Palin Film Opens Strong, Theaters Packed

It may not be "Harry Potter," but another film featuring a bespectacled protagonist is racking up strong pre-sales before its national roll-out this weekend.

"The Undefeated," a glowing look at failed vice-presidential candidate and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has already sold out a show in Grapevine, Texas (population 46,000), according to the distributor Cinedigm.

Grapevine isn't exactly a teeming metropolis but the film is set to roll out across Tea Party country in 10 AMC theaters.

In addition to Grapevine, the documentary by conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon will expand to Indianapolis, Ind.; Independence, Mo.; Kennesaw, Ga.; Houston, Texas; Orlando, Fla.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Orange, Calif.

Read the full story at Reuters.com

When Sarah Palin said, “More government is not the answer,” the audience in theater 8 at AMC Barrett Commons 24 erupted with applause.

Understandably, filmmaker Stephen Bannon was all smiles.

“I actually got contacted by Gov. Palin’s Political Action Committee to do a short video, or a couple of vignettes, about her time as governor of Alaska,” Bannon said earlier in the evening...

“We had about 40 folks come on June 30 to the theater,” said Robert Cunningham, a local coordinator for the screening. “Our goal was to screen the movie, and if we liked it, tell others about it. For about two weeks, we mobilized people, and thought the message needed to be heard.”

“Luckily for us,” Cunningham said, “both theaters sold out tonight, and we’ll let the attendees decide for themselves what they think of the movie.”

Cunningham said the turnout for Friday night’s screenings was both inspiring and humbling.

Read the full story at kennesaw.patch.com

By Mary Milliken

"The Undefeated," a flattering documentary about Sarah Palin's rise in American politics, opened in a handful of U.S. movie theaters on Friday, drawing die-hard fans of the Tea Party favorite from far away.

Distributors put the film in just 10 AMC theaters nationwide, mostly in reliably conservative markets like Dallas, Texas and Orange County in southern California.

But if it does well this weekend, it will expand to new and not-so-conservative markets.

A successful roll-out would be a welcome vehicle to whip up enthusiasm for the former Alaska governor as she prepares to tell Americans in the next few months if she will seek the Republican nomination for the 2012 presidential race...

"Run, Sarah, run!" shouted Californian Sherman Roodzant, 64

Read the full story at Reuters.com

By SALLY MACDONALD

"The Undefeated", the new documentary that showcases Sarah Palin's rise in Alaska politics, has arrived in Houston.

The movie is only open in a handful of theaters across the country, including the AMC Gulf Pointe 30 off the South Sam Houston Parkway East.

The lines were for Harry Potter, but the costumes on Friday night are for Sarah Palin and the movie about her.

Faithful fans arrived early. Donna Galloway drove all the way from Beaumont for the debut.

"Undefeated is about having losses but coming back for victories," said Galloway.

The movie plays like a thriller, attacking the GOP establishment. Herb Meeks enjoyed the film so much he's back for a second showing.

Read the full story at myfoxhouston.com

By Aman Batheja

While a wizard named Potter is on track to rule the box office this weekend, it was a former governor named Palin who had conservatives excited at the AMC Grapevine Mills 30 theater Friday evening.

The Undefeated, a favorable documentary on Sarah Palin, began playing at 10 theaters nationwide Friday. The Grapevine theater is the only one showing the film in North Texas. At least one of Friday's scheduled viewings sold out.

A small group of supporters braved the early evening heat to gather outside the ticket line and show support for the film. One fan brought a wagon adorned with a sign reading "Texas is Palin Country" and filled with postcards touting the former vice presidential candidate's views and accomplishments.

Natalie Nichols of Texarkana, a member of Team Sarah, saw the film at a sneak preview last week but was excited to see it again on opening night. Like several others there, she said she hopes the documentary will help spread the word about "all that Palin accomplished" as Alaska governor that the mainstream media ignored in 2008.

Read the full story at star-telegram.com

ARC Entertainment:

ARC Entertainment, the distributor of “The Undefeated,” the film about Gov. Sarah Palin’s rise from obscurity to national prominence, announced today that through Saturday night the film had a stronger opening than expected with the large markets trending towards weekend per screen averages above $10,000 driven by multiple sold-out runs.  The film had accumulated approximately $5,000 per screen through Saturday night. Unique in the theatrical feature world, The Undefeated was rushed to select digital theatres in only 3 weeks, and was marketed almost entirely through social media and grass roots efforts, with virtually no traditional media spend.  With the strong initial showing, the film is going to a wider release footprint later this month, with details being announced soon...

“We are extremely pleased with the audience reaction, which has been over-the-top enthusiastic and very passionate, including standing ovations at most screenings,” said Trevor Drinkwater, CEO of ARC Entertainment, the film's distributor. “We expect word-of-mouth to keep ticket sales strong and we will definitely expand the film to a wider national audience.