Sony decides to scrap "The Interview"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/17/sony-cancels-the-interview_n_6343926.html

After all the hoopla, Sony scrapped the release of "The Interview" anyway. Maybe some leaked copies will get on YouTube. As expected, film personalities boldly came out on Twitter to protest the move and tisk-tisk Sony. But to me that exemplifies their typical out-of-touch Hollywood elite behavior.

Sony has a legal responsibility to its shareholders (and the safety of its workers and assets - esp. Sony Japan that begged the company from the start not to take on the project). Major theater chains decided not to show the film anyway due to threats. And Sony is not a freedom fighting org with "principles" or whatever - they are a business. It's not all about artistic absolutes. Sure, in a perfect world, a thespian wouldn't be subjected to any restrictions or censorship. But we self-censor all the time; we just understandably don't like it when a foreign egomaniac jerkwad dictator tells us what to do (and he is successful). It's a bitter pill to swallow, but what other choice did Sony have? The hackers still have access to their network, the company is in disarray (and many key industry relationships are shot due to the leaks), and it's likely the most expensive known hack in cyber warfare history (~$150MM or higher). They don't want to have any deaths or int'l incidents on their hands, even if the chances are slim.

It's one thing if Sony was going to release a doc or serious film about human rights abuses in NK or some other "work of value". But all art is not created equal, and this is just some Franco-Rogen popcorn fluff like "Pineapple Express." It might get some laughs, but it won't change the world and won't win any awards. In fact, the reviews so far have been pretty ho-hum. So why sacrifice so much for such a project? I guess Sony execs tried to take a chance, and I know hindsight is 20/20, but you wonder what they were thinking (or not thinking).

If another nation made a film about killing Obama, I am pretty sure the US would call for a boycott or worse (well, maybe the GOP would like it). OK, if another nation made a movie depicting Reagan as a homosexual doofus, and then he gets gruesomely assassinated in the end by Zombie Hitler - that would piss a lot of Americans off. Maybe we wouldn't commit an act of war against that nation, but we wouldn't just accept it as artistic license. Our actors wouldn't Tweet their support for the right for that movie to be made. So we can't have a double standard - we already have so little moral credibility in the world. Frankly, a film like that makes us look like insensitive, immature pricks. In other words, typical Americans.

I do want to protect the rights of guys like Rogen to make whatever "art" they want. If Rogen made the film on his dime, sure he can decide how he wants to distribute it (assuming media agrees to show it), and suffer the consequences himself. But Sony bankrolled the film, it's their property/problem now, and they can do what they like. They don't owe it to anyone to release it. I do believe in free speech, but I am not ready to give my life (or sacrifice others) to protect that project, when there are so many other critical free speech and civil rights issues unresolved (we still remember Ferguson, don't we?). Maybe that is my weakness - true defenders of freedom should be willing to give their lives to protect the freedoms of even horrible people. I don't see the Hollywood elites lining up to put their lives on the line for "The Interview" either though.