'Sicko' watch: Vital signs good despite file sharing
The official numbers aren't in yet, but reports indicate that the debut of Michael Moore's documentary on the health care industry is a smash--this despite being downloaded on file-sharing sites a week before the opening.
Sicko sold out in the 43 theaters across the country where it appeared during "sneak" previews last weekend. The film's producers, the Weinstein Company, won't reveal earnings, but in New York, the movie appeared on one theater screen and still managed to bank $70,000. By all indications, this is a blockbuster number.
I've been tracking how Moore's expose fares to gauge the effect file sharing may have on movie premieres. So far the only impact appears to be positive. The film received media attention nearly two weeks ago when copies popped up on YouTube and Google Video and were being shared by thousands online via BitTorrent files.
Nothing grabs headlines like controversy.
Some in the file-sharing ranks say they may have even helped generate early buzz about the film by spreading positive reviews across the Web. The Weinstein Company continues to condemn copyright infringement, according to a spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, Evan Almighty showed up at Google Video's site in the United Kingdom, according to the National Legal and Policy Center. The clip was viewed more than 69,000 times on the site before being pulled Monday morning.
Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. He is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sandoCNET. 
The media companies (recording and movie) has been screwing the public since their inception with crap that they make to look good to draw us in till we discover we wasted our money on garbage. File sharing exposes a turd for what it really is and saves the consumer from being ripped off.
How many cd's have been purchased with the expectation of greatness to only discover the one song you heard (via radio or promo) was the only good track on the disc?
How many movies have you paid to see where the trailer looks great but those 3 minutes in the trailer were the only good 3 minutes in the movie?
The majority of file sharers have no problem supporting artists that deliver a quality product. The only ones that suffer from sharing are the labels that try and pass off crap to a now smarter and better educated public.
How many "traditional" thieves go back to buy a product after they have stolen it if they like it? Many file-sharers will. However, today, because of the fear of "copying", many media has a "return for same item only if opened" policy. So even if you bought a CD or DVD, you would not be able to return it if you did not like it. Of course, theaters do not have a "satisfaction guaranteed" policy either.