Genre: Documentary, Drama;
World Premiere: June 25, 2004;
Runtime: 122 minutes;
Also Known As: "Mother's Gift"
Production Budget: $6,000,000;
Box office: $220,000,000;
Rating: R for violent and disturbing images and for language;
Directed by: Michael Moore
Producer: Michael Moore, Jim Czarnecki, Kathleen Glynn;
Production: Lions Gate Films, Dog Eat Dog Films, Inc., Miramax Films.
Tagline: "The temperature where freedom burns!"
Cast:
Michael Moore - Himself, Narrator;
Ben Affleck - Himself (archive footage);
Stevie Wonder - Himself (archive footage);
George W. Bush - Himself (archive footage);
James Baker - Himself - Former Secretary of State (archive footage);
Richard Gephardt - Himself - Congressman (archive footage);
Tom Daschle - Himself - Senator (archive footage);
Jeffrey Toobin - Himself - Author of "Too Close to Call" (archive footage);
Al Gore - Himself - U.S. Vice President and Senate President (archive footage);
Condoleezza Rice - Herself - National Security Advisor (archive footage);
Donald Rumsfeld - Himself (archive footage);
Saddam Hussein -Himself (archive footage);
Britney Spears - Herself - Interviewee (archive footage);
George Bush - Himself - Former U.S. President (archive footage);
Ricky Martin - Himself (archive footage);
Byron Dorgan - Himself - Senator in Subcommittee on Aviation (archive footage);
Osama bin Laden - Himself (archive footage);
Craig Unger - Himself, Interviewee;
Larry King - Himself - On "Larry King Live" (archive footage);
Bill Clinton - Himself (archive footage);
Tony Blair - Himself (archive footage).
One of the most controversial and provocative films of the year, "Fahrenheit 9/11" is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's searing examination of the Bush administration's actions in the wake of the tragic events of 9/11. With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W. Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how - and why - Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al Qaeda. "Fahrenheit 9/11" shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq - and "Fahrenheit 9/11" takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful human cost to U.S. soldiers and their families.
Facts:
In May 2004, Michael Moore announced that Disney (which owns Miramax, the film's distributor) had officially prohibited Miramax from releasing the film and expressed his frustration that the film was being stifled. Disney said that the decision had been made a year earlier in May 2003 when it told Miramax that it would not be willing to distribute the film. Disney chief executive, said that Moore was announcing it at that time to create publicity for the film's screening at the "Cannes Film Festival". Moore claimed that Eisner had expressed concern that the film might jeopardize tax breaks granted to Disney for its theme park, hotels, and other ventures in Florida, where Jeb Bush, President George W. Bush's brother, is governor.
On the first submission to the MPAA, the film received an "R"-rating. Michael Moore, stating that if kids that are 15 or 16 years old right now may be drafted to fight for the war in Iraq, they should be able to see this movie. Former New York State governor Mario Cuomo appealed to the MPAA on Moore's behalf to request a "PG-13" rating. The appeal was not successful, and the movie ended up with the current rating of R for "some violent and disturbing images, and for language".
Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451", has voiced his displeasure at Michael Moore appropriating the title of his book and films. Ray Bradbury is the author of "Beyond 1984" and "Another Tale of Two Cities".
After its official showing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival the movie was given what has been called "the longest standing ovation in the history of the festival". Although the exact length of the applause is a matter of debate, journalists at the screening have reported it being in the area of 15 to 25 minutes.
Moore interviewed American contractor Nicholas Berg, who was later kidnapped and killed by insurgents in Iraq, but removed the interview from the final cut. He said that the interview would not be released to the media and dealt privately with Berg's family.
Michael Moore retained Chris Lehane, a Democratic Party strategist or opposition research, used to discredit detractors. He also hired outside fact-checkers of The New Yorker to vet the film. He has consulted with lawyers who can bring defamation suits against anyone who maligns the film or damages his reputation.
DVD
Fahrenheit 9/11 was released to DVD and VHS on October 5, 2004, an unusually short turnaround time after theatrical release. In the first days of the release, the documentary broke records for the best-sold documentary ever. About 2 million copies were sold on the first day.
Features:
- "The Release of Fahrenheit 9/11" featurette;
- "Iraq, Pre-War" featurette: The people of Iraq on the eve of invasion;
- "Homeland security, Miami style" featurette: Footage of the old men who patrol the Florida coast looking for terrorists as part of the homeland security plan
- "Outside Abu Ghraib Prison";
- Eyewitness account from Samara, Iraq;
- "Lila, D.C.": Lila Lipscomb at the Washington, D.C. premiere;
- Arab-American comedians: Their acts and experiences after 9/11;
- Extended interview: More with Abdul Henderson;
- "Condi 9/11": Condoleezza Rice's 9/11 Commission testimony;
- "Bush Rose Garden": George W. Bush's full press briefing after 9/11 Commission appearance.
