(My first diary, sorry I don't know how to do text boxes.)
What Disney Forgot to Tell Us about "Fahrenheit 9/11"
October 21, 2004 | 2:30 p.m.
First, we heard that Disney hated Michael Moore's film even before he made it. Then they dropped it because they didn't want to annoy Jeb Bush. Now Roger Friedman offers an even better explanation for Disney's refusal to distribute Moore's film:
On July 1, just a week after "Fahrenheit 911" opened, the [New York] Times reported "Disney Gives Details of Plan to Aid European Parks." The story detailed the financial history of EuroDisney including this one important fact that has somehow been overlooked: In 1994, two years after the theme park opened and was already plunged into financial chaos, one man saved it. That was Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia. His investment, valued at above $24 million, literally saved EuroDisney from closing and created a bond between the Saudi royal family and Disney's Michael Eisner that lasts until this day.
Of course, one of the major subjects of "Fahrenheit 911" is the connections between the Saudi Royal family and the Bush Administration, in which the prince is perhaps the most visible international businessman. According to my sources, Eisner was keenly aware of this when he banned Miramax from releasing the movie. Disney was also trying to get the prince to take part in the financial restructuring of EuroDisney this summer, according to my sources, which would have been severely hindered by the company's release of the Moore film.
This was on my husband's blog on Beliefnet.com. Yes, blogwhoring, but the story is not out there as far as I can see.
Swami Uptown:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/145/story_14546_1.html