Analysis: 'Fahrenheit 9/11' has a date

United Press International: Analysis: 'Fahrenheit 9/11' has a date: "
By Pat Nason
UPI Hollywood Reporter
Published 6/2/2004 7:24 PM

LOS ANGELES, June 2 (UPI) -- 'Fahrenheit 9/11' has a U.S. release date, June 25, that presents both challenges and opportunities for Michael Moore and the consortium of companies that will distribute his new anti-Bush film.

The challenges are mainly logistical; the opportunities are mainly a function of the film-release calendar from now until June 25.

Marketing a movie is a major enterprise, one that Hollywood rarely undertakes to manage in 3 1/2 weeks -- the amount of time that will have elapsed between the announcement of a distribution deal and the actual release date for Moore's follow-up to his Oscar-winning documentary, 'Bowling for Columbine.'

Marketing the picture involves media buys, poster distribution and the other nuts-and-bolts components of getting the word out to the potential audience. Then there is the matter of press junkets and promotional appearances to flog the product in the marketplace -- but "Fahrenheit 9/11" already has a head start there.

After Moore made initial headlines by announcing that the Walt Disney Co. had refused to allow its subsidiary Miramax to distribute the movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11" made further headlines at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the top prize, the Palme d'Or.

The release schedule seems to present "Fahrenheit 9/11" with an opportunity to capitalize on what could turn out to be a lackluster slate of films over the next four weekends."