Michael Moore rips his Hollywood financial backers

[charlie]

In an outburst at the Venice Film Festival that could spell the end of his Hollywood career, Moore turned on a roomful of executives from the film company that bankrolled his latest movie and ridiculed them as the perfect example of a capitalist corporation he criticises in his new film, before pointing out that he is now wealthy enough to make his own.

Moore, whose film Capitalism: A Love Story is in the festival's official competition, stood in front of executives from the big-budget studio Paramount and openly mocked them. "Why would these companies give money to me, a guy who is diametrically opposed to everything they stand for?" he said.
...

But Moore, whose film is a scathing critique of America's Wall Street bankers whom he brands "gamblers", said he may never make another Hollywood-backed film after this damning indictment of capitalism.
...

"I think this is the last time they will give me that money. They are not an ideology, they are just about money. I can imagine the conversation – 'Look what he's said about us' says one man, and other says 'But look how much money he made'," he said.

Moore added that he has been saving his millions so that when Hollywood finally turns against him, he will be able to fund his own documentaries.

"I have been saving up my money since Sicko to get to this day," he said. "I will always make my own movies. Now I have my own money to make them."

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/moore-on-greed-us-filmmaker-has-rounded-on-his-hollywood-backers-1782518.html

[Deja Q]

1. Why would they? Because people flocked to see what they already know.

Instant audience and revenue.

Pity Moore only saved up so he could make more movies, to tell us what we already know. Real heroes would actually do more than just tell people what they already know...

[The Gunslinger]

5. Actually I'll probably know a lot more when I see his new movie

Hats off to him.

[Merlot]

26. Maybe "we" here at DU and others that follow events know this

but a lot of people don't know or understand how our country or economy work. You think they teach it at school? Talk about it on the nightly news? Write about it in the Sunday Times?

MM does a good job of summarizing things, putting all the points together and making it palatable for the average viewer.

[earth mom]

53. If everyone "knew" the score about the Banksters, this country wouldn't be in the trouble it's in.

Moore is opening eyes.

Too bad you are too blind or to jealous of his wealth to see it. :eyes:

[crazyjoe]

2. so, I guess capitalism was fine when he needed the money,

does anyone else find this just a little hypocritical?

[Ian David]

4. The Universe is not short on irony. n/t

[The Gunslinger]

6. No. He used them just as they used him.

[nolabels]

34. Dangerous tools seem most scary when they are in the hands of uncaring people

I am not totally sold that Mike the best interests of the rest of us peons at heart but i am glad to see he getting well ahead of the curve and the people who would chose to silence him.

The only thing he is doing that is much different from a Fox Newscast is the use of coherent facts. Otherwise much the same, make outrage to draw an audience for the selling of your product. A trade concept that as old as man on earth

[earth mom]

55. And Kudos for Moore for using those Corporate mo fos!

I LOVE IT! :applause:

[imdjh]

7. It's to some degree true of most of us here.

Let's face it- by world standards most of the people here are near the top of the heap. No one likes to talk about it, but take a proxy poll (that's where you answer for those who won't tell the truth) on how many of the folks are willing to give up their broadband, water heater, air conditioning, in home medical equipment, cars/scooters, paved roads, indoor plumbing.

[Arctic Dave]

10. Depends on what the movie is about.

I would say that he makes the deliniation between "capitalism" and what I call "servitude" somewhere in the movie. I guess we will have to watch the movie before we jump.

[girl gone mad]

13. I haven't seen the movie yet..

but I'm guessing MM's complaint is with the brand of unregulated capitalism that has driven us off of an economic cliff, not with the idea of exchanging hard work or products for money.

[TiredOldMan]

14. The epitome of hypocrisy

[SalviaBlue]

60. I approve of Michael Moore's brand of hypocrisy.

[abumbyanyothername]

15. Mike's first movie

Roger n Me wasn't exactly kissing corporate ass.

Artists have a long history of benefiting unduly from drastically unfair distributions of income, and of thumbing their noses at the system that disproportionately benefits them.

[crazyjoe]

22. Roger and Me was a very good movie, and I think he did that

one on his own low buget which makes it even better IMO.

[JVS]

25. He made that movie on his own, then it was recognized as good and Warner Brothers...

wanted to be able to distribute it, so a deal was made.

[paulsby]

20. i love capitalism, so i just find it

ironic,above everything else.

moore is a GREAT director. i remember seeing robert and me back when it came out. i generally do not like drama, action movies etc. that are political. i find it annoying. even george romero bores me now. he used to be subtler imo . anyway, i don't begrudge moore for using the "evil capitalists". it was a business arrangement, and both them and moore benefited, as did the public.

THAT's what's ironic. a critic of capitalism is proof positive that capitalists who (allegedly) are only in it for the money, engage in practices that BENEFIT the public.

lol.

i could cut the irony with a ladle

[rug]

21. That's Roger.

[redqueen]

42. Do his films make money?

I'm not sure how you're using "allegedly" there.

[paulsby]

46. yes

they make money.

the allegedly was in response to moore's allegations. iow, moore said they are only in it for the money.

[redqueen]

47. So why the "allegedly"?

Is there any doubt? Really?

[paulsby]

49. because it's moore's allegation

not mine. do i have a doubt? sure

[Merlot]

27. MM has never been a capitalist. He's a movie maker who has made money

Hardly makes him a capitalist.

[Dreamer Tatum]

41. Give me a break

He's a true blue capitalist. He's just deflecting attention from his own wealth to head off the obvious charges of hypocrisy.

MM is not just a capitalist - he's PT Barnum. He's getting rich by causing a commotion.

[earth mom]

56. Bullshit. Moore is working class and the reason he made it is that he understood that the "man"

is exploiting millions of people and someone needs to speak up.

That he made money off his outrage is great, but money has NEVER been the motive behind Moores films.

You would think "progressives/dems" would understand that on a forum called "Democratic Underground".

Get a clue. :eyes:

[Dreamer Tatum]

59. His money earns interest and spends regardless of his motive

He can make all the movies he wants, and he does an excellent job, no doubt.

But to call out the people who make it possible for him to do that work? That's just
silly.

Sorry, his earned wealth is not morally superior to anyone's.

[Qutzupalotl]

63. The moral superiority lies in how that wealth is earned and used.

Inanimate objects like money are morally neutral in themselves.

[MilesColtrane]

29. Everybody works for somebody.

Whether they know it or not...

[create.peace]

32. no...nt

[omega minimo]

33. I like olives

[Raine]

36. Yes nt

[sabrina 1]

38. No, not at all. He was making a point

And since they backed the movie they certainly know what his opinions are so I doubt it was a shock to them. So long as they make money, as he pointed out, they'll continue to back him.

And I wouldn't be surprised if that was just a publicity stunt ~

[redqueen]

43. Nope. Nuance, look into it.

Black and white thinking = dumbassery.

[Jackpine Radical]

68. Wasn't it Lenin who said that the capitalists will sell you the rope

you intend to hang them with?

[Fool Count]

69. Not at all. There is nothing hypocritical in playing by the rules

with which you do not agree and want to change. It's like a baseball pitcher who does not like the balk rule and wants it to be changed.
He can state his opposition and lobby for the change publicly. But should he also balk before every pitch not to be "hypocritical"?
Of course not, he wouldn't be playing much longer if he did. Or should he not play the game at all because he disagrees with a rule,
in order not to be "hypocritical"? This false "hypocrisy" argument is always used by the right wing against any personally successful
critic of the status quo. As if only the poor and destitute have the right to criticize capitalism and the wealthy and comfortable are
somehow "hypocritical" in doing so. Such cheap sophistry is simply invalid on the face of it. In fact, a financially successful person has
a better standing to criticize capitalism, since any self-serving motives on his/her part can be safely excluded, giving the criticism
more integrity.

[Ian David]

3. Michael Moore has a big, swinging pair of brass ones.

Even people who disagree with him have to acknowledge THAT.

[imdjh]

8. And a great deal of faith in the place where he keeps his money. nt

[Ian David]

16. OMG... that's RIGHT! What if HIS BANK FAILS? n/t

[abumbyanyothername]

19. Seven figure accounts are not kept in banks.

They are in trust accounts, invested according to the risk appetite of the owner in anything from Treasuries to wind farms.

[imdjh]

23. aka Chase

http://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/jpmorgan/private_banking

[abumbyanyothername]

24. Right

but if the bank goes under, the trust accounts are not part of the insolvency administration.

Trust me, I did this stuff for 20 years until we blew up the world economy as it was formerly known.

We put the money in an account where it was invested in safe, typically USGOV, securities. If the bank (see LEH) collapses, property in the trust accounts is delivered to the owner of the trust account.

[malaise]

67. I love him

Go Michael!!!

[Canuckistanian]

9. They're still whores. They'll come back.

As long as there's a ROI, they'll be back.

MM is right. They have no ideology. If there's money to be made, they'll become Birkenstock-wearing, latte-drinking Volvo drivers.

[ConnorMarc]

11. Ah Mikey

I like you Mikey.

Can't wait to see this film.

[marmar]

12. As Michael Moore himself said.....

The rich man will sell you the rope to hang him with if he thinks he can make a buck off of it. So it is with Hollywood financial backers.

[abumbyanyothername]

17. In the history of Hollywood

financial backers have lost far, far more than they ever made.

But then, art deserves to be funded beyond its commercial appeal.

[Merlot]

28. If they've lost more than they've made, how have they stayed in business?

[Trillo]

30. It's called Hollywood Accounting.

But keep in mind it's just hearsay.

Edited to add, there could be a logistical connection to this science study (ya think?):
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40886/title/Networks_reveal_concentrated_ownership_of_corporations

[abumbyanyothername]

40. People from outside the industry, who have no business

being in the industry, bankroll a film or a slate of films, with predictable results.

Studios do fine. But even there, you have no idea of the number of "development deals" that are paid that go nowhere. I have friends who have written screenplays over 10 years ago, have gotten paid development money (essentially an option) every year since and watch as absolutely nothing happens until the time comes to renew the deal next year and, sigh of relief, it is renewed.

[closeupready]

18. Oh, absolutely.

n/t

[deaniac21]

48. The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Just so you know Michael didn't exactly come up with that one.

[ConsAreLiars]

31. Gotta love how all the BS Reich Wingers come out RE: Moore and claim that since

he worked for the Master Class and system of legalized theft they love so dearly and serve so loyally, that Moore must therefore be a Capitalist. About as sensible as claiming that all who live under feudalism or slavery and somehow survive are slavemasters and Kings.

And thus, that crap nonsense talking point continues, a hypocrite. And thus a baaad guy. If you want to find posters whose nick should be "shit-for-brains" or "Easily-Conned" just read through this threads for several who repeat those right wing talking points.

[Luminous Animal]

35. Excellent post.

And this is a great time to point out that Michael Moore is fat.

[truebrit71]

50. ROFL!!!!

:rofl:

[redqueen]

44. Heh.

:thumbsup:

[ItNerd4life]

54. Your logic is completely illogical.

It sounds as convoluted and non-sensical as stuff on the right wing boards.

What Moore did was he was the foreman working for the Slave Master and then he says slavery is wrong.
Now, he's going to go buy his own slaves. He is a hypocrite!

[girl gone mad]

62. Bad analogy.

Some employees of slave owners worked in secret to free the slaves. They weren't hypocrites, they were simply doing their best to survive in an unjust system with so many circumstances beyond their control.

Michael Moore is doing his best to expose some of the flaws in our economic system and explain how it keeps people impoverished and enslaved.

[Mythsaje]

57. You think?

Like the Freepers slamming me because I'm anti-corporate bullshit and yet, gasp, I work for a big corporation. It's not like I can afford to go without a job.

[Raine]

37. You have to becareful about burning bridges

that you may need to cross back over one day. :yoiks:

[Name removed]

39. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Echo In Light]

45. I hope he returns to a more accurate examination of 9/11 as he said he'd be doing.

[LuckyLib]

51. Whatever Michael Moore calls himself, or however he funds himself, he makes films that help folks

understand the shape of the "man behind the curtain" -- for many people who don't read, don't understand the complexity of social issues, he brings the message home by asking and answering questions that all of us have. Exposing the power in the system is not easy to do. Moore has found a way for film to make that happen. I hope he keeps doing it. And if the corporate powers continue to fund it? All the better.

[earth mom]

52. Meanwhile DUers ripped Moore a new one the other day because he is now wealthy from his films.

Anyone who criticizes Moore is not on the left that's for sure!

I can't wait to see Moore's movie-I hope he rips the corporate mo fos to shreds! :patriot:

:woohoo:

[Rex]

58. We all know it is just about money, don't let anyone bullshit you.

This is all such bullshit, the producers HAD to see the film in editing. This is all a PR stunt to, wait for it, make even more money! There is no such thing as the shame game, just all blame and more $$$.

[raouldukelives]

61. As Bill Hicks would say..

He's just going for the "Anti-Capitalism" market. Shrewd angle Mr. Moore.

[LanternWaste]

66. I imagine many may even believe that...

I imagine many may even believe that...

[Spike89]

64. Working for your money vs. working your money

A capitalist can be broke and a millionaire isn't a capitalist by default. It is simple and part of the definition of the friggin' word. A capitalist profits by investing in the work of others. Where exactly is MM saying that he is now going to become a banker?

[BrklynLiberal]

65. He is right...as long as he makes money for them, they will back him.