Democrats Find Relief Among Allies at "Fahrenheit 9/11" (NYT)

[VolcanoJen]

My... isn't that the truth? I've never been among a more boisterous, electric, excited movie crowd in my life.

Excellent article, really... this film is becoming an "event," which is ok in the sense that it draws even more media coverage. :D'

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/27/politics/campaign/27fahrenheit.html

Excerpt:

The Arnolds had to drive 50 miles to get to this affluent Indianapolis suburb from their home in Kokomo, and Mr. Arnold had to take the morning off from his job as a school administrator, but, as Mrs. Arnold explained, "They just don't show art movies in Kokomo."

The couple said they were impressed that the film had won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival last month. And they said they were also motivated by the hoopla surrounding the film. But Mr. Arnold seemed almost embarrassed to add, "Moore's politics pretty much align with ours."

Such was the mood at the Regal Cinemas, a free-standing complex behind a shopping mall, where one of 17 screens was showing
"Fahrenheit 9/11" and where central Indianans of liberal inclination gathered as if in a secret club, seeking safety and solace among like-minded citizens.

<snip>

"We feel all alone sometimes, especially since the 2000 election," said Don Etherington, a junior high school teacher from Tipton. He attended the morning screening with his son, Kyle, 20, a political science major at Indiana University, Kokomo, who plans to seek an internship at the White House next year - but only if John Kerry wins the election in November.

Some 25 or so members of the Hamilton County Democrats, the local arm of the state Democratic committee, showed up for the early evening show.

"We were tailgating in the parking lot," said one of them, Keith Clock, a paralegal, who was also passing out fliers for a Michael Moore house party.

[NMDemDist2]

1. they are trying to marginalize us already

another spin spin spin

[Rose Siding]

6. That's my read, too.

Like, Thank God we all got to crawl out from under our rock for a minute!

[Hekate]

28. DU the New York Times and tell them otherwise!

Tell the author of this article what your experience in your town has been. Call them on their BS.

Hekate

[queer outlaw]

2. "Tailgating in the parking lot" ...

... Wow. Sounds like the Super Bowl, just for us libs. Will Janet make an "appearance"? :)

[VolcanoJen]

3. Well, I'd prefer Dave Matthews Band or Dixie Chicks...

... personally. :D

[Defecit]

5. Moore rocks!

The movie is absolutely fantastic if you can actually find a theatre brave enough to play it. Even with it's incredible business, I don't think it's likely we'll be seeing this in regular cineplexes anytime soon.

[VolcanoJen]

9. Umm, it's been playing in major cineplexes across my city since Friday.

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio... 'bout as mainstream America and "red-county" as it gets.

Here are the "regular cineplexes" in which the film opened in my regular town yesterday, Friday:

Kenwood Towne Center

Showcase Cinemas Springdale

Showcase Cinemas Western Hills

Showcase Cinemas Kings Island

Showcase Cinemas Milford

Rave Motion Pictures West Chester 18

AMC Newport on the Levee 20

7 Multiplexes. Where do you live that you can't find a theater "brave enough" to show it?

[NMDemDist2]

13. and Arizona isn't a liberal bastion either

but it's playing everywhere

Avondale, AZ Harkins Gateway Pavillions 18

Chandler, AZ Harkins Chandler Fashion Center 20

Flagstaff, AZ Harkins Flagstaff 11

Glendale, AZ AMC Arrowhead 14

Glendale, AZ AMC Arrowhead 14

Goodyear, AZ Palm Valley Cinema 14

Mesa, AZ AMC Mesa Grande

Mesa, AZ Harkins Superstition Springs 25

Phoenix, AZ AMC Ahwatukee 24

Phoenix, AZ AMC Arizona Center 24

Phoenix, AZ AMC Deer Valley 30

Phoenix, AZ AMC Desert Ridge 18

Phoenix, AZ AMC Esplanade 14

Phoenix, AZ Harkins North Valley 16

Prescott Valley, AZ Harkins Luxury 14

Scottsdale, AZ Harkins Cine Capri/North Scottsdale 101

Scottsdale, AZ Harkins Shea Plaza 14

Tempe, AZ Harkins Arizona Mills 24

Tempe, AZ Harkins Centerpoint 11

Tucson, AZ Century 20 Park Place

Tucson, AZ Century El Con 20

Tucson, AZ Century El Con 20

Tucson, AZ Century Park West 16

Tucson, AZ LCE Foothill Cinema 15

[Zomby Woof]

17. Flagstaff and Tucson are fairly moderate-to-Dem

But the rest of the state is freeper/libertarian HELL. :P

[NMDemDist2]

18. in case you missed the first one ZW here's another

raspberry for ya :P phhhhhhhssstttttttttttt



:smoke:

[Furity]

24. I'm jealous

I live in Kent, OH and there are zero showings here and in the next closest town, Akron,also zero showings. I'm shocked. This is supposed to be the "liberal" part of the state.

~Furity

[Kool Kitty]

14. I don't know where you live,

but here in central NJ, there are three multiscreen cinemas (each having 10+ screens) within approximately 15-20 miles of each other showing it. And I saw it at a two-screen theatre (because it's a sentimental fave and they need the business) and they have sold out every showing of the film so far. (The small theatre is 4 miles from the next biggest multiplex.) So, look around. It is playing everywhere. I guess they must all be brave here.

[Eloriel]

16. It's playing in Atlanta at not just a reg. cineplex but a posh one

Phipps Plaza -- THE upscale shopping mall in the heart of Atlanta (Buckhead, to be precise). I was shocked when I saw that. AMC, I believe.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

22. I saw it at the Krikorian Premiere Cinemas 18...

In Vista, CA. Yeah, Vista...the place that tried to outlaw the teaching of evolution in schools in the mid-90s. :) It wasn't a huge crowd, but it's pretty significant that it has 6 shows a day at a major metroplex in one of the most conservative ( :::cough::: back-water :::cough::: ) cities in San Diego County.

Awesome movie, btw. Everyone should see it, no matter your political persuasion. It contributes to the national debate, and that's all anyone can ask for!

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. "Arnold seemed almost embarrassed to add"

Who wrote this piece of shit article?

"where one of 17 screens was showing" Ok, Ok I get the point, it's a movie for a few kooks, just like a Vincent Gallo film or something.

[not systems]

20. Vincent Gallo films rock!

[LizW]

7. Maybe, but I don't really care

If going to a movie with a bunch of like-minded people makes us realize how marginalized we feel most of the time, AND makes us determined to do something about it, that's a good thing.

Attending this movie together in droves this weekend is bringing out the same longing for community and action that the meet-ups did.

So many of us so often have to shut up in order to get along with family, and at work, and in our communities. There's no denying that it feels great to be in the vocal, comfortable majority, even if it's just for a couple of hours in a theater.

[scarletwoman]

8. Wow, the last paragraph of this piece is pretty far out!

And in Pensacola, Fla., Monica Moody, a 20-year-old restaurant hostess who described herself as a conservative Republican, proved to be Mr. Moore's perfect target.

"Oh my goodness, I cried," Ms. Moody said. "I'm still trying to process everything. It really makes me question what I feel about the president. I'm still going to respect him as our president, but it makes me question his motives. Of course, I think that's the whole point of the film, to question his motives. But after watching it, I do question my loyalty to the president. And that's scary for me."

Just push past that fear, Ms. Moody! You CAN defeat that bushbot programming!

sw

[Kukesa]

10. I'm surrounded by repukes

and last night's movie crowd (sold out in Dayton, Ohio) was a breath of fresh air -- it felt good, really good, to be among 'em.

People of all ages, everyone happy, polite and excited to be there. "Ohio for Kerry" reps signing up volunteers and registering voters. A couple of Dem candidates for office talking to everyone. People from MoveOn handing out fliers advertising Monday's on-line Town Meeting (I'm going).

Audible gasps during the movie, tears, applause in a few places, and a standing ovation at the end.

No matter what "they" say about us, as long as they're saying something. We'll never be the silent majority and We'll really make our presence felt in November.

[Zomby Woof]

11. to steal from that rat bastard Tricky Dick

WE are the New Silent Majority, and we aren't so silent anymore. :-)

[Carolab]

12. Skip the commentary shithead

But Mr. Arnold seemed almost embarrassed to add, "Moore's politics pretty much align with ours."

What a crappy underhanded way to make it seem like being anti-Bush is something to be ashamed of! Are we all supposed to go there in disguises so our neighbors don't know it's us? Will the republicans have to "sneak in" to see it in neighborhoods where their friends and family won't see them????

Gawd this country is fucked up.

[hansolsen]

15. Michael Moore is a Hobbitt

I hear H.R. Troiken cheering in the dark of the theater.

My aged parents attended today. Life long Democrats, survivors of the Depression, survivors of WWII, good union members, parents and grandparents. They loved it.

My mother is legally blind with macular degeneration, but she still not only "watched" and listened to the movie, cheered at the end, and passed out flyers after the showing. Not bad for 82.

Even the blind can see the dark side of George Bush. What is wrong with the people who can't see it?? Damn.

[K8-EEE]

19. Just Want To Say...

I enjoyed your very touching and heartfelt post. I'm proud that 3 generations of my family are going tomorrow; My dad (airforce vet) my husband, my 13 year old daughter (her first R rated movie) and me. And one of her friends too.

If this movie does nothing but unite and energize all who KNEW all this stuff anyway, it will be a gift to the world.

BUSH MUST GO!

[hansolsen]

21. This has brought our family together like nothing in years.

Thanks for your reply. I hope you enjoy the movie.

There is a dark and evil side to George Bush, and people of good will everywhere are banding together and standing up to him.

I like that feeling, even knowing what terrible damage he has done to our country. We will rise above it.

[fearnobush]

23. This Artical is mostly shit... an attempt to minimize F911 to it's readers

It's just like when the NYT's and the rest of the right wing media chastised Richard Clark for being Honest and telling the truth. The the Media Whore's including the NYT's agreed to spin a CIA document that said "Osama Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States" as a historical document, and non-actionable. Fucking dumb ass coward media.

People, please, flame the snot out of the NYT's for this right wing tripe. Remember, it's hard to spin video of Talaban chillin' in Texas workin' the old Bush pipeline deal while at the same time running Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.

[Dover]

25. The media did an effective job of reinforcing the marginalization of

those who questioned both Bush and the media....by not reporting the true numbers at protests (and barely covering them at all), and by ommission of truth generally. People assumed they were the minority and now....low and behold....discover that was not the case at all.

[DeepModem Mom]

26. sorry -- misplaced message

[DeepModem Mom]

27. This paragraph infuriated me!

"The film, part polemic and part CHARACTER ASSASSINATION, presents President Bush as a buffoon and his administration as having filched the 2000 election, ignored the terrorist threats before Sept. 11, 2001, and manipulated the facts and public opinion to justify a war against Iraq. The central motive for the war, the film suggests, is a desire to protect the ties of the Bush family and their inner circle to Saudi Arabian oil money."

TRUTH is not "character assassination"! Bush IS a buffoon to anyone with ears to hear, eyes to see, and half a brain; I think polls now show that most people realize that the 2000 election was stolen; the 9/11 Commission will show that the Bush administration droppped the ball on terrorism before 9/11; and the New York Times dares to even bring up "manipulating the facts and public opinion to justify a war against Iraq"!!!