[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:9073] Fwd: "Bowling for Columbine," Opens This Friday

[Alfred Kagan]

>Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2002 13:41:57 -0400
>From: "Carol Reid" <creid at MAIL.NYSED.GOV>
>To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l at ALA.ORG>
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:9073] Fwd: "Bowling for Columbine," Opens This Friday
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>  >>> "Michael Moore's Mailing List" <mailinglist at michaelmoore.com> 
>10/09/02 09:36PM >>>
>October 9, 2002
>
>My Film, "Bowling for Columbine," Opens This Friday
>
>Dear friends, fans, and fellow evildoers:
>
>I am very happy and excited to tell you that this Friday, October 11, my
>new
>film, "Bowling for Columbine," will open in New York and Los Angeles.
>
>It is, I promise, the last thing the Bushies want projected on the movie
>screens across America this week. The film is, first and foremost, a
>devastating indictment of the violence that is done in our name for profit
>and power -- and no one, in all the advance screenings I have attended, has
>left the theatre with anything short of rage. I truly believe this film has
>the potential to rock the nation and get people energized to do something.
>
>This is not good news for Junior and Company. Not when they are trying to
>drag us into another war. Not when a crazed sniper is exercising his
>constitutional right to own a high-powered rifle. Not when John Ashcroft is
>still prohibiting the FBI from looking through the gun background check
>files to see if any of the 19 hijackers or their associates purchased any
>weapons prior to 9/11 -- because THAT, we are told, would "violate" these
>terrorists' sacred Second Amendment rights!
>
>Yes, I believe this movie can create a lot of havoc -- but I will need ALL
>of you to help me do this. Are you game?
>
>Last February 5th, I wrote to tell you about a book I had written and how
>the publisher had decided to dump it because they were afraid to publish
>anything critical of Bush after 9/11. I appealed to you to save "Stupid
>White Men" from the shredder and to go out and buy it. I promised you would
>not regret it, and that the book would not only be a great read but an
>important organizing tool in gumming up the plans of George W. Bush.
>
>Within 24 hours, the book went to #1 on the Amazon best seller list. By the
>fifth day, the book was already into its 9th printing. The publisher was
>torn between its desire to kill the book or make a wad of money. Greed won
>out, and this Sunday the book enters its 31st week on the New York Times
>best seller list -- and its 32nd printing. This is all because of you, my
>crazy and loyal friends. You made this happen, against all the odds.
>
>Now I would like to ask you again to help me with my latest work, "Bowling
>for Columbine." It's a movie that many critics have already called my best
>film to date. They may be right. It is certainly the most provocative thing
>I have ever done. I have spent three years on it and, I have to say, it
>cuts
>deeper, harder and funnier that anything I have given you so far.
>
>The movie opens this Friday in New York and Los Angeles, and then in 8 more
>cities next week. How it does in these first ten cities will determine
>whether or not the rest of the country gets to see it. That is the nutty
>way
>our films are released. If it doesn't have a big opening weekend, you can
>kiss the film good-bye. Therefore, this weekend, this film must be seen by
>millions of Americans. Can you help me make that happen?
>
>"Bowling for Columbine" is not a film simply about guns or school
>shootings.
>That is only the starting point for my 2-hour journey into the dark soul of
>a country that is both victim and master of an enormous amount of violence,
>both at home and around the world. With this movie I have broadened my
>canvas to paint a portrait of our nation at the beginning of the 21st
>century, a nation that seems hell-bent on killing first and asking
>questions
>later. It is a movie about the state sponsored acts of violence and
>terrorism against our own poor, and how we have created a culture of fear
>that is based on the racial dilemma we continue to ignore. And it's a
>devastating comedy.
>
>This film is going to upset some pretty big apple carts. No film has EVER
>said the things I am saying in "Bowling for Columbine." I expect to be
>attacked. I expect certain theatres will not show it for fear of
>retribution. I expect that this movie will be a bitter pill for many to
>swallow.
>
>This is why I need your help. Movies live or die based on what happens at
>the box office the first weekend of its release. I need you, if you live in
>the New York or L.A. area, to go see "Bowling for Columbine" this Friday
>and
>Saturday -- and take as many family members and friends with you as
>possible. I guarantee you will not be disappointed -- and you may just see
>one of the best films of the year.
>
>Monday night in Times Square, "Bowling for Columbine" had its premiere. The
>crowd was amazing, as it was this past Saturday night at the Chicago Film
>Festival. The audience kept laughing or hooting or applauding so loud
>throughout the film that it was hard to hear the next line.
>
>The hate mail, the threats, the promises of retribution have already
>started
>to roll in to the distributor of this movie, United Artists. They are not
>backing down. But how long will this last? I need all of you in the New
>York
>tri-state and southern California areas to go see "Bowling for Columbine"
>THIS weekend -- the rest of you can see it in a couple of weeks when it
>comes to your town. A strong opening not only means that the rest of
>America
>will see this film, it means that a good number of people who see it are
>going to leave the film angry enough to get active and get involved. If it
>does poorly, I will have a difficult time finding the funding for the movie
>I want to make next -- a film about 9/11 and how Bush is using that tragic
>day as a cover for his right-wing agenda.
>
>Don't let that happen. Don't let the NRA have one more success by stopping
>the wider distribution of this movie. And, together, let us not remain
>silent in our opposition to Bush's phony war against Iraq.
>
>If you live in New York, you can see it at the Lincoln Plaza, the Sunshine
>and the Loews 19th St. In L.A., you can catch it at the Sunset 5, the
>Westwood Regent, Laemmle Sunset, Laemmle Towncenter (Encino), Landmark
>Rialto (Pasadena), and Regal University (Irvine). Also, please forward this
>to your other friends and tell them to go see "Bowling for Columbine" this
>weekend.
>
>And finally, don't miss our new website www.bowlingforcolumbine.com
>
>Thank you for your help with this. I feel so honored and privileged to have
>so many people interested in my work. Last January I was getting 70,000
>hits
>a month on my website. Last month, I got 17 million hits. This alone speaks
>volumes about the vast majority all of us belong to who are sick and tired
>of what is going on and are longing for an alternative source of
>information.
>
>I hope that you enjoy "Bowling for Columbine."
>
>Thank you again...
>
>Yours,
>
>Michael Moore
>
>---
>
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>
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu