Kazaks, Crocodile Hunters, and Austrians

Apparently I am out of touch with The American Movie-Goer. 

I don’t go to the movies all that often, and I don’t have a TV, but even I know about the upcoming Borat movie.  I assume that when pop culture information filters down to me, pretty much everyone else already knows about it.  (I just found out on Saturday night that the crocodile hunter had died.)

But apparently, in this case, I am not the last one to know. 

Fox is scaling back the release of Borat: Cultural Learnings of American for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.  It’s coming out on Friday, but instead of being released into 2,200 theaters, they’re releasing it to a measly 800!  Why!?  Because people don’t know about it.

(Ten points to the LA Times, by the way, for opening their article about the movie with, “Moviefilm “Borat” will not be in so much US and A theaters when it opening third of November.”)

Fox studios recently did a survey and found that only 27% of moviegoers were aware of Borat.  Compare this with the numbers for the competition – two other big movies are coming out this weekend – The Santa Clause 3 (81% awareness) and Flushed Away (50% awareness).  I am proud to say that I have no idea what they’re talking about.

Fox plans to open the movie in 2,200 theaters the following weekend, after the word has spread.

Meanwhile, I find it kind of hard to believe that 73% of the people surveyed had never heard of this movie!  It’s everywhere!  Some politicos at Forbes wrote a piece advising Kazakhstan as to how they can use the Borat craze to their advantage.  Apparently, the Kazakh press secretary read the article, because they have taken Forbes’ advice and invited Cohen (the real Borat) to visit The Real Kazakhstan.  Meanwhile, in preparation for the Borat movie, Kazakhstan is going on the offensive – running ads on CNN and some DC television stations promoting their lovely nation.  (Want to see the ad?)

Borat opens in London tonight, and I can’t wait to see how Sacha Baron-Cohen shows up to the premier…  he showed up to the Toronto Film Festival last month in a cart pulled by a team of six peasant women.  I think we will be in for a serious treat.

Well, Kazakhstan might be off the hook pretty soon…. Watch out Austria, because one of Cohen’s other big characters, Bruno, the fake spokesperson of Austria Gay TV, also has a movie deal.