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Michael Moore Political Movie Released Free on Web
LOS ANGELES - Filmmaker Michael Moore released his latest documentary for free on the Internet on Tuesday, marking a first for the maverick director who aims to encourage young people to vote -- preferably for Democrats -- in November's U.S. presidential election.
"Slacker Uprising," a feature-length film documenting Moore's tour of swing states during the 2004 presidential election year, was made available for a free download instead of being released in movie theaters.
The maker of the award-winning anti-Iraq war blockbuster "Fahrenheit 9/11," said in a statement the gesture was "entirely as a gift to my fans."
"The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters at the polls in November," Moore said.
Moore has long been known as a firebrand filmmaker. He took on large corporations in 1989's "Roger & Me" and the U.S. gun industry in 2002's "Bowling for Columbine," which earned him an Oscar. "Slacker Uprising," made for about $2 million, comes on the heels of Moore's blistering expose of the U.S. health care system, "SiCKO," in 2007.
Although "Slacker Uprising" chronicles the director's efforts to get young people on either side of the political spectrum to vote, he said the documentary was also a "tribute to the young voters who are going to save this country from four more years of Republican rule."
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are in a neck-and-neck race for the White House in the November 4 election, according to opinion polls.
Moore encouraged fans to download, e-mail or share the movie with everyone and anyone, or to show it in schools, colleges, church halls and community centers, adding, "I don't want to see a dime from this."
He said several websites, including iTunes and Amazon.com, were providing streaming or downloading services for free.
Moore marked the release with a one-hour online chat with fans. Hundreds of Obama supporters responded on the www.slackeruprising.com message boards, thanking Moore.
"Wow .. I really enjoyed the film ... sent it to all my friends on yahoo, myspace, facebook ... we cannot have another republican in the White House ... Vote Obama 08," wrote a contributor called Don.
The documentary is also available as a low-cost DVD for those not in the download community.
Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by David Wiessler
37 Comments so far
Show AllI saw it yesterday. I liked it. Free for 3 weeks. It's a generous gift from him to the public. It's timed to get people to register to vote. Although "we" all failed in 2004, the young were the only group to majority vote for Kerry. (Yes, I do accept the data on OH according to House Chair of Judiciary Comm. John Conyers in re Ohio "theft".)
Good movie.
I was at the polls here in Ohio with moveon.org in 2004, and, although I have not seen the movie, it is absolutely true that the vote was innacurate. (Tubbs Jones/Boxer, others filed briefs) The DNC did absolutely nothing. People begged, pleaded , cried--and now, they just hate Ohio. (So do i), but if you dont even bother to investigagte 1000s of incidenced of voter fraud, waht the hell do you expect?? Its been coming a long time, and I've voted Independent before. But, I just cant shake the feeling that they just dont give a rat's ass about regular peole. (I know that the Gop does not, so dont bother to go there)
I loved MM , from R&Me to Bowling for Columbine. I liked "Sicko", but, what really bothers me, is that, the very peole cheering on his movie, (and even he himself) and not calling for the thing they all SAY that they support ( and 67% of Ohioans, if you want to know)--single -payer health care.
Ya vote your conscience in the horse race. If your horse is lucky enough to survive all the election-fraud and actually win…ya throw a “bit” into the bastard’s mouth and you pull him jumping and screaming in the direction you want.
I may agree somewhat with people saying that there is not much difference between both parties. But emphasis on not much. At least you can put democrats against the wall for not respecting their rhetoric. It is quite scary to contemplate 4 more years of right-wing fundamentalist christian warmongering rule and sidetracking of vital issues like the environement. It gives allies to our right-wing politicians in Canada, conservative to the point that i cant honestly remember seeing a more trigger happy, religious and reactionnary governement in Canada in all my adult years since the early 1990s.
Entire Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDidHpyaFKk
http://slackeruprising.com/download/
Haven't seen it yet but will soon.
Who are the slackers in the movie? It seems it would be far more appropriately named the born poor and living malnourished uprising... How to insult your constituency ay? Moore's obviously getting enough to eat though ay?
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
I wouldn't watch another Michael Moore movie even if it is free. I used to be a fan of the lout, but I now know he's a hypocrite and a false friend to progressives. Check out this open letter from the CounterPunch website, which expresses better than I can why this is so.
Whatever Happened to Voting Your Conscience?
An Open Letter to Michael Moore (AKA God's Pen Pal)
By CARL J. MAYER
http://www.counterpunch.org/mayer09222008.html
Isn't CARL J. MAYER the same New Jersey lawyer that keeps running for Congress and is in tight with Ralph Nader?
Yeah that counterpunch letter really nails him.
In his documentaries he can really deliver some jabs but he comes across as a superstar clown which is counter productive.
I used to have Moore respect for him, too. But, for lack of a better term, his muckraking eye and sensibility as a filmmaker doesn't seem to extend to his personal politics.
It's as if he's morphing into Rob Reiner, e.g. a genial Hollywood celebrity liberal Democrat.
McCain has suspended his campaign. Bush speaks to the nation tonight. This is how coups look in their early stages. This is how bourgeois democracies die. Prepare to resist. Talk before the internet goes down.
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http://www.votenader.org/media/2008/09/24/postponed/
Statement from Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader and Libertarian Presidential Candidate Bob Barr on McCain's Call to Delay Debates:
The fact that a candidate can call for changing the date of the debate only two days before it is scheduled indicates how easy it would be for the candidates to also call for the inclusion of the leading third party and independent candidates, which would bring fresh ideas to the table on how our country can truly tackle this heavy challenge.
.
.
http://www.votenader.org/media/2008/09/24/stunt/
NADER CALLS MCCAIN'S MOVE TO POSTPONE DEBATE 'POLITICAL STUNT;' SAYS MCCAIN TO BLAME FOR FINANCIAL CRISIS
Senator John McCain's decision to suspend his campaign and participation in the first presidential debate is pure and simple showboating. The Washington DC bailout by Bush and his Congressional allies of the Wall Street crooks and speculators is not dependent on Senator McCain's return to Washington.
He has been an advocate of the deregulation that caused this debacle and offers nothing significant to address it. However, tens of millions of Americans depended on Senator McCain to show up at Friday's debate in Old Mississippi.
They expected him to do so and have arranged their plans to watch him interact with Barack Obama. By turning his back on at least 50 million American voters anticipating Friday's debate, he has dishonored his commitment and undermined the respect which he hoped the American people would accord him during his presidential campaign.
I urge him to restore his honor and self-respect by ending this political stunt and maturely fulfilling his commitment on the presidential debate stage this Friday.
Should he choose to maintain his present, impulsive course and leave an empty chair on the stage, I would be most pleased to take his place as the number three Presidential candidate in the race.
.
Oh Ok Mole, maybe we should broadcast our resistance plans rather than making them by conversation in our underground bunkers... Numnut.
Real resistance advise would be, gather what you'll need to survive. Keep a pry bar and some shovels in your basement... NOT use the Carnivore Datamined internet to make resistance plans... OBVIOUSLY. Fricken dumba$$ agents they got in these bureaucracies now ay? When push comes to shove it's looking good for us though, based solely on the average mole IQ I've detected in CD comments.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
My pry bar is behind my front door.
to: bildad
I do not know what you have against MM
However all the facts he gave in Bowling for Columbine, Farenheit 9/11 and Sicko are correct
I think he speaks the truth that has been banned from the US since 2001
If we do select McCain after 8 years of Bush policies than only God can save us
Just think back what your life was 2000 and what it is now if you think its better than go ahead vote for destruction of the economy
I remember when Michael Moore released Roger and Me. I am from Michigan and it struck a cord for me as we were watching the car companies begin their rapid decline that is still acting itself out today.
But since then, I have not seen the same humor or humanity for that matter. it is much MOORE about him. I can not say I am excited to see this movie.
http://www.boppoll.com
I hope we can push McCain's number over 1,000,000 today.
I am very disappointed.
The entire movie is about Michael’s previous efforts to get young people to vote in the hope of ousting the republican regime in Washington. The movie is flawed in three ways:
1) Since previous efforts to oust the republicans failed, there is little in this movie to motivate people to vote again in the current election.
2) No current issues are presented. No reason to vote in the current election is presented.
3) It constantly beats on the idea that the solution to America’s problems, particularly the war, is to elect a democratic president. As history has shown, this is not true.
Remember Vietnam!!!! Johnson who lied to congress and the population to get the war authorized was a DEMOCRAT. Hello???????
This movie is an utter failure. Since it only presents the idea of electing a main party candidate, and since either administration means a continuation of America as a corporate, military oligarchy that invades, imprisons, tortures, and spies, I do not see this movie as inspiring anyone to vote. Indeed, I think it will have the opposite effect.
Many at this site speak of us taking our country back, but at the same time lack the courage to vote Nader. The populations of other countries (including this one in 1776) under similar regimes throughout history have changed their system of government, either through revolt or social disobedience. Today’s America lacks the motivation or interest to click the third box on a voting form. What an embarrassment we are.
HELLO, Newflash. Nader is OWNED by "the Plaintiff Bar". They are THE wealthiest lawyers in America. They scratch his back, he scratches theirs. Notice he is running AGAINST the green party this year. In all the years he ran against democrats and republicans, WHY has he not accused the government of the MASS MURDER it carries out so regularly and has for the WHOLE of it's existence? Because he's afraid to be killed by those murderers and so now and for a long time he has been a yes man to powerful moneyed interests.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
.
nader.org
.
It seems to me, that, it is very "cool" to be for Obama 100% right now. (When he wins, I wonder how long people wil rationaliZe his lame programs)
SO many people say "My kid showed me an Obama speech on the net". Now, that's great. But, REALLY??!!
Hell, when Sen Claire McCaskill was on Maher, saying that she was coming out early for Obama, Maher said, "So why are you on board with Obama, when you are a female in the Senate" ( to the effect of, why aren t you supporting Hillary Cliton) (Dumbass questrion, but...)She said, "Well, my 13 yr old daughter asked me who i was supporting and I said I didnt know. She had seen Obama's internet site, and started saying, 'you HAVE to back Obama! Mom! I'll hate you forever and you'll be a big slug!!' ". Maher looks puzzled and says, "Really." YOu cannot make this stuff up.
What a sad commentary on America when a Senator uses as a reason to vote “I do not want to appear as a SLUG to my 13 year old daughter” Is this the level of analysis that Senators in this country use before voting for important bills, like banking deregulation or approval for preemptive wars? It probably is. Maybe we should install swings and sandboxes on the Mall so the Senators can play during recess?
Well, this is old news, and what's missing is critical reflection about what that election was all about.
Exit polls showed Kerry won by 5 million votes.
http://www.appliedresearch.us/sf/epdiscrep.htm
http://www.electionintegrity.org/blogengine/
So why should we pay any attention to this dated film that fails to note that we are up against 'black box' voting.
When will we face that fact? How will we face it?
And Kerry never disputed the results! How disgusting is that? What does Moore want now? I don't understand--repeat and wash???
No questioning of anything wrong with the DLC & their rightward drift--it's just stupid. I can't fathom the rationalization and denial that lies behind these efforts.
It's not rationalization nor denial. It's cunning and treachery and treason. Once you're in over your head in treason getting out is near impossible. If you attempt to get out, you'd be killed by the still treasonous and you'll do no one any good anyhow because they'll microwave you to death and pay a doctor to call it a heart attack, brain aneurysm or massive stroke...
What? You think Michael Big Movie Producer More More More has more scruples, is more honest than Bush?
Here's a quick list of the compromised, this may not be complete:
The HEAD of all "lefty" organization of major repute (NPR, Commondreams, the Peace Corp...)
Enough underlings in lefty organizations to carry off the scam...
The Judiciary
The Police
The Spy Agenices
The Mega Wealthy
The Main Stream Media
The high ups in ALL the bureaucracies
State Government Officials
Heads of Industry...
Thoroughly complicit with mass murder and treasonous everyone of them.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
Are you actually serious?
Back under rock sweetheart and take your little dingle with you. People are trying to accomplish some thing here.
I agree with bildad, everyone should read this:
http://www.counterpunch.org/mayer09222008.html
- and demand answers.
Moore knows how to use the internet. He has extensive email lists. Wouldn't it be nice if he responded to this article?
Common dreams is the largest progressive community on the internet. Cindy Sheehan is willing to join with us and comment on this site. But Moore refuses. Do we not matter to him, now that he's a capital "D" Democrat? Or is he afraid to face his real critics, not FOX or MSNBC, but the grassroots Left? You know, the people who made him famous, all those years ago, by recommending that everyone they know go and see an unknown film called Roger and Me?
There's not even a representative of CommonDreams who comments at CommonDreams. That's because these fake lefty's are actually so far right they're going to have to be reincarnated a few times to find their way left.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
Ya know if I was as paranoid as you are, I wound crawl back under my comfy rock and stay there.
MM did an interview on Real News live. I logged in and asked him why he was backing out on his promise to "never back anyone again who didnt support single payer health care". The question kept getting removed. A few people asked similar questions.
MM said that his Cathlic religion prevented him from supporting anyone who voted for the war.
That wasnt exactly what I was asking.
Saloo297 "to: bildad
I do not know what you have against MM"
Did you read the article? If you did, and you still don't understand what all of our objections are, then you are incredibly obtuse.
I suspect you didn't even bother to read the article. It answers your question. In fact let me just quote a bit,
"Actually, what you have become is best summarized in the following paragraph:
I have seen the slippery slope that type of behavior leads to in the baby boom generation. First, you start with little chips away at your conscience. You agree to do things that don’t seem to directly harm any living thing, actions in which you convince yourself, “I guess I can live with that ’cause the alternative would be worse!” But bit by bit, as you start to abandon what you believe in and compromise your values, you end up being able to rationalize any action. Before long, you give up and head to the middle. You learn that it is safe there. If you strive for complacency and mediocrity, the system will reward you. Promise not to upset the apple cart and you will end up with more money, a nice house, lots of gadgets, and oodles of things. Who wouldn’t want that! But all of this compromise — not doing what you know in your heart of hearts to be right — not only destroys you as an individual, it weakens our democracy.[6]
Remember those words, Michael? You wrote them. You have become what you vehemently opposed."
Exactly. And, most of the time, people dont even see it.
I'll tell you one thing--the people of Flint are not so crazy abou him or his mansion. They say he only walks to streets there now, when he wants to photograph it.
He's become a "professional common man".
And, I dont think that he helps Dems with the very voters that they need most.
Of course, the Dems dont help THEMSELVES very much with taht , either.
I used to love Michael Moore, now I am deeply ambivalent about him. What changed? He became enormously wealthy due to "Bowling For Columbine" and esp. "Fahrenheit 9/11". Now he makes me sad.
But why oh why do Democrats not care about voter suppression, voter fraud, etc.? This astonishes me! They win elections and don't challenge the obvious fraud! Yikes!
Yes, but he was poor for a long time and he has worked his ass off.
"Wow .. I really enjoyed the film ... sent it to all my friends on yahoo, myspace, facebook ... we cannot have another republican in the White House ... Vote Obama 08," wrote a contributor called Don.
I'm so glad they included what "Don" wrote. Such insight!
I used to think Moore was alright, but I've lost all respect for him.
How can he actually support a pro-war candidate who is against a single payer health system?
The site doesn't allow me to download.... but it will not only allow but REQUIRE that I spread the word about a movie that it won't let me download.
"Let me recommend to you this wonderful movie that Michael Moore won't let me have. I think it might be a sequel to Gigli..."