http://www.mapquest.com for all your "where is" needs <grins>

As if we did NOT have enough to worry about.....the CROWNING INSULT!!!!!

F 9/11 is showing in EVERY metro area in...get this....WEST TEXAS!!

If you want to know what West Texas is like attitude-wise, picture a semi-desert Mississippi whose chief minority is Hispanic rather than Black

I think Hoover is a Birmingham suburb.

You mean, like Madison? Oh, man, that hurts. <grin> Hey, if Hoover can get the film, then you'd think Pearl handle it, hug?

F 9/11 is showing in EVERY metro area in...get this....WEST TEXAS!!

Argh. Pass the aspirin.

Mitchwell, who owns the theaters in Jackson? That would be interesting to know.

Philip You might try whatever state agency is in charge of registering businesses. I think, but not sure, the Secretary of State is responsible for that one. Perhaps whatever the state tax office is called will have them too...or any equivalent of the Department of Commerce as well.

Donna--

When you said it was being shown in Montgomery, I had assumed that it was the Capri.

They are showing Super Size Me in a little over a month though.

I'm not familiar with Rave.

well, who owns the theaters in Jackson?

Forgive my snarkiness, but no one. All movie theaters are outside the Jackson city limits.

Whoops, there is one exception-- the IMAX theater at the Planetarium.

No prob, Ex. Snarkiness well placed. Just when in hell are we going to get some movie theaters back into the city? This is ridiculous. Would someone call Magic Johnson already? Todd was saying the abandoned K-Mart would be a great movie theater, as big-ass places go. Location would be pretty good.

Ah, the IMAX. ;-D Of course, the city was chicken about putting "Without Sanctuary" in Smith Robertson, so I don't know if we'll be seeing Michael Moore at the Planetarium anytime soon. But it is a fun thought.

BTW, the JFP commercial is previewing the current show there. Yes, we have a commercial for reasons I'm not sure any of us are clear on -- expect that our good friend and filmmaker Jared Hopkins wanted to use his skills on our behalf. And we are very appreciative of it. It's quite well done.

that's something you need to post online, Donna.

Here's what Michael Moore himself is saying about the efforts to keep Americans from seeing his film:

We're a week away from the nationwide opening ofFahrenheit 9/11 and not a day goes by where we don't have some new battle to fight thanks to those who are still working overtime to keep people from seeing this film. What's their problem? Are they worried about something?

A Republican PR firm has formed a fake grassroots front group called "Move America Forward" to harass and intimidate theater owners into not showing Fahrenheit 9/11. These are the same people who successfully badgered CBS into canceling the Reagan mini-series a few months ago. And they are spending a ton of money this week to threaten movie theaters who even think about showing our movie.

As of this morning, a little over 500 theaters have agreed to show F9/11, opening next Friday, June 25. There are three national/regional theater chains who, as of today, have not booked the movie in their theaters. One theater owner in Illinois has reported receiving death threats.

The right wing usually wins these battles. Their basic belief system is built on censorship, repression, and keeping people ignorant. They want to limit or snuff out any debate or dissension. They also don't like pets and are mean to small children. Too many of them are named "Fred."

Read more

I really don't see what the fuss is about all this. If a theater does not want to show this film or if the community lets a theater know it doesn't want this film, so be it. It's not like the government is stepping in and telling theaters not to show it. Then there would be a problem.

This is how this country works. If you don't like something, you ##### about it and try to change it. I think it is great when someone sees something they don't agree with and takes action (although death/ violence threats are a wee bit over the top) Pesonally, I think things are chugging right along when a group raises hell like when the NAACP boycotts South Carolina or the Jewish community raises hell about Gibson's film, or the Baptist boycott Disney, or the Moonies boycott the little guys you put on your dash board that moon people, or anytime one group puts the pressure on another group. To me that is politics at its basic level.

Also, just to go ahead and corner the market on the winning argument, anyone who disagrees with me is a facist, racist, liberal, communist, cry baby, far right, jew hating,child porn loving, usama supporting relative of hitler.

To me that is politics at its basic level.

I agree with you, JimJam. Speaking up, whether it is boycotting a business whose practices you don't agree with or petitioning for a film to come to town or a far-right organization's attempt to keep a piece of art out of public view or to outshout someone else's boycott, is part of what makes a community vibrant and America great. That's why it's confusing that you start your e-mail by asking commentators here are making "all the fuss"? Then you immediately answer your own question. The fuss is about making some noise to try to change something--like the assumption that all Mississippians are cut from the same political and cultural cloth.

Otherwise, I don't think anyone commenting here so far has made any suggestion that this is government censorship or a violation of the First Amendment. Of course it isn't -- unless the government is involved in some way, or is backing Stephen Moore's group, which I certainly don't have any evidence of (I did used to edit his pieces for a political mag I worked foróa fact that is entirely irrelevant to this conversation). The dialogue here I think is very positive, which is about kicking up some dust to help bring a film that many people want to see to Jackson. About every other person who walked up to me at the JAM was asking if I knew anything about the film coming here. There is definitely a community out there that wants to see it. If they/we let the theater companies know about it, perhaps they'll bring it here. And that would be a very positive use of communication. "So be it" is seldom good enough in my view.

jimjam, you may owe me a new keyboard. I just spit coffee, laughing at the "facist, racist, liberal, communist, cry baby, far right, jew hating,child porn loving, usama supporting relative of hitler."

I didn't know Hitler had any relatives...

For another perspective on the Moore "documentary" Slate has a review online by Christopher Hitchens.

"A film that bases itself on a big lie and a big misrepresentation can only sustain itself by a dizzying succession of smaller falsehoods, beefed up by wilder and (if possible) yet more-contradictory claims."

Of course, I don't want to encourage people to see it in the movie theater - just wait until it's on HBO - less money for Mr. Moore. heh

read it all at: http://slate.msn.com/id/2102723/

Tupelo? Yer kidding. Can't believe that's the only one.

As in Mississippi we here in Montana have one theatre showing Moore's film, the Wilma Theatre in Missoula, Montana. Missoula, in Western Montana, is the home of the University of Montana and about 570 miles from where I live in the NE corner of the state. Of course I could attend in one of the two theatres in North Dakota showing the film. That would cut the driving distance in half. Besides, y'all are lucky, you could visit the "King's" birthplace in Tupelo and make a doubly artistic day of it, Elvis by day, Michael by night.

"Besides, y'all are lucky, you could visit the "King's" birthplace in Tupelo and make a doubly artistic day of it, Elvis by day, Michael by night."

Or make a drive to one of the casinos (or Memphis) for drinks and great food! ;-)

Tsk, tsk!

And they say crime is running everyone from the city. I'm beginning to think it's the poor business being conducted by more than a handful of quasi-corporate businesses in the area.

Fielding wrote: "For another perspective on the Moore 'documentary' Slate has a review online by Christopher Hitchens."

We don't even have one perspective on the doc, Fielding -- we're not getting the film here, remember? ;-)

Interesting that you're quoting Chrisopher Hitchens -- not someone I would imagine you would admire that much, beyond his support of the war on terrorism. I haven't followed in recent months how Mr. Hitchens has been justifying all the revelations of late about the Iraqi waróyou will recall that his recent notoriety resulted from publicity he got from bashing critics of this war; since he's been such a hardcore leftist, this got him a lot of attentionóbut I imagine he's had to get pretty creative even with all of his British smarts at his disposal. The war has not gone the way he predicted it would a year ago. And he does openly call himself a neo-con. And, for the record, his choice for president was John Edwards. I do admire his independent spirit, even if I think he's goes a bit far for attention sometimes.

Did you happen to see his review of Gibson's "Passion of Christ" -- called "I Detest This Film -- With a Passion"?

A sampling of that film review by Hitchens: "Along with the protracted torture comes a simple-minded but nonetheless bigoted version of the more questionable bits of the Gospels. It's boring all right - much of the film is excruciatingly tedious - but it also manages to be extraordinarily nasty. Gibson claims that the Holy Ghost spoke through him in the directing of this movie, and that everything in it is from the Bible. I very much doubt the first claim, and I can safely say that the second one is false."[...]

"So my advice is this. Do not go. Leave it to the sickoes who like this sort of thing, and don't fill the pockets of the sicko who made it."

any chance we'll get this in jackson? TUPELO is getting it for christsake!

Has anyone called to say "yes we want it"??

i cannot find the phone numbers for our local theatres, cept for the movie listings recording.

Some say that the attendance at Gibson's film was inflated by viewing by the SM crowd.

Now, re Moore. I'm not a big fan of his as a personóbut he says a lot of what needs to be said. I hate when he stretches the truth to fit his premise -- especially because he usually doesn't have to. I find myself wishing he didn't have to be the messinger on these things that need to be said and known, but on the other hand, he's about the only one who has the balls -- and the ability to get the word on -- on so much of this information that is routnely squelched by corporate media. I suspect he doesn't surround himself with enough people to give him good advice on when not to go too far -- his ego is probably too large to take advice, although I'm guessing, of course.

I'm meandering here, but my point is that I don't know anyone who thinks Moore is a saint or the perfect messinger for tough messages. You can't turn the world into people who adore Michael Moore and those who don't. Like most of us, he and his work are complicated and don't fix into the easy boxes that politicians and corporate media try to place us in. That is, you can want to see his film in your hometown and still be critical of how he presents his messages -- even as the messages themselves (or the footage or whatever) is important to see and consider. That's my take, anyway, having not seen this film. (And pretty much captures what I thought of "Bowling for Columbine," which turned out to be much better and more complex than I thought, Phillip.)

Here's a piece from an alt-press brother in Salt Lake that is pretty interesting about Moore. I tend to find that the alt-press is probably quicker than anyone to be analytical about Moore and him films -- probably we're not slave to the current headlines or dogma-du-jour.

http://www.altweeklies.com/gyrobase/AltWeeklies/Story?oid=oid:136268

I've been in Mississippi too long. I keep reading butterat as "Butter Rat" instead of "Butte Rat." I'm not sure what a butter rat is, but it sounds southern.

i agree kate.

everyone with ANY opinion on this subject owes it to themselves to watch this interview from the today show. as important a topic as any.

http://entertainment.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=561592&mp=p>1=3584

Butte Rats are natives of Butte, Montana, or as we often refer to it Butte, America. The alternative was to call ourselves Buttians. As people from a melting pot mining and decidedly liberal culture we are not universally loved by the generally agrarian conservative rest of the state. With no prejudice against butter rats intended.
A Butte Rat.

Just read the Slate article where moore plans to sue those that trash his film. I hope he is joking. Personally I think it's just another move to promote the film. (not a bad one either) BTW, Butterat, I 've only heard of "R. Kelly do do butta" on Chappelle's show.

Read a New Yorker piece about Michael Moore:

Comedy and populism combine in Moore to produce a political force of especial potency, ridicule knocking down what anger leaves upright. They work together beautifully because they follow the same laws. The populist champions the man who works with his hands, with real stuff, against the one who works with his head. Populists are not revolutionariesóeven left-wing ones are conservative, in the literal sense of the word. Revolution is an abstraction, an intellectual idea; populists want to return to roots, to basic values, to solid thingsóto the way things were before intellectuals and financiers corrupted them. Comedy, too, is on the side of the body and against the soul. It mocks hubris, affectation, and hypocrisy, but it also mocks originality, utopianism, and earnestness. It takes the point of view that, in the end, we are just bodies, eating, defecating, and copulating, and everything else is pretentious rubbish. [...]
n the past three years Moore has become a political hero as well. People revere him. After he gave a speech at last yearís Oscars denouncing President Bush and the Iraq war, he received many letters from soldiers thanking him for opening their eyes to the lies of the government and for confirming their view that they are fighting for a country where dissent is embraced. ìMr. Moore, you are America,î one wrote. [...]

Moore is of the left, but it is also important to him that he is mainstream. He wants to change things, and he knows that to do so he must prove to his followers that they are the majority. He always emphasizes that most Americans agree with him on matters like gay rights, abortion rights, the environment, and the war in Iraq, whether or not they call themselves liberals. He tells people to vote. He tells them to take over their local Democratic partyóso few people go to the meetings, he says, that if you show up with fifteen friends you can institute a Green agenda without much opposition. He asks people to spend a weekend next October in one of the congressional districts where the race promises to be close, handing out flyers. [...]

His influence is extraordinary. His third book, ìStupid White Menî (2001), a diatribe against rich people, white people, dumb people, men, Israel, and North Korea, among other things, was on the Times best-seller list for fifty-nine weeks and sold more than four million copies worldwide."

There's much more; it's a long, interesting piece about his background.

Hey, Butte Rat, I've been to Butte. I liked it there, although I wasn't there long. Beautiful country y'all live in. Welcome to Jackson, so to speak. And don't mind my cohorts here; they just want to show off their southernness. And we wouldn't know anything about an "agrarian conservative rest of the state." ;-D

Who all has called the local theaters? I called them all.... Most said, "Alot of people have called."

...Still, none are showing it.

Is this some bizaree Floridian politics? I want my "butterfly' counted!

How the hell, as a pink como, am I supposed to vote without it? ;

Uh, oh: Sounds like the wingnuts are trying to make this a constitutional issue after all -- asking the FEC to censor the film!?! What goobers. They are going to singlehandedly assure that every American sees this thing.

On Salon right now:

"They're back! OK, the "vast right-wing conspiracy" Hillary Clinton warned about never really went away. But they've found new purpose in the campaign to stop the distribution of "Fahrenheit 9/11," Michael Moore's latest documentary. And just as the energetic conservative elves succeeded in making Bill Clinton ever more popular with the American public, so do they seem to be driving up public interest in Moore's film, which is expected to have the biggest opening for a documentary film ever, in a scheduled 888 theaters.

The convergence between the anti-Clinton and anti-Moore movements is personified by the tireless David Bossie, whose Citizens United made headlines savaging the president in the late 1990s. It's been a big week for Bossie and Citizens United. First they were busy producing anti-Clinton ads to run during the former president's star turn Sunday night on "60 Minutes," while Bossie was scurrying to cable studios to denounce the memoir "My Life" and promote his new book, "Intelligence Failure: How Clinton's National Security Policy Set the Stage for 9/11." Then Bossie scheduled a Wednesday press event in front of the Federal Election Commission, where he will demand that the commission take some sort of unspecified action to regulate the screening of "Fahrenheit 9/11" -- presumably because of the anti-Bush documentary's power to influence the coming presidential election. "Documents will be hand delivered to several government agencies immediately following the media briefing," the group's press release soberly states.

First, I guess I should translate my sleepy ramblings from last night.

I called all the theaters. All said they've received many calls... None are showing it. It would seem many people are voicing that they want to see it but are not being heard (at this point). And as a pink, commie, homo how am I supposed to vote without my proper dose of leftist propaganda?

Never type while groggy... It won't read the same the next morning! ;-)

Anyway, that Salon piece struck home. It would seem the documentary is facing the same crazy, book-burning attitude of the extremists in "Farenheit 451." We can't have the people thinking for themselves, can we?

On this same thread, has anyone seen this? (Link)
The movie was rated R for ìviolent and disturbing images and for language.î The images include an Iraqi man tossing a dead baby into a truckload of bodies, Iraqis burned by napalm and a public beheading in Saudi Arabia.

Tom Ortenberg, president of Lions Gate Films, had argued to the appeals board that 15- and 16-year-olds should be free to see the film on their own because they could end up in military service in Iraq in the next few years.

ìI hope the R rating doesnít have a large impact on the box office,î Ortenberg said. ìIíve spoken with many parents, including some on the appeals board, who absolutely said they are going to take their children to see the film. Weíll just have to hope the teenagers weíre encouraging to see this picture find their way in through parents or adult guardians.î

It is amazing that the capital city of Mississippi isn't scheduled to get the film. (Or, I should say the capital suburbs, as Ex would point out correctly.) I wonder if we're the only state whose capital city isn't in line for it, yet. I don't have time to check the map, but if anyone feels so compelled ... ;-) The funny thing is, you could see the distributors assuming that everyone in Mississippi is too illiterate to even know about the film. I suppose that's why it's a good idea to make some noise about it.

Do you have the phone numbers at your fingertips, Knol, that reach actual people and not just recordings? Folks looking at the site might want to call and request the film. If they think it's going to make them money -- which I'd guess it will -- perhaps it'll make a difference.

Tinseltown
Office: 601-936-5856
Email:

UA Northpark 14
Office: 601-957-7930

UA Parkway Place 10
Office: 601-939-0201

UA Clinton 10
Office: 601-924-2279

I double-checked that these were the offices (no recordings answered) but, if, by mistake, I listed the wrong number let me know and I will list the other numbers I have for them.

It would be wise to wait until after 12 since most theaters are not open early during weekdays.

This is yet another reason why those rumors about the Capri need to become reality. Wouldn't it be great to see 'Saved!' and 9/11 (among so many other films that never make it to the big-box cinemas) in our own "little New York"? ;-)

Knol, Thanks for the addresses, I just emailed tinseltown for starters.
will possibly drive to New Orleans to see it this weekend, but I'll see
it again if it shows up here, by any long chance. Does freedom of
expression include freedom to see expressions? guess not. Unless
you can afford to drive a long way.

i posted tinseltown's number on friendster last week, and called them twice. i don't really have too much hope for regal/UA, but seeing on the moore site that some other tinseltowns are scheduled to open it friday, i thought MAYBE...
the consensus last week from the two managers i spoke with was basically muddy confusion, yeah, we'll see, etc...
i called back about an hour ago and another guy informed me that their corporate office had told them, in no uncertain terms, that we wouldn't be getting it. i politely protested, explaining that shreveport and other small-ish cities were getting it, and that several other cinemark venues were getting it, and how come we aren't?? the response was something along the lines of 'it's a limited release, only 500 or so prints were made.' the guy was nice, and sounded like he'd probably have wanted to see it.
but don't despair. i'm not. keep calling. if the predictions are correct, this thing is going to be huge. they'll bring it here eventually. we've gotten some other surprising films in the past (dirty pretty things, city of god)
i've also been trying to get ahold of someone at cinemark's corporate office (in plano, tx) but the menu is maddening. all options lead to dead-ends or voicemail. but GET THIS:::
the first option given states "If you are interested in scheduling a private screening of 'The Passion of the Christ' please press 6."
HUH???
something stinks around here.
stay on 'em.

sounds like cinemark and regal corporate offices need to be contacted. the fellow i talked to at Northpark said they make the programing decisions. we'll see.

"If you are interested in scheduling a private screening of 'The Passion of the Christ' please press 6."

That made my day! Thanks Jay! ;-)

I'm curious if a private showing of 9/11 could be arranged? Certainly someone in this city (hint hint) has some contacts to make something happen!

oh yeah. if you want to contact cinemark's corporate hq, hit em here: 1-800-CINEMARK.

private showing, great idea! might require a fairly large venue actually.
let's contact MM and see about it , perhaps he would even visit to make a
point. just a thought.
meanwhile, besides the article mentioned earlier, there are two reviews at
salon.com that are fun to read, until we can actually see it for ourselves.
it's controversial even within the leftish folk, we do not follow blindly.

e-mail sent to michaelmoore.com itself!!!! thought you'd enjoy it <grins>



First, I want to come clean and say that on the whole, I disagree with Mr. Moore a CONSIDERABLE portion of the time. On the other hand, I firmly believe in freedom of speech.

As you can tell in the title, Jackson Mississippi will not be showing F/911. To see it, one must drive to Tupelo, New Orleans, Memphis, or Shreveport Louisiana.

According to the this site's link F 9/11almost every other metropolitan area between Texas and Georgia in Jackson's size category (250 to 500K total population).

Mobile, AL
Montgomery, AL
Pensacola, FL
Baton Rouge, LA
Shreveport, LA
Little Rock, AR
Fayetteville, AR

Furthermore, the film is shown in almost all metros (smaller than 250K people) in Tennessee, northern Arkansas, and western Texas.

Question: Given that Jackson is both the capital and largest city in the state of Mississippi, and especially given that a Tupelo theater will show F9/11(it's not even a metropolitan area!!) -- doesn't this make you wonder why the film is not showing in Jackson?? Doesn't this look even more suspicious given the rather long list of similarly sized cities surrounding Mississippi will show it???

The Jackson Free Press message board (the city's alternative newspaper, and an AAN member) has talked of this very matter. You can see the posts in all their glory at this link.
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=3220_0_27_0_C to further evaluate the issue for yourself. I'm sure Mr. Moore will find this pretty interesting.




Yours Truly,


Philip

this just warms my heart, y'all.

Phillip, please let us know if you get a response.....

Good Lord, you mean the great state of Mississippi theatre owners joined together once again and banned a WIDE RELEASE movie ?! Who would have thought !?
They wonder why we always catch a movie when we are in New Orleans.
I like what you guys are doing above.
Its not like they think it wont make money here. Sure it may not make the money that a pro-Christian movie makes, but come' on.
The commercial I heard on TV was it was starting this weekend in theatres "EVERYWHERE" (ie. we will have any number of prints available that you want).

Oh, by the way, I've talked to the Planetarium folks about films they show.

They are not IMAX. They can show "large format films that are under 55 minutes in length." (like 70 mm or scaled down Imax)
Their machine will not play actual (the even larger) IMAX films.
The platter they have will not hold more than 60 minutes of large format film.
If the city/state bought them a larger platter they could show large format full length movies.

Mitch,

Your prayer (if you care to call it that) is answered. I got a response from the site. Here it goes:

Hi Philip,

You should contact your local theater and let them know. Lion's Gate & IFC are trying to get it as wide as possible. My sister is in [town's name deleted] and is having to drive to Memphis, so i know how you're feeling.

Also, i appreciate and thank you for your interest in the film despite your disagreements. I will pass along your note to the distribution people, and hopefully we can get it there. But, i would encourage you and the people posting at the alt paper board to contact your local theaters.

thanks.

d.

actually the guy at the northpark theatre said they'd likely have NO PROBLEM if we wanna get some folks together to have a screenging of the movie.

hear that JFP? can we get something together?

I think a special screening would be great (if only a one-time limited showing).

Here's the e-response from Tinseltown/Cinemark:

Dear Knol

We are not showing Michael Moore 's Farenheit 9/11 this coming week.


Thank
Clay # 274

Anyone care to ponder "this coming week"?

perhaps the greedy so and so's are waiting to see the stunning box office numbers before they can sacrifice their conservative principles. because, as is continually publicly revealed, the greatest of these is greed.

wow, things are looking better and better. let's keep this ball rolling.
I am sure there are enough people for a private showing, even on
short notice. quite a few here from Vicksburg for sure.

Guys, I'm about to setup a database to hold a list of names and email addresses for interested individuals that will pay to see F9/11. We need some concrete numbers to prove there is at least interest for one private showing.

Will notify everyone once it's up and hope you are all willing to send it to everyone on your lists. The only thing shared with anyone will be the first names of individuals but last name and email addresses will be required for future contact.

Donna, we may want to talk more about how to put such a list to work!

Or to look at it another way, the limited release is creating buzz for the movie. I would also think that if the box office is pretty decent for a documentary, then there will be more theaters showing Fahrenheit 9/11.

Also, JP, Knol, Mitch et al, I would speculate that Northpark (since JP mentioned them, I'll use it as the example here) wouldn't mind a preview to: (1) gauge what kind of support there would be for the movie; (2) generate some pre-release publicity. It seems like Jackson-area theaters traditionally at least based on my observation haven't shown limited release movies the first week they've been available.

I tell you, JFP readers rock. To put your minds at ease, we're working this end, too, but I don't want to get people's hopes up, or such, until I know more. I assure you, y'all will be the first to know. ;-) Meantime, though, keep doing everything that you're doing, so we can show interest for the film. And, frankly, I do think this will help us in the future. I wouldn't be too quick to diss the theater owners; the fact is, many have tried to show edgier films in the past and not gotten a turn-out. So we need to take responsibility for that end, so they feel they can bring better films here and get an audience.

more on Moore at the Thorn Papers. The FEC is trying to ban advertising for the film after July 30.

ummm....that link above is a bit off. This one will get you to the information......

need
more
coffee



peas.
mc

John Fund of the WSJ also opines on the FEC ruling, "Six members of the Federal Election Commission will meet in Washington today to decide whether it's legal for Michael Moore to advertise his Bush-bashing "Fahrenheit 9/11" film on TV or radio without breaking federal law.

"According to an opinion by the FEC's legal counsel, the movie's producer, Lions Gate Films, should be prohibited from running ads for "Fahrenheit" after July 30 because the McCain-Feingold campaign law prohibits any corporation (with a narrow exception for the news media) from running ads that even identify a candidate for president or Congress within 30 days of a primary election and within 60 days of a general election. Because Mr. Moore has publicly said the film is designed to defeat George W. Bush, there's no way it could be construed as other than a political effort.

"Congressional members who voted for McCain-Feingold's restrictions on the First Amendment were no doubt assured that broad exemptions would exist for political speech. They were wrong. The FEC counsel's opinion is quite pointed in noting that the 2003 Supreme Court opinion upholding McCain-Feingold made clear that "the media exemption was 'narrow' and drew a distinction between 'corporations that are part of the media industry' as opposed to 'other corporations that are not involved in the regular business of imparting news to the public.'" Print and broadcast companies with news divisions meet the exemption standard; documentary film companies do not.

"No one knows how the FEC will deal with this hot potato at its meeting today but the fact that the proposed muzzling of Michael Moore is on the agenda at all should be cause for concern. David Broder, the Washington Post columnist who championed the McCain-Feingold campaign reform law for years, has finally admitted it is unworkable. What the legal opinion of the FEC's general counsel proves is that it's also potentially dangerous to our freedoms. "

well said...

The Hill is a good source for this type information, and they have a good story on the FEC debate. "Michael Moore may be prevented from advertising his controversial new movie, ìFahrenheit 9/11,î on television or radio after July 30 if the Federal Election Commission (FEC) today accepts the legal advice of its general counsel."

You can read it all at: http://www.thehill.com/news/062404/moore.aspx

that's where I'd first seen it too, Fielding.

What strike me is what a cynical, and un-American, use this would be of the campaign-finance laws, even if you can find a legal loophole to justify it. In effect, the way I read it, they are trying to use a law meant to make the election process more transparent for the American people as a way to keep a work of art, no matter what its political leaning, from being promoted to individual Americans. I can't imagine that people who love freedom, and want this country to be a model for other countries, will stand for such a twisted use of law to, ultimately, inhibit speech. If they do, we're in bigger trouble than I thought.

strikes

I've been the typo queen, of late.

There is a general rule I use to make a judgement on a proposed law or regulation - that the bureacracy will use that law or reg to the furthest extent possible, and then a little bit further. I have thought the McCain/Feingold campaign finance "reform" law was unconstitutionally broad from the time it was being debated.

Yes, yes , I know that the Supreme Court stated it was appropriately constitutional, I just disagree. I'm not an atty, so I can't give you a legal rationale for overturning it, it just seems to me that political speech should be the least restricted speech of all types of speech - even if you disagree with its premise, political speech - no matter the contect - should be heard in the public arena.

The key phrase above is in the WSJ piece, "No one knows how the FEC will deal with this hot potato at its meeting today but the fact that the proposed muzzling of Michael Moore is on the agenda at all should be cause for concern." Mark my words, there will be more examples of over-reaching of this "reform" law by the bureacracy in the future.

As a final aside, I know my spelling is oftimes horrific - thanks for your patience... heh

I agree with you: "political speech" should be protected, regardless of message. Where we probably differ is on what is considered "political speech" -- to me, untold millions from corporate donors, especially when it's not disclosed who is giving it as we've so often seen in this state, is in no stretch of the imagination "speech." As Nader said last week in Jackson, corporations do not have constitutional rights. The Constitution is about protecting the rights of individuals. Of people. Not the rights of the majority, but of one single person. I am much more concerned about the right of one single itty-bitty citizen to know who is funding political campaign, than I am the right of a mega-corporation to buy elections. I call that influence-peddling, not speech. And I don't care who is doing it -- from the UAW to George Soros to the U.S. Chamber.

All, as noted, I have created a database to hold names and emails of people interested in viewing this film. It would be great if we could collect a large number of intereted people to present to one or all local theaters either for a special viewing or to have it featured on a screen.

I have dubbed this fiasco "Fahrenheit 601 -- the area code at which expression burns." I feel so dang creative on my lunch breaks. ;-)

Go to http://www.faultyminds.com/911/ to store your info.

Of course, no one will have access to this information other than myself and the JFP for this specific purpose and NO OTHER. So, don't worry about spam or your name/email being used by the extreme right for torture purposes and witch burning. ;-)

Please forward the link along to anyone that would be interested in seeing this film. 300+ participants would be a great goal to strive for...

*Casey, how 'bout you post it on Friendster and the Collective list as well?

Fahrenheit 601?! <big chortle> That's hilarious, Knol. Good work. Maybe Ray Bradbury will get mad at us, too. ;-) (We should be so lucky.)

I'll put the word out to my list asap. Phillip, make sure your contact over at michaelmoore.com sees Knol's handiwork. I can't imagine that we can't scare up 300 e-mail addresses in no time.

Y'all rock.

Lets invite Micahel here for a Screening--I'm sure he'll like to come to
Trent Lott Country--good publicity.
Everyone go to MichaelMoore.com and send him an email inviting
him--should be fun:)

ok. if y'all in Jackson get a private screening, i want an invite. especially if we can shine some media light.

Mr. Bill, that'd be great!

Still, he'd need a golf cart like the Pope's here in NRA-land. ;-)

Does anyone have a bullet-proof golf cart to properly transport Mr. Moore around the Metro?

This whole sorry censorship saga goes in the "Are you fu@#$ing kidding me?" file. FWIW, I used to work at the headquarters of Common Cause in DC... Common Cause was the driving force behind the McCain-Feingold law (I actually worked for the guy who drafted the law, although I worked on a completely different project), and I was there during the heat of that battle. I remember thinking that, as much as I support campaign finance reform, that there might be some unintended consequences to Mc-F, and that it could be twisted for nefarious purposes. Guess it could.

i'm equally maddened that we don't have the film opening in jackson, but i don't think conservative mississippi is the culprit in this case.

our local theatre managers are not the folks that decide what comes here... regional administration does. and they're only looking at zip codes. since all of our theatres are outisde of the jackson zip code, we get left out because clinton and pearl and ridgeland don't have the numbers to supposedly support indie films. i hope that local management will take an interest in the indie film lovers, and fight for more diverse cinema in our city. they know their audience comes from all over the jackson metro area!

certainly regal theatres have benefitted from independent cinema in jackson. they support the crossroads film festival, so they know that people fill seats for lesser known films. on occassion, they bring indie films in (more than tinseltown does, in fact) and i hope get a decent reponse.
i'm not sure how we make a difference and help them understand that we have a supportive community, but i have made a small effort by calling the regional regal office to get some advice/answers from the folks that help us secure the theatre for the festival (i work with the film fest as well as the miss. film office). no one has responded yet. but i'll keep y'all posted if i hear anything.

the best thing we can all do is keep badgering the theatres, i suppose.

This is just an idea, but is there any way Flashback Video could do a screening? Maybe if they worked directly with Michael Moore's people, they could get a DVD and show it on a big TV? I don't know how film distribution works, but I bet it would be a big coup for Flashback (and I would love to see them get some good PR anyway).

You're right, Nina: We shouldn't jump to conclusions about motives, but we should push to show that we want to see the film here to overcome whoever is putting up the roadblock. Someone just pointed out in an e-mail to me that it could be Michael Moore himself assuming that we're just not interested (kind of like the Democratic Party). Whoever is responsible, though, for believing that the capitol city of Jackson should not get this film is dead wrong, and we need to prove it. Hell, maybe this is a chance to show that we will support indy film in general if they'll starÜ bringing it. Fact is, there's a serious cultural movement going on here, and they might be surprised if they give us a chance. After all, about everyone I know has gone to see "Saved!" That says something.

Thanks for the effort on your end, Nina. We're starting to really kick up some dirt, figuring it's a chance to make that point that Mississippi isn't a homogenous wasteland not interested in popular and political culture.

Perhaps I'm pulling another Disney-Florida-Disney-World-Jeb-Bush-like theory out of my arse, but is there any sort of objection to the film itself or comment from Mr. Barbour (I still refuse to believe he is governor, and NO, I'M NOT AFRAID OF HATING HIM!... all hostility out) about the possible fears he has seeing his biggest supporter exposed in F9/11?

I understand that he has little or nothing to do with the lack of movie release around here (as it goes how Jackson actually has no movie theaters), but maybe it would start a political wildfire as he himself as Bush's (not so) secret right-hand man would be under question.

[Considering putting up flyers of F9/11 and posting the Fahrenheit 601 website to get more names... it's our choice to see it, so let's get 'em started!]

Wow... didn't think that the Irish pronunciation of the a-word for "rear" would be censored. Pretty in-depth, eh?

Hey guys. My name is Dustin, and I live in Hattiesburg. Today I went by one of our local theatres and asked about them showing F/911.

"Will you be showing Fahrenheit 9/11 this week?"

The clerk shook her head.

"Will you ever be showing Fahrenheit 9/11?"

"..No."

I'm only seventeen and I know about eight kids my age who are in H'burg and are interested in seeing the movie. I JUST got back from Austin, Texas and I don't think I have the nerve to drive all the way to Tupelo. Is there anyway you could add our theatre's name to the petition? Here's some information on theatres in Hattiesburg:

United Artists Turtle Creek 9
1000 Turtle Creek Drive,
Hattiesburg, MS 39402

Cloverleaf Cinema
5912 US Hwy 49,
Hattiesburg, MS 39401

O'Neil Theatres - Broadacres Cinema
4000 Highway 49 North,
Hattiesburg, MS

I'm not sure if you guys want the petition limited to the Jackson metro area or not; if so, that's cool. I'd just really like to get the film around here. I know a lot of people who would, too.

Thanks a lot.

Why I should not blog while drinking coffee:
"Perhaps I'm pulling another Disney-Florida-Disney-World-Jeb-Bush-like theory out of my a***, but is there any sort of objection to the film itself or comment from Mr. Barbour (I still refuse to believe he is governor, and NO, I'M NOT AFRAID OF HATING HIM!... all hostility out) "

Again, coffee up the nose due to laughter.

This blog is amazing. Now, everyone here better be sure to VOTE in November. If we can get this worked up over a movie, then I KNOW I'll see you all in the voting booths come November.

Hello everyone- great comments and suggestions thus far. I agree with Ali and Nina in that we should put up flyers around the city and keep on calling theatre management [at all levels- local, corporate, etc]. Also, perhaps a petition should be printed in the next issue of JFP for maximum exposure. I will be happy to place flyers/petitions around the Millsaps campus and elsewhere if need be. Let's shake this place up- it REALLY needs it if you couldn't tell ;)

cheers.....

As someone connected with the old Deville Cinema (which brought Jackson art, independent, small release, and gay & lesbian film for seven years), Iím delighted to support the effort to bring Fahrenheit 911 to Jackson.

Local theatre managers are telling you the truth: decisions about local showings are made at the corporate level, far from Jackson. However, local theatre managers can and do influence those decisions Ö especially when prompted to do so.

Bringing Fahrenheit 911 to Jackson is a battle worth fighting. However, if weíre interested in bringing art and independent film to Jackson on a regular basis, our experience at Deville hints at the best possible long-term strategy: create competition between the chains.

When the Deville was open, our little one-screen theatre exercised enormous control over what would play at Northpark (operated, at the time, by United Artists). To bring an art film to Jackson, all we had to do was request it from the distributor. Within a week, it would be screened at Northpark. This happened so predictably and so often, it became a running joke.

When Cinemarkís Tinseltown came to Jackson ñ with its comfortable stadium seating ñ UA couldnít scramble fast enough to retro-fit its theatres with the same. The Parkway multiplex, you may recall, had been built long after stadium seating became the standard for new theatres; it took the opening of Tinseltown to prompt UA to upgrade the auditoriums there.

You may also recall one of the reasons given for expanding the number of screens at Northpark: to allow one or two screens to be dedicated to showing art and independent film. Once the Deville closed, UA lost all interest in bringing art film to Jackson and, with the occasional exception, went back to dedicating eight screens at once to gems like Hot Pants 2: The Carwash Crew.

So: without competition, art films donít play. The trick, then, is finding a way to create that competition. (Continued, Next Post)

We could always trick some poor soul into opening the Capri. The appearance of a dedicated art cinema in Jackson would change everything. This may, however, be a self-defeating strategy, as the chains will respond by showing the same films. A small, one-screen theatre canít win in this situation; it cannot afford to dedicate its single screen to a money-loser; the chains, however, will happily lose money on one screen in their multiplex ñ at least until the single screen theatre goes out of business. (See this story about the Deville Cinema ñ and please pardon the self-link.)

Another strategy ñ with less personal risk for some small businessperson ñ would be to persuade Cinemark/Tinseltown to devote just one screen to art and independent film. Making this attractive would likely be a matter of getting enough people to band together and say, ìIf you will dedicate just one screen to art and independent cinema, in addition to supporting those films, we, the undersigned, will also give you all our mainstream business, all the time, and we will actively campaign against people seeing movies at the Regal Cinema chains.î

Want more attention? Get several hundred people to ìbuy advance ticketsî to the first five art films Tinseltown will show ñ whatever they are (essentially, donating $40.00 each to the cause). Call a press conference and hold up the big jar of cash ñ itís a great visual representation of just how much Jacksonites want independent film.

Within weeks, expect art films to crop up at Regal.

Mark
[url=http://www.madebymark.com]http://www.madebymark.com[/url]

Mark, thanks so much for sharing the info. I was waiting and expecting a response from you since I know you are "in the know" on this topic from a first-hand perspective.

I think advance tickets would be an excellent idea but, of course, we'd need to know exactly what movies we were purchasing and that decision would need to be made collectively by the ticket buyers and the theaters.

There's no easy way to do this but banding together, as we've all noted, is the obvious first step.

More to come once I have a moment...

Wonderful comments, suggestions all around. I think the flyer is a great idea -- is there someone who has time to design it today out there? We could donate our copier here at least for a good batch of them; perhaps someone else could volunteer to come copy and cut them (perhaps two on a page?). Also, if there is someone else with a copier who could do a batch, that would be great.

Dustin, be sure your friends sign up on our petition, being that Hattiesburg is certainly close enough for them to drive to Jackson. It's up to Knol whether to add your theaters to the call list. Doesn't bother me at all.

And Mark, your comments are wonderful and far-reaching. I was thinking in the shower this a.m. that we really should use this campaign to force the theaters to bring better films, in general, to Jackson, in addition to being a PR campaign for the area. That is, we're a big city and want to be treated like one. And that's really us to us to make happen.

In addition, we all have to support these films when they come. I know, I know: I hate to drive to the suburbs to go to the movies, too. Getting another theater in Jackson proper should certainly be a goal of the Fahrenheit 601 gang, but we do need to shlep out to see indy films that come to the burbs, meantime.

I think it is truly pathetic that Jackson has no movie theater in the city -- and it is a sign of the B.S. that was allowed to happen to this city over the last 30 years. However, it is in *our* power to change it as Jacksonians and energetic Mississippians who don't want to go to another state to have a good quality of life. So I appreciate all y'all participating in this -- which, frankly, you all started -- so let's go forward together.

we'd need to know exactly what movies we were purchasing

Really? This surprises me. I'd personally donate $40.00 to the cause, whatever art or independent films were brought here.

Sure, I'd prefer certain films (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring comes to mind) ... but, in order to get my point across, I'd pay in advance to see the first five small, independent, art, or gay & lesbian flick they'd bring to town.

Before you get to control the menu, you may have to establish a market.

:)

Mark
http://www.madebymark.com

You're right, Mark. This really is about free enterprise, and showing the theaters that there is a market for the films. We can all do that. Knol, perhaps we should think about putting an indy-film blog on Fahrenheit 601 (or we can put it on the JFP site, or both) so people can talk about what films they want to come to Jackson.

So now I have to go return a call to a TV station about this. Shouldn't hurt the cause any. I'll try not to embarrass the 601 coalition. ;-)