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I was able to book it for this Friday. No guarantee and no advance. And we have a VPF.

I've gotten some complaints for agreeing to show it already. Some nearby theaters are showing it and it is the only movie they are playing that is doing any business. I know my numbers are in the tank this week. This is a business and I have to give the people what they want. I don't have to agree with it. I wish the public wouldn't get so worked up about it. My biggest concern is not that it will play well but that it will turn off a segment of the population enough that they will decide not to come to my theater to see something else.

Leeler,

How did you do with this?

Mike,

You posted this on Facebook: "We will not be able to get Obama 2016. It is playing in Rockland. Sorry. We tried. " Were you turned down? Did you even ask for it?

It was our number one movie last weekend.

Mid week attendance is also good. Next to nothing for concessions, though.

We're playing it a second week but then I need to get back to the majors. Lots of movies coming....

leeler wrote:
Yea the older folks never spend much money at the concession stand. Give me a good children's movie any day!

I know theatre owners who cannot figure out what a VPF is, or at least it took them months to do so, and no I did not explain to my customers about the vpf or reveal that I have an 180K equip loan, the monthly payments, our bottom line or income tax statements, cost of popcorn, etc. etc. At a point: it's too much information and none of their business. I was told about the 10K by another theatre booker. It's not that unusual to have a "minimum rental" discussion for small grossing theatres. It benefits the theatre and is used to get a picture you might not qualify for. I discussed it re Obama 2016 only because people wanted to know and I could not get RMF to return a phone or email.

This movie has created such a fustercluck for us. For 8 years, we have shown many docs and movies that could be described as liberal. We are in a primarily liberal town. We received many hostile emails and phone calls in which conservatives requested 2016, and expressed that they felt alienated by our programming choices. Frankly, they have a point. Being a liberal myself, and living in a liberal town, it has been an easy decision to show films like An Inconvenient Truth and Sicko.

Today, we are opening this movie, and came to the decision based on a shortage of other movie options, its box office success, and the number of requests to play it. We'll see how it does. I have a sinking suspicion that it will sell few concessions, like the other poster mentioned.

I am disappointed by the angry calls we are now getting from liberals. If they don't care to see it, they have the choice not to see it. If I didn't own a theater, there are genres of films I would never choose to see, but I wouldn't begrudge a theater for playing them. I am tired of the anger on both sides. Part of me wishes that we simply did not show the film, but then I feel like that would have been censorship based on our own personal views.

Also, some of our requests were phrased similarly to the "Do you have the balls" letter. Maybe there is a script out there somewhere. Hostility seems like a strange tactic to try to request something from someone.

In Pakistan they are setting cinemas on fire because they dont like the political content of a certain film:

worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/21/1...ence?lite&ocid=msnhp

This movie was very difficult for us to decide to bring in and then our customers reactions made it even more so. We try to remain as neutral as possible with our business. But the fact of the matter is that a large percentage of our customers wanted to see it. I don't agree with the film and it goes against my personal politics but I believe in giving our customers what they want. I received hate mail from the right before we brought it in and then I received hate mail from the left when I did bring it in. I will be glad when this week is over and it leaves my theater but I have to say if (I mean when) another political doc comes out we will probably bring it in too if we feel there is sufficient demand to see it.

FYI, Here is the list of theaters that did bring it in according to the producers web site: http://2016themovie.com/theaters/

I can remember back in the 1950's when the John Birch Society (great grandfather of the Tea Party movement - remember them?) used to routinely picket at theatres showing films whose screenplays were authored by those on the 'Hollywood Blacklist' who were on the list for being supposed communist sympathizers.

I remember being an usher at one of family's theatres and being verbally abused and harrassed by the picketers outside because our theatre was showing "Exodus" (screenplay authored by Dalton Trumbo).

The height of this absurdity came when the screenplay for "Bridge On The River Kwai" was credited to Pierre Boulle (who wrote the original novel in french) despite the fact that Boulle spoke and wrote no English because the screenplay authors Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman (who later made Guns of Navarone) were still blacklisted at the time.

Politics and movies do not mix. A wise theatre owner should steer clear.

I caught a blurb in passing. Not sure if what I heard is correct.

But I believe the promo said "Obama 2016" would be shown on the Fox News Network this coming Sept 30th. They are also going to have a special interview with the film's maker as a lead in.

I so badly wanted to play this title especially in the only town I have digital mostly because when our governor was recalled, almost every yard in the town had a "we support Walker" sign--but because of VPF (their words) and the fact we are a no guarantee state---no movie for us!

I hated playing this film. People lecturing my concessions workers on who they should be voting for, people reprimanding me and my staff, people writing letters to the editor in the local paper (for and against the film), people demanding to know how many admissions to this "propaganda film" we've sold, people thanking me for "taking a stand" by showing it-- what an erroneous assumption! The whole thing makes me want to barf.

I hated it too. Glad it will be over on Thursday. Gotta admit that it sold lots of tickets, but there was definitely a price to pay for it.

So I guess you all will not be playing The Last Ounce of Courage since it is right-wing christian propaganda?

Next time a right wing piece of crap comes out and makes money you could always lie to your customers and not bring it in.

Or stand up for your believes and tell your customers why you will not play it. I could respect that policy even if I do not agree with it.

Never played any docs theatrically. I would have to make money though. (for the record I believe both major parties and their candidates suck). As a video store owner I brought in most documentaries. I would skip the turkish documentary on birds of the winter months though. Seldom did anyone ever care one way or the other. For example Waiting For Superman only rented 20 times in 18 mos.

Also, Obama 2016 is not going to be aired on Fox.