What's with the "Sicko" limited opening?

[KnaveRupe]

Yesterday, I went online to pre-order my tickets for "Sicko". I learned my lesson in 2004 when I couldn't get in to see "Fahrenheit 9/11" because it was sold out, with lines stretching around the building.

Imagine my chagrin when I entered my zip code in Fandango and was told that this movie was not playing within 40 miles (the maximum Fandango-range) of my zip code.

Now, I don't live in the middle of nowhere - Erie, PA is a heavily Democratic city of 100,000 people, and the metro area is around 200,000-ish. We have a Cinemark cineplex with 17 screens, a Cinemark discount theater with 6 screens, and two independent facilities sporting four and two screens respectively.

29 movie screens in this city, and I can't see "Sicko".

So I called Cinemark's corporate ofices to complain. I left a moderately annoyed voicemail for the lady in bookings to whom they transferred me. When she called me back (I know!) She informed me that they had planned to show the film here, but that the DISTRIBUTOR had cut the number of prints from the planned 2000 to under 500.

I checked The Numbers website, and lo and behold, "Sicko" is only playing on 441 screens across the country. (For some perspective, "Blades of Glory", which opened 14 WEEKS AGO is playing on 275 screens.)

So anyone in the movie biz have any idea why Lion's Gate would promote the hell out of "Sicko", then cut the release so sharply that it isn't even being shown in small-to-medium-sized markets?

Do they score bonus points or having the highest "per-screen" gross or something? Or is there something more.... SINISTER going on (insert dramatic music sting here)?!?!?

Oh, well. Those of you who can actually SEE this movie, I hope you enjoy it. Hell, go see it twice so the box office numbers look good, and so the conservatoids don't point to low returns as proof that America is rejecting the irrelevant Michael Moore (Who is fat!!11!! FAT, I SAY!!!!1!1!!)

[soothsayer]

1. it'll get released wider soon. prolly a strategy to make all the early

screenings sell out, to create a buzz

[Radical Activist]

2. It won't open in my town until Tuesday.

I thought it was the conservative theater owners who have a bad history. I'd like to know what's going on though. The manager couldn't tell me why.

[SoonerPride]

5. Moore said it was his plan

Really.

[IndyOp]

11. Provide a link please - here is another thread with a different story...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1212004

[SoonerPride]

3. It opens 7/3/07 in OKC

Moore supposedly liked the constant buzz created by An Inconvenient Truth by opening small and spreading.

He said it keeps the movie in the news longer.

[valerief]

4. I thought it was interesting that the 'buzz' story today was the iPhone

instead of Sicko. Coincidence or fascist planning?

[IndyOp]

6. I think he is going to find that he made a mistake -

I just called to check about ordering a ticket for the show 3 hours from now on Fandango - to make sure I could get a ticket. Fandango cut me off and when I called the local theater to find out whether they had a record of my transaction - to find out if my ticket would be waiting - the manager laughed and said that he did not expect that they would sell out. The first showing is happening now (1 p.m.) and attendance is low. No one has come in to pre-purchase tickets for this evening. When Fahrenheit 9/11 hit town it was a blockbuster. I think SiCKO will attract big crowds, but they would've done better starting on 2000 screens and letting the buzz get started in 2000 locations. JMO.

[Warpy]

7. it's still opening here in NM

but my area has about a million people, counting the exurbs. I think it's in only one theater.

This seems to be a pattern with his movies, whether by corporate lack of enthusiasm on the distributor's part or to generate competition to see it as a marketing ploy.

Everybody who wanted to got to see F911 eventually, even if they had to wait for a DVD. It will be the same with Sicko.

Just see this film. Really. Everybody needs to. When the DVD comes out, I am going to buy copies and distribute them.

[soothsayer]

8. it's in 17 theaters here in the DC area

[gatorboy]

9. It's Summer Time

Many of the larger theatre chains are holding out many of their screens for the blockbusters.

[KnaveRupe]

15. F-911 opened in the Summer of '04,

and did quite well. Besides, the distributor cut the number of prints. That has nothing to do with the chains wanting to keep screens open for "Transformers" and "Harry Potter".

[Kokonoe]

10. It opens on 1screen in the Nashville Middle TN. area.

Looks like I have to wait a few weeks to get to me.

[IndyOp]

12. Controlling interest in LionsGate held by doctor with interest in pharma companies.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1212004

:shrug:

[On the Road]

13. Even With the Success of Farenheit 911,

it's still a documentary. Give it a couple of weeks. I am sure it's going to do well and break some more documentary records.

[Highway61]

14. Michael Moore denied entry into NYSE

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Michael%20Moore%20denied%20entry%20into%20NYSE&search=Search