Sarah Palin documentary grosses more per-theater than Wendi Murdoch's 'Snow Flower'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Gosh, who would you like to see fail more? Caribou Barbie, or Mrs. Rupert Murdoch?

More bad news for News Corp.

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," an adaptation of Lisa See's popular novel, opened this weekend in 24 U.S. theaters and collected only $135,619 for a soft per-theater average of $5,651, according to an estimate from distributor Fox Searchlight, a unit of News. Corp.

The film, set in 19th century China with dialogue in Mandarin and English, was co-produced by Wendi Murdoch, wife of News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch. Although the film's U.S. debut wasn't outstanding, it is proving to be more resonant overseas. Heading into the weekend, it had already grossed $5 million after only 10 days of release in China.

"Snow Flower" was even less well-received stateside than "The Undefeated," a documentary about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's rise to the national political stage. The film -- which opened in 10 cities this weekend including Orange County, Indianapolis and Houston -- collected $68,000 for a so-so per-theater average of $6,800. The movie, whose tone many critics have said is strongly pro-Palin, on Sunday had an embarrassing 0% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/07/snow-flower-and-the-secret-fan-sarah-palin.html

[FrenchieCat]

1. LOL!

The movie (Palin Propaganda film), whose tone many critics have said is strongly pro-Palin, on Sunday had an embarrassing 0% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

[Warpy]

3. OK, I just had to look

I'm sure some tame reviewer at the Moonie Times or Pox News will up that number, but for now the reviews are unanimous.

The entire review at Variety is a thing of beauty:

"Faster than the speed of thought, "The Undefeated" is a history lesson designed for students with minimal attention spans. Bannon strives to give every scene an insistently propulsive pace, relying heavily on smash cuts, skittish pans and self-conscious switches between color and black-and-white. Helmer overhypes much of his archival footage and almost drowns out some of his interviewees with the sort of thunderous music one normally hears only in movies when astronauts are preparing to blow up meteors. The interviews are shot in a swervy, jerky manner that may be intended to come across as dynamic, but actually appear to indicate the videographer was barely suppressing nature's call. "

There is more, of course. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117945619?refcatid=31

[jmowreader]

7. It switches between color & black and white?

Considering who we're talking about, using the same cinematic tricks employed in "Natural Born Killers" probably wasn't such a good idea.

[DCKit]

2. Why and how were neither of these (obviously fabulous) movies not on my radar?

I've been so isolated.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Snow Flower is a lovely film, just the sort that goes under seen

in the US. 89% of Rotten Tomatoes viewers like it, although the critics are less charmed. It is a very good film, which gets my personal recommedation

[mackerel]

5. Good friend of mine saw, wasn't handing out glowing reviews.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Everyone I know thought it was great

But many had read the novel, which is wonderful. Good film or bad film, that is up to each, but I hate to see work which has high intentions being called 'Murdoch's' because frankly, if every film with a crook investing in it was eliminated, we'd have no films to watch, and the same goes for music and the rest. An investor does not make the film, and to suggest that she did needs to be addressed. The nature of the OP could lead people to assume this is another right wing film, which could not be further from the truth of the matter.