The President or Sony Who is Right ?

[Nyboy]

Sony pictures cancelled the NY opening of their movie The Interview. Threats where made if the film openned. One threat said remmeber 911 it could happen again. Sony rather then risk lives pulled the movie.President Obama is speaking out that they did the wrong thing by pulling movie, sends a message we will cave under fear. Do you think Sony did the right thing?

 

[catjac1975]

I don't really think Sony did the right thing. Caving to fear is what the NK's want. However I would be too chicken to go to the theater. Sony did not want that on their conscience for a stupid movie.

 

[digitS']

I wonder how Sony thought a satire on an assassination attempt against the leader of a government was a smart thing to do.

Maybe the president of Sony needs his head examined ... Sure as heck needed to have his computer security examined.

He wouldn't be getting the price of a theater ticket from me anyway but I bet I can think of, oh maybe, one or two things smarter to spend money on that would make America more secure than this entertainment.

What's laughable in this satire is that actors and the industry has been caught so completely with their pants down. I see little reason to join them by mooning a foreign dictator. Surely there is more sensible behavior than this.

Political Steve

 

[seedcorn]

Don't spend $$$ on movie theaters but did just watch trailer. Looks beyond stupid. Something made in 60's, ie Hogan's Heros

 

[so lucky]

I heard something about Sony possibly releasing it as a pay-per-view. I'm pretty sure NK can't send a bomb to everyone's house.
I can only imagine the fallout if it had been shown, and some nut case decided to bomb a theater, and lives were lost. Sony would never hear the end of it.
There is no winning in a situation like this.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I flew from Kazakhstan to London and then on to the US a week after 9-11. I was one of 7 passengers on that transatlantic flight, five in business class and two in coach. They win when they can scare us into being afraid of them and changing our lifestyle.

Making that movie was not real bright. Why go out of your way to insult someone that doesn't have a sense of decency to start with. There is no telling what the NK's are capable of doing to innocent people. Could they blow up a movie theater? If they can hack Sony can they tell who got it on Pay-for-View and cyber attack them? Can they harm the people associated with the movie?

The mistake was making the movie in the first place. If they show it and someone gets hurt, that is a public relations disaster. If they make it but don't show it, the bullies win. Once they got in that spot, there was not a right decision Sony could make. Stand up to a bully but don't tease a bully to start with. At least, that is my opinion.

 

[digitS']

Only a short blip of news and it may be incorrect: the cyber attack was associated with Taiwan.

Correct or otherwise, it made me think how anyone willing to spend the money could have paid to have the computers hacked. Hackers could be most anywhere and of most any nationality. They may not even be able to identify the people who paid them.

Sony is a Japanese multinational corporation. I only know what I read about Japanese - North Korean relations (link). And Sony? Here's what Wikipedia reports, "On 28 January 2014, Moody's Investors Services dropped Sony's credit rating to Ba1—"judged to have speculative elements and a significant credit risk"—saying that the company's "profitability is likely to remain weak and volatile."

Losses, losses, losses - this movie should result in more losses altho relatively minor. Here's something Sony did 10 years ago forcing them to settle a class action lawsuit. CNN, "Moviegoers to settle with studio after being lured by phony critic."

Today, I wonder where American and Sony business interests might intersect.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

Should a movie be banned? By anyone? By the government? Even if by the movie makers themselves? It certainly goes against all that we consider our American birthright. Of course, Sony is not truly an American company. The decisions and profits are Japanese made.

Of course there is the question of why make such a movie in the first place. Political correct-ness should offer fair warning of this movie having the high possibility of problems in our small, new world. Now, refresh my memory. Wasn't there a movie about the assignation of George "W"? George Bush assassination film wins top award No great fuss or riotous actions, no, this movie was praised as an award winner. Why should The Interview be any different? Banned? We wouldn't consider banning movies. It is pure unAmericanism to even suggest banning. Now, refresh my memory. Wasn't there a movie trailer blamed for the disaster at Bengazi and banned, and by the American government itself. In fact, the maker of the trailer (a bit of film without a movie behind it) is still in prison -- with no chance of being praised as a visionary in movie magic and political satire.

Perhaps because it is seen as cutting edge politically to describe and tear open America's warts and scabs while demeaning her as the cause of nearly all political ills in the world. But, as the cause of these woes, we cannot add to our litany of mistakes by upsetting political values or beliefs counter to our own.

Sorry, I'm still feeling totally wiped out by this upper-respiratory infection. This subject hits a hot spot with me, but I'm not feeling well enough to defend my position so I'll stop here.

 

[baymule]

Stupid, stupid, stupid. You just can't fix stupid. Stupid on all counts.

@Smart Red hope you feel better soon.

 

[digitS']

Banning?

I don't think you have to defend your position, Red.

I have no real sympathy for Sony. Some individuals have been injured, however. If a business somewhere in the world runs afoul some despot, intervention only makes sense if making the world safe for anyone's commerce is our purpose.

Not all commerce is legal even in capitalist countries. We can champion human rights but if it's corporate "rights" that concern us, would we choose to compel Sony to distribute and the theaters to show the movie?

I don't think that was what NyBoy was suggesting. Nor, am I saying that this movie should be outlawed.

Does the US government have a role to play in protecting our private correspondence and property? Of course.

A response to someone taking advantage of Sony's management mistakes had best be measured against national security interests and be based on sound intelligence. We have been down paths of inadequate intelligence to our great detriment.

Steve
tired of corporate interests wagging the dog