Lion’s Gate orders YouTube to remove Sicko
YouTube has removed clips of Michael Moore’s U.S. health-care expose “Sicko” that appeared on the site during the weekend, two weeks before the film’s June 29 opening.
A 124-minute version of “Sicko” was available on the Google Inc.-owned Web site, posted by at least two users in 14 consecutive video chunks.
But for Moore, even piracy has its limits, especially when it comes to the timing, quality and source of the bootleg.
“Every filmmaker intends for his film to be seen on the big screen,” Moore said. “This wasn’t a guy taking a video camera into a theater. This was an inside job, a copy made from a high-quality master and could potentially impact the opening weekend boxoffice. Who do you think benefits from that?”
You do, Mike. That’s why the non-watermarked Cannes cut of the film was released “leaked.” ;)
I should make it clear that while I find it amusing that Sicko is so readily available for free, I don’t fault Lion’s Gate for acting to protect their property. I just think it’s utterly and completely pointless - except as a legal strategy to protect future property - which can’t really be protected, but they have to try because they have to protect their rights for future future properties...and so on and so forth in an infinite loop of battle between pirates and copyright holders.
A Weinstein Co. source said that the company has hired several firms that specialize in dealing with piracy and is taking “a very aggressive approach to protecting the film.”
When asked about accusations that he may have leaked the film himself for publicity purposes, Moore scoffed at the notion:
“Oh no. The (Weinstein) brothers are devastated.”
Oh please. It will make between 75 and 100 million after DVD regardless of leaks. I know it, you know it, they know it. Also, I saw in at least three Moore-friendly areas of the intertubes that some of your fans are convinced you did it as a publicity ploy or a guarantee that the government can’t “supress” the film. As if they would even try.
A Weinstein Co. source said that the company has hired several firms that specialize in dealing with piracy and is taking “a very aggressive approach to protecting the film.”
Good luck with that. It’s already out. Tens of thousands of copies exist on hard drives all over the world. It’s a bag minus the cat, fellas. Plus, what the hell are you gonna do to The Pirate Bay? Threaten them? Then try to track down all the various torrent sites hosting a copy of the torrents? But it’s not the movie, so...under what law will you make a claim? In what jurisdiction? All to stop something that literally cannot be stopped?
Do you even know that after a certain critical mass of downloads is reached and with certain technologies, you don’t even need a central torrent tracker to make it work? You cannot stop it. You can’t even contain it. I know you have to fight to protect your rights. Good luck with that. Just know that ultimately you will fail. The pirates have you beat and they know how you watermark. You’ll never catch the smart ones. The best you can hope for is this one wasn’t smart. :)
Comments
I see ads for Sicko on Colbert every night, but nowhere else yet.
You say the movie is definitely going to be a blockbuster making possibly upwards of a hundred cool million? I thought you guys said only 10% of the population cared what Michael Moore said? Lord knows he’s your bread and butter (and not just the check) without him around this site would cave. I am not particularly a fan of him but I find it strange when people invest their hard earned time and money to combat some sort of perceived threat. What a waste of time and life. I looked around and it’s a giant circle jerk. your basically preaching to the choir and the ‘loons’ who make it here don’t seem to be converting, so what’s the point?
Um, firstly, I would love to see a link or source on this “10% of the population” number you throw around. Secondly, keep in mind 10% of the population is 30 million people. Now imagine just 1/4 of that sees the movie. That’s 7.5 million people. Now imagine some of them see it more than once (they take a friend, they mistake it for a porno, who knows) for a total of 10 million tickets sold. At an average of 9 bucks a ticket that’s 90 million dollars. Now also keep in mind that even people who don’t agree with Moore will see the movie just so they can debunk it. So there you have it, even if your 10% number pulled out of the air is accurate, the movie could still make $100 million.
Librarian, if only one life (mind) can be saved, it’s worth it. :)
Um, firstly, I would love to see a link or source on this “10% of the population” number you throw around.
Me too, I hear it nonstop from Repubs, me, I am not a democrat, but in a pinch I’ll lean left. The right is always saying how “only 10% of the country considers Moore valid” so yeah, prove it. If not then give me an honest answer how many lean left. Do your homework though.(i.e. back it up)
I think it’s hilarious what a threat you consider him. If he wasn’t socially relevant you wouldn’ even know his name. Something tells me most of you can tell me his daily horoscope.You know what? He loves that :) (Really)
Posted by Libertarian Librarian on 06/20/2007 at 01:51 AM (Link to this comment)
You say the movie is definitely going to be a blockbuster making possibly upwards of a hundred cool million? I thought you guys said only 10% of the population cared what Michael Moore said?
Maybe 15%. With his last movie, there were some reasons to think the same people watched it more than once.
Also, this US bashing stuff sells overthere. :)
Posted by Libertarian Librarian on 06/20/2007 at 08:06 AM (Link to this comment)
Me too, I hear it nonstop from Repubs, me, I am not a democrat, but in a pinch I’ll lean left. The right is always saying how “only 10% of the country considers Moore valid” so yeah, prove it.
I’d guess 10-15% based on unrelated polls. About 15% of the population takes what I’d consider left wing positions on different issues on just about any poll. I’d asume these are Moore’s fans (they are the only people I meet in person who take him seriously). On the other hand, a few people just pick an answer on polls so the actual number may be a little under 15%. Probably more than 10% though..
Libertarian Librarian wrote:
I thought you guys said only 10% of the population cared what Michael Moore said?
Jim responded:
Um, firstly, I would love to see a link or source on this “10% of the population” number you throw around.
Libertarian Librarian responded back:
Me too, I hear it nonstop from Repubs, me, I am not a democrat, but in a pinch I’ll lean left. The right is always saying how “only 10% of the country considers Moore valid” so yeah, prove it.
So...you stated a statistic...JimK asked you for a source...and then you state I would like to see the source too because people on the right throw the number around...therefore, JimK needs to find a link with the statistic, even though you are the one that brought up the statistic in the first place?
Since you brought it up, should you not have the link for the statistic on hand?
So...you stated a statistic...JimK asked you for a source
Um, just Jim, not JimK :) I really probably should have picked a different screen name as I would hate for JimK to get credited for my less than stellar comments.
Um, just Jim, not JimK :)
Oops...sorry about that. Should have double-checked the name.
Harvey looks like a thug yet creates nothing but poetry.
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Anyone see any commercial ads on tv or the radio for sicko? I haven’t. However I can’t look at google’s news page without see an article about “Michael Moore’s Sicko” I wonder how much the distributor has saved on advertising with the media doing it all for them.