Michael Moore: An Awesome First Night for "Sicko"

[Omaha Steve]

An Awesome First Night for "Sicko"

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Friends,

Thank you so much to the hundreds of thousands of you who went to see my movie last night and this afternoon. The studio tells me that we are on track to have the second largest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the movies! ("Fahrenheit 9/11" was first.) Many theaters have been selling out. The Bush administration's investigation of this movie is certainly not keeping people away. Thanks for all the pictures you sent me of people packing in to see "Sicko!"

The movie is making impact big and small. I thought you would enjoy this story about a family that Aetna was forcing to pay a $65,000 hospital bill that the insurance company was supposed to cover! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz7uRmMUSZM

The critics, too, have been more than kind. Can I show you what a few of them said?

"It's as uplifting and heart-rending a thing as you will see at the movies all year. And it speaks of Moore's enduring faith -- his angry, nettled, exasperated belief that 'despite all our differences, we sink or swim together.' " -- Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

"The weight of evidence Moore marshals for taking the profit motive out of medicine is overwhelming. In a summer of dumb, shameless drivel, Moore delivers a movie of robust mind and heart. You'll laugh till it hurts." -- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"'Sicko' is a beyond brilliant, nonpartisan expose' on American politics that should be mandatory for every student in America. Some rich person -- like maybe Angelina Jolie -- should sponsor a program where DVDs are sent to families or free screenings are held at local churches." -- Caroline Kepnes, E!

For more of this, click here: http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/pressroom/

There's a moment in "Sicko" when the former British MP, Tony Benn, says, "If we have the money to kill people (with war), we've got the money to help people." That line always gets the loudest applause in the theater. It is estimated that, before Bush's War is over, we will have spent two trillion dollars on it. Let me say this: I NEVER want to hear again from ANY politician that we "don't have the money" to fix our schools, to take care of the poor, to provide health care for every American. Clearly, the money IS there when we want to illegally invade another country and then prolong a disastrous occupation. From now on, we have to demand that our tax dollars be there for the things we need, not the things that make us one of the most detested countries on earth.

If you haven't seen "Sicko," go see it tonight. I want this film to have as much impact as it can. How well it does in terms of attendance this first weekend will determine how many other towns get to see it. It's all about the "first weekend box office" with the studios these days. If it does well in the 400 theaters it's in, they will put it in more theaters next weekend. And trust me, the White House and their friends in the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries know this, too. It's no surprise to me that an original master of "Sicko" was stolen and widely distributed on the internet before the film's release. I'm one of the few people in the movie business who doesn't believe in prosecuting teenagers who want to share music or films (although I make my movies to be seen on a big screen and that's how I hope people see them!). I called up Mr. Bush's FBI last week. I wanted to know if they had asked themselves the first question any cop would ask about this particularly unique theft:

"Who has a vested interest in destroying the first weekend of Michael Moore's new film by stealing his movie's master copy and placing it on the internet?"

Needless to say, they showed little interest in investigating who's behind this. That's ok. I realize what's at stake for them and I accept that this is a battle with serious consequences. The drug and insurance companies have dumped over a half billion dollars in the pockets of Congress and the White House in the last 10 years. This movie may end up being their worst nightmare.

But here's the good news: There's more of us than there are of them. So, it's up to the rest of you to help me help this movie have a great opening weekend. If over a half million people come out to see it by tomorrow night, the studio will take that to mean it should be in more cities and more theaters. Let's make that happen. And I promise you, if you go, you'll see a movie unlike any other you've seen this year. Last night, the industry polled the people coming out of "Sicko." 93% said they would "strongly recommend 'Sicko'" to their friends and family. The pollster said he'd never seen a number that high (the norm for most movies is about 45%). It was a heartening piece of news.

Thanks again and see ya tonight at the movies!

Yours,
Michael Moore
[email protected]

[ShortnFiery]

1. So what, all three M$M Cable TV networks are HOT ...

:sarcasm: Well, at least they're all OBSESSING with split screens of that SUV burning in Glasglow. :P

Good For Michael Moore! Better yet, GOOD FOR AMERICA - educate us "little people" so we can pressure our *far too complacent* Representatives. :applause: :thumbsup:

[Red Knight]

2. It's not in any multiplex here

I've got about three large multiplex theaters in my town and SICKO isn't playing in any of them. There's also an art house theater and it isn't there.

Hopefully it'll get here soon.

[snowbear]

9. Bummer! ...You should contact one of those big theatres & ask when it's coming.

Geez, way up here in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the movie is HOT, HOT, HOT !!! ~~~

Call your one or more of those theatres and tell them to get their chit together!!

[Capn Sunshine]

3. I want to se the response to the Hillary scene

once it becomes widely known what Clinton did

[orleans]

4. i was there. friday night. thanks michael moore. n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. As soon as it comes within driving distance, I'm going to it

and I don't like to attend theaters. We downloaded it and watched it, but plan to go to the theater specifically to support MM. And we're going to do our best to make sure that people who wouldn't usually go to see Moore because of his politics see it as well.

[Imagevision]

6. Live Free Die Hard=2700 Screens -- Sicko=440 Screens, still not too shabby!!

There are no theaters in my area (So. Fla.) showing Sicko

[Imagevision]

7. "Some rich person like Angelina Jolie should sponsor a program

where DVDs are sent to families or free screenings are held at local churches."

[SCDem]

8. Tuesday night I am going to go see it

Our local drinking liberally group who normally meets on Wednesday is going to do a Screening Liberally and go see SICKO on Tuesday evening. There will probably be about 15-20 of us just from our one little group!

[PBass]

10. I saw it tonight and the theater was 98 percent full.

I know, because I had to sit in the 2nd row. Only about 5 seats open in the front row.

It's GREAT. And it's a good movie to see in a big group, because you get some interesting energy from the crowd.

I didn't think the movie was unfair or mean to Hillary (a little snarky, yes). Hillary tried to do something to make a difference, and the industry, the GOP, the media (and pro-industry Dems too, probably) spanked her hard. She was chastened. A few years later, the industry poured tons of money into her Senate campaign. It's cheesey for sure, and it looks bad.

[Triana]

11. I saw the film tonight - it was FABULOUS

and the house was PACKED. The MOMENT it is out on DVD I'm BUYING (NO - NOT downloading illegally) copies for friends and family. I may go out and see it again in the theatre too.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. K&R