Apple Makes 'The Interview' Available on iTunes

[samcraig]

Has anyone considered that the entire iTunes team was out for the holiday? Wasn't it 12/20 - 12/29 for the annual iTunes Connect shutdown?

Releasing this movie during that window meant getting some bodies to break their usual holiday schedules and create an exception for Sony, which might not have been as instant as it normally would/could have been...

Yes - clearly all of Apple is shut down, no one is working, and all of the executives are ignoring emails. Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious.

The decision of whether to host the movie or not, I can pretty much guarantee you, had nothing to do with holiday schedules.

 

[TimelessOne]

Has anyone considered that the entire iTunes team was out for the holiday? Wasn't it 12/20 - 12/29 for the annual iTunes Connect shutdown?

Releasing this movie during that window meant getting some bodies to break their usual holiday schedules and create an exception for Sony, which might not have been as instant as it normally would/could have been...

No what the publicly like connect being down. If one of the higher ups at a company wants something done it will get done. That might mean giving an employee or 2 a few extra days of PTO to do a few hours work but it will get done.

The 12/20-12/29 shutdown lets face it that is a time span where in most companies you have no employees in the office. It is ghost town. From about the week before christmas threw week of new years most places are running on very limited staff as people are taking time off.

 

[Cpt. Gilgamesh]

Yes - clearly all of Apple is shut down, no one is working, and all of the executives are ignoring emails. Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious.

No, not all of Apple is shut down, but I doubt Tim Cook just so happens to have a login into iTunes and can just upload a copy of the movie.

What's the exception with this film? Besides Sony making a huge mistake with their security and canceling the movie in the first place (without using common sense and utilizing the independent theatre/online streaming sources), there's no reason why anyone should have to bend over backwards to have this film in their repertoire. Despite this, Apple did release the film. The article speculated that it was due to a timing issue and it matched up with the iTunes Connect shut down that always happens. This seems to indeed be the case. Anything else is not only speculation but baseless assumptions.

Also, what about other sources like Amazon or Netflix? Or Crackle, Sony's very own service? Why don't they have it yet? Do they get a pass because they're not Apple?

 

[samcraig]

No, not all of Apple is shut down, but I doubt Tim Cook just so happens to have a login into iTunes and can just upload a copy of the movie.

What's the exception with this film? Besides Sony making a huge mistake with their security and canceling the movie in the first place (without using common sense and utilizing the independent theatre/online streaming sources), there's no reason why anyone should have to bend over backwards to have this film in their repertoire. Despite this, Apple did release the film. The article speculated that it was due to a timing issue and it matched up with the iTunes Connect shut down that always happens. This seems to indeed be the case. Anything else is not only speculation but baseless assumptions.

Also, what about other sources like Amazon or Netflix? Or Crackle, Sony's very own service? Why don't they have it yet? Do they get a pass because they're not Apple?

Who is talking about a pass? I just think the idea that because a team is on "vacation" that it's the reason the movie didn't go live until recently.

It's a ridiculous assumption.

 

[subsonix]

Who is talking about a pass? I just think the idea that because a team is on "vacation" that it's the reason the movie didn't go live until recently.

It's a ridiculous assumption.

Really? We are talking about days here.. Are movies always released on exactly the same day on all distributions channels? No.

 

[samcraig]

Really? We are talking about days here.. Are movies always released on exactly the same day on all distributions channels? No.

Another strawman argument. I never said anything about timing against competition, did I? I was addressing the silly idea that is related to the iTunes team being "offline"

 

[r.harris1]

I don't believe that anyone was prevented from pursuing their "rights" or "patriotic duty" (really?) to pay an extremely poorly run company (Sony Pictures) to watch this movie on December 25th, were they?

Is it really important whether it was available on iTunes on the 25th?

 

[Liquorpuki]

tasteless and shoddy film, i would be disgraced to sell that rubbish

The Exalted Supreme Leader approves of this comment

You shall receive an extra piece of fruit with your rations tonight for fulfilling your patriotic duty. Enjoy, comrade

 

[cdmoore74]

Oh I hope so. I don't know why they don't offer everything all at once - theatrical release for the cinema folk, bluray+DVD and Streaming all on day 1. There's no way I'm going to the cinema again (used to go once a month since I was a kid but I've noticed people talking more and more during them. So I just get films on bluray instead). If anything releasing everything at once would force cinemas to improve things on their end to make it the best option they can.

I rarely pay for digital movies but this was different. I wanted to show my support that this could work. It’s not just about the interview but about future movies in general and how the system works. I go to theaters about 2 to 3 times a month and paying for the expensive entry fee is one thing but the food prices have gotten out of hand big time. With a family of 4 you’re paying at least $40 more for everyone to have drinks and popcorn.
But I’m afraid that it will not work for these big budget movies. People are just going to download them illegally. And even if you obtain the movie via legit methods what’s stopping people from having viewing parties of 30 people at someone’s house. Maybe the theaters should have exclusive rights for like 2 weeks and then they should put the movie out as a digital download. At the same time try to entice people back into the theater by giving us cheaper food and drink. I never really had a problem with ticket prices if you go early but food prices are ridiculous.

 

[cdmoore74]

For those of you that have already seen it, was it worth the money?

I love this type of comedy so yes; easily worth the $15 to watch any time I want. But I was going to see the movie anyway so I actually saved money (2 tickets plus gas and time). People here are overly sensitive. In one previous post someone was afraid to use the word “anus”. It’s one of our freaking body parts people and it was definitely working overtime last week. People here act like they don’t poo or pee. Folks are too soft and are easily offended so of course people will not like this movie. I bet the first 7 minutes offended half the armchair intellectuals here.

 

[0098386]

I rarely pay for digital movies but this was different. I wanted to show my support that this could work. It’s not just about the interview but about future movies in general and how the system works. I go to theaters about 2 to 3 times a month and paying for the expensive entry fee is one thing but the food prices have gotten out of hand big time. With a family of 4 you’re paying at least $40 more for everyone to have drinks and popcorn.
But I’m afraid that it will not work for these big budget movies. People are just going to download them illegally. And even if you obtain the movie via legit methods what’s stopping people from having viewing parties of 30 people at someone’s house. Maybe the theaters should have exclusive rights for like 2 weeks and then they should put the movie out as a digital download. At the same time try to entice people back into the theater by giving us cheaper food and drink. I never really had a problem with ticket prices if you go early but food prices are ridiculous.

Ticket prices aren't bad here either, I can get into a bad cinema for £6 ($10?) or full IMAX for £12. I'm happy to pay that. I'm not happy when you pay that much and others ruin it by talking throughout. That's the same price as a bluray that I can see on my nice big TV with nice loud speakers for as many times as I want, if someone talks there I can just kick them out my house .

I think it was Charlie Brooker that said cinemas now are just DVD players and projectors stuck onto sweet shops.

But I agree, people would pirate them quicker if they were released for home viewing. There has to be a better way, though. All the local cinemas my way are getting fewer customers, 2 have shut down and I live near 3rd biggest city in England!

 

[MH01]

Could swear a few days ago people were praising apple for taking a stance....... Guess money talks /shrug

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Haters gonna hate. Ain'ters gonna ain't.

Um...hmm...yeah. Painters gonna paint? Bed wetters gonna bed wet? Eaters gonna eat? Nose pickers gonna pick? I honestly don't get today's skateboard/surfer-esque society lingo.

 

[bobenhaus]

Too bad it was announced today from Sony that the interview has been their most successful movie to date I guess people didn't mind spending 5.99 on it.

 

[Rogifan]

Yes - clearly all of Apple is shut down, no one is working, and all of the executives are ignoring emails. Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious.

The decision of whether to host the movie or not, I can pretty much guarantee you, had nothing to do with holiday schedules.

Here's Gruber's take. I think the simplest explanation is Apple didn't feel it was worth the effort to put this up on short notice. So it went up on iTunes 3 days after Google Play. It just wasn't a big deal to Apple. Nobody lost their right to free speech because iTunes didn't stream this movie on Christmas Day.

http://daringfireball.net/linked/2014/12/29/headline-of-the-week

(What I’ve heard: iTunes Store content — apps, movies, music, everything — gets locked down days before Christmas and doesn’t get unlocked until iTunes Connect opens back up a few days before the new year. Part of this is to let content propagate through Akamai and whatever other CDNs Apple uses around the world, and part of this is to allow iTunes employees to take the week off and relax. Yes, Apple could have gotten The Interview on iTunes on short notice, but it would have been non-trivial and simply wasn’t deemed worth the effort.)

 

[cdmoore74]

I saw the movie. Although I did laugh a few times, I do think it's the worst movie of the year.

Despite how I personally think about the movie, I 'm glad Apple made it available though on iTunes.

Dumb and Dumber To was by far the worst movie of 2014 and normally I’m pretty forgiving. In my opinion the Interview was 10 times better. I expected much more from both Jim Carry and Jeff Daniels. They both looked tired and the topic of this old guy trying to get with his best friends teenage daughter was pretty bad. It would have been better if I paid the $6 to rent that movie instead of the $22 and gas I dished out. I have a hard time believing that someone wound rank D&D2 over the Interview.
And that’s the point. Did anybody see Dumb and Dumber To and wanted to see the Interview? Or did people just see the Interview because of the controversy?

 

[Rogifan]

Too bad it was announced today from Sony that the interview has been their most successful movie to date I guess people didn't mind spending 5.99 on it.

Most successful online movie to date. It generated $18M over the holiday weekend. That's pocket change to Apple.

 

[KPOM]

Here's Gruber's take. I think the simplest explanation is Apple didn't feel it was worth the effort to put this up on short notice. So it went up on iTunes 3 days after Google Play. It just wasn't a big deal to Apple. Nobody lost their right to free speech because iTunes didn't stream this movie on Christmas Day.

http://daringfireball.net/linked/2014/12/29/headline-of-the-week

Occam's Razor doesn't suit those with an agenda.

That said, I agree that it's a logical explanation, and fully consistent with the original story. Apple never said that they refused to host The Interview. They didn't make a public comment until it was released, and the rumor last week was that Apple balked at the accelerated timetable.

 

[bobenhaus]

Is that pocket change to you or the average person?

 

[cdmoore74]

Too bad it was announced today from Sony that the interview has been their most successful movie to date I guess people didn't mind spending 5.99 on it.

I paid $15 and I'm very happy with the purchase. There was a deal about 2 weeks ago that got you a Chromecast adapter for $24 with $20 in Google play credit. So basically the movie was free to me.

 

[576316]

Still US only! Are they asking people to find other ways to watch this film?

 

[Stella]

This is great, for whatever reason Apple's delay was, its good to see Interview being distributed by Apple.

Kodos to Apple

Still US only! Are they asking people to find other ways to watch this film?

Its available in Canada too - just not the US.

 

[Michael CM1]

Fair enough. For a movie of this quality, the reaction might be: "Rent for $5.99, when their other movies are $5.99? I don't think so."

It's a big studio release simultaneous with theatrical. I paid about $8 to rent indie "Europa Report" in the same fashion. Still cheaper than any movie theater.

 

[Rogifan]

Is that pocket change to you or the average person?

No but what does that have to do with anything? Even assuming Apple would have received the biggest cut of that $18M it's still chump change to them and clearly not worth the effort.

 

[Cpt. Gilgamesh]

So first they say no. Taking the cowards way out.

Then they do it after people are going to see the movie in droves in what most say is a patriotic event.

Apple is so predictable and shameless.

They never said no in the first place.

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Who is talking about a pass? I just think the idea that because a team is on "vacation" that it's the reason the movie didn't go live until recently.

It's a ridiculous assumption.

It's the only evidence we have of what happened. There is no concrete evidence of any other scenario. We know that iTunes Connect was closed during that time based on history. They've closed down around the same time for many years now. And that's all you know. So the ridiculous assumption here is that you creating fantasy based on nonexistent evidence is the gospel truth.

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Nobody has ever answered the question as to why Apple is responsible for releasing this film when many other streaming services have not. Even BitTorrent offered their Bundle service which was COMPLETELY ignored by the media and Sony.