Posted on 05/27/2004 9:26:51 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
May 27, 2004 | Filmmaker Michael Moore filmed an interview with American Nicholas Berg in the course of producing his documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" before Berg left for Iraq, where he was taken hostage and killed, Moore confirmed to Salon in a statement Thursday. The 20 minutes of footage does not appear in the final version of "Fahrenheit 911," according to the statement.
Word of the footage reached Salon through a source unaffiliated with Moore or his film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which is reported to feature stark images of U.S. civilians and soldiers grappling with conditions in war-torn Iraq, as well as examining the relationship between President George W. Bush and the bin Laden family. It received the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor, on Saturday.
In a statement widely circulated by Moore's people after an initial request for comment by Salon, Moore said, "We have an interview with Nick Berg. It was approximately 20 minutes long. We are not releasing it to the media. It is not in the film. We are dealing privately with the family." Moore's camp declined to comment further on any aspect of the interview. Because the footage is not in the film, a spokeswoman for Miramax Films, the production company behind "Fahrenheit 9/11," said the company had no comment.
It was not clear from Moore's statement whether footage from the interview with Berg had ever been included in early cuts of "Fahrenheit 9/11." Reports about a film industry controversy surrounding distribution of the film first hit the news on May 5, a week before Berg's death. The film officially screened for the public and the press for the first time during the Cannes festival on May 17.
The news that Moore spoke to Berg while he was still in the United States only adds to the mystery surrounding the young man's presence in Iraq and tragic death. The interview was shot before the 26-year-old Berg left for Iraq late last year as a private contractor in the hopes of helping to rebuild the ravaged country. Though it was unclear what Berg spoke about in his interview with Moore, or how the two men met, unrelated reports following his death indicate that he headed for the Middle East with plans to work to improve the country's technological infrastructure and communication abilities. He ran his own company, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, in a suburb of Philadelphia.
Berg did not find employment in Iraq, and when he attempted to return to the United States he was detained by Iraqi police and questioned by American forces. He was released after his family complained. But shortly after, he is believed to have been kidnapped by Islamic terrorists. Video of his beheading was released on an Islamist Web site on May 11. Salon was unable to reach the Berg family for comment before publication.
Moore's film chronicles the United States' military, political and business involvement in the Middle East in the years before and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His previous politically charged films, including "Roger & Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," have created controversy and won him praise (including an Oscar, for "Columbine"). "Fahrenheit 9/11" has already sparked a media storm; in early May, Miramax's parent company, Disney, announced that it would not allow Miramax to distribute the film, which is highly critical of Bush and his administration.
Miramax has yet to make a deal with a distributor, though the film's warm reception at Cannes and the publicity surrounding the film have made it a hot property that is generating a lot of interest in Hollywood. "Bowling for Columbine" grossed $21 million, making it the highest-grossing non-IMAX documentary of all time.
A source close to "Fahrenheit 9/11" said that a new distributor will be announced shortly, and that the film is expected to be released in theaters during the first week of July, as originally planned.
Does the Daily Oklahoman have any real reporters left?
This whole mess needs to be researched and updated.
Ho.n,
I posted a notice you are starting a ping list to everyone on backhoe's links thread I listed in #558.
You may wish to just add them, since they showed enough interest to respond to it...
Here they are...
backhoe; Howlin; sushiman; Bahbah; tm22721; dennisw; onyx; Shane; Diogenesis; Blue Lancer; PGalt; TomGuy; justa-hairyape; Republican Red; gargoyle; BunnySlippers; Tarantulas; katya8; GeorgiaYankee; ~Kim4VRWC's~; Think300; AlbionGirl; Allegra; GOP_1900AD; TenthAmendmentChampion; Jorge; Happy2BMe; lainde; Cincinatus' Wife; unsycophant; Theo; LIB_CRUSHER; js1138; MHGinTN; cyborg
I bought the book the day it came out! WOW is right.
During the Nichols trial, it came out that a worker in the Murrah Building saw McVeigh and two Arabs (dark skinned people that looked like Arabs to be PC) leave the Ryder truck. Next thing we know the defense rests and no new info surfaces.
Now Nichols says he will not say if others were involved because he doesn't want to put his son in danger. That man is going to get the death penalty but will not talk.
That speaks volumes to me!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1143954/posts?page=19#19
Here is a link to a copy of the suit. It was withdrawn on April 9th as being moot.
It's B.S. His son's life is suddenly a concern for him? How about the last however many years? What about witness protection? What kid of his is gonna want to pass on his name?
That's what I took away from Nichol's silence as well. Concern for his family's safety.
Amazing what a poor job the FBI did on that case; I know they reported to Reno who reported to Clinton...but I'd have resigned my job before I let a cover-up of that magnitude happen.
Glad you read it - I thought it was well researched and a simply fantastic book.
The fact that the FBI came out very quickly, and called the e-mail account sharing between AM and Berg a coincidence, lends credence to this. One way or the other, after reading all the posts, Berg was involved in something, that would have done a Robert Ludlum novel proud.
Could Nick have possibly been looking to get thrown in jail so that he could gather stories from the other side?
I am with you 100%! His Father's reaction has been beyond my comprehension. Seems like he is more interested in a cause then what happened to his son.
Having internet connection problems (again) so am way behind on the thread.
I just read the article quoting Hollister. It is interesting to get corroboration for the father's claim that Nick was pro-Bush.
However, another possibility is Hollister was in on the ruse, IF there was indeed a ruse.
Remember, Salon was tipped off to this, they say (and I have to take their assertions with a grain of salt, but still), by "...a source unaffiliated with Moore or his film "Fahrenheit 9/11," .
Could Hollister be the tipster, having mulled over events and in light of Moore's Cannes unveiling?
It's one possible theory, as is taking him straightforwardly at his word.
Wow. It's likely that any FedEx employee with a little imagination and time on his hands could reconstruct this.
Excellent question. Perhaps he was supposed to be "roughed up" for when the time came to release the prison media-abuse photos.
On another thread someone posted the theory that Berg was perhaps putting cameras on the towers he was climbing or intercepting classified maneuver information. Those activities according to that poster coincided with the attacks against the troops. (Anyone remember the poster or thread?
"His employee, Hollister, said they had many political coversations and that Nick was pro-Bush."
It would be in line with a cover story, would it not?
I couldn't put it down -- stayed up until 4:00 in the morning to finish it.
Have stated on here a number of times that the huge mural of the memorial service in the Bombing Museum depicts the Clintons as the only people being happy. She looked like she was the cat that swallowed the canary and Clinton was pleased as punch with everyone else around them in mourning.
There was a reason that Gov Keating told Clinton not to make the dedication of the Bombing memorial a photo-op which he ignored.
Contrast that to President Bush who was genuinely shook by his visit to the Museum before the dedication when he talked about an agent for his Dad that was killed in the bombing. He had visited the room where they have small cubicles for items from the victims. It is a room I will never forget and it really gets to you.
Please add me to any ping list that is being created.
Please add me to any ping list that is being created.
He's at mike@michaelmoore.com if anyone else wants to ask him anything.
Yikes!!! More white vans!!!!
Remember what I said the other day... ;)
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