Charles, Senator theaters wrestle over "Fahrenheit 9/11" rights - 2004-06-21 - Baltimore Business Journal

Charles, Senator theaters wrestle over "Fahrenheit 9/11" rights - 2004-06-21 - Baltimore Business Journal: "When Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' opens in hundreds of theaters June 25, the Senator Theatre in Baltimore won't be among them -- the result of behind-the-scenes industry drama between Tom Kiefaber and the owners of the neighboring Charles Theater, which will play the film.
Charles Theater owners Buzz Cusack and John Standiford have engaged in a practice known as 'clearance,' whereby a movie theater uses its influence with a distributor -- in this case Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. -- to prevent nearby theaters from playing the same film. Kiefaber claims his rivals are engaging in an 'an anti-competitive tactic' and that 'film-goers are not being well served.'

While Standiford could not estimate how much money Moore's film could bring, he said on an average weekend, a popular independent film might gross $10,000. Showing the movie at the Senator would result in half that revenue."

Julekha Dash
Baltimore Bizjournals