From Toronto to Pittsburgh to Jay Leno, "Capitalism" Marches On

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Friends,

It hasn't quite hit me that "Capitalism: A Love Story," my new film, will be opening in theaters in New York and L.A. just one week from tomorrow. And everywhere else on October 2nd. Is it already the fall?

Having spent the last year and a half living pretty much under the radar and quietly putting together this movie for you, it is heartening, to say the least, to read the early reviews where Time Magazine called it "Moore's magnum opus," the Los Angeles Times has declared it my "most controversial film yet," and Variety has said that "Capitalism: A Love Story" is "one of Moore's best films." Wow. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, considering this film is an all-out assault against the racket polite people like to call "Wall Street."

My crew and I had one thought in mind while we were filming "Capitalism": What if the powers-that-be refuse to give us funding for the next movie after they see what we've put in this one?! And if that was the case, knowing that this documentary might be our last one for a while, what would we want to make sure we put in this film? That's a heavy thought, I know, but we did, indeed, set about making this movie and giving it everything we got, with an attitude that said loud and clear: "Take no prisoners!"

The film is now completed and we left our world premiere at the Venice Film Festival with two of its prizes! "Capitalism: A Love Story" won the Leoncino d'Oro award, given to one film each year by a jury of young adults in Venice (they call it their "youth prize," meaning we were the top film among the young people at the festival). We were also awarded The Open Prize, given to the film that best honors the art of cinema (a group of Italian artists participating in the Venice Biennale hand out this cherished prize).

Then, this past Sunday night, we landed in Canada for the North American premiere of "Capitalism: A Love Story" -- and again, the film was met with wide critical acclaim and thunderous applause at the screenings (no, it wasn't just the sound of Canadians trying to keep their hands warm).

But it wasn't till last night, at the annual convention of the AFL-CIO in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, that a packed house of rank-and-file union members -- plumbers and nurses and steelworkers and 73 other trades -- watched the U.S. premiere of our film and, I kid you not, the roof practically came off the place as the credits rolled. I've never witnessed, in my 20 years as a filmmaker, such a response to one of my movies. I'm sure the theater management must have been thinking a riot was going to break out. After years of having the crap kicked out of working people of this country, the crowd in Pittsburgh was ready to rumble after watching two hours of cinema that laid it all out about how Corporate America has gotten away with murder. I was profoundly moved by this overwhelming and enthusiastic response. I simply can't wait to bring this movie to your town and for you to see it! I know you will be shocked and surprised by a lot of what you will see in it. Once again, I've set out to show you things the nightly news doesn't dare show you. There will be some very wealthy men who will not be happy about this film's release. So be it. It's a free country, but more importantly, it's OUR country. It doesn't belong to the richest 1% who now -- are you ready for this -- have more financial wealth than the entire bottom 95% of the country combined!!

Last night Jay Leno premiered his new prime time show on NBC. His in-studio guest was Jerry Seinfeld. Tonight (Tuesday), for his second show, his guest is... me! I know -- that's crazy. My friends are taking bets on the exact hour today the executives at G.E. will call and pull the plug on this insanity. Or not.

Assuming that doesn't happen, I invite you to tune in at 10pm ET/PT, 9pm CT/MT. I'll show, for the first time on national TV, a scene from the movie -- and I might have another surprise for you.

Well, I've landed in L.A. and it's time to get ready for the big show tonight. Thanks for all your support of my work in these past 20 years. I hope, together, we can make change happen in the coming months. That's what the majority voted for. That's what we all deserve.

AND NO BACKING DOWN ON UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE - THE INSURANCE COMPANIES MUST GO!

That's all for now, my friends.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. I'd like to invite any of you within driving distance to a very special premiere of my movie this Saturday, September 19th, in Bellaire, Michigan. It will be the first time the completed film will be shown in the state where I'm from and I'll be there to host it. It's a benefit for the local progressive Dems and you can get more info (and tickets!) by going to AntrimDems.org. I hope to see you there if you can make it to this very personal and special showing of the movie amongst the people who are my neighbors and friends.

Last night Jay Leno premiered his new prime time show on NBC. His in-studio guest was Jerry Seinfeld. Tonight (Tuesday), for his second show, his guest is... me! I know -- that's crazy. My friends are taking bets on the exact hour today the executives at G.E. will call and pull the plug on this insanity. Or not.


Michael sang a capella.

Last night Jay Leno premiered his new prime time show on NBC. His in-studio guest was Jerry Seinfeld. Tonight (Tuesday), for his second show, his guest is... me! I know -- that's crazy. My friends are taking bets on the exact hour today the executives at G.E. will call and pull the plug on this insanity. Or not.


Michael sang a capella.


And I was kicking myself for missing it...;)

P.S. I'd like to invite any of you within driving distance to a very special premiere of my movie this Saturday, September 19th, in Bellaire, Michigan. It will be the first time the completed film will be shown in the state where I'm from and I'll be there to host it. It's a benefit for the local progressive Dems and you can get more info (and tickets!) by going to AntrimDems.org. I hope to see you there if you can make it to this very personal and special showing of the movie amongst the people who are my neighbors and friends.


I was at the premiere of Sicko in Bellaire. I am about an hour away now but may skip this one. The Sicko premiere was very low key - no media there other than the part time reporter from the weekly Antrim County News. Since he has publicized this premiere it will no doubt be a circus.

Also, I can't understand why he continues to support the gentrified and upscale local Democratic party, dominated by transplants, refugees from the corporate world and the Detroit and Chicago suburbs. I originally wrote this with the "local progressive Dems" in mind - "the Democrats hang out a sign 'we welcome the poor and dowmntrodden' and then complain if the riff raff actually shows up and tracks mud on their elegant imported carpet. They need to take down that sign or get rid of that damned carpet."

It's "Michiganders" Mary. LOL.

It's "Michiganders" Mary. LOL.


OOOHHH, are there Michigeese too?? (or would it be Michigoosers??) ;)

P.S. I'd like to invite any of you within driving distance to a very special premiere of my movie this Saturday, September 19th, in Bellaire, Michigan. It will be the first time the completed film will be shown in the state where I'm from and I'll be there to host it. It's a benefit for the local progressive Dems and you can get more info (and tickets!) by going to AntrimDems.org. I hope to see you there if you can make it to this very personal and special showing of the movie amongst the people who are my neighbors and friends.


I was at the premiere of Sicko in Bellaire. I am about an hour away now but may skip this one. The Sicko premiere was very low key - no media there other than the part time reporter from the weekly Antrim County News. Since he has publicized this premiere it will no doubt be a circus.

Also, I can't understand why he continues to support the gentrified and upscale local Democratic party, dominated by transplants, refugees from the corporate world and the Detroit and Chicago suburbs. I originally wrote this with the "local progressive Dems" in mind - "the Democrats hang out a sign 'we welcome the poor and dowmntrodden' and then complain if the riff raff actually shows up and tracks mud on their elegant imported carpet. They need to take down that sign or get rid of that damned carpet."


I agree that he seems to be a little two faced, unconsciously perhaps, his ego gets in the way at times I think...I will pay to see the movie in the theater though, if it shows around here...I'd be dressing plain and going to Bellaire, but I understand your stance...(I remember your going before, wow, centuries ago, hey?)

Also, I can't understand why he continues to support the gentrified and upscale local Democratic party, dominated by transplants, refugees from the corporate world and the Detroit and Chicago suburbs. I originally wrote this with the "local progressive Dems" in mind - "the Democrats hang out a sign 'we welcome the poor and dowmntrodden' and then complain if the riff raff actually shows up and tracks mud on their elegant imported carpet. They need to take down that sign or get rid of that damned carpet."


He's an artist. If he could remake the country like he makes his films then yours would be a much more appropriate criticism. As it is, he does a lot more than most, and probably a lot less than some.

I agree wholeheartedly with your observation about the Dems. It doesn't seem fair or productive to just make the criticism and stop there, that's the simple part. Is there some way to influence them to take down the sign or get rid of the carpet? In other words, shouldn't we go the next step and expand the discussion to include ideas on how to influence Moore or the Dems if that is really what is being called for? I admit I've been thinking about the same thing for a long time now and isn't an easy question.

It doesn't seem fair or productive to just make the criticism and stop there, that's the simple part.

Moore was a neighbor of mine for a long time, I have spoken with him many times and I know everyone in the Dem party there and have battled with them for years.

Please don't lecture me about what is fair or appropriate.

Ironically, I was defending Moore this morning over at another site, where the conspiracy theory crowd was linking him to the "PTB" and the "global elite" because he doesn't share their beliefs about there being no planes involved in 911, and here I am accused of criticizing him unfairly. Does anyone live in the real world?

Please don't lecture me about what is fair or appropriate.



That's sort of off topic.

Are you sure you want to get into that discussion?

That's sort of off topic.

Are you sure you want to get into that discussion?


No. You can be in charge. What should we talk about?

That's sort of off topic.

Are you sure you want to get into that discussion?


No. You can be in charge. What should we talk about?


All I meant by my original response to you was that there is a difference, at least from my point of view, between people who have power and authority in the Dem Party, and the normal rank and file. The way I see things, MM is a rank and file member (albeit one with a huge soapbox) and not really a person who has much power within the party.

Maybe this distinction isn't important at all, that's a discussion I'm willing to have, and I'll try to keep an open mind about it. This seems like what is at the root of the whole "new party/fix the old party" argument. If the whole point of starting a new party is to lure the existing people who are currently the members of the old party over to the new party, then there should be some kind of reasonable motive for doing that. Right now many people who support the Dem Party do so because they share a world view with millions of other members of the party, and these millions are disgusted, just no one knows exactly what to do about it. Although I have never met him, I would put MM in that category.

What is probably needed is to organize more people into a cohesive group, not just move the same people around from group to group. In other words, having good people leave the Dem Party might be exactly backwards and throwing the bad people out might be the more rational strategy. I know you've had this argument hundreds of times.. Catch-22.. it is probably unrealistic to expect, or want, rank and file Dems to defect until there is some legitimate place to defect to.

All I meant by my original response to you was that there is a difference, at least from my point of view, between people who have power and authority in the Dem Party, and the normal rank and file. The way I see things, MM is a rank and file member (albeit one with a huge soapbox) and not really a person who has much power within the party.

Maybe this distinction isn't important at all, that's a discussion I'm willing to have, and I'll try to keep an open mind about it. This seems like what is at the root of the whole "new party/fix the old party" argument. If the whole point of starting a new party is to lure the existing people who are currently the members of the old party over to the new party, then there should be some kind of reasonable motive for doing that. Right now many people who support the Dem Party do so because they share a world view with millions of other members of the party, and these millions are disgusted, just no one knows exactly what to do about it. Although I have never met him, I would put MM in that category.

What is probably needed is to organize more people into a cohesive group, not just move the same people around from group to group. In other words, having good people leave the Dem Party might be exactly backwards and throwing the bad people out might be the more rational strategy. I know you've had this argument hundreds of times.. Catch-22.. it is probably unrealistic to expect, or want, rank and file Dems to defect until there is some legitimate place to defect to.


I have no interest in political parties, old or new, in the way you are talking about them. Political parties and elections are an effect of the national political discussion, not a cause. If we make the discussion be about elections and parties, then there is no more political discussion and it becomes little more than chit chatting about an entertaining spectator sport. Worse - more like talking about a fantasy football league.

I don't care about the "new party/fix the old party" arguments. They go nowhere and mean nothing.

I have no idea what you mean by "rank and file" Democrats. People who vote Democratic? There isn't really any sort of organization to belong to, nor is there anything to do in order to consider oneself a Democrat.

I don't think shared "world views" amounts to a hill of beans, and I don't know who the "good" people and the "bad" people would be, nor do I think that politics has anything to do with good and bad people. Leave that worry to religion - who the good people and the bad people are. People can amuse themselves about their "world view" and gather with "like-minded" people in proportion to the degree of relative privilege and status they enjoy, or their lack of touch with reality (same thing really.)

The only people who have "power within the party" are the people who finance the whole dog and pony show and who own the politicians.

That is how I see it. If you see some basis for a discussion there, have at it.

Saw the film tonight, and had a chance to hang out with Moore for a couple of hours. Interesting night.

Saw the film tonight, and had a chance to hang out with Moore for a couple of hours. Interesting night.




What were you too tired to tell more??? ;) Did you grill him on letting BO off so lightly?

What were you too tired to tell more??? ;)

Yeah I actually was. Intense evening. Covered a lot of subjects and needed to digest it a little, too.


Did you grill him on letting BO off so lightly?

Yes. Moore is so much more radical and left wing than people think he is.

The BO subject is mostly not a big deal with him, boring really. His point is not about Obama, but rather that the election of Obama represents a rejection of Reaganomics and the religious right. He says it is not up to him, he stands with the people not with any politician, and the fact that people are looking to him for guidance or something tells us everything that is wrong with people - especially the activists, such as they are. He says he is just an average Joe, blue collar guy, making films, not a political leader. It is up to us, not him, and all he has been trying to do is to show how we are getting screwed and get us to fight back. It is the activists who think we should "work within the system" and who care about this or that politician. He doesn't give a shit about that. They want to nitpick and analyze his politics, and that is just a function of the stunning degree of paralysis and confusion.

When I say Moore is "radical and left wing" I mean "capitalism must go root and branch," class analysis, and an unambiguous stand with the working class. That is what we mean by that, yes? Moore wonders just what it is that many progressives do mean, and so do I. But calling that "radical and left wing" implies something - he says that liberals and progressives act and speak as though this represented a minority, and the fact is that the working people are in the majority.

"What can we do" is a question he is always asked. Someone there was yapping about organic gardens and alternative green stuff, and Moore said yeah, organic gardens, green initiatives, CSA - name some more of those things, whatever they are... we are missing the forest for the trees, and organic garden ideas represent a very small and weak tree. It is all a way to avoid the fight and deny the crisis. Right here in this town, wealthy people are speculating and dealing in the real estate and driving rents up to where people can't afford housing. Organize to fight back against the owners, never mind the garden.

A lot of us were pretty upset last night. I still am. Not with "Bush" or "Wall Street" or "Obama" or even with the owners, but rather with the pathetic response from the so-called Left.

Moore is pretty burned out. He says for 20 years he has done nothing but make films, working continuously, sacrificing everything else including his health. ("I am not whining, and I probably shouldn't be telling you this.") What he wanted to do was show how the working class is getting screwed over and inspire people to fight back against the owners. He is not trying to do people's political thinking for them, or be a leader or a guru. Instead, he gets endless dry analysis back about issues and positions in response. He is not sure what else he can do to get his very simple message across to people. The everyday working people are getting the message, but have no leadership, since all of the fire in what he is trying to say is smothered by the people who do all the yacking and are looking at the trees rather than the forest - issues and causes and positions and embalming working class anger into some dry lifeless thing.

When I say Moore is "radical and left wing" I mean "capitalism must go root and branch," class analysis, and an unambiguous stand with the working class. That is what we mean by that, yes? Moore wonders just what it is that many progressives do mean, and so do I. But calling that "radical and left wing" implies something - he says that liberals and progressives act and speak as though this represented a minority, and the fact is that the working people are in the majority.

"What can we do" is a question he is always asked. Someone there was yapping about organic gardens and alternative green stuff, and Moore said yeah, organic gardens, green initiatives, CSA - name some more of those things, whatever they are... we are missing the forest for the trees, and organic garden ideas represent a very small and weak tree. It is all a way to avoid the fight and deny the crisis. Right here in this town, wealthy people are speculating and dealing in the real estate and driving rents up to where people can't afford housing. Organize to fight back against the owners, never mind the garden.

A lot of us were pretty upset last night. I still am. Not with "Bush" or "Wall Street" or "Obama" or even with the owners, but rather with the pathetic response from the so-called Left.

Moore is pretty burned out. He says for 20 years he has done nothing but make films, working continuously, sacrificing everything else including his health. ("I am not whining, and I probably shouldn't be telling you this.") What he wanted to do was show how the working class is getting screwed over and inspire people to fight back against the owners. He is not trying to do people's political thinking for them, or be a leader or a guru. Instead, he gets endless dry analysis back about issues and positions in response. He is not sure what else he can do to get his very simple message across to people. The everyday working people are getting the message, but have no leadership, since all of the fire in what he is trying to say is smothered by the people who do all the yacking and are looking at the trees rather than the forest - issues and causes and positions and embalming working class anger into some dry lifeless thing.


I have not followed Moore that carefully, but one viewing of his latest and it is beyond obvious that he is much more radical and far to the left of the progressive component of his audience. He couldn't possibly be more transparent about his leanings, which I suppose there is some Taoist principle that says thats why liberals find it so "opaque".

Its to the point where when some asshole tells you they read the Dow you don't know if its the Dow Jones or the Tao Te Ching.

I have not followed Moore that carefully, but one viewing of his latest and it is beyond obvious that he is much more radical and far to the left of the progressive component of his audience. He couldn't possibly be more transparent about his leanings, which I suppose there is some Taoist principle that says thats why liberals find it so "opaque".

Its to the point where when some asshole tells you they read the Dow you don't know if its the Dow Jones or the Tao Te Ching.


Moore has a little studio on main street in town (not much of a "downtown," just a couple of blocks.) He said he did the entire movie there. The old theater across the street from his studio was refurbished, because a theater was needed - obviously - if his film festival here was going to work. He showed the film for free last night, so I knew there would be a poor and blue collar audience, rather than the liberal and progressive glitterati. We were all surprised he showed up and hung out.

I e-mailed people and posted around last night that I had spent time with Moore and folks were all a-twitter - "tell more!" But that, I fear, is all about celebrity and I don't think anyone wants to hear what I have to say nor what Moore has to say.

I have to tell you that people last night were very discouraged, and I am as well. Not about the Republicans, or the bankers, or the fundies, but rather because the so-called left, liberals and progressives, are selling us all down the river. That means that when we win we lose. I have been talking about the things we talked about last night for years, and Moore was saying, with very little effect or response.

The experience last night, as well as the work we are doing on the Capital threads with anaxarchos, are causing me to rethink everything. I am really pissed that so much time has been wasted talking to liberals and progressives - it is all a bunch of smoke and mirrors and obfuscation and distraction. I am tired of walking on eggshells so as not to offend people. Real people, everyday people - not fancy, not successful, not intellectuals, not beautiful liberals or progressives or activists - are desperate, they are hurting. Last night brought it all into sharp relief.

It was interesting last night to be among a couple hundred people for whom nothingin the film was some shocking revelation or any news at all, and for whom Moore is not a celebrity, but rather one of us.

Moore's work is all about the working class - and WTF else is left wing politics supposed to be about? It was interesting to see how a couple of intellectual progressives try to dominate and steer a couple hundred others, as well, back into liberal la la land. I want to wave my hand in the face of so many liberals and progressives and say "hello? Anybody home?"

I think that progressive politics are the complete antithesis of working class politics.

There wasn't really any cheering or much applause last night. I find the reports of that from elsewhere odd. I suppose that for liberals, Moore is a dream come true because they think he is a working stiff (overweight, dressed like a shopworker, talking plain talk - definitely not the "right" sort for liberals) sticking it to the Republicans for them? They are hoping that this will "wake the sheeple up" and that "they" will "rise up," and that this can then can be used by the liberals for instituting their grand vision of enlightened humane green capitalism, with themselves in charge.

What were you too tired to tell more??? ;)

Yeah I actually was. Intense evening. Covered a lot of subjects and needed to digest it a little, too.


Did you grill him on letting BO off so lightly?

Yes. Moore is so much more radical and left wing than people think he is.

The BO subject is mostly not a big deal with him, boring really. His point is not about Obama, but rather that the election of Obama represents a rejection of Reaganomics and the religious right. He says it is not up to him, he stands with the people not with any politician, and the fact that people are looking to him for guidance or something tells us everything that is wrong with people - especially the activists, such as they are. He says he is just an average Joe, blue collar guy, making films, not a political leader. It is up to us, not him, and all he has been trying to do is to show how we are getting screwed and get us to fight back. It is the activists who think we should "work within the system" and who care about this or that politician. He doesn't give a shit about that. They want to nitpick and analyze his politics, and that is just a function of the stunning degree of paralysis and confusion.


I actually liked the film, and got his point about exhibiting the power of a people's movement regardless the focus (in one case Obama). I've loved him since Roger and Me, and when he took the folks to Gitmo and Cuba for healthcare in Sicko, I was sold that he's a genuine left populist. My question was not a criticism, I was honestly curious and perhaps obtuse about that aspect, thought he might have been pressured to be kind or something. I'm glad you asked him and got to see him.

Went to the early matinee Saturday, besides the two of us only one other patron and he's the old hippie who runs the health food store down from the flower shop. We are where we is.

Nicely done, had me teary eyed at times, thought he could have used more anger but I guess that's just me and he knows what he is doing.