I just got word that two local Cinemark theaters have decided not to

[alfredo]

show Sicko. the parent company has pulled it from many communities.

[wicket]

1. Their loss

This movie is going to make a ton of money.

[alfredo]

2. I told them that this would have been the first time I have been

to a theater in about 12 years.

Block buster here won't carry Moore's movies. I guess I will have to download.

[babylonsister]

5. I couldn't rent or buy "Shut Up And Sing" (Dixie Chicks' doc) from our

local Hollywood Video; I imagine the same will apply to this. They claim documentaries don't do well, though that wasn't the case with F/9-11.

[alfredo]

19. When I tried to buy a copy from Blockbuster the guy behind the counter

said "We don't sell movies by traitors." I told him to go fuck himself. I haven't returned to their stores.

[coalition_unwilling]

24. DId you bother filing a complaint with Blockbuster Corporate? I'm

adding BB to my boycott list. Actually have not rented anything from them in quite awhile, but now it's official.

[alfredo]

31. Blockbuster, I found out, is a "red" company. It wouldn't do any good

if it was a decision from the top.

Two BB locations have closed in town. The one I mentioned was one of them.

[babylonsister]

26. How rude of him! I'd file a complaint, too. There's no call for that. nt

[AZBlue]

54. That had to be a local decision. I'd complain

(see post 53 - I had no trouble getting it - well, once I found a copy on the shelf, it was popular!)

[Joanne98]

73. Doesn't the Carlyle Group own BB?

[AZBlue]

53. My Blockbuster has it and runs it in its preview clips

[A HERETIC I AM]

12. Get Netflix

http://www.netflix.com/
Guarantee they will have it and you can keep it till you're done with it.

[Bjornsdotter]

3. Note to self....

....cross "freedom of speech" off the list.

Sigh...

[ClassWarrior]

8. Nothing personal, but...

...I'm frickin' sick of these "I'm giving up on hope and my values" posts. Christ, either stand and fight with us, or slink off into a dark corner and enjoy your stomache acid.

Sheeeeesh.

NGU.

[Bjornsdotter]

23. Let me introduce you to

:sarcasm:

[paulk]

11. it's not a freedom of speech issue - no one prevented

Moore from making the movie.

Maybe it was purely a business decision. No movie theater is required to show any picture if they don't think they can make money with it at a particular place. And Kentucky isn't exactly a place where I would think a Moore movie would do well.

[movonne]

13. What makes you think (and them) that it would not make money..you

know the reason they won't show it is they are owned by corporations..

[paulk]

47. I think it might not make money in the theaters mentioned

in Kentucky, which isn't exactly a hotbed for the sort of message Michael Moore is known for. If there's enough public demand - local public demand - from people willing to pay to see the movie - then maybe the theater chain will reconsider.

Here in Denver, which is a very liberal town, the movie is opening at one of the Landmark theaters, which is a chain of three fairly small theaters around the city, which specialize in indie and foreign films. It's not showing in the big theaters. They're all showing "Die Hard Again and Again" (or whatever that piece of crap is called) and the usual other horrible garbage that passes for film these days. They might pick up "Sicko" if it does well at the box office in those other theaters. That's the way it normally works for independent movies



Maybe the reason it isn't being shown is because they're owned by corporations that expect to turn a profit. Maybe it really is that simple.

[alfredo]

79. I'm hoping the Independent will pick it up. They have had real good

luck with Moore's movies. I do a lot of leafleting at this theater. Bowling and F 911 had overflowing crowds.

[Ganja Ninja]

21. I think we all know what's going on here.

It's the corporations against the people. The corporations control the traditional microphone and they just cut Moore's mic. No problem though, nowadays we have DVDs and the internet so it's their loss. If they would rather support the party of corporate corruption like good German soldiers then they won't get their cut of the profits Moore will make off this film.

[Joanne98]

74. Exactly!

[Occulus]

22. Sure it was.

You bet.

:thumbsup:

:sarcasm:

[dogday]

28. They get sick in Kentucky, don't they?

They get black lung from the mines....

[paulk]

48. yep. then they go to the polls and vote Republican

what's your point?

Are you going to force that fellow, the one who just tuned Rush Limbaugh in on the radio while coughing his lungs out, down to the movie theater to see a Michael Moore movie?

[dogday]

49. Because oh I don't know one's health trumps

one's politics...

[mmonk]

36. Restraint of trade.

That was done to the Dixie Chicks.

[AllieB]

69. Fahrenheit 9/11 was the highest grossing documentary of ALL TIME

Cinemark mustn't like to have lots of sold out shows, and mustn't be interested in making its shareholders a profit.

[northzax]

72. yeah, 119 million bucks

in 6 months. Pirates of the Caribbean III made that in a weekend.

plus, documentaries tend to be viewed by older audiences, who are less likely to generate other revenue for the theaters. the first two weeks in a theater, the theater makes basically all it's money from concessions as they pay extremely high royalties to the distribution company. the longer the movie is in release, the higher the percentage of each ticket the theater gets to keep. People going to a blockbuster for entertainment are more likely, statistically, to buy the popcorn and drinks that make theaters money.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

33. Your "freedom of speech" . . .

. . . requires that a corporate entity carry a particular DVD in its stores?

Interesting.

[Bjornsdotter]

37. See post #23

:eyes:

[ClassWarrior]

4. Crank up the phones!! We forced F911 into many theaters 3 years ago.

We can do it again.

NGU.

[alfredo]

14. I called the theater and wrote Moore about it. I gave him the phone

number of an independent theater, The Kentucky Theater. F 9-11 sold out over and over again.

[meegbear]

6. Here's their website ...

http://www.cinemark.com

Corporate Office:
Cinemark USA, Inc.
3900 Dallas Parkway, Suite 500
Plano, TX 75093-7865

Telephone: [phone]

Link to send a message: http://www.cinemark.com/contactus.asp

[AZBlue]

55. Also: go to their site and look up your local theatre - their email address is listed as well.

Hit them at all levels.

[derby378]

7. Hope Cinemark likes bankruptcy...

:evilgrin:

[arissa]

9. Hasn't every single Michael Moore release

since Roger & Me (including his book releases) been met with similar attempts at "censorship"? Doesn't it always backfire and the film/book is a huge hit, due largely in part to the publicity he gets through these attempts at "censorship"? It's par for the course. It helps him more than it hurts him, and I'd bet money he deliberately exploits it to gain free publicity.

[Spangle]

16. Which makes it a bigger HIT

The more people are told NOT to watch something, the more they want to watch it. The more theaters that refuse to have it, the more people will feel the need to find it somewhere! Just to prove a point.

This is just making sure this is going to be a hit.

After this stunt, they could show the show once a day, late at night, and be for sure the room would be packed. Making it seem like they are doing so because of lack of intrest, etc. But they will make tons at a time when some would rather be at home sleeping.

[Donnachaidh]

10. CONTACT page to send COMPLAINTS

http://www.cinemark.com/contactus.asp

[alfredo]

18. Thanks. I just wrote them and expressed my disappointment.

[Joanne98]

75. Done!

[Beaverhausen]

15. Once the first few week's box office is reported, I bet this chain will change it's mind

once they see this film making money, they should hopefully relent and show it.

[Ezlivin]

17. That's great! The more they try to "hide" it, the more interested people will become.

Remember "The Last Temptation of Christ"? The movie would have come and gone with little notice, but once Christians got their panties in a bunch over it and started calling for it to be banned, attendance at theaters actually rose.

If a movie theater decides not to show a movie that will pique the interest of far more people than if it simply showed it.

[lurky]

20. What percentage of theater employees...

do you think have health insurance at those big corporate chains? I'm guessing not many. It seems like most of those jobs are at about the same level as flipping burgers or working at Wal-Mart. Do you think Sicko might make the management uncomfortable?

[alfredo]

25. Our local health industry is quite politically powerful. they may have

persuaded them not to show it.

[me b zola]

27. In passing I heard one of the cable news shows talking about groups that are going to protest Sicko

The Herritage Foundation was one of the many groups that was listed as going to challange/protest Sicko. Some of the other groups mentioned were other "think tanks" that I have heard of before, a couple I have not heard of.

This is pure political pressure to silence Moore and the message of Sicko.

[lurky]

35. I think that's great news, actually!

Nothing like a bunch of screaming wingnuts marching around in front of the theater to make people want to see the show.

[me b zola]

60. No, more like these are the the bastards with the $$ to push their talking points onto pundits

It will get ugly (that is the only thing that they know) and there will be assults on Moore and Sicko on many fronts.

Fasten your seatbelt, the bastards are bent on (metiphorically) killing us all.

[Nite Owl]

29. It's a moneymaker

and they need it:


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070625/cinemark_holdings_mover.html?.v=1


NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Cinemark Holdings Inc. dropped to a new low on Monday, after a Soleil Research Associates analyst downgraded the stock to "Hold" from "Buy" on weak box office returns.
Cinemark shares fell 62 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $16.80 in afternoon trading. The stock has traded between $17.35 and $20.69 since the company went public in April.

ADVERTISEMENT


"After another disappointing weekend at the box office on the debut of 'Evan Almighty,' we believe that the summer box office will not be strong enough to boost the sector, as we had believed earlier," wrote analyst Marla S. Backer in a research note to investors.

"Evan Almighty," a follow-up to the hit comedy "Bruce Almighty," debuted at $32.1 million, less than half the $68 million opening of first movie.


http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CNK&t=3m

http://chart.finance.yahoo.com/c/3m/c/cnk

[DemoTex]

30. Camelot in Greenville, SC, will not book "Sicko".

Today, I was told by a Camelot manager that, "We do not book documentaries during the blockbuster summer season."

"What about blockbuster documentaries?," I asked.

"We do not book documentaries during the blockbuster summer season," she repeated.

"What if the documentary producer has a track record for blockbusters?", I asked.

"We do not book documentaries during the blockbuster summer season," Madam Manager repeated.

"Ah, I think I understand," I said. "Blockbuster is a modifier that Camelot only uses to describe seasons, not films. That should have been obvious to me, because all you have showing right now is pure-t crap."

:banghead:

[alfredo]

32. The droid on the phone said the movie was pulled due to lack of

interest, but then she said they have sold a lot of tickets.

[AZBlue]

56. self delete

[AZBlue]

59. Is it an independent theater? They may not be allowed to show it.

They may not have clearance from the major chains to show the film. Many smaller companies and independents get blocked out of lots of films that way. And, instead of explaining the whole clearance issue to every customer that calls (and theaters don't like to discuss the clearance process), they may use some lame excuse instead.

[Tesha]

62. Look, the memo told her to say that...

> "We do not book documentaries during the blockbuster summer season,"
> Madam Manager repeated.

Look, the memo told her to say that, that's her story,
and for the sake of her job and her crappy but at least
existent health insurance, she's sticking with it. ;)

Tesha

[mitchum]

68. Camelot in Greenville...that brings back so many good memories...

when I was growing up I saw so many movies there.
Saddens me to hear that they're being such chickenshit popcorn merchants about "Sicko"

[malaise]

34. The more they try to hide Sicko

means the more people will find it for themselves. Fugg them.

[Ilsa]

38. Ours said they wouldn't run it either, but I bet they run it in a few

months when they see how much money they can make. We are a smaller city, but have a huge medical community here, lots of healthcare workers. They used to be conservative, but alot of them are talking about needing change. They'd go see Sicko in large numbers here, I bet.

Cinemark's loss if they choose not to run the show.

[alfredo]

39. We are the second largest city in the state. We have three colleges, and a

huge medical community.

[Snotcicles]

40. Picket the dump.nt

[alfredo]

41. I am in discussion with some local activist about where we

go from here. We do have one theater that is willing to show intelligent movies. I bet they will get hold of the movie.

[Lisa]

42. thread posted on getting together a group to sponsor a screening ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1193294&mesg_id=1193294

[alfredo]

44. Thanks.

[BlooInBloo]

43. Typical Americans: hurting their own pocketbooks to spite liberals.

[alfredo]

45. We need to organize people to stand up to the HMO's and big

pharma.

[blm]

46. Oddly, I noticed the Regal cinemas are showing it when they refused F9-11.

I think Sicko will get way fewer assholes shutting it down. Times are certainly different than when F9-11 came out and it was pure heresy to speak ill of the Royal Bush family.

[alfredo]

50. I'm sure there are some right wing corporatist types that will picket.

[AlCzervik]

51. Cinemark is the theater in my town thats showing Sicko.

[alfredo]

52. Great. I'm sure our independent theater will show it.

The owner is a good leftist.

[AlCzervik]

57. i'm going to see it downtown at an indy, it's a lovely older theater that is a true

joy to see a movie at.

[alfredo]

63. If you are every in Lexington Ky, the Kentucky Theater is our

bastion of free thought and free speech.

[Horse with no Name]

58. It's not in our community

but neither was F911.

[GreenTea]

61. This happens every time with Moore, as they haven't even seen the film or

the republicans disagree with free speech because it doesn't agree with their republican ideology... Michael Moore is a great, entertaining film-maker, there's no denying that...But, these same greedy talentless republican corporatist who refuse to show a film simply because they don't agree with the content and don't want a much needed message to be shown...what can they be described as?

[alfredo]

64. Their protestations give Moore much desired publicity.

[Blue Diadem]

65. Here's a link to the poll for the Lexington area:

http://www.wtvq.com/midatlantic/tvq/home.html

it's midway down page.

I found the poll earlier this morning and was going to post about it but couldn't find any news articles. Thanks Alfredo for posting about it. I'm still stunned that they'd pull it.

[mitchum]

66. Chickenshit popcorn merchants

[firefox_fan]

67. What do they think? People will go somewhere else.

[dkofos]

70. Download, make copies, give them away free in front of the theater.

[Joanne98]

71. My Cinemark theatre is censoring it too.

[Karenina]

76. Are ANY LOEW'S theaters ANYWHERE

showing it??? :evilgrin:

[Joanne98]

77. I just talked to the manager at my Cinemark. He said there aren't enough PRINTS!

He said that the distributor would only make say 700 prints for a limited movie and the big cities get them first, then they send them back to the distributor and then if the movie is making money the little towns will pick it up. So I guess I'm going to email MM and tell him what he said. Is there any way to find out how many prints were made?

[alfredo]

80. They should get their stories straight. They told me first before it was

pulled, that ticket sales were "brisk." When I found that it had been pulled, they said that sales were not.

[Joanne98]

78. It's the distributor fault/SiCKO Distributor trying to limit openings

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/21/17402/0972
SiCKO Distributor trying to limit openings - Action needed
by SarahLee
Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 03:58:26 PM PDT
SiCKO is opening in 49 more theatres this Saturday! Be there!

Michael Moore’s office informed Healthcare Now! that SiCKO will be premiered in 49 cities THIS SATURDAY. It is critical that we get this information out because the distribution of the film next Friday will depend on the numbers they see on Saturday. I have included the link to the web site and a listing of the theaters below. Can you help us get the word out and pack each theater NATIONALLY?

ACTION NEEDED - we need to make sure the Distributor sees that there is nationwide interest in this film. If you are near any of these theaters or know people who are - please go or get them to go.

Theaters listed below.

SarahLee's diary :: ::
Please distribute widely asking people to go even if they suspect they won’t get in or will have to stand in line.

The distribution company is looking at a very limited release of the film because they don’t know if people will see a film about health care. We can show them that SiCKO will be THE film of the summer and that health reform matters to people.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/...