Mon
Oct 5 2009
02:31 pm
Capitalism: A Love Story
By: Virgil Proudfoot

Michael Moore's new movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story," is now playing at Downtown West and the Pinnacle. Mrs. Proudfoot and I took in the last matinee showing on Friday, and I've got to say it was terrific; I'd urge anyone who reads this blog, especially the conservatives, to check this one out.

Moore has constructed a second bookend to enclose the twenty years that began with his 1989 "Roger and Me," and he traces the devolution of the US into a 300-million-population Flint, Michigan. He even replays a little bit of the earlier film, including a clip of a flack for GM saying, basically, that all these layoffs are unfortunate, but if they didn't do it, "GM could go bankrupt!"

Basically, Moore's thesis this time, really the overarching theme of all his work, is that capitalism should not be allowed to trump democracy. And he lays out example after example of how this has happened ever since the election of the Great Spokesmodel in 1980.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to do something. And I think that's how Moore is trying to make the audience feel.

Topics:
Hildegard's picture

The documentary, "American

Submitted by Hildegard on Mon, 2009/10/05 - 2:45pm.

The documentary, "American Casino," newly released, comes highly recommended as a subtle but scathing expose on the ethos of greed that led up to the collapse. I forget the filmmakers' names and I haven't seen it but it's getting really good reviews, and doesn't rely on the stunts, rants, and gimmicks that usually cloud Moore's message in his films and turn off, rather than persuade or inspire action among, the fence-sitters.

bizgrrl's picture

I've been meaning to Moore's

Submitted by bizgrrl on Mon, 2009/10/05 - 3:31pm.

I've been meaning to Moore's new movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story." I saw some clips somewhere. It does look great, as usual.

I am surprised it is playing at two theaters in town.

michael kaplan's picture

it is playing at two

Submitted by michael kaplan on Mon, 2009/10/05 - 7:46pm.

it is playing at two theaters

Yes, you have a choice of driving 20 miles or 32 miles roundtrip from downtown.

Why isn't it playing at the Riviera?

michael kaplan's picture

As I understand it, the

Submitted by michael kaplan on Mon, 2009/10/05 - 9:07pm.

As I understand it, the city, through IDB, built the Riviera mostly with taxpayer dollars and is leasing it to Regal. So yes, it should be making money, but it could also be serving taxpayers in other ways - like saving fuel and pollution. The theater could have had a small room - say, 100 seats - to screen indie films.

michael kaplan's picture

Funding sources: $4 million

Submitted by michael kaplan on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 12:55pm.

Funding sources:

$4 million in city funds
$2.5 million in furniture, fixtures and equipment from Regal
$4.25 million in bonds (paying 5% tax-free over 40 years)
$2 million tax credit
$1.1 million state grant for outdoor escalator, elevator, walkway and lighting
$1 million tax-increment-financing subsidy

(link...)

Hildegard's picture

If you want to conserve,

Submitted by Hildegard on Mon, 2009/10/05 - 9:39pm.

If you want to conserve, wait for it to come out on Netflix:-) Seriously, what argument is there that screening this particular movie downtown as opposed to any other theater in the county helps the environment? Do you think the only audience for this movie lives in the center city? Cuz if you do, yer wrong.

bizgrrl's picture

Carrying this off topic a

Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 5:33am.

Carrying this off topic a little further. All three are Regal theaters. Just curious, why is the Riviera (downtown Knoxville) less likely to get the Michael Moore movie than the Pinnacle (Turkey Creek)? What are the target type of movies for the Riviera?

Nobody's picture

Capitalism defined

Submitted by Nobody (not verified) on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 9:49am.

Capitalism: It's just what free people do when they get up in the morning.

michael kaplan's picture

If Regal were so smart, and

Submitted by michael kaplan on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 8:57pm.

If Regal were so smart, and Gay Street such a great location, why didn't Regal (rather than the city) initiate the downtown movie theater project in the first place?

In fact, the complex contains, among its eight theaters, one 109-seat room. Michael Moore's movie would be a perfect vehicle to test the so-called "demographics" of the downtown location. Who knows, rather than run "Capitalism" in a 200-seat room to 12 people, it could have run in a 109-seat room to 50.

I should add, too, that the Riviera is (or at least was) using mostly outdated projection equipment that Regal removed from other locations.

CannoKorn's picture

"why is the Riviera

Submitted by CannoKorn on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 7:29am.

"why is the Riviera (downtown Knoxville) less likely to get the Michael Moore movie than the Pinnacle (Turkey Creek)?"

The answer = capitalism (as nasty as that sounds)

Up Goose Creek's picture

Foot traffic

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 7:39am.

I was surprised to see so few viewers on a rainy sunday afternoon on its first weekend. Less than a dozen. Compare that to "Sicko" with a packed house.

I attribute it to the effects of a lousy economy and low disposable income. Probably also that people are only willing to pay for escapism. I'm glad to see the Riviera is doing well.

_________________________
more construction, less politics

michael kaplan's picture

people are only willing to

Submitted by michael kaplan on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 1:02pm.

people are only willing to pay for escapism

what could be more escapist - or entertaining - than michael moore?

(actually, i did drive out to downtown west to see davis guggenheim's fine film "it might get loud.")

Virgil Proudfoot's picture

Not that many people live downtown

Submitted by Virgil Proudfoot on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 8:03am.

I think the answer to Michael's question is really pretty simple: More people live out west than downtown; therefore they will have to drive less to get to it at Downtown West or the Pinnacle than to drive all the way downtown.

"I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems scary and weird. It'll happen to you."
—Abraham Simpson

CannoKorn's picture

Theaters are not (yet) an

Submitted by CannoKorn on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 9:36am.

Theaters are not (yet) an extension of Obama's and Pelosi's and Reid's government. They are in business to....(surprise!) make money (dare I say it?

"I was surprised to see so few viewers on a rainy sunday afternoon on its first weekend. Less than a dozen."

Sounds like the local theaters made the right call. Maybe people didn't go because they're tired of Sicko (and capitalist) Michael Moore and his pinko solutions to making this horrible country work better.

BTW, I just saw a rather capitalistic television ad promoting Sicko Pinko's new movie.

Virgil Proudfoot's picture

I love it

Submitted by Virgil Proudfoot on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 10:51am.

That's great. The right wing's response to this very serious movie, a wide-ranging, well-researched critique of contemporary capitalism, told in very accessible language and images, is: "Michael Moore is a pinko!"

But then, that's where the right wing is today--retreating into adolescent rage and stupidity worthy of Beavis and Butt-Head.

"I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems scary and weird. It'll happen to you."
—Abraham Simpson

redmondkr's picture

"I suggest Russia."

Submitted by redmondkr on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 10:49am.

"I suggest Russia."

NPR had an article recently about Russia's problem with a shrinking population. They are paying out good money for people to create new little Russians.

Perhaps they would even pay moving expenses if you're sufficiently fertile.


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KC's picture

Back when the USSR was

Submitted by KC on Tue, 2009/10/06 - 11:03am.

Back when the USSR was worried about the Central Asian republics' increasing populations, I'm pretty sure the government gave an award to ethnic Russian mothers who had ten children.

I think it was called the Mother Heroine Award, or something.

The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present.
President Abraham Lincoln 1862

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