Expelled, its critics, and the theatre managers

A friend writes to complain that the local theatre manager doesn't want to show the Expelled film (on how Darwinists suppress evidence about the intelligent design of life and the universe) because - knock me over with a feather - the "critics" have panned it.

Another friend wrote to say, well, of course the critics panned it. One thing the film reveals is the role of establishment hacks in promoting materialist ideas - and trashing other ideas. So would you expect establishment hacks to like it?

People who go to see the film are going to see what the establishment hacks won't tell them.

By the way, the circulation of the legacy papers for which the hacks write has been falling like stones into a deep well. I constantly hear kvetching about big layoffs in the canned news industry. So take the hacks' ideas about success with a grain of salt, will you?

Now., as to success, there's no way Expelled's going to be up there with Chain Saw #666; but that's not a realistic assessment anyway. For a realistic assessment, we must compare Expelled with other documentaries about a public issue that you would need to think about.

Expelled is currently ranked #12 of all documentaries and #5 of all political documentaries. (May 9, 2008, 1:39 pm EST)

My advice to Friend 1 was to forget that local manager and find another theater. After all, the public obviously doesn't agree with the critics.

As of Wednesday, May 7 (20 days of showings), Expelled had made $6,827,768, so I expect the makers will pull down a profit.

Overall, the film reminds me of The Passion of the Christ and Bella: Panned by legacy critics, loved by the box office, both films paid the rent just fine. Which means that the makers can make other films.

Welcome to the future. Love it or hate it, it's not the past. And here, it is okay to disagree with Darwin.