Posted on 12/18/2014 1:09:10 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Oh, the irony. After Sony cancelled the release of The Interview, a few theaters declared that they would show the 2004 hit Team America: World Police in its place as a protest against threats to free expression. That film also derided the government of North Korea, as well as the liberal Hollywood establishment that catered to anti-American despots in what was a prescient (if irreverent and very R-rated) satire.
As if to emphasize the latter critique, two cinemas have announced that Paramount Pictures has forbidden them to show the film publicly:
At least two movie theaters say Paramount Pictures has ordered them not to show Team America: World Police.
Breaking Plaza news : Team America World Police pulled from all theatres as per Paramount Pictures .
— Plaza Atlanta (@PlazaAtlanta) December 18, 2014
Please note: Our Late Shift screening of Team America: World Police has been canceled by Paramount Pictures. pic.twitter.com/TlPVzIeICW
— Capitol Theatre (@CapitolW65th) December 18, 2014
You might think that this would be a moment for some in Hollywood to stand up for free expression. You would, apparently, be wrong. In this case, it’s all the more ironic, as TAWP features this send-up song that actually has the perfect message for this week. Freedom isn’t free, folks. Sometimes it costs a lot more than a buck-oh-five, but in this case Paramount stood to make a lot more than a buck-oh-five, and still caved.
The video’s NSFW because of language, but this week I’m willing to say, “f*** it.”
If Paramount — which stood to gain in this transaction — won’t throw in its buck-oh-five, who in Hollywood will?
Updated: Gizmodo calls this “a staggering act of cowardice“:
Terrorist threats are no laughing matter, of course, but the Department of Homeland Security has found no credible threat and evidence that the Guardians of Peace have any sort of manpower that could do anything within the boundaries of the United States (much less at thousands of locations simultaneously) is practically non-existent. This sort of panicked cowardice would be laughably absurd if it wasn’t so damn sad.
No kidding.
A sad day for cinema.. And all those who died to secure universal freedom..well.. Freedom for some.
The stuff that Sony knows the NorKorComs took in the hack, yet has not yet been released, must be REALLY bad.
Wait till he sees Obama’s Training Wheels on that girl’s bike. He won’t leave home w/o them!
FX has a show about Freaks .. ‘Rev.’ Al would be a perfect cameo role player.
Paramount is so wonewy
I hear a story that FX Freaks is based on Todd Browling the 1933 version of the movie Freaks
That is my fav scene beside I am so roaney
keyboard spew alert
I have to agree. I never thought I would live to see the day when we surrender to commies but that day has arrived.
Let’s not forget the regime’s ban of the video tenuously tied to Benghazi.
Had enough of the tyranny?
we surrendered... huh... this is a Japanese company
As a matter of fact all of these news reports saying this was an attack on a US company make me laugh.
There is still no evidence it was an NK attack, just because some unnamed “US officials” think it might be is not even news worthy to me.
Oh my gosh! I can’t stop laughing now!
Steve Carrolls movie “Pyongyang” has also been cancelled, it is being said.
As if I needed another reason to avoid Hollywood movies....
I guess I missed my calling , an interesting series.. not sure I saw that movie but I recall the early Hunchback and Nosferatu movies, they were pretty freaky.
It’s one thing to not play a movie because Islamists are threatening to burn down every movie theater in America. It’s another thing entirely when a rogue despot in a country where 95% of the country doesn’t even have running water threatens action and you capitulate.
Mark my words, this is the start of something bigger. I don’t know what, but this isn’t over.
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