The Prestige apparently had the magic to ascend to the top of the box office chart with an estimated $14.8 million. In a session that had anticipated Flags of Our Fathers would take the weekend, the saga of the “greatest generation” struggled to $10.2 and ranked third overall.

A glut of new product contributed to a significant box office boast. Freshman entries included the updated equine fave Flicka galloping to $7.6 million; Sofia Coppola’s hot button Marie Antoinette serving up $5.3 million; and a 3-D enhanced version of The Nightmare Before Christmas generating an eye-popping $3.2 million in limited release. Additionally, there were two potent entries on the Bollywood circuit, several hot docs, a local entry in Quebec and a very good bow for Running with Scissors to cut the muster.

Leading up to the weekend, industry pundits had prognosticated essentially what transpired if one flip flopped the results for The Prestige and Flags. Prestige, an often lethal yarn of rival fin de siecle magicians, appeared a bit arcane and indistinct. However, critical response was generally very favorable and resulted in strong opening day business and a modest 14% boost on Saturday.

Flags of Our Fathers also experienced a 14% boost on Saturday but its first day indicated the highly anticipated production would struggle to reach $10 million rather than early estimates of $15 million plus. Exit polls revealed that 80% of its audience was older than 25 and the challenge ahead will be to bring in a younger crowd while maintaining its position as an award’s contendor.

Marie Antoinette had better success drawing in the under 25s and both its weekend tally and critical response was better than anticipated. Since debuting at Cannes, the stylized portrait of the tragic Queen has divided critics as well as audiences in a handful of European countries.

The venerable Flicka returned to the screen and critics were generally surprised at the quality on the endeavor. However, business was no better than fair and its commercial pace will now be dictated by strides in ancillary arenas.

Weekend revenues should exceed $105 million for a 6% drop from the prior frame. It nonetheless accounts for a 21% increase placed alongside the comparable 2005 session when new entries Doom and Dreamer led the field with respective grosses of $15.5 million and $9.2 million.

Once again both The Departed and Open Season held their ground in a highly competitive marketplace with grosses at a 70% level. The rest of the wide release field was pumping at about 50%.

Both The Queen and King (of Scotland) continued slow expansions but despite glowing reviews for both, only Elizabeth II is maintaining regal returns while the deposed despot Idi Amin cannot staunch commercial erosion. Little Children boosted its theater count from 5 to 32 and maintained a solid standing but Infamous’s second weekend experienced a sharp 59% decline.

Digitally enhanced and reconstituted for 3-D, Tim Burton’s 1993 vintage The Nightmare Before Christmas returned with a vengeance. Released in 168 locations, it generated a roughly $19,000 average with a staggering record-breaking $290,000 gross from the El Capitain in Hollywood.

Also record-breaking at least in exposure was the Hindi Don that bowed in 113 theaters. The circuit has generally supported wide releases in the area of 65 to 70 playdates and the assertive push to expand Bollywood’s reach paid off well with a $630,000 weekend. Jaan-E-Mann on 65 screens was a disappointment with a $122,000 box office.

While response was mixed for Running with Scissors its $233,000 gross in eight venues belied antipathy. A notch down were returns for the documentaries 51 Birch Street and Jonestown that amassed, respectively, $10,300 in two situations and a solo gross of $7,900. Congorama, a hit with Toronto Fest audiences, generated an OK $86,300 in 27 situations in Quebec.

– by Leonard Klady

Domestic Market Share: To October 22, 2006

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