posted
Under Our Skin did its part. It gave us a movie so we could tell the world what is going on with Lyme disease.
Listed below are the results of this weekend's showing in New York. Great reviews so far but not enough bodies in the seats. If you thought it was someone else's job to fill those seats, think again.
Please put aside your herxing, bad day/bad year, horrible new antibiotic and focus on something that could help bring great change to Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment.
Go to one of the showings near you and take all of your friends. Send out e-mails to all of your contacts about this movie.
If we don't care enough to support our own movie, why should the general public care?
Three days after the theatrical release of UNDER OUR SKIN, enthusiastic reviews are accumulating. Stephen Holden, top film critic at the The New York Times called it ``heart-rending'' and an ``inflammatory documentary [that] takes aim at the medical establishment.'' Here is a sampling of other reviews:
``Head-spinning...riveting...a rigorously researched and highly thorough piece of investigative reporting.'' - Lauren Wissot, Slant Magazine
``[A] dizzying and dramatic documentary...handsomely reported and photographed.'' -Andrew O'Hehir, Salon
``Infectiously persuasive...targets both the heart and brain.'' - Sarah Sluis, Hollywood Reporter
``A scary expose [and] damning indictment of the broken health care system.'' - Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
``A powerful film and cautionary tale....as significant an indictment of American medical practices as Michael Moore's SICKO. - Curt Schleier, Film SoundOff
``Compelling...makes a very convincing case [about] one of the greatest medical failures of all time.'' - Matthew Lucas, From The Front Row
``A vital, insightful, brave and moving documentary that will wake you up and shake you up.'' - Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
While press coverage and positive reviews have been abundant, box-office returns have not fared as well. We need to take the film and the issue from Lyme Street to Main Street, and the best way to make this happen is to fill seats in theaters. Otherwise, the movie won't open in successive markets and have the opportunity to spread awareness beyond the Lyme community. Even if you've seen the film, we're calling on you to make it to the theater or buy advance tickets. Make your voice heard through the box-office!
Tickets are still on sale in New York, and now on sale for Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, Santa Cruz, and other cities.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Parisa,
Wow, that's too bad! I was hoping people would go. I wish there was a showing in Ohio. I bought the DVD, but I would definitely go. My husband works at home, but his company is in CA (Bay Area and SLO). He is going to e-mail his co-workers about the movie.
I wish there was a way they could have advertised on TV, but I know funding wouldn't allow for it. It may have really helped a lot though.
posted
I know that not everyone can physically make the movies whether due to physical inability or distance. However, people really need to make the effort to talk to people about the movie.
If you can type a post to Lymenet, you can write comments to reviews and talk up the movie in all the forums you visit. Little things can grow and take on momentum.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
Ocean has an idea there. Perhaps posters could be put up on store windows to help advertise in the area that the film is being shown.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
Am I understanding Parisa's post correctly that if one cannot make it to the film but if they bought tickets on line it would serve to the same purpose of indicating a large turnout?
If that's is the case, we should encourage everyone to purchase tickets on-line whether they can go or not.
I'm disappointed in the low turn out, too.
Not to be repetitive but if buying tickets will help, lets encourage everyone to do so whether or not they can attend.
Parisa please clarify this for us.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
I think that as the movie spreads, attendance will grow. It just opened; word will spread and so will bodies in the theaters. It is just starting.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
I just sent the trailer to the people on my e-mail list, have friends in MO, CO, CA and DC, so hopefully they will all at least watch the trailer.
Also, are you allowed to post websites on Facebook? And if so, how in the heck do you do it?
posted
Ocean there were 3 showings in Sturbridge recently, not in regular theaters.
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
They said the NYC was one of the places they were using as a gauge. It's only there until the 25th and then it's gone.
It think the point Parisa was trying to make is that we don't have the luxury of waiting for it to pick up momentum.
"While press coverage and positive reviews have been abundant, box-office returns have not fared as well. We need to take the film and the issue from Lyme Street to Main Street, and the best way to make this happen is to fill seats in theaters. Otherwise, the movie won't open in successive markets and have the opportunity to spread awareness beyond the Lyme community. Even if you've seen the film, we're calling on you to make it to the theater or buy advance tickets. Make your voice heard through the box-office!
Tickets are still on sale in New York, and now on sale for Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, Santa Cruz, and other cities. "
[ 06-23-2009, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: Abxnomore ]
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Abxnomore made a great point that I didn't pick up on. Even if you can't make the showing physically, please purchase at least one ticket if not more.
Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
Done Purchased two tickets.
Theaters base their numbers on the amount of tickets sold (revenue) not how many people actually show up.
Let's do everything we can to make sure "Under Our Skin" has the chance to continue to be shown around the country. WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE and we have waited man years for this! We can't drag our feet.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Yeah. It's up to you guys now. I am in NYC, and I went to a quiet showing to show my support (9:40 pm). I got to see Andy Abrahams Wilson; that was amazing!
The theater was half full, but people were mesmerized by the movie. I think only one person got up to use the loo.
Posts: 636 | From Saratoga County, NY | Registered: Apr 2008
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
Many of us don't live near the theaters where it's playing but we can make a BIG difference by buying tickets on line.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Well, my post has been moved to Activism where it is guaranteed to molder. Makes you wonder....
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
FYI for those who live near a showing of the film, if you contact Eve at Open Eye, she can mail you a stack of promo cards that you can distribute. I printed up some Avery labels with the info about the Santa Cruz showing to stick on the back of them, and have been posting them about town and giving them to everyone I run into - I keep leaving them on the bulletin board at Starbucks and a few other places, and people are taking them, so hopefully some of those folks will see the film. Every little bit helps!
Posts: 205 | From northern california | Registered: Apr 2008
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
many good suggestions above! thx for all the feedback ... hugs
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posted
This Sunday it is showing in Chicago at the Music Box Theater. Film starts at 1pm followed by a special Question and Answer session with Dr. J, South Carolina, Dr. M, WI, and Mandy.
Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
KEY WORDS EVERYONE!
"or buy advance tickets"
DO YOU GUYS GET IT. BUY TICKETS WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN GO OR ELSE THIS ENTIRE EFFORT WILL HAVE BEEN FOR NAUGHT.
Low ticket sales = short film run. It will be gone and out of the theaters in a blink of an eye!!
LET'S WAKE UP AND BUY SOME TICKETS AND HELP THOSE WHO HAVE SPENT SO MUCH TIME HELPING US.
TIME IS SHORT.
Tomorrow it the LAST day it runs in NYC. Not sure what's going on around the country but they are all short runs.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
the worst thing is MAJORITY ON LYMENET are BROKE! they don't have the money to buy tickets & NOT GO!!
just a friendly reminder to all plugging away at this; 2 sides to every coin.
i also understand perfectly where EVERY ONE is coming from, and i also received a UOS newsletter from open eye pictures today stressing the above as well.
i have just booked a location to show UOS again locally; more will be shared later when it gets closer..
Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
I doubt there is a person on this forum who doesn't understand the financial struggles first hand. There's not even a need to mention it. It goes hand and hand with the illness.
You are preaching to the choir!
Organizing a local showing is great but it's an entirely separate issue.
Do we want "Under Our Skin" to become a box office success so that the entire country can become Lyme aware and have this film act as an agent for change??
I think the answer is YES! The only way to do that is to have decent ticket sales. If not, the film won't be picked up by other theaters and continued to be shown around the country. If the
film is perceived to be a dud, which is determined by ticket sales, it will disappear just as all films that don't produce good ticket sales do. This film is not any different.
Those of us who can find the extra $12.00 or whatever it costs in your state and can purchase a ticket will help ensure that this film
continues to move around the country and is not pulled due to poor ticket sales.
It's pretty simple, as I have stated.
Poor ticket sales = short film run.
If that happens the film will go into hiding left to groups like ours to promote it instead of being promoting by the industry. That's a huge difference in the kind of impact it can have and
it would be a huge loss and opportunity for the Lyme community.
Betty, your post is missing the point entirely. Don't try to compete with the effort right now. Don't give folks the impression they could go to
a showing such as yours and accomplish the same goal because they cannot.
Frankly, it's downright disappointing that ticket sales in NYC have not been good and no one from the Lyme Community is out there promoting the film. This film is like a gift from god and I'm
shocked that the Lyme community has not come out in full force to back this film to ensure that it's a success and continues across the country.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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Very important! DOn't wait around for others to do it! I just bought a ticket for the 5pm showing.
Posts: 80 | From Canada | Registered: Mar 2009
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
abx, you should be preaching to the NYC crowd; get on their radio talk shows, etc.
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
Betty I don't live in NYC but I have been doing my part in every way I can including seeing the movie
twice. I noticed a table out front promoting the next film festival but no one there promoting Lyme.
I asked the manager of the theater how the turn out has been and he said not so good.
I'm staying focused on the issue at hand knowing this is a once in a life time opportunity for the Lyme community and time is of the essence.
Those who can buy tickets should. It will help the cause in a BIG way. Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Not for nothing the movie in nyc is 12.50 I think it should be free and on tv not pbs not enough people watch that station 60 minutes or 20-20
Suz
Posts: 121 | From Brooklyn, New York USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
God willing it will get there. It has taken years to come as far as we have, to get this film made and to get it out in the public eye.
It's getting good press everywhere, which is great.
We won't give up the fight. This film can be a real agent for change and we have succeeded already in many regards in the last few months with the CT Bill, The IDSA review and now this film.
This is all terrific and positive stuff for the lyme community.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
The Music Box Theater in Chicago last week told me there were 20 tickets preordered and not picked up. I'm assuming they were from fellow lymies supporting our event. Thank you so much!!!
Posts: 15 | From Chicagoland | Registered: Jun 2009
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thx for all the feedback ... hugs
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