Hello nerd friends! It’s me, Cody! I know, I know, long time no write. I don’t get on here too often to write much these days, because honestly Bill, Stephen, and Cam all do such a superb job here at 4LN that I just let them shine while I sit in the dark shadows of the corporate world that I work in. Today is different, well actually yesterday was different, because by now I’m sure you’ve heard of Sony Pictures decision to pull the plug on their Christmas release The Interview (Starring Seth Rogen and James Franco). Today though, I’ve decided to come out of my hermit type job and say a couple of things on the matter. Not that my opinion matters, but I feel like people really haven’t grasped what it means for Sony Pictures to have no spine and shrivel under the pressure of empty threats and hackers releasing information around their business.
Dear Sony Pictures,
You epitomize the word coward. By pulling the plug to The Interview you go against what our country is built on… freedom. That’s right, freedom. If there are hackers that can find the information of what your pay scale is, I guarantee you that there is a group willing to hack your database and find the movie to release it on Youtube or some other form of streaming network. It will be seen, it has been seen, and you know what? If crazy ass North Korea was serious about doing something like firing missiles on us, they would have done it years ago. YEARS AGO. All you’ve done here is shown to other counrties who already have it out for us, that if they can hack your database, then it’s over. They will have control of you and basically be the last say in what you can and can’t create. “They” (whoever they are) have taken away your right as a company to put out a movie. A MOVIE!!!! Think about that. Next thing you know, no one will be able to go to a Justin Timberlake concert because of a threat being made to his stage crew via a retweet that was originally put on tubmlr. I understand that if the threats were real, you wouldn’t want to feel the responsibility of people being hurt while watching your movie. Really though…who the hell in North America is on North Korea’s side?
“I must make a statement for my lord and savior Kim Jong Un for which all blessings toll!” said only people imprisoned in NORTH KOREA.
So far, the department of homeland security has found no evidence that these threats are real.
“The Department of Homeland Security is analyzing the credibility of the new threat, but has found no evidence of an active plot against theaters.” http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/17/sony-the-interview-theaters-threat/
Just so you know, North Korea got what they wanted. Here’s an excerpt from the Sony press release.
“Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale”
They succeeded hugely. What kind of statement could you have made to the people of America that even when you were under attack you weren’t going to back down from the right you have to release your art. You not only suppressed your artists’ voice, you suppressed the voice of thousands of Americans who wanted to join in the hilarity of The Interview. Utlitmately, you made yourselves to be liars when you said this in your statement.
“We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
No you don’t.
It’s insane to me that the only way people could actually go to the movies, and enjoy watching this without fear of some wacko going off, is if every movie theatre was being patrolled by police and we had metal detectors at every entrance. You’re a billion dollar company, I think you could afford the cost of releasing this in select theatres and paying for guards to be on hand. Yes it’s worth it. Maybe I’m just a crazy movie goer, but I think you’ve really made a statement to the evil doers of the world. With enough pressure, anyone can stop or start a project. Think about it.
I’m not going to ask for people to stop buying Sony, or be some kind of crazed idiot who’s never going to watch another Sony film (Though I think you should give up Spiderman to Disney), but I will say you missed an opportunity to show why America is a free country.
In the spirit of Bill: “I’ll do what I want”
So here you go. If you’d like to see the just released Death Scene of The Interview, go here.
http://nypost.com/2014/12/18/kim-jong-un-death-scene-from-the-interview-leaks-online/