When word got out Zyzzyx Road made $30.00 at the box office, net pundits laughed their asses off. (I did anyway) I thought 'My God, it must have had theater owners cussing the Sales agent down one aisle and up the other. But this is the entertainment biz and of course, things are not always as they appear, etc., etc.

Quint at AICN interviews Leo Grillo, producer/actor of ZR, and you will be amazed how complicated and sweet failure can be.

[EG]: Why was it released in only one theater and not simply sent straight-to-DVD? Do you mind explaining the SAG rule that necessitated it?

[LG]: The independent people make close to 1,000 movies a year hoping that there is a place to send them to, to "go straight to DVD", but there is no such place. What you do is get a sales rep to go around to studios, and then DVD distributors, and ask them if they're interested in the movie. But there's more supply than demand so there's no place to simply "send something straight to DVD".