North Korean threats are about as empty as they come, in most cases. They've practically made an art of empty bluster. Unless there's credible evidence that they're actually capable of launching such an attack, all that happens is that North Korea learns sometimes empty bluster can get results.
Exactly, nathaniel. I don't blame Sony or any movie theater. What if they went on with it and some nut job went in and shot a bunch of people? With our legal system, there's no doubt in my mind that the theater chain and Sony would be sued out of existence because they ignored the threat.
Remember after some initial hesitation upon the fatwa on Salman Rushdie bookstores expanded their Satanic Verses displays? Sony & everyone running scared are chickenshit and setting a really bad example.
It also made me think of the death threats Comedy Central received when South Park wanted to show Mohammad or when they caved to Scientologists by not showing the Tom Cruise episode again. Hollywood has a long history of cowardice but even though the Internet is the Avenue the original hackers used, it's also the reason how they're able to be revealed to everyone for being cowards.
And kudos to you, Mr. Martin as a theatre owner by wanting to show it!
Hard not to agree with what you wrote, but there's probably more going on than we know. Maybe the hackers have a piece of info that Sony cannot let leak.
This is what I have been postulating. In my opinion, Sony does not believe that the threats are credible, but the information they have NOT yet released is what led to this decision. It must be something that will permanently ruin Sony's image. Here is my question. If that is the case, what is stopping them from releasing it now? They have already won.
I'm in the field... ext_2926996December 18 2014, 05:01:29 UTC
As someone who currently works for a movie theater chain (and additionally is an aspiring screenwriter) I can tell you it's entirely with the intention of safety for the guests. There were actual threats made by people, and could they be ridiculous? Absolutely! But after the incident that happened in Colorado cinemas are under even more pressure to enforce a safe environment. It's not about corporate cowardice (at least for the chain I work for), it's about putting guests first and making them feel like they are in a safe and comfortable environment to experience films.
It's sad that this had to happen, and it is ludicrous, but unfortunately we live in a day and age where we can't take any threat lightly, no matter how unlikely it may seem. I want to be in film and television for a living so I feel the pain of this as an artist, but I also understand it from the other side as someone who has to endure the feedback of the public every single day.
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There's a huge middle ground between "ignoring the threat" and "giving in completely to the terrorists."
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It also made me think of the death threats Comedy Central received when South Park wanted to show Mohammad or when they caved to Scientologists by not showing the Tom Cruise episode again. Hollywood has a long history of cowardice but even though the Internet is the Avenue the original hackers used, it's also the reason how they're able to be revealed to everyone for being cowards.
And kudos to you, Mr. Martin as a theatre owner by wanting to show it!
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It's sad that this had to happen, and it is ludicrous, but unfortunately we live in a day and age where we can't take any threat lightly, no matter how unlikely it may seem. I want to be in film and television for a living so I feel the pain of this as an artist, but I also understand it from the other side as someone who has to endure the feedback of the public every single day.
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