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Misc => Debate => Topic started by: Kpyna on December 17, 2014, 23:18

Title: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kpyna on December 17, 2014, 23:18
Just looking for some lighthearted opinion-based debate on this.

For the uninitiated, Sony planned to release a movie called "The Interview". There's been a few ads for it on TV, and it's been in development for a while. Basically the premise of the movie is Seth Rogan and James Franco are journalists, and they score an interview with Kim Jong Un. They are then tasked by the CIA to try to assassinate the dictator, and "hilarity" ensues in the process. Trailers exist on the internet if you want to look them up, but there's some strong language and lewd jokes in them.

So, a terrorist group from North Korea is understandably not that happy about this movie, and they've been doing attacks on Sony for weeks, threatening to leak their info and hacking them. They just recently issued a warning to Sony and all theatres that show the movie that if it is shown, they'll do a 9/11 style attack on the theatres that play it. So, that's pretty scary, and so most theatres are refusing to show it because if this group did attack theatres on Christmas Day, the release of The Interview, that would be pretty terrifying.

A lot of people have been yelling at Sony for buckling to terrorism, which I personally understand. It kind of feels like an attack of the dignity and pride of America for theatres to refuse to show this film because a foreign group told us not to. However, I think that theatres and Sony had the right idea to pull this movie. I think that on the chance that something big did happen when this movie is shown, there's the possibility America would freak out and it could potentially prompt another war in the East, as we already are pretty tense with North Korea at the moment, given all of the international stuff that's been going on between us for a while. I'm thinking this could potentially develop more over time too, especially since Sony and major theatres seem to be entertaining the possibility of a later showing, after Christmas.

I mean, everyone's pretty scared, but we did a similar thing, except to Hitler, in Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator". I think it would have been better off if they took a page from the book of that movie and made it an obvious allegory, but eh. I hate to compare the two, because the quality difference is really stark. However, I'm still a pretty big Seth Rogan and James Franco fan, so I hope this movie will see a DVD release and be able to be seen by the public eye at some point.

So, opinions North Korea's most recent act of terror?
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: winterbane on December 17, 2014, 23:26
The creation of the movie is pretty irresponsible to begin with - a comedy portraying the assassination of a current head of state is just not in good taste, even if it is North Korea. Also, as stated in the IRC - if a bootleg copy of this film makes it to North Korea somehow, and someone watches it and gets tortured and killed for it, that's something Sony Pictures has to live with.

Alternatively, who is to say it was a legitimate threat? For all we know it was freelance hackers, and in that case we might see some real terrorism generated as a result - as one news articles comments said "quick, someone pretend to be N. Korea and get the TMNT sequels scrapped!"

I don't know, I don't see a winning situation coming out of this. Creating the movie was just a bad move.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kpyna on December 17, 2014, 23:35
Alternatively, who is to say it was a legitimate threat? For all we know it was freelance hackers, and in that case we might see some real terrorism generated as a result - as one news articles comments said "quick, someone pretend to be N. Korea and get the TMNT sequels scrapped!"

While nobody has owned up to it yet, I have to say that I believe the group itself is legit, and I'm of the opinion they may be working at least loosely with the NK government. After all, most terrorist groups love to lay claim to how they've shaken the nations to make a name for themselves, and no group name has come forward, as far as I'm aware. I believe they've just been called "Sony Hackers". I would understand rogue hackers if this was about money, but it just seems to be about defaming Sony and threatening the American public, which I can only see the nation of NK doing, or a respective radical nationalist group.

Also, didn't that terrorist group leak the clip of Kim Jung Un getting killed in the movie? Doesn't make much sense to me.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: sylar on December 17, 2014, 23:56
i fully believe it on the grounds that you can never take these sorts of things lightly, im hella paranoid about this sort of thing

but i agree it was pretty disgusting and irresponsible to make this sort of movie to begin with, im honestly not surprised at all with whos behind it. people might try to call it education, but i just think its another obnoxious publicity stunt type deal. i dont know why, especially knowing the tension surrounding the general idea of north koreas government, they thought itd be a good idea.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Pam-the-Lamb on December 18, 2014, 00:21
 It's just an hilariously obnoxious move to make on behalf of what I - maybe foolishly - assume to be an American film developer. It really doesn't help that this would have received a "green light" before the money was pumped into it.

 It was probably an attempt to mock North Korea and generally reassure the public that North Korea was just being a naughty kid having a tantrum in the sandbox. Maybe this whole hacker situation will give everyone a reality check, to be honest.

 If NK hackers got into Sony and found leaks of the film maybe they've actually seen the full film anyway so maybe the threats were legitimate and were already being planned.

 It's just mocking the NK government, thinking that they're defeated, and being bitten in the ass. With Russia being provoked and Middle Eastern countries being harassed, I really don't think America wants to rekindle that flame with North Korea.

 I doubt this film will cause conflict in North Korea though. If cinemas are attacked by terrorists, they'll just send some drones to drop bombs on their civilian areas.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: winterbane on December 18, 2014, 00:38
I don't honestly believe North Korea has the resources to pull anything like this off - it is far more feasible that China is behind it, as a much larger country with a vested interest in the west not looking too closely at what happens in the east. Regardless, I have my doubts that this film will ever see a real release now, at least one intentionally done by Sony.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: the bread dragon on December 18, 2014, 01:03
just a movie ol kimmy needs to chill then all will be well
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: lets all go out for some frosty chocolate milkshakes on December 18, 2014, 05:22
//points to movie poster for Team America with bemused expression//
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Utack and Swampy on December 18, 2014, 06:05
Not much that I can add that people haven't already said above. I was pretty shocked to discover this was actually in the works... To put another spin on it, what would result if the situation was reversed, and a North Korean film company made a movie about two guys murdering Barack Obama? I get the feeling it would hardly be considered a 'comedy' at that point.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Richard and Blaziken on December 18, 2014, 06:08
In complete agreement with Utack, and we actually talked about this about a week ago before all this went down, with both of us in shock that this was even going to be a thing. Not surprised by this at all.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kerou 犠牲 on December 18, 2014, 09:17
What a shame, I was actually looking forward to this film when I first heard about it. Considering the reaction from North Korea I completely understand and agree with it being pulled; you can't risk people's lives with it.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: SaRo|Rapidash on December 18, 2014, 17:36
"A 9/11 style attack on every theatre that plays it"

There must be what, 1000 cinemas in America? How the hell would they even get 1000 planes to bomb each cinema into american airspace? Like I know they can't risk the possibility of them having the means, even for one cinema, but eh.

As for the people threatening terrorism, they need to get a hold in themselves. Its a film - why does it matter? Don't like it, ban it in your country, but still, I for one wouldn't care if they made a film which was similar but with The Queen. Its fiction - it doesn't hurt anyone.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: lets all go out for some frosty chocolate milkshakes on December 18, 2014, 18:23
ngl i dunno why they bothered takin a threat from n korea seriously tbh remember the last threat they tried to make one

"we have nuclear! //absolutely ancient soviet missle sputters 30 yards into the air before exploding and shrapnel flyin everywhere all hittin a weather vane and making it spin round// //china looks sternly @ them and says "dont annoy our western trade partners/rare-earth metal customers like that PLEASE"//
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Spriter on December 18, 2014, 19:54
I doubt this film will cause conflict in North Korea though. If cinemas are attacked by terrorists, they'll just send some drones to drop bombs on their civilian areas.

*whistles as another war kicks off*
To be honest, if there were a film about a similar thing with Obama / the queen then people would be all 'oh that's just plain wrong and bad'. It's a bad idea for a film, regardless of it being North Korea. I am repeating what was said earlier, though.

Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kpyna on December 18, 2014, 20:44
There must be what, 1000 cinemas in America? How the hell would they even get 1000 planes to bomb each cinema into american airspace? Like I know they can't risk the possibility of them having the means, even for one cinema, but eh.

Nah, there's like 6,000 cinemas in America. But, that doesn't mean they couldn't get someone in over the borders (or someone that already lives here) to attack one big theatre in NYC. A terror attack in a huge theatre that seats thousands could be terrifying.

Just came here to say my prediction is (most likely) correct. (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/17/north-korea-sony-hack/20558135/) North Korea was probably behind all of this. I'm interested in how this will effect our relationship with North Korea, being that it has come to light that the government infiltrated a huge business at the expense of at least thousands of Americans' private information.

Oh, Seth Rogan, what have you done?
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kerou 犠牲 on December 18, 2014, 21:05
Nah, there's like 6,000 cinemas in America. But, that doesn't mean they couldn't get someone in over the borders (or someone that already lives here) to attack one big theatre in NYC. A terror attack in a huge theatre that seats thousands could be terrifying.

Just came here to say my prediction is (most likely) correct. (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/17/north-korea-sony-hack/20558135/) North Korea was probably behind all of this. I'm interested in how this will effect our relationship with North Korea, being that it has come to light that the government infiltrated a huge business at the expense of at least thousands of Americans' private information.

Oh, Seth Rogan, what have you done?

tbf I think anyone and everyone thought it was North Korea too =P
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Kpyna on December 18, 2014, 21:52
tbf I think anyone and everyone thought it was North Korea too =P

I was hearing stuff from friends and family who have been talking about it saying that they probably weren't tied in with the government, because they figured NK wouldn't want to be involved with stuff like that. A lot of people wanted to blame it on Chinese hacker groups because they're pretty close with North Korea, which was my second guess.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Milsap on December 19, 2014, 08:28
Quote
a comedy portraying the assassination of a current head of state is just not in good taste, even if it is North Korea.

(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2051/1554/1600/KimJongTeamAmerica2.jpg)

I'm just gonna leave this here...
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: winterbane on December 19, 2014, 22:04
(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2051/1554/1600/KimJongTeamAmerica2.jpg)

I'm just gonna leave this here...

I'm pretty sure the whole world forgives Team America as it mocks the US more than any other country it involves.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Milsap on December 19, 2014, 22:14
Allegedly, Kim Jong Il saw the funny side of it.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Pam-the-Lamb on December 20, 2014, 01:15
 Truthfully, there are things that we'll likely never know about this incident and regardless of how old North Korea's equipment is, it's still capable of causing harm.

 A film involving the assassination of a very paranoid and powerful man is going to step on many toes and (from an article in The Guardian) Putin has invited Un to Russia. An ignorant stab in the dark from me says that maybe Russia could potentially sell some equipment to North Korea and even establish some sort of alliance that could maybe help towards stabilising the Russian economy.

 It's just one of those things that we'll have to wait out and see what happens as details unfold. A lot of it is probably just speculation.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Milsap on January 06, 2015, 11:05
Quote
Russia could potentially sell some equipment to North Korea and even establish some sort of alliance that could maybe help towards stabilising the Russian economy.

North Korea's military, like many Communist/Ex Communist states (Cuba, China, Eastern Bloc), already has a lot of Cold War-era jets, missile batteries and tanks while many of the democratised ex-imperial states in the world (South Korea, Japan etc) are using American and/or European technology.

NK wouldn't be able to get their hands on the more modern Russian stuff like the SU27 (Although they do have some early issue MiG 29s) due to cost, but against what we in the west have due to constant updates to the military hardware, the NK Air Force and so on haven't been able to. While the MiG23 came into service about the same time as the F16 and the Tornado, the 16 and Tornado would still out maneuver and easily shoot down what they have. I doubt Putin, while clearly willing to push what is possible, would do it.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: winterbane on January 06, 2015, 16:24
I doubt the incentive is even really there - the invitation of Un to Russia is more of a tongue-in-cheek insult to the United States.

Honestly, no major world leader would risk anything more than a polite refusal to North Korea - hell, when they claimed to be testing nukes, China told them to back off - their only actual ally. Russia's economy might be unstable, but I'm pretty sure North Korea doesn't have the purchasing power to stabilize it.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: lets all go out for some frosty chocolate milkshakes on January 07, 2015, 02:32
Truthfully, there are things that we'll likely never know about this incident and regardless of how old North Korea's equipment is, it's still capable of causing harm.

 A film involving the assassination of a very paranoid and powerful man is going to step on many toes and (from an article in The Guardian) Putin has invited Un to Russia. An ignorant stab in the dark from me says that maybe Russia could potentially sell some equipment to North Korea and even establish some sort of alliance that could maybe help towards stabilising the Russian economy.

 It's just one of those things that we'll have to wait out and see what happens as details unfold. A lot of it is probably just speculation.

lmao how did i miss this post

there is nothing to worry about, trust me.

apart from the fact that a lot of the soviet stuff is ricketty as heck (sure Tsar Bomba was the most megaton bomb but it was basically just overgregariously so and not as well designed as western atomic bombs)

like russia would rather let a video of a donkey crapping on a photo of putin go viral than be seen wanting to help north korea i reckon
like hell even china is tryin to distance itself from n korea, half the reason we all knew nothing would come of the missle tests which everyone collectively crapped their pants over a few years back is because china would steamroll the hell out of n korea for annoying their profitable capitalist idiot westerner customers. china knows what its doing and to suggest that letting some pipsqueak of a nation stuck in the 70s throw its weight around and act like a superpower in front of CHINA of all nations is just like....what???
yes china got Involved in the korean war and was like "not in my nation fellas" but its purely for self interests like all superpowers do these days. 
 
i mean, even japan just stood there looking awkward during all that and sort of flapped an arm with "Article 9, lol" pathetically at everyone but thats cos it gambled on the wrong side in WWII and is still paying for its bad decision.

like putin might be needing to reassert his image after the west has basically just done sochi and laughed about it (hence the reason hes being hardline in ukraine, the russian elite are wondering why he is being a shame to his soviet brethren like krushchev and brezhnev after gorbachev westerned it all up) but he aint so desperate that he's gonna pal up with some dead fat child lookin fella's fat child son. north korea is basically like the spoilt bratty misbehaved cousin that the communist-orientated asian countries all hate and try to ignore when they throw a tantrum cos "i dont want all this stupid party food i want EGG AND CHIPS!!!! GIMME NOW!"



p.s. im totally lookin forward to seein half the posts on page 3 also be what my post says but reiterating the point in too many words. seriously guys i posted about team america before all you twits did.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Captain Jigglypuff on January 07, 2015, 09:07
And yet it got released online and North Korea can't stop everyone who has seen the movie online. Score one for Sony and the internet!
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: lets all go out for some frosty chocolate milkshakes on January 07, 2015, 10:15
yeh score one for True Freedom and Democracy. what a day to be alive, black kids are gettin slaughtered by crap cops but its OK cos the seth rogen movie by a multinational corporation was released after all. god bless.

//i shake hands with Obama (for it is he) while a bald eagle alights on our grip// three cheers for a japanese company and some horrid bald nerds from reddit I guess.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Captain Jigglypuff on January 07, 2015, 15:01
^What I meant is North Korea failed to stop the release of the film anyway. They couldn't stop Sony.
Title: Re: Sony Pictures Pulls "The Interview"
Post by: Milsap on January 08, 2015, 11:53
Quote
apart from the fact that a lot of the soviet stuff is ricketty as heck (sure Tsar Bomba was the most megaton bomb but it was basically just overgregariously so and not as well designed as western atomic bombs)

The Tsar Bomb was a classic case of Cold War penis measuring.

Plus- If China is telling you to calm the hell down because of your human rights record and your nuclear weapons testing; You're doing something REALLY wrong.