The new Sarah Palin movie is a big fu**in' deal !

[Tender Branson]

Sarah Palin Movie Debuts to Empty Theater in Orange County

"Why aren't you seeing Harry Potter?" an usher said to the reporter sitting alone in the audience

When the clock struck 12:01 am today, AMC theaters in select cities were permitted to start showing "The Undefeated," a feature length documentary about Sarah Palin. As it happens, I'm visiting my parents in Orange County, Calif., home to one of just 10 theaters where the film is being rolled out. Watching it didn't interest me so much as going to interview folks who decided to attend. I figured I'd meet some nice people, perhaps run into someone who knows my grandparents, press five or six Palin fans on why they like her, and convey their worldview. It's my experience that the grassroots doesn't fit the caricature of its champions or its detractors.

In the parking lot of The Block, an outdoor mall in the City of Orange, I worried that arriving 45 minutes early was cutting it too close: it took 20 minutes to find parking, and folks were lining up scores deep outside the theater box office. Our airport is named after John Wayne. Ronald Reagan remains a hero to many. Even Richard Nixon's association with this place is treated as a point of pride. When I was growing up here, a local hotel broadcast the Rush Limbaugh program everyday in its restaurant. I should've known there'd be a big turnout, I thought.

As I approached, however, I realized that most people present were dressed in costume. The crowd was either showing ironic solidarity with Christine O'Donnell, the tea party candidate who is not a witch, or else everyone was there to see the Harry Potter movie playing on a majority of the theater's 30 screens. Without any way of telling Palin moviegoers from Potter fans dressed up like muggles, I'd have to pay, go to the assigned theater, and look for interviewees.

I hurried through the teenage hordes, bypassed a concession stand that sold 1,020 calories of soda for $5.25, and entered theater number 30, hoping I'd have ample time before the previews to talk to some people. But inside, the theater was empty. I sat there alone for 20 minutes, at which point an usher stuck his head in the door, gave me a quizzical smile, and said, "How come you're not watching Harry Potter?" Then he left me by myself again, and without any good answer.

It isn't strictly accurate to say that I sat through the whole movie alone. Just as the previews started, two young women walked in giggling together and took seats three rows behind me. Afraid that they'd ruined the only story I had at that point -- What If Sarah Palin Starred in a Movie and No One Showed Up? -- I hoped they'd at least oblige me with an interview, and so they did.

Jamie Watkins, 22, is a Missouri native, which qualifies her as a real American. She only recently moved to Southern California, and her little sister, Jessie, age 18, was visiting for the first time.

"So, um, what made you come out here tonight?"

"We're going to Disneyland tomorrow," Jamie said, "but she just got here, so we decided we should go out."

"We looked online for the latest movie playing," Jessie added. "But all the Harry Potters were sold out, and then we saw 'The Undeafeated.' We don't even actually know what we're seeing."

"Well welcome to California," I said. "You're about to see a documentary about Sarah Palin."

"Oh, really?" they said, and started giggling again. I think they were expecting an action flick. When I returned to my seat, I thought maybe I'd talk to them after the movie, and get the perspective of two people who went in with no expectations. But they only lasted 20 minutes before walking out.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/07/sarah-palin-movie-debuts-to-empty-theater-in-orange-county/241983

[Yelnoc]

That's hilarious.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

How much publicity did the thing even get?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

That's hilarious.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

That's hilarious.

[NVGonzalez]

That's hilarious.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

That's hilarious.

[Username MechaRFK]

HAHAHA  you Palin. Your carrer is in the dump!

[Simfan34]

That's hilarious.

[Napoleon]

That's hilarious.

[The Mikado]

I'm having trouble squaring "documentary fan" and "Palin fan" in my head.  They seem like they'd be two completely non-overlapping circles on the Venn Diagram.

[King]

I'm having trouble squaring "documentary fan" and "Palin fan" in my head.  They seem like they'd be two completely non-overlapping circles on the Venn Diagram.

Hence the 0 turnout.  Although that might also complicate with the "midnight screening fan" circle.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

What were the weekend figures for this? I can't find any reports.

[King]

What were the weekend figures for this? I can't find any reports.

Opened in one theater, one reporter shows up, two people ask for refund.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Well I found an amusing review about a more attended showing: http://clatl.com/screengrab/archives/2011/07/17/19-things-about-seeing-the-undefeated-in-cobb-county

The main message I took from that is that seeing movies in a theater filled with hipsters and "intellectuals" is certainly more fun than a theater filled with people who would voluntarily see a movie about Sarah Palin.

[Meeker]

Well I found an amusing review about a more attended showing: http://clatl.com/screengrab/archives/2011/07/17/19-things-about-seeing-the-undefeated-in-cobb-county

The main message I took from that is that seeing movies in a theater filled with hipsters and "intellectuals" is certainly more fun than a theater filled with people who would voluntarily see a movie about Sarah Palin.

This gem appears in the comment section:

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[King]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Lulz.

[Mr. Morden]

It grossed $65,000 this weekend from a release in 10 theaters:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2011&wknd=28&p=.htm

[King]

Roger Ebert attended a public screening in Chicago and gave a pretty good (in terms of writing quality that is) ratingless review:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/a_campaign_film_in_search_of_a.html

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It grossed $65,000 this weekend from a release in 10 theaters:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2011&wknd=28&p=.htm

So it wasn't even the top documentary and lost to "Tabloid" which may have had more screens but also had basically the same per theater average.