Posted on 06/18/2007 11:48:25 AM PDT by Sleeping Beauty
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Moviegoers interested in seeing Michael Moore's U.S. health-care expose, "Sicko," could find it easily on YouTube this weekend.
Two weeks before its June 29 opening, a 124-minute version of the film was available on the popular Web site, posted by at least two users in 14 consecutive video chunks. (The film clocked in at 113 minutes when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.)
The YouTube appearance comes on the heels of a fairly high-quality pirated version available via BitTorrent file-sharing software and peer-to-peer Web sites last week, first reported by Advertising Age on Friday. As of 1 a.m. EST Monday morning, the film was still available on YouTube.
One version uploaded this weekend received around 500 to 600 views per segment, with one of the first segments garnering nearly 1,700 views. Another version uploaded Saturday garnered 200 to 300 views per segment, with the first 10 minutes getting more than 1,200 views.
Weinstein Co. is distributing the $9 million documentary with Lionsgate but handling all marketing and other costs not related to theatrical distribution on its own. A Weinstein Co. source said the company has already hired several firms who specialize in dealing with piracy and are taking "a very aggressive approach to protecting the film."
When sought for an official comment from Weinstein Co. late Sunday evening, a spokesperson was unaware that the entire film was on YouTube. A Lionsgate executive and a YouTube spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment at deadline.
The spokesperson issued a statement also given to other media outlets, saying that "while virtually every movie released these days faces a similar situation, 'Sicko' is more than just a movie, it is a call to action. We are responding aggressively to protect our film, but from our research it is clear that people interested in the movement are excited to go to the theater so they can be part of the experience and fight to reform health care."
How the leak of a version apparently taken from a DVD copy will affect the film's theatrical boxoffice remains unclear. Moore's anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" was widely bootlegged and available in a pirated version online around its June 2004 opening, but went on to earn $119 million at the domestic boxoffice.
In a July 2004 interview with the Scottish newspaper Sunday Herald, Moore said, "I don't agree with the copyright laws and I don't have a problem with people downloading the movie and sharing it with people as long as they're not trying to make a profit off my labor. I would oppose that ... I do well enough already, and I made this film because I want the world to change. The more people who see it the better, so I'm happy this is happening."
LOL, nice to see liar Moore get a taste of his own socialist medicine.
What have we learned, Michael? I’ll tell you: Designer frames don’t make us look any thinner.
He looks even more pervert without facial hair.
Hey, Mikey - it’s not YOUR movie, it’s THE PEOPLE’S movie. We’re all in this together, doncha know?
We have to get away from this selfish “ownership society”, Mike...
In a July 2004 interview with the Scottish newspaper Sunday Herald, Moore said, “I don’t agree with the copyright laws and I don’t have a problem with people downloading the movie and sharing it with people as long as they’re not trying to make a profit off my labor. I would oppose that ... I do well enough already, and I made this film because I want the world to change. The more people who see it the better, so I’m happy this is happening.”
You may be happy about this Michael, but I’m sure the finance people who backed you will not be. Maybe your next advance may not be so big because you are “happy” that people are pirating your “film”.
Over the weekend, I read where Micheal “Mickey Mouse” Moore was an Eagle Scout. Almost fell off my chair.
even worse, he claims to be a practicing Catholic.
;-P
Good news, and bad.
Good in that for as many times as this is viewed on YouTube, that is how many times it will be viewed in a non-commercial venue that yields no revenue at all to the Great American Hatriot, Michael Moore.
Bad in that anybody at all has this piece of propaganda drizzled into their brain.
As the old saying goes, “ you can’t polish a turd “. :)
I had the joy of getting to see a preview for this piece of trash before Ocean’s 13 this weekend. People will be stupid enough to actually go see it.
Download it, burn it and throw it away without viewing.
Economics is the only thing that will keep this pig from surfacing again.
I won’t be watching this or other free dreck from Mikey. You would have to pay me a sizable amount of money to induce me to sit through any of this liar’s shoddy agitprop.
So a Catholic and an Eagle Scout, but he hates the establishment and everything traditional about this country. Sounds like he has a bad case of rebellion. Usually people like that had a bad relationship with authority when they were young.
I expect his movie to do very well. Part of Hollywood’s love affair with dysfunctional people who tear down good things.
I don’t think the brain dead crowd that flocked to F9/11 will be interested in a Health Care movie!
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