CANNES (Hollywood Reporter) - In the wake of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" world premiere Monday, a new drama is developing behind the scenes as Miramax chiefs Harvey and Bob Weinstein set about locking down a new distributor for the film, which their Disney parent has forbidden them from releasing.
According to sources close to the wheeling and dealing, the pact the Miramax co-chairmen are seeking is a complex one that could very well include multiple parties in an effort to split up theatrical, home video/DVD and TV rights.
That strategy could work for Moore and the Weinsteins in several ways.
Moore wants to see the film released as early as the Fourth of July weekend to expose audiences to its anti-Bush message well in advance of November's election. That could prove problematic for one of the larger specialty film distributors, which might find it difficult to accommodate a new film on their ambitious slates on such short notice.
But if the Weinsteins opt to go with a leaner unit that can mobilize quickly and has no competing films, they may want to find a different home for "Fahrenheit's" DVD and TV rights. A bigger player with more distribution clout in the ancillary market could serve that need.
At a smaller, indie distributor, the Weinsteins -- who have indicated that they want to have a hand in the film's publicity and marketing -- could exert more control over the film's path. Although Lions Gate ended up getting much of the credit for Kevin Smith's "Dogma" -- an earlier Miramax film that Disney forced the Weinsteins to take to another distributor -- Miramax actually was deeply involved in the movie's release plans. The "Dogma" deal was similar to "Fahrenheit's" in that the Weinsteins are effectively buying the film from Disney.
There are several players still circulating in the talks, according to sources. But one factor affecting the closing of a distributor deal is that the Weinsteins have not yet concluded their pact with Disney to buy back the film, a move that must be completed before a new deal is struck.
If the Weinsteins do dole out "Fahrenheit's" rights to several buyers, it could work to their financial advantage.
"Pricewise, if you have something valuable and you split it into parts, you can get more than if you sold it all together," said one insider familiar with such strategies.
A further complicating issue is that not every distributor interested in the film is eager to take on the Weinsteins as partners. Add in Moore, and any potential distributor has to be willing to wrangle the three outsized personalities that make up the "Fahrenheit" troika.
Although Cannes has created "Fahrenheit"-mania, other films also are gaining interest from buyers along the Croisette as the fest shifts into its final days
According to sources close to the wheeling and dealing, the pact the Miramax co-chairmen are seeking is a complex one that could very well include multiple parties in an effort to split up theatrical, home video/DVD and TV rights.
That strategy could work for Moore and the Weinsteins in several ways.
Moore wants to see the film released as early as the Fourth of July weekend to expose audiences to its anti-Bush message well in advance of November's election. That could prove problematic for one of the larger specialty film distributors, which might find it difficult to accommodate a new film on their ambitious slates on such short notice.
But if the Weinsteins opt to go with a leaner unit that can mobilize quickly and has no competing films, they may want to find a different home for "Fahrenheit's" DVD and TV rights. A bigger player with more distribution clout in the ancillary market could serve that need.
At a smaller, indie distributor, the Weinsteins -- who have indicated that they want to have a hand in the film's publicity and marketing -- could exert more control over the film's path. Although Lions Gate ended up getting much of the credit for Kevin Smith's "Dogma" -- an earlier Miramax film that Disney forced the Weinsteins to take to another distributor -- Miramax actually was deeply involved in the movie's release plans. The "Dogma" deal was similar to "Fahrenheit's" in that the Weinsteins are effectively buying the film from Disney.
There are several players still circulating in the talks, according to sources. But one factor affecting the closing of a distributor deal is that the Weinsteins have not yet concluded their pact with Disney to buy back the film, a move that must be completed before a new deal is struck.
If the Weinsteins do dole out "Fahrenheit's" rights to several buyers, it could work to their financial advantage.
"Pricewise, if you have something valuable and you split it into parts, you can get more than if you sold it all together," said one insider familiar with such strategies.
A further complicating issue is that not every distributor interested in the film is eager to take on the Weinsteins as partners. Add in Moore, and any potential distributor has to be willing to wrangle the three outsized personalities that make up the "Fahrenheit" troika.
Although Cannes has created "Fahrenheit"-mania, other films also are gaining interest from buyers along the Croisette as the fest shifts into its final days
I still am stunned at how partisan this issue is. Just put the damn movie in the theaters and be done with it. I don't care what he says and as pointed out by others this is a joke if you think it "destroys" Bush. Last I checked you had to pay money to go see a movie. I am guessing most of the people that will pay money to see this are people that were going to vote against Bush anyways.
As for the truth, I am sure what he reports is 100% true. But that being said everything these days is taken out of context. Both sides are equally responsible for that. In any case someone please tell me what is a bigger danger to a candidate: A movie that you have to pay money to see or an endless string of attack commercials run hour after hour on every channel on TV???
As for the truth, I am sure what he reports is 100% true. But that being said everything these days is taken out of context. Both sides are equally responsible for that. In any case someone please tell me what is a bigger danger to a candidate: A movie that you have to pay money to see or an endless string of attack commercials run hour after hour on every channel on TV???
Painkillers, like most powerful drugs, most certainly remove the normal appetite to eat food. Used for sufficient amount of time, keeping weight up is very challenging.
For someone like RL who was heavy in the first place, I'm confident that his time using painkillers contributed to his weight loss, though I am also confident that was not his intent or reason to use the drugs.
See my other Topic just created about Pain Patients for more discussion of Rush and whether/why he should be prosecuted for his drug use.
For someone like RL who was heavy in the first place, I'm confident that his time using painkillers contributed to his weight loss, though I am also confident that was not his intent or reason to use the drugs.
See my other Topic just created about Pain Patients for more discussion of Rush and whether/why he should be prosecuted for his drug use.
Wil,
I see in the news today that Moore was given a 20 minute standing ovation by the Cannes audience. Depicting Junior as a simple-minded son of privilege who is "asleep at the wheel" is not really stretching it too far in my book. Of course the Gestapo will say that this is only France, a country that refused to back Junior and his ill-fated war. As it turns out, those French folks were right.
Semper Fi,
Lt. Dan
I see in the news today that Moore was given a 20 minute standing ovation by the Cannes audience. Depicting Junior as a simple-minded son of privilege who is "asleep at the wheel" is not really stretching it too far in my book. Of course the Gestapo will say that this is only France, a country that refused to back Junior and his ill-fated war. As it turns out, those French folks were right.
Semper Fi,
Lt. Dan
What all you anti-Moore people are forgetting is that this guy does, in fact, have one helluva big fan base. He can't write worth a shit, and yet Stupid White Men was on the NYT bestseller list for months. Moore didn't make this film to influence the administration, he made the film to influence voters.
This will add some fuel to the 'anybody but Bush' campaign, no doubt.
This will add some fuel to the 'anybody but Bush' campaign, no doubt.
His main appeal is that he seriously questions the integrity of his subject matter, and presents it in a way that appeals to a broad audience.
He finds a populist subject that people are interested in, and he exploits it.
It might be crap, it might not be crap.
BUT
His stuff has his individuality stamped on it.
This gives it entertainment value.
It is presented differently, from a different perspective, so you have to think about it a bit.
Instead of having your brain spoonfed the same old boring Network shit.
Individuality is something that is severely lacking in the turgid day to day corporate communist output that the main US networks churn out 24/7.
BTW
Is it just me or does Foxnews have a weather fetish?
Nearly everytime I channelhop through them they seem to have those daft world temperature charts with that elevator music...
[This message was edited by eek on May 20, 2004 at 10:10 AM.]
He finds a populist subject that people are interested in, and he exploits it.
It might be crap, it might not be crap.
BUT
His stuff has his individuality stamped on it.
This gives it entertainment value.
It is presented differently, from a different perspective, so you have to think about it a bit.
Instead of having your brain spoonfed the same old boring Network shit.
Individuality is something that is severely lacking in the turgid day to day corporate communist output that the main US networks churn out 24/7.
BTW
Is it just me or does Foxnews have a weather fetish?
Nearly everytime I channelhop through them they seem to have those daft world temperature charts with that elevator music...
[This message was edited by eek on May 20, 2004 at 10:10 AM.]
uhhh..."lt" dan.......where is cannes?......in france,home of the surrender monkey,i believe......
that`s all that needs to be said...
here are "the boys" at a french nuclear reactor....saddam getting the "know how" from his french buddies before building "tammuz 1"....which thankfully,the israeli`s obliterated before it went hot,doing the world and the iraqi citizens a service they should be grateful for...
and we can all be thankful they did...or the kuwaiti`s would be iraqi`s.....and those scuds that thudded into israel might have been nukes.......starting a full scale arab/israeli conflict....replete with nukes flying back and forth.....or maybe ww3.....
lol...very funny.....
jacques and saddam....friends forever...
[This message was edited by sphincter on May 20, 2004 at 12:36 PM.]
that`s all that needs to be said...
here are "the boys" at a french nuclear reactor....saddam getting the "know how" from his french buddies before building "tammuz 1"....which thankfully,the israeli`s obliterated before it went hot,doing the world and the iraqi citizens a service they should be grateful for...
and we can all be thankful they did...or the kuwaiti`s would be iraqi`s.....and those scuds that thudded into israel might have been nukes.......starting a full scale arab/israeli conflict....replete with nukes flying back and forth.....or maybe ww3.....
lol...very funny.....
jacques and saddam....friends forever...
[This message was edited by sphincter on May 20, 2004 at 12:36 PM.]
