Even in the face of potential international warfare, public acclaim and the media win the popular vote. So it comes as no surprise that since Sony Pictures pulled the plug last week on the release of controversial comedy "The Interview", the people have demanded another option to see what's ruffling international feathers-and Sony has answered them with a unique alternative. While cinemagoers will not be pleased to miss out on the comedic makings of Seth Rogen and James Franco, the stars of the newly banned film, theatergoers will be able to watch a live reading of the movie's screenplay on Saturday Dec. 27 at New York's Treehouse Theater.
Since the announcement of the film, "The Interview" has garnered quite a lot of hate from North Korea, and quite a lot of heat from the US government. And now threats have manifested into firewall action, and the US is claiming that North Korea is at fault for some serious feats of cyberterrorism.
A comedy based entirely around the premise of an attempted assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, "The Interview" is far from your G-rated films, yet far from the truth. However, as the release date draws near, many were not surprised to find last week that Sony's computer systems were hacked, nor that finally on Friday, Dec. 19, the FBI confirmed the likely culprits of the privacy breech came from North Korea, or perhaps even its government.
But the evidence isn't quite so cut clear as many would like. While steadfast in their denial that their government had any involvement in the hack, North Korea is also ruffling a few feathers and dropping some noteworthy innuendoes in its recent releases. What does the totalitarian regime have to say about the U.S. and its new film? Well, it's safe to say they're not quite happy, and the threats of impending doom would undoubtedly support that theory.
"The DPRK has already launched the toughest counteraction. Nothing is a more serious miscalculation than guessing that just a single movie production company is the target of this counteraction" state-run media source KCNA reports. "Our target is all the citadels of the U.S. imperialists who earned the bitterest grudge of all Koreans."
"Our toughest counteraction will be boldly taken against the White House, the Pentagon and the whole U.S. mainland, the cesspool of terrorism."
Since the cyberattack, Sony has decided to withdraw from distributing the film in theaters or on dvd stating that "Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film", but spokespersons for the studio hinted that there were still other options for viewing the film. And thanks to some clever wordsmiths, those in town this weekend in New York City for the holidays will be able to hear the satire courtesy of the Upright Citizens Brigade.
"In the wake of recent events surrounding the controversial film The Interview, the feeling that a threat to free speech has been imposed is inescapable and terrifying," spokespersons for the Treehouse Theater said in a statement released this morning. "In response to this, three comedians have acquired a draft of the script for the banned film and are producing a live-read at the Treehouse Theater on Saturday, December 27th at 7pm."
"Featuring some of the finest performers from the Upright Citizen's Brigade theater, this is an opportunity for people to come together in the name of free speech, in defiance of all who have threatened it."
Want your tickets to the show? Well they'll be quick to sellout with a one-night-only event of this proportion, but you can get yours now on their website: https://treehousetheaternyc.com/event/live-reading-of-the-interview-screenplay/
