Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi slams 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as politically biased

Japan Today ^ | Monday, August 2, 2004 at 20:01 JST | no byline

[weegee]

TOKYO — Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday branded Michael Moore's popular and controversial documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" as being politically biased.

"I don't want to watch such a politically biased movie that much," Koizumi told reporters in saying he has no plans to go see the record-breaking documentary.

"Criticizing Bush or criticizing Koizumi, it's no use just criticizing. Constructive discussions should take place rather than criticisms," he said.

The film has made more than $100 million, the highest ever for a documentary, in about one month since it opened in late June in the United States.

It takes a stab at U.S. President George W Bush and his administration for leading the United States and its allies into war with Iraq under false pretenses in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept 11, 2001.

Koizumi expressed support for the United States in the war against Iraq, and Japan has sent Self-Defense Forces troops to the country for postwar reconstruction efforts.

The film opens in Japan on Aug 14. (Kyodo News)

Related Articles:

Moore hopes 'Fahrenheit' will bring about regime change in Japan

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=304781

[cake_crumb]

Thank you Mr. Prime minister.

[weegee]

according to Box Office Mojo, Michael Moore's movie disappeared from over 600 screens this week (only 1,217 screens this week).

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=fahrenheit911.htm

[The Electrician]

The film has made more than $100 million, the highest ever for a documentary

Calling it a "documentary" film is Orwellian at best. Merriam-Webster defines documentary as "FACTUAL, OBJECTIVE ", however no intellectually honest person would claim that Moore's film is either. "Political comedy" or "political commentary" or "polemic" would be a more accurate description.

[AmericanChef]

-"I don't want to watch such a politically biased movie that much," Koizumi told reporters..."-

The Japanese aren't known for their directness, particularly in the negative; what I read is, "Your movie is stupid, and I won't go see it."

[El Conservador]

Time for Japan to be allowed an army and let them kick ass!!!

[pogo101]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=everestimax.htm

Also, even if one DOES go along with the "documentary" label, the fact remains that "Everest" has grossed more. (Boxoffice mojo's own list of "documentaries" acknowledges that Everest is one, yet in the same breath the site states that it excludes Everest from the documentaries list because it's "large format." Wha??)

But F911 will soon top "Everest." Still, keep this fact in mind when leftards crow about F911 as the "top grossing documentary": (1) it isn't a documentary; and (2) "Everest," which clearly IS a documentary, is the #1 true example of that film in worldwide box office receipts.

[weegee]

I'll bet if you adjust for inflation (as Box Office Mojo does for tracking the all time biggest hits), you will probably find some other documentaries that did better at the box office.

Early in the hype for this film, they excluded IMAX films from their boasting as well as concert films. When you go ahead and exclude all of the documentaries that are not works of fiction, the competition becomes much easier.

[weegee]

I know of commercial multiplexes with IMAX screens so that boat won't float.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

This movie is toast, plus it will have no impact whatsoever on the upcoming election. The movie the "Day After Tomorrow" heralded by Al Gore and the Democrat Party has earned close to 200 million dollars and has had zero impact on the political scene, one way or the other! Films and books don't add up to much. They come, they go and disappear forever! My Michael Moore is nothing more than a bad habit to be discarded. Kerry and Edwards are going down big time.

[weegee]

Does someone have a running list of all of the heads of state who have denounced Mr. Moore's movie?

I believe that Australia and Saudi Arabia are on this list with Japan. I think Tony Blair spoke out too.

[WOSG]

Wow!! Keen grasp of the obvious ...

In other news, he describes Kim Chee as spicy,
declares that monsoons are wet, and called the south
pole "rather cold".

well done, PM!

[WOSG]

Moore made a schlockumentary, shockumentary, mockumentary ... but certainly not a 'documentary'.

[pogo101]

Can't wait for the debate early in '05 about whether F911 will be eligible for, and will be nominated for, and will WIN, for "Best Documentary" Oscar.

(Of course, it will be "yes" to all three, even though it plainly shouldn't be eligible. I still wonder whether the Academy will realize one day how snowed they were by "Columbine.")

[RKB-AFG]

Good story - but will it actually make the "news"??

[weegee]

Mockumentary was a movie like Real Life or This Is Spinal Tap.

Michael Moore has pioneered the crockumentary.

[weegee]

What's more, this year the Academy has changed the rules so that you cannot do any negative campaigning against the Oscar nominees (say slamming "LOTR" in favor of "Cold Mountain" because it is a more "serious" film).

The documentary filmmakers are going to be denied the ability to speak out against a film that should not even be in the competition as it is a fraudulent work.

[Republican Red]

I had a post over the weekend on Moore's appearance on Best Damn Sports Show. I had tuned in to see the baseball scores scrolling at the bottom of the screen. Instead I see Michael Moore being treated like a rock star. The panel members spent the entire segment kissing Moore's big fat butt. They asked questions like "why are you the only filmmaker out there telling the truth?

I immediately took Fox Sports off my remote.
Moore thread

[dsutah]

So did Kuwait(sp?)!

[dsutah]

So did Kuwait(sp?)!