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Posted on 04/18/2011 6:46:58 AM PDT by raccoonradio
THANK YOU. After an incredible opening weekend, it would appear it's time to expand. In only 300 theaters, Atlas Shrugged made 1.67 million dollars averaging $5,590 - 3rd only to Rio and Scream 4 in averages. Atlas Shrugged Movie = Free Market Working. Spread the word. This is our moment. Here we come.
This is the same pap you posted in another thread.
Who are you to say who is Christian and who is a conservative?
Do you have a litmus test for Christians? Do you sit in judgment of whether other self-proclaimed Christians have faith enough to meet your needs or not? What are your needs and why do you seek to control others?
The collectivists are destroying America. Obama and his minions are systematically undermining everything good about our country, robbing us of our liberty, and dismantling any defenses we have against radical islam.
On the other side, islamists are inserting radical jihadist who openly intend to behead every Christian, Jew, atheist, agnostic, Hindu, Buddhist, wiccan, shintoist, etc. who refuse to renounce their faith in favor of allah.
Meanwhile, you’re worried about the religious beliefs of somebody who died 30 years ago.
Seriously?!?!?!
Rand’s work celebrate the potential of the individual. They show collectivism and the false altruism of progressive government as the inherent evil they are and promote.
...but you want to condemn her works because you have a disagreement about her personal faith.
Why do you care?
Do you also repudiate any political support from Mormons and Jews?
When you are in the hospital desperately in need of a transfusion, do you stop the doctor to ask if the blood is from a white...er...Christian donor? You wouldn’t want papist or Mormon blood, now would you?
Please, in the name of God, realize we are in a struggle for our country and our liberty, including the right to practice our chosen faith. We don’t need the internecine circular firing squad.
Your typical pattern of opening weekend numbers doesn't necessarily work here. This is one that will have to build. The type of people initially likely to see Atlas Shrugged are those people championed in the film - busy people, earning a living and juggling busy schedules. They aren't your typical liberal hacks with time on their hands and wide open blocks of time to burn trying to decide which next atrocious "blockbuster" they want to see on an opening weekend. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, the theater I attended was sold out, and according the manager, so were the other showings.
As far as book sales, so what if the film doesn't benefit? Those who advocate the lessons of this story don't care how the values depicted are disseminated. This isn't just "entertainment," it's a worldview. The more people exposed to it and awakened to the irrationality, oppression and poverty of the Leftist worldview, the better - and we know that. But if people are buying the book, they will be more likely to want to see the film. This franchise breaks all the usual patterns, I'm happy to say.
I’m not hopeful the book sales will help.
Rand’s work is difficult to read. She takes 10 pages to make a story point that could be made in one page. She does not have an easy to read style.
The book is (imho) prophetic in a number of ways. Govt loans that are really a way to take over businesses, the easing of laws for certain industries, crony capitalism, people going off to college and comming back with an impractical “idealistic” worldview, profit being used like a swear word, etc... But getting people to slog through the book could be tough.
I read an interview of the primary investor who had the rights to the film He stated the movie had to gross $100M to break-even because about 50% of gross goes to the theaters/distributors.
There were also several different interviews and articles placing total cost at $12M, $15M, and $20M. I’m inclined to believe the later figure, as the others were from prior to release.
It will be a horrible shame if they don’t make enough to justify making additional films. Many people just don’t take the time to read or can’t get past the first 100 pages.
Even I stopped at 100 pages, then started over again 4 years later.
If a movie has the potential to burn slow, but steady, it might be this movie. Atlas Shrugged has sold millions over the years, but its word of mouth recommendations that keeps it alive. I doubt there was every a blockbuster release for the book.
While the book doesn’t generate money for the movie, it does suggest an deeper interest. If it continues playing in smaller venues late at night for months (like Rocky Horror) to a dedicated following, it might still make it.
Thanks for the info on how it works.
Yes, it was a major flaw in Rand's novel to be so repetitive and not as concise as she could have been; I chalk this flaw up to the fact that English is not her first language and she needed to be absolutely sure she made her points, as painstaking as it was.
Given the massive scope of the book, they did a pretty good job of staying to the storyline.
I would have liked them including more of the dialogue in the Reardon's aniversary party, particularly the drivel by Simon Pritchart, the author Balph whatever and such. It would have increased the understanding of the background.
All in all, we are really looking forward to Parts 2 and 3! It was a very good start to an important message.
The Earth is not just a holding tank on the route to Heaven. If that is how you see it, then you are like the servant that buried his master's money in the ground.
Are you saying that a $5,590 per screen average is weak? What would you consider a good per screen average?
Maybe they walked into the wrong theater, go see it yourself, we thought it was great and really hope they make parts 2 and 3.
I disagree with all of that.
While it may not be enough, I suspect they will do fairly well in DVD sales. Many of us in smaller communities, miles away from the 300 theatres, will gladly buy, maybe even gift it. It’s a shame it couldn’t get more backing....
I guess they’d rather fight over perfectionism with libertarians than defeat the collectivists who are disarming our defenses against radical islam.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There is no doubt that you are correct.
They are the “My Way or the Highway Christians” who, while good-hearted for sure, simply cannot accept the ideas formulated by an atheist like Rand. It’s just not in their DNA. Note that there is an opposing group of “My Way or the Highway Rand Fans” who are on the absolute opposite pole. They see Marxism embedded in Christian beliefs and find that simply unacceptable.
Debate with of these groups is difficult at best. Not as hopeless as debating liberals but it is something like that - very hard to make points.
We (a party of 6) saw the movie in Houston on Friday. It was quite thrilling. I will go again next weekend. And the next and the next for as long as it's in the theaters. I waited too long for this moment to not enjoy it every chance I can.
We (a party of 6) saw the movie in Houston on Friday. It was quite thrilling. I will go again next weekend. And the next and the next for as long as it's in the theaters. I waited too long for this moment to not enjoy it every chance I can.
Wow, I am jealous!! I’m overseas. I hope it is still in theaters by 12 May.
PSA of 5500 is mediocre at best.
For a 300-screen release, $8000 PSA starts to get attention. $10,000 is looking good. Anything above 10K can’t be ignored. $5500 is mediocre.
My ticket was only $7.25. I was expecting to pay $10-11 and would have done so to up the box office receipts for this movie. Ticket prices for other movies were higher. Why would tickets be priced this way? I haven’t been to a movie theatre in years so I don’t know how these things are determined....
If it is a per screen average, why would the number of screens alter the calculus of what is good or mediocre? Doesn’t an average take into account the number of screens?
How do you know what is mediocre vs to be noted vs not to be ignored?
Does per screen average take into account showings? If it is 300 screens with only 2 showings per night versus 300 screens with 7 showings per night, wouldn’t the fewer showings alter what is mediocre vs notable?
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