h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone seen this film yet? Sounds interesting; I certainly agree with most of Moore's conclusions, regarding Bush.

Also, I came across a bit on another site, in which Ray Bradbury accuses Michael Moore of having borrowed his title without asking Bradbury's permission. If Bradbury is quoted correctly, he MUST have been annoyed -- he's not given to such public statements usually.


http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue372/news.html


What do you think of this accusation? Is it OK to borrow someone else's highly recognizable title or phrase (i.e. intellectual/creative property) and tweak it to your own purposes? And does the author or other notable have the right to complain so publicly?

SC

Death to 'Far From the Madding Crowd', then. (From Grey's line, 'Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife.') Death likewise to various parodies, e.g. 'Bored of the Rings'. Possibly even to titles with classical allusions, e.g. 'Endymion', 'Ulysses', any title referring to the Odyssey -- alhough fortunately the ancients are all too dead to complain.

hmmm...I think Bradbury is being a bit precious.

Although if I had written a book that became a modern classic and then some right wing polemicist used the altered title on their own work supporting a war in Iraq for instance I might be upset.

Or I might just watch my book sales go up again.

I'd be interested to know what Bradbury's politics are - he wouldn't say in the interview, but it may make more sense of the story.

As far as I know, the only place the film has thus far been shown is at Cannes. I don't know for sure, but I doubt that many of the international film press and celebrities who were there are on h2g2.

It premiered in LA last week and opens general release on the 25th June.

The LA crowd probably aren't regulars here either


That's interesting that Moore got a _20_ min standing ovation at Cannes. I've been trying to get my head around that - it's a long time.

I'm not sure about the film's poster though. Presumably that is a fake photo

http://www.michaelmoore.com/

In the Grauniad today Bradbury says "Michael Moore is a stupid son of a bitch, that's what I think about it. He stole my title and changed the numbers and never asked my permission."

Which is a bit unequivocal really. You can find the whole thing here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1238794,00.html.

Personally I think Bradbury has lost it. This is what culture does, it recycles iconic art and in doing so strengthens it's status. Surely he should be glad that he is being referenced so prominenetly.

You think?

RF

"Surely he should be glad that he is being referenced so prominenetly.:"

True, unless the person referencing him is perceived as having abhorrent politics.

True, but from the tone of Farenheit 451 I wouldn't have thought that he found Moore's politics abhorrent, but rather Bush's. The book is a polemic against totalitarian anti intellectualism, and the manipulation of media.

Sorry you've confused me there.

" The book is a polemic against totalitarian anti intellectualism, and the manipulation of media."

So he'd be supportive of Moore's politics?

It's ok I've read your post properly now


So Bradbury's reaction probably has nothing to do with politics (unless he's become more right wing as he's aged).

Or it's not about politics and he's a raving nutter with a chip on his shoulder.

Sounds more plausible to me.

RF

Hmmmm. It doesn't sound like Ray Bradbury to me. Either the report is a fake (the Guardian are reporting on an interview by a Swedish journalist) or he's unmellowed with age.

"Surely he should be glad that he is being referenced so prominently.:"

I don't know how much this will help the sales of Bradbury's book, it was picked as the city-wide book club selection at all the libraries last summer, so in L.A. at least, a heck of a lot of people just read it.

Seriously, someone had made a comment on his politics: I believe he is a liberal, a conclusion I arrived at from reading his work and hearing comments he has made on various local topics (he lives in Los Angeles).

I also heard today on National Public Radio that a powerful right wing lobbying group is putting heavy pressure on the Theater Owners Association to try to get movie houses to not show this film, calling Moore a disgrace, and a traitor.

I normally wouldn't be worried, but this is the same group which intimidated DISNEY into not showing the biopic of Ronald Reagan on CBS TV a few months back (and which, irregardless of Michael Eisner's politics, they stood to make several million in fees for a single showing).

Even without having seen it, I hope to God Michael Moore has his master under lock and key in a safe location!

SC

Jim Lynn said: "Hmmmm. It doesn't sound like Ray Bradbury to me. Either the report is a fake (the Guardian are reporting on an interview by a Swedish journalist) or he's unmellowed with age."

Actually, Ray Bradbury has been a defender of author's rights in the past, on his own behalf and for other sci fi writers. He had a run in with someone who did some book of his the dirty a few decades back, and it's been so long I can't recall the details, but I do recall he was mightily peeved.

I don't know if being sensitive to what an author sees as someone stepping on his toes is necessarily connected with agreeing with that person's politics or not.

He is not a particularly mellow guy on things that bug him; you should have heard him go on about the ubiquitous L.A. police chases on the freeways and how they preempt all TV to show this, sometimes for hours. "These jerks are just doing this for publicity, if the TV stations would stop showing these things, and just ignore the creeps and not give them the publicity they're after, it would fade out." Not sure I agree but I think those chases suck, too! Not to mention the people who sit and watch them!!!!
SC

no matter how muck ink flows about this i don't think F451?thread=no matter how muck ink flows about this i don't think F451's sales will be affected: there are at least 50 copies of it in every used bookstore in the world. but bradbury would probably like a small piece of moore's action.

Perhaps the producers of "Dude, where's my car?" will slate Moore for ripping off their title too.

The copyright law states (and I’m paraphrasing here) that you can use someone’s idea, title, and/or music in a satire. (I don’t know if Fahrenheit 9-11 fits as a satire)

But it is considered to be good manners and proper conduct to ask for permission from the author before using any part of their work. By not asking for permission, Mr. Moore did not show respect to Mr. Bradbury or his work. And as stated before, Mr. Bradbury is a big proponent of intellectual property rights.

Just my thoughts,

Mostly Harmless