Why Sicko bombed

Analyzing the tepid box office returns:

Boosters argue that Fahrenheit 9/11, which had much sexier subject matter, isn’t a fair comparison and instead point to Moore’s 2002 Bowling for Columbine. Certainly Sicko looks healthier next to Columbine’s total domestic take (adjusted for inflation and ticket price hikes) of $24.1 million. But consider that Sicko benefited from much greater pre-release media attention, and was showing in over 1,000 theaters at its widest release (compared to Colubmine’s 250 theater peak) and Moore is barely edging out himself. And he’s just holding his own against Madonna. Adjusted for inflation and higher ticket prices, her 1991 bio doc Madonna: Truth or Dare took in a $23.4 million at the domestic box office during its month-long release. And we all remember the sea change in American politics that followed that one.

(via Health Hog)

Comments

Zagreus Ammon
For a documentary, SiCKO did fine. Why are we talking about a caricature of the left? I still maintain, he is worthy of attention because he is more effective at rhetorical manipulation than the caricatures of the right…
Anonymous
You should change the name of this blog to “Kevin-I hate socialized medicine and Michael Moore-MD.”
As a documentary Sicko is still a top grossing one.
I’d love to see you post threads that were a little more interested in facts.
Irrelevant snark like this:
a”djusted for inflation and higher ticket prices, her 1991 bio doc Madonna: Truth or Dare
took in a $23.4 million at the domesic box office during its month-long release. And we all remember the sea change in American politics that followed that one.”
You are forwarding the idea that a documentary that does better at the Box Office than a biography about Madonna near the height of her popularity is bad? How far are you willing to stretch the truth to try and tweak Michael Moore.
You are beginning to look obsessed and desperate.
Anonymous
I think what kevin says here makes sense. That movie was probably one of the biggest busts of the summer. You could not watch television without hearing about that movie 2-3 times per show.
john
Sicko was available for illegal(?) internet download about 1 week before the movie opened in theaters. That’s why the numbers were terrible.
Anonymous
Maybe because there was just nothing so special about it. Health care system problems just don’t draw crowds like 9/11 and Columbine. “Roger and Me” was novel at the time, “Sicko” isn’t.
Which would you rather pay $10.50 to see on a Saturday night, “Sicko” or the “Bourne Ultimatum?”
Anonymous
Kevin, you got it wrong again! Sicko was entertaining and depressing at the same time and it was a documentary on healthcare…hardly the subject for a box office hit. For a documentary that had limited theatre release, it has done exceptionally well. Despite the right wing attempts to discredit Michael Moore yet again, the facts in Sicko speak for themselves.
Anonymous
re: “Despite the right wing attempts to discredit Michael Moore yet again, the facts in Sicko speak for themselves.”
Micheal Moore did a good job of discrediting himself when he uses as an example a patient with metastatic renal cell cancer not getting a bone marrow transplant thank you. Of course you have no clue what I am talking about do you anon 1:43.
Anonymous
Well, I for one think that SICKO was what we needed to highlight the obvious. It is a no brainer than people in the US suffer so that the drug companies can turn a profit. At least Michael Moore has the guts to say something – doubt we’d hear from anyone else who had as much box office pull. Oh, and there’s not a thing wrong with socialized medicine. We have socialized police, fire and other public services. That’s socialized, isn’t it? Why not medicine? Afraid to make only 200K a year rather than 600k???
Who needs that much money? Who needs that much money when people are dying, being dumped on the streets by hospitals, and when Cuba has better health care despite being one notch below us on the worldwide scale?
Answer me that.
Anonymous
anon 2:23:
Please do tell me what is OBVIOUS about Mike Moore using a renal cell cancer patient not getting a bone marrow transplant as an example of a big bad insurance company? Come anon what is obvious about it? Nothing wrong with socialized medicine? You have obvious never have been a vet with an emergency after hours at the VA. You obvious aren’t a brit dealing with NHS. About your statement making 600K. Do you know the average PCP makes about 150K (less if you are a pedaitrician). Mike Moore does have good points, too bad he wraps them in BS. All you have shown is that you are clueless. Do you really think Cuba’s healthcare is that good? Yeah, that is why Fidel imported a surgeon from Spain. What a fool you are. Keep drinking Hillary’s kool-aid. You can bet after NHS is instituted in the US, she won’t be waiting in line comrade.
Anonymous
To the last anon: get spell check or go back to school and learn basic English. I doubt you are one of the high IQ physicians we read about.
Anonymous
Maybe folks are tried of the leftists liberals like Moore telling us how rotten is the USA.
Politicians taking my health care needs and changing them from a asset to a capitalist medical industry into a liability to the taxing state is the last thing I want to have happen.
Michael Moore can take his anti-American crap and stick it in his Big Mac.

Why Sicko bombed

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