Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore is going the route of Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and others and releasing his latest work, Slacker Uprising on the Internet as a free download. According to Moore, it’s the first major feature-length film by a noted director to debut for free via the internet.

Slacker Uprising traces Michael Moore’s 62-city tour of the swing states during the 2004 Presidential election.

Moore, who has made three of the five top-grossing documentaries of all time (including “Fahrenheit 9/11″), said he is doing this giveaway for personal reasons.

“I realized that in a few months it will be the 20th anniversary of my first film, Roger & Me,” he said. “I’ve been very blessed and fortunate to have so many people come to my movies over these two decades, I decided why not bypass the studios and the exhibitors and make one that the fans can have for free, as a show of my profound appreciation of their support.”

The free download is being organized and distributed by Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Films. The download itself is as a free download. Note: the download is only available free to those that click a box saying they are residents of U.S. or Canada, and an email address is required.

About Slacker Uprising

Moore’s goal four years ago was to convince millions of non-voting slackers — mostly between the ages of 18-29 — to give voting a try. Starting out in Elk Rapids, Michigan, in front of an audience of 400, the tour caught on like wildfire with up to 16,000 slackers each night coming to see Moore and his traveling band of speakers, comedians, and musicians.

To encourage the slackers to show up, they were offered a clean change of underwear, Ramen noodles, and a promise that no event would start before noon and no politician would be allowed to speak. These enticements filled basketball arenas and football stadiums every night on the “Slacker Uprising Tour.”

Part concert tour, part stand-up comedy performance and part rock concert, SLACKER UPRISING is an uplifting and patriotic look at the birth of a new political generation in America — a generation of young people who would signal the era of “Obamania” that would take place just four years later.

Along with Moore’s appearance, “Slacker Uprising” features live performances or appearances by Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam), Roseanne Barr, Joan Baez, Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), R.E.M., Steve Earle, and Viggo Mortensen.

via cNet