Tired of the Oscars? Had it with Michael Moore? Well, Jason Apuzzo argues that they are going to be around, doing their far—left propaganda for a long, long time. The reason: They're making money at it. Not from Middle America, but from leftwingers in New York and San Francisco, and lots of anti—Americans in Europe and elsewhere. Plus DVD sales from all that publicity.

So what's the solution? Apuzzo is an interested party, as a conservative film producer and Co—Director of The Liberty Film Festival. But he makes an interesting case. The age of the high—cost blockbuster is over, he says, and quotes Hollywood types like George Lukas who agree. If movies cost less to produce, conservatives ——— also known as "mainstream America ——— can afford to get into the game. The average budget for the five Oscar winners "was about $20 million. Their average worldwide gross? Just over $80 million — and that doesn't even include DVD revenues."  Let's see, that's ten million people paying eight bucks a piece at the box office. Are there 10 million normal people in America, willilng to pay eight or ten dollars for a movie that supports the values they live by?

Rush Limbaugh alone has 20 million listeners per week. So we'll bet on the audience being out there. So we may be seeing the age of medium—budget movies that cost a mere $ 10 million to make. If there are talented actors and directors who are conservatives, there must be quite a few opportunities. 

Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ made a gross of $610 million from an initial investment of $ 30 million. Now it's true that Michael Moore's America—hating Fahrenheit 9/11 made $221 million from an $ 8 million investment. But chances are that more investors are willing to put their money  into movies about two heterosexual cowboys, about terrorists who really look like the real thing — not crazed Mormon survivalists — and about movies you can take your children to without feeling ashamed.

Apuzzo writes,

"Wouldn't it be fun if a conservative company followed the model (of low—cost movies), and pumped out a few low—budget conservative films each year? Such a company could kick—start a conservative film revolution."

OK, where do we sign up?

James Lewis   3 15 06