(Vanity) Brokeback Mountain, a Curious Attendance Story

Michael Medved Radio | 1-6-06 | Vanity

[Balding_Eagle]

Did anyone else hear this on the Michael Medved talk radio today?

A man called in, near the end of the hour. He said he had been taken his kids to the theater, and the kids movie they were waiting to see had a very long line. Brokeback Mountain was also showing at that theater. He said he sat near the ticket booth for 35 minutes, as his kids waited in line to buy tickets for their movie.

During that 35 minutes he never heard one person buy a ticket for Brokeback Mountain. However, during that 35 minutes, the “SOLD OUT” sign came on for Brokeback. Out of curiosity, he went in to the Brokeback theater, and only saw 4 people in there. The theater manager refused to comment when the man questioned him.

Is this how all those theaters are getting such high attendance for Brokeback? Imaginary theater goers?

Perhaps other theater goers can investigate for themselves this weekend.

I can only vouch for the fact that this man called in a related the story as I presented it here, not if it’s true. Callers can make up stories too. It peaked my interest though.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I can back you up on this one, because I'm in the book buying/selling business.

I've NEVER seen the resale value of a book drop as quickly as did both Bill & Hillary's "re-writing of history" flops.

I wouldn't doubt that box office receipts are manipulated in the same manner that book sales can be.

[Darkwolf377]

I should have written @ or about 1/3 its budget, my mistake.

I don't understand why some people insist on talking down the success of this movie. It IS a success as a small budget movie, released in a limited number of theaters, as many such movies are.

But when you mention this, most people say you are supporting the movie. I guess if I point out that HRC is the senator from New York I'm supporting her candidacy.

[Borges]

I think he thought you were referring to BM!

[MeanWestTexan]

Flaming Saddles

[Darkwolf377]

You can find it at Boxofficemojo or Box Office Prophets, or just do a Google search Brokeback Mountain budget or somesuch.

I don't know what kind of ad budget it has, and good luck finding that--it's complicated, and they don't generally publish the info readily.

[Crawdad]

They probably had 15 mil in Handiwipes overhead alone.

[Borges]

Box Office receipts are very hard to manipulate because all the studios get the same numbers. If one tried to pad its totals the others would cry bloody murder. It's as accurate as these sort of things get actually. (compared to stuff like record sales and Nielsen ratings anyway)

[samadams2000]

Go to Boxofficemojo.com.......it lists each movie with daily running totals....BBM doesnt even rate as a mole on the balls of a mouse. The big story (Scam) is actually that the movie has "grossed" less than 20 million dollars..thats dollars not people...People are not seeing the movie despite proclaimation of it being a "Cultural Phenom"!

[BurbankKarl]

It is a campaign where the studio buys up all the tickets for the performance online....selling out the theatre. Then next week they can report the highest gross per theatre numbers in the trades.

Miramax was very good at doing this.

[CaptainK]

Brokeback Mountain threads: Mommy please make it stop.

[Darkwolf377]

Also, it's nothing like the ad budget for Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, which is one of the largest ever. But since we like that movie it doesn't matter. ;)

[Rutles4Ever]

Registered in 2004. That's green?

[lugsoul]

I know that is a favorite meme around here. But one of them is a rodeo cowboy. Bull rider, even. Do with that what you will.

[Rocky]

Actually, when Passion of the Christ was released and selling like hot cakes, there was more than one instance of a moviegoer reporting paying for it, getting a ticket to another movie and being told not to worry about it by management...

That thought occurred to me as well. And someone knowledgable about the movie industry commented on one of those threads that this is sometimes done because of some financial incentive to the theater owner. It's better to show high attendance on certain movies than others, apparently.

So, I suppose, if the Brokeback Mountain distributor is giving a bigger cut to the theater owner (most theaters are owned by huge companies), they may be putting Brokeback Mountain tickets in the slots for other films like Narnia. This cheats the Narnia distributor and benefits the Brokeback Mountain guys. But they can't risk getting caught by selling more tickets than they have seats, so they put up a sold sign when they run out of tickets.

I don't know anything about the business. I am just basing this on comments on a thread about The Passion of the Christ.

[humblegunner]

However, during that 35 minutes, the “SOLD OUT” sign came on for Brokeback. Out of curiosity, he went in to the Brokeback theater, and only saw 4 people in there.

Maybe that is the rated capacity for the movie.. homos in dark places may want privacy.

Seriously, though.. anything you heard "some guy on talk-radio" say has to be taken with a grain of salt.

[Inspectorette]

I belonged to the IAM-AW for 15 years (one of very few women in my local). Most of the guys I worked with wouldn't be caught dead going to see "Brokeback Mountain", no matter how much the Union leadership would try to encourage them.

Also, most of the rank and file in my local were good solid conservatives.

[Borges]

It should be noted that Medved liked the movie.

[doodad]

Can't be. Just thought it was dang rude.

[don-o]

Brokeback Mountain threads: Mommy please make it stop.

You do know how to use your mouse? Like not click?

[don-o]

Registered in 2004. That's green?

Yup