Red v. Blue Turns Into 'Fahrenheit' v. 'Passion'

NewsMax .com ^ | 7/13/04 | Carl Limbacher

[kattracks]

When his so-called documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" first opened, Michael Moore said it was a "red-state movie."

But like much of his film's content, the claim doesn't square with the facts.

Moore was referring to 'the map' of the 2000 Bush v. Gore election results.

However, the "red" states went for Bush in 2000, while the "blue" states went for Al Gore (Oh well ... just add that to the list of inaccuracies spouted by Moore).

Now, the very same divide exists today between Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11" and Mel Gibson's runaway blockbuster 'The Passion of the Christ."

Data compiled by ticket sales tracker Nielsen EDI Inc., compared the 50 theaters around the country where each film had the highest gross.

"Red" staters have chosen "Passion" while "blue" staters went for Moore's schlockumentary, according to the New York Times.

Surveys by ticket Nielsen EDI showed that the top theaters for "Fahrenheit" have been in urban, traditionally Democratic strongholds, including Manhattan, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Bay Area, Chicago and Boston.

Theaters with the most ticket sales for "Passion" were typically more suburban and far more widely dispersed, from Texas and New Mexico to Ohio, Florida and Orange County, California, the Times reported.

"The Passion," is the year's biggest money maker with a startling $609 million in worldwide ticket sales since it was released in February.

"Fahrenheit" - the most popular feature-length documentary ever - had sales in North America of $80.1 million in just three weeks.

For "The Passion," the rankings reflect the film's full run, the Times noted.

For "Fahrenheit," the data include only the first two weeks of ticket receipts.

Nielsen experts, however, said that there was little difference in the theater rankings for "Passion" between the first two weeks of release and the full run.

[Lancey Howard]

Yeah, sure pal.

[HamiltonJay]

well look at the numbers that's not the case with F9/11.. Dodgeball was one of those.. but its been hanging in there with slowly declining returns... not a huge drop off... but the fact is, its a movie that preaches to the chior... its not going to move people who don't already agree with what it claims. The left will keep seeing it.. for a while, but it will have little impact.

Its a political propoganda hit piece, it will be forgotten.. it will never reach remotely the scale of Passion, which will be bought and viewed for generations.

[Modernman]

I didn't see either and have no interest in doing so. Guess that makes me a purple-stater.

[stylin_geek]

$80 million in just three weeks. Wow /sarcasm

I think "The Passion of the Christ" did that opening weekend.

[Modernman]

That's the one that shows that in every state, the Democrats controlled the parasite nests (cities) while the Republicans owned the great expanses populated by working, taxpaying traditional American families.

Not true, actually. The red states generally received more in Federal money than they sent in, while the blue states paid more than they got back. Like it or not, the cities in this country is where the wealth is created and where tax dollars come from.

The "rugged, individualistic" Western states are giant welfare queens, sucking at the Federal teat.

[Dane]

but the fact is, its a movie that preaches to the chior... its not going to move people who don't already agree with what it claim

More like the "rapture is here" to the mostly agnostic and atheist liberals as a corollary.

I bet you at least a third of the gross is repeat business.

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

Why is F911 considered a documentary but Passion is not?

Both movies claim to be about a real event.

Both claim to be based on documented facts.

Both movies take editorial liberties.

Given that the Passion more accurately presents the facts, why is F911 considered a documentary but the Passion is not?

Is it simply because F911 used 'live' footage?

[Modernman]

Take a look here:

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxingspending.html

It seems that New Mexico, North Dakota, Mississippi, Alaska and West Virginia are the worst "parasites" while NY, NJ, Connecticut, Massachusetts and California get less back than they pay in taxes.

But why mess up your pre-conceived notions with facts?

[Hermann the Cherusker]

The real map is the red/blue COUNTY-BY-COUNTY post election map. That's the one that shows that in every state, the Democrats controlled the parasite nests (cities) while the Republicans owned the great expanses populated by working, taxpaying traditional American families. Obviously, the states with the most and biggest parasite nests generally were "blue" states.

Actually, the really telling map was never widely published. That is maps of precinct-by-precinct results showing what an infinitesimally small area is "blue majority". Even blue majority counties were usually just a bunch of blue majority precinicts in the largest city surrounded by many more red precincts.

[sweetliberty]

Further evidence that the red states and conservatives want truth (in both entertainment and politics), whereas the blue RAT states prefer lies and propaganda.

[SunkenCiv]

Moore was referring to 'the map' of the 2000 Bush v. Gore election results. However, the "red" states went for Bush in 2000, while the "blue" states went for Al Gore... just add that to the list of inaccuracies spouted by Moore

As the folk song line goes, the only way I'll believe him is if he's hanging from the gallows saying, "I can't come down".

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent

posted to:

[usapatriot28]

Documentary does not mean that it's true, it describes the method of its production.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition, "documentary" means:

1. Consisting of, concerning, or based on documents.
2. Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film.

The objective presentation of the facts, pretty much kills the claim that this movie is a documentary. Regardless of how's it's produced.

[Lancey Howard]

Fact is, I do not trust the report which you kindly linked. I mean, I can either believe the report or I can believe my own two eyes. I live in a "rural" area and spend much of my time working in a large city (Philadelphia). My own two eyes show me a whole lot more parasites (Democrats) in the city than out here where I live.

And my own two eyes show me a subdivison of about thirty newer colonials out here near where I live whose inhabitants pay more in income taxes than thirty blocks of row homes in, say, North Philadelphia. I don't care what your report says.

Regards,
LH