What a world to live in, where a return on investment of $2.9 million on an outlay of $75 million is seen as a triumph but that’s what you’re looking at here. None other than the Hollywood Reporter predicts that a rosy outcome for this weekend is expected (even though 12 people, half of them reporters) showed up to one of Times Square’s busiest theaters. The cult is out in force, even being driven in buses from senior centers, and they are thrilled with the flick we are told.
Melania is clearly benefiting by promotion from the bully pulpit, as the President Trump entreats his followers to see the film, while grassroots marketing campaigns from conservative groups are expected to send moviegoers to theaters in red-leaning states and top markets, such as Orange County in California.
Critics are trashing the doc, as reflected by its current 6 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Many box office pundits say Trump supporters expect negative reviews from what they consider to the left-leaning media. Indeed, audiences gave Melania an A Cinemascore, while its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is a stellar 98 percent, the highest of any film in the top 10 this weekend.
Melania is a cult exercise. Trump has a cult, now he’s found the perfect niche (or rather Jeff Bezos did) for wifey, which is star of the silver screen. That’s why soon you’ll see Melania the docu-series hitting small screens near you. As P.T. Barnum said, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”
Melania is part of the polarization of this country, and part of the negative influence that Donald Trump has abroad. Just follow the theatrical release pattern and you’ll see who goes to see it in what cities. That will tell you all you need to know.
They did the same thing with Don Junior’s book: bought it in bulk to fluff up sales figures. Sadly for them, bulk sales don’t count towards a “Bestseller” title. And bussing in seniors doesn’t make Melania’s dismal big-screen opus a blockbuster.
Of that 2.9 million it’s likely 2.8 of it was from as you mentioned seniors being bused in and given ticket money to sit through the ghastly spectacle. I wonder how much per person the free meal or gift bag cost Bezos. As for the remainder probably 25-30% was journalists purchasing tickets to be able to report on how many people were in a given theater they went to and get actual audience reactions.
Instead of creating a whirlwind of movie goers this piece of shit ‘broke wind.’ Actually it’s more of a shart.