'Fahrenheit 9/11' Turns on Box Office Heat

[mom cat]

'Fahrenheit 9/11' Turns on Box Office Heat
Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:14 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Director Michael Moore's controversial documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" turned on the box office heat in its first day in theaters breaking single-day records at the two New York City theaters where it played.
The movie, which aims a critical eye at President Bush and his prosecution of the war in Iraq, sold $49,000 worth of tickets at the Loew's Village 7 theater, beating the venue's single-day record of $43,435 held by 1997's "Men in Black," according to distributors Lions Gate Films and IFC Films.

At the Lincoln Plaza theater, "Fahrenheit 9/11" took in more than $30,000 to top the $24,013 set by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000.

A spokesman for Lions Gate Films said the company debuted the movie in the two theaters to help build good word-of-mouth -- friend telling friend -- publicity ahead of the wide debut on Friday when it plays in 868 theaters in all 50 states.

The film has caused a storm of controversy because director Moore, whose past work includes Oscar-winning documentary "Bowling for Columbine," makes a case that the Bush administration was determined to invade Iraq following the Sept. 11 attacks.

The movie links Bush family members and business associates with wealthy Saudi Arabian families, including that of Osama bin Laden, and Moore clearly wants to see the president fail to win reelection in this fall's presidential campaign.

Groups have organized support for and against the movie, and audiences appear to be keen to see it.

Online ticket service Fandango.com on Wednesday reported that "Fahrenheit 9/11" was making up 48 percent of advance ticket sales for the weekend ahead, compared to 11 percent for "Dodgeball" and 9 percent for next week's "Spider-Man 2"
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=CMVRLDXP1CCQOCRBAEKSFFA?type=topNews&storyID=5499394

[Skittles]

1. TAKE THAT YOU F***ING MORONIC FREEPERS

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET

[Sugarbleus]

7. LOL...excited are ya? lol

I wrote to that 'Move America Forward' bunch a couple days ago about trying to censure this film,sooooooooooooooooo I FEEL YOUR EXCITMENT TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Wooooooooohoooooooo lol

[Skittles]

18. freepers are such stupid f***ing assholes

yet we have THEM to thank for generating SO MUCH BUZZ for this flick. THANKS, ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steely]

2. Maybe some nice person who saw it ...

can give us some tidbits? I can't wait.

[mom cat]

6. Welcome to DU steely. Hope you can get to the movies soon.

[Wednesdays]

8. Here ya go

>>Maybe some nice person who saw it ... can give us some tidbits? <<

Here ya go:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1842944

[Tight_rope]

3. Opens in Houston on Friday...I'm getting many people to go see it..

Pray they don't try nothing...This is Bush country...but just in case...We all are going to be packing pocket knives...

[DaveSZ]

4. Hmmm

So Carlyle wasn't able to stop the film on time by buying Loew's?

I'm sure they'll stop the next "bad" movie.

[tlcandie]

5. Maybe they figure, if they can't stop it... they will get rich from it!

:shrug:

[tlcandie]

9. See if showing in your area!!

http://www.f911tix.com/

[DebbieCDC]

10. Saw it tonite in Seattle

Wonderful audience reaction -- from boos & hisses to cheers & applause. Some parts brought laughter and other parts bring you to tears. Michael Moore's BEST effort by far. An amazing experience. EVERYONE should see this film -- open your eyes America!

[0rganism]

11. Funny thing about "Fandango"

Ever since I bought tickets from them (for Return of the King, IIRC) they've managed to spam my e-mail for every single major film. "Get advance tickets for blahblahblah", usually a couple times each week. Still NOTHING for F-911, I've noticed, even though that's one movie for which I might well consider getting advance tix. Now, according to this article, "Fandango.com on Wednesday reported that 'Fahrenheit 9/11' was making up 48 percent of advance ticket sales". HAHAHAHA!

Dude, Where's My Spam?

[Isere]

12. Hmmmm...what's the deal with Fandango?

I tried to get Fandango tickets for Sunday at my local theater and couldn't get a thing.
It wasn't that they were sold out..at least they didn't say so..but they said they couldn't processes any tickets for that theater.

It's quite bizarre.

[Dogmudgeon]

13. Jeeze. Uzz. Christmas.

--bkl

[bacchant]

14. I think this film will expose more than the Bush administration

I think it's record numbers will expose the carefully hidden fact that many more Americans are against the cabal then the White House and press have lead us to believe. The tide will turn.

[BigDaddyLove]

16. Yep.........

Just wait 'till November.


:bounce:

[FlemingsGhost]

19. I've been insisting Moore is our "Woodward and Bernstein."

F911 will effect American politics in a similar manner that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's courageous reporting of the truth helped destroy a corrupt presidential administration. Americans cannot view this film and not realize that we are dealing with a ruthless criminal syndicate.

The fun is just starting, folks.

[farmboxer]

15. I Can't Wait To See This Movie! Great News!

Really great news!

[psychopomp]

17. Yes, indeed

You don't recognize my name but I recognize yours! I enjoyed your short, to-the-point comments on DU back in the day!

I don't want to get my expectations set too high for a movie but I think this one is going to be an earthquake to move America.

[cosmicone]

20. The perfect answer to...

... the venom spewed by the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, O'Reilly et al.

The Liberals underestimated the value of talk radio and let those buffoons control the airwaves for too long.

F 9/11 destroys all the advantage of the rightwingers with just one film. No wonder the Carlyle group is buying movie theaters!!!

Perhaps Michael Moore will do a behind the scenes documentary on the conservative talk radio and its links with the GOP.