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Topic: Sony Hack Hits Home

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-17-2014 01:38 PM

That's a great idea except the notion of giving away something for free would probably make any studio executive vomit all over his expensive shoes and/or possibly become suicidal.

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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 12-17-2014 02:50 PM

The big guys are starting to quaver. Regal, AMC, Cinemark, possibly Carmike. ArcLight cancelled too.

quote:

Top theater chains cancel 'The Interview' showings

By JAKE COYLE , Associated Press
Dec. 17, 2014 3:28 PM ET

NEW YORK (AP) — The top theater chains in North America have dropped "The Interview" after hackers threatened terrorist attacks at theaters showing the comedy, effectively squashing the Christmas Day release of the film.

Regal Cinemas, AMC and Cinemark have each pulled the movie. In a statement, Regal said it was delaying any showings of "The Interview" because of "the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats."

Hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace on Tuesday threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

Sony did not immediately comment on the news Wednesday. On Tuesday, the studio told exhibitors that the company understood if exhibitors pulled the film in light of the threats.

The country's fourth largest chain, Carmike, pulled its scheduled showing of the film Tuesday.

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 12-17-2014 02:53 PM

Cineplex in Canada will follow any moment.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-17-2014 02:59 PM

Terry why are you such a coward? You think it would be wise to not show this movie? Well maybe on the standpoint that this movie sucks and wouldn't do much business it might be wise. But because of some unidentified threat? I don't think so. Maybe you let others push you around and have their way with you but I sure don't. Every time you cave in to demands like this, it makes the attackers stronger. It gives them more credibility. And most importantly it gives them reason to do it again and again because they know people like you will give in to their demands out of fear normally displayed by small animals. Carmike is run by a bunch of pussies as well. Who new it would be so easy to get Carmike to give in to their demands? All the more reason to go after them again... because they WILL give in.

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 12-17-2014 03:03 PM

Joe, I'm shaking my head at you [Eek!]

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-17-2014 03:06 PM

I do have a feeling that the big chains are just "cutting their losses" so to speak. If the terrorists had demanded that chains not show the next Star Wars for example, the result would be a huge "fuck you, terrorists."

But in this case, it's an R-rated raunch fest being released on Christmas day that probably would have done good but not great business for about 3 days and then dropped like a rock after that. Having it associated with this terror crap would possibly keep a lot of people away from the other movies, so they're just playing it safe. I don't think they're worried about terror so much.

Maybe the chains ought to just delay showing the movie for a couple of weeks.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-17-2014 03:06 PM

quote: Terry
Joe, I'm shaking my head at you

That's the trembling from fear of the attackers, I'm sure.

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Connor Wilson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 190
From: Sterling, VA, USA
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 12-17-2014 03:40 PM

I can only imagine for the theaters that DO play The Interview will have martial security on every screen. The lights would turn up every 5 minutes in each screen so security can spot a terrorist, or maybe run the movies with the lights on all the way through to be safe. It would pretty much be like City 17.

I was actually at the new Regal in Dulles Town Center this morning, and there still is a bright poster for The Interview being displayed next to the lobby entrance. I didn't take a picture of it, but if it's still there if I go back, I most definitely would bring my phone to take a picture of it.

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Buck Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 894
From: St. Joseph MO, USA
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 12-17-2014 03:49 PM

Terry, are they? ARE THEY?! Tell us more!

I gotta say, I'm pretty surprised at all this.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 12-17-2014 03:49 PM

quote: Terry Lynn-Stevens
Why don't you think they are worried about being hacked? The damage that could caused by hacking Regal would be huge. I agree the other movies as well but hacking of the company must be of concern.

I'm sure the potential for a cyber attack is a concern, but it's a constant concern. While having computer systems hacked by would certainly be harmful, most theatre management software can operate in a standalone mode without an internet connection. This may create issues when it comes to redeeming internet tickets or transmitting reports, but it should be an issue which prevents the cash from coming across the counter.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-17-2014 04:09 PM

quote: Marcel Birgelen
Giving in to "terrorist demands" will create some *very* dangerous precedents.

Nothing new here. Anyone remember "Mohammad Messenger of God" (1977)?

(From Wikipedia) In a film review, The New York Times reported that "when the film was scheduled to premier in the United States another Muslim extremist group staged a siege against the Washington, D.C. chapter of the B'nai B'rith under the mistaken belief that Anthony Quinn played Mohammed in the film, threatening to blow up the building and its inhabitants unless the film's opening was cancelled. The standoff was resolved" after the deaths of a journalist and policeman, but "the film's American box office prospects never recovered from the unfortunate controversy."

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 12-17-2014 04:12 PM

I think Mike is spot on with his last post.

I also wouldn't discount Terry's theory that the chains are also worried about retaliatory hacking. If I were a theatre exec, I'd be more worried about hacking related to this than more traditional acts of terrorism. The damage that could be done to a theater chain by a hacker attack similar to what happened to Sony would potentially be immense. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the major chains IT systems were just as vulnerable - if not more so - than Sony's. Besides more mundane stuff, such as embarrassing emails, employee social security numbers and potentially customer information - like credit card numbers - could be compromised.

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 12-17-2014 04:15 PM

Sony has cancelled the December 25 release of The Interview

quote:
Sony’s full statement:

“In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.

Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 12-17-2014 04:31 PM

I agree with Joe on this. While I understand the logic of dumping The Interview so it doesn't scare customers away from other movies, still the act of literally caving to hacker/terrorist demands is only going to encourage more of that bullshit.

I wouldn't be surprised to see other "hacktivist" groups, criminal organizations and black hat vandals using this event as inspiration for more attacks against the movie industry and movie theater industry. They'll do it for the money, the fame or the "lulz." The hacker group behind this current scheme is surely laughing their asses off about it.

Another thing that is going to encourage more of this bullshit: the almost complete inability of the criminal justice system to find, convict and punish the perpetrators.

Theoretically speaking, if the hacker(s) were actually caught and prosecuted on American soil it would be scary to figure the dollar amount dumped on them in terms of a civil lawsuit judgment. It would easily go into the hundreds of millions, if not billions.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-17-2014 04:57 PM

So now the studios are undoubtedly going over their upcoming schedules to see if they've got anything else that will "offend" anybody. [sigh]

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