LINCOLN, Neb. — When it comes to documentary films, controversy spurs box office receipts.
Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11″ opened on 868 screens in June 2004, making it the most widely debuted documentary in history. It held that record until Sunday, when “Super High Me,” an unconventionally distributed documentary-comedy about marijuana legalization and the drug’s effects on the body, made its debut on screens throughout the country.
Though “Super High Me” overtook “Fahrenheit 9/11″’s screen record, it won’t appear at the top of any money lists because every screening held Sunday was free. Film fans could arrange to show the movie themselves, and the final tally was expected to be just under 1,100 screenings, said Chris Hyams, the founder of B-Side, the company distributing the film.
In the movie, Doug Benson, a veteran stand-up comedian and High Times 2006 Stoner of the Year, goes on a mission to smoke marijuana as much as possible for 30 days in order to get “super high.”
“How awesome would it be if it fucking killed me,” Benson jokes to a stand-up crowd. “‘Grizzly Man’ style.”
The premise is a spoof on 2004’s Oscar-nominated “Super Size Me,” in which Morgan Spurlock wreaks havoc on his body by eating McDonald’s for every meal for a month.
Benson compares results from a series of tests both with and without marijuana in his system to examine the physical and mental effects of long-term usage. Footage of his appointments is mixed with film of Benson’s stand-up performances and footage from various California medicinal marijuana distributors, which allows the film to address not only Benson’s personal drug use, but also the controversy between federal and state marijuana laws.
The State Theatre in Lincoln, Neb., was one of the venues to screen the movie Sunday. Manager Ben Churley heard about the film from a friend and arranged a screening with the company. “Super High Me” joined “Before the Music Dies” and “Heima” on the list of B-Side screenings the Lincoln theater has hosted, Churley said.
“We (expect to) have the widest-ever opening on a budget less than a four-inch ad in the NY Times,” Hyams said.
Rather than rely on expensive promotion of the films it distributes, B-Side lets movie enthusiasts decide what films deserve attention. Hyams said the company maintains Web sites for more than 200 film festivals, which gives it access to a host of movies in search of distribution. Instead of splurging on expensive advertising campaigns, the company sells DVDs and downloads of the films so people can screen the films themselves. The hope, Hyams said, is that word of mouth will promote DVD sales.
Churley said the State is happy to help showcase movies that would otherwise go ignored, and he said the theater will consider recommendations from patrons.
“It’s almost like a public service for us,” he said.
Hyams compared B-Side’s marketing technique to the one Radiohead used last fall when it released “In Rainbows” on the Internet and allowed fans to name their own prices. According to Wired.com, 60 percent of the people who downloaded “In Rainbows” didn’t pay anything for it, but when it was released later on CD, it peaked at No. 1 on charts around the world, including in the United States and the United Kingdom.
“This model only works when you have something that people really like,” Hyams said, but “it had a huge downstream benefit.”
Hyams said people have really taken an interest in “Super High Me.” The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is sponsoring about 20 screenings, and about 60 college campuses are sponsoring showings. The most unique, Hyams said, is an Illinois couple who are showing the film at their wedding reception. It beats the standard model for attracting people to the movies.
“When you open things up and let people take over, they come up with incredible and brilliant ways to distribute it,” Hyams said.