MCN Columnists
Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Target: Cowabunga …

March 25, 2007
Weekend Finals
Domestic Market Share

TNMT – aka Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – led weekend movie going with an estimated $25.6 million. In a session dominated by openings of six national releases box office grew but there was no getting around the fact that the preems weren’t quite at peak box office potential.

Shooter, the Mark Wahlberg political thriller ranked third with $14.4 million while the kid lit fave The Last Mimzy was two rungs down at roughly $10 million. Less boffo were the horror retread The Hills Have Eyes IIwith $9.8 million, the off-the-groove Adam Sandler vehicle Reign Over Me grossing $7.8 million and the African American sport sage Pride treading water at $3.7 million.

Activity in the niches was equally fierce with good returns for the Bollywood entry Namestey London of $250,000 as well as a $140,000 bite for the shark documentary Sharkwater and a $17,000 plus screen average for Journey from the Fall, the saga of Vietnamese refugees in 1975. Casualties included John Malkovich‘s star turn in the black comic Color Me Kubrick and the talky ensembler What Love Is.

Overall box office revenues approached $140 million for a tidy 19% boost from seven days earlier. It was even more buoyant with the comparative 2006 frame with a 29% uptick. However, a year ago there were just three freshmen offerings with Inside Man and Stay Alive ranked first and third with respective grosses of $29 million and $10.7 million. The glut of new product has the year to date 12% improved from the prior year’s pace.

Fourteen years after the last cinematic excursion of the Turtles, the resurrected TNMT debuted to roughly the same box office as the second outing in 1991. That film topped out just shy of $80 million and a similar path for the current incarnation would be not unwelcome with foreign and ancillary revenues in the pot. The film bowed day and date in the U.K. and Australia but largely got shellacked by the competition.

300 slipped to second spot with an impressive $20.2 million for the session. The film is also dominating international screens with top rankings in its weekend bows in France, Mexico, Spain and Great Britain.

Fueled by strong reviews and a young male audience, Shooter edged ahead of Wild Hogs in its opening weekend. While it posted better than average potency, one can’t help but feel its full force was blunted by the volume of new product. That wasn’t quite the case with the horror sequel The Hills Have Eyes II but its burn out quotient is expected to be relatively extreme.

The frame’s two biggest marketing challenges also proved to be its biggest disappointments. The more serious inclined Adam Sandler-Don Cheadle Reign Over Me wasn’t drawing in Sandler’s core crowd and potential new converts could in no way makeup up for the defections. Pride, starring Terrence Howard as an inspirational coach, was perhaps too familiar a template despite the unusual milieu of aquatic sports.

Competition in the alternative arena was equally demanding, particularly for films bowing in a handful or fewer locations. Foreign-language entries included Offside from Iran and the French entry The Page Turner had respectable respective per theater averages of $3,600 and $8,900 but neither reached the heights to escape the confines of the art house circuit.

Similar assessments apply to the counter culture doc Air Guitar Nation, the gay themed Boy Culture and the American indie First Snow that had initial engagements in two or three theaters. However, the apotheosis of the current cutthroat environment for alternative fare is best exemplified by Color Me Kubrick. The idiosyncratic comedy-drama based on the true story of a man who posed as the famous filmmaker received generally strong critical support and had a recognizable lead performer to promote. However, the combined noise level of new movies both in the mainstream and niches pretty much drowned those assets out and the film failed to generate even $2,000 from 19 venues.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – March 23 – 25, 2007

Title
Distrib
Weekend
% Chang
Theater
Cume
Wks
1
New
TNMT
WB
24,255,205
3110
24,255,205
1
2
1
300
WB
19,862,491
-40%
3280
161,706,146
3
3
New
Shooter
Par
14,523,571
2806
14,523,571
1
4
2
Wild Hogs
BV
13,850,542
-27%
3401
123,303,817
4
5
New
The Last Mimzy
New Line
10,024,819
3017
10,024,819
1
6
New
The Hills Have Eyes II
Fox
9,686,362
2447
9,686,362
1
7
3
Premonition
Sony
9,562,739
-45%
2831
31,653,484
2
8
New
Reign Over Me
Sony
7,460,690
1671
7,460,690
1
9
New
Pride
Lions Gate
3,533,300
1518
3,533,300
1
10
4
Dead Silence
Uni
3,440,415
-56%
1806
13,216,140
2
11
5
I Think I Love My Wife
Fox Searchli
2,769,349
-51%
1794
10,048,530
2
12
6
Bridge to Terabithia
BV
2,323,868
-55%
2010
78,873,979
6
13
7
Ghost Rider
Sony
1,678,864
-60%
1560
113,216,624
6
14
12
Amazing Grace
IDP
1,476,109
-30%
932
16,790,093
5
15
17
The Namesake
Fox Searchli
1,306,819
83%
117
2,640,299
3
16
8
Zodiac
Par
1,168,965
-64%
872
31,639,642
4
17
9
Norbit
Par
965,543
-65%
1006
94,053,460
7
18
10
Music and Lyrics
WB
875,423
-61%
875
49,163,340
6
19
15
The Lives of Others
Sony Classic
742,648
-7%
232
5,672,720
7
20
New
Namastey London
Eros
578,224
65
578,224
1
21
14
Night at the Museum
Fox
563,540
-33%
427
246,926,396
14
22
13
Breach
Uni
505,095
-66%
457
32,427,985
6
23
19
Happy Feet
WB
395,313
-36%
405
197,207,309
19
24
11
The Number 23
New Line
335,403
-84%
505
35,063,732
5
25
28
The Host
Magnolia
269,884
10%
94
1,057,280
3
26
22
Pan’s Labyrinth
Picturehouse
251,003
-45%
207
36,673,437
13
27
29
La Vie en Rose
TVA
230,071
-6%
42
632,564
2
28
32
Deep Sea 3-D
WB
211,166
2%
35
25,208,963
56
29
27
The Pursuit of Happyness
Sony
196,518
-22%
283
163,872,868
15
30
16
The Ultimate Gift
Bigger Pictur
191,399
-76%
183
3,018,257
3
31
39
The Wind That Shakes the Barle
IFC/Christal
158,537
59%
39
398,703
2
32
30
The Messengers
Sony
155,094
-32%
255
35,585,820
9
33
23
The Last King of Scotland
Fox Searchli
152,661
-58%
136
17,170,865
26
34
34
Miss Potter
MGM
149,791
-20%
77
1,669,927
13
35
31
Charlotte’s Web
Par
134,416
-39%
251
82,734,184
15
36
33
Blood Diamond
WB
132,669
-31%
195
57,194,978
16
37
20
Daddy’s Little Girls
Lions Gate
130,318
-78%
152
31,339,647
6
38
New
Sharkwater
Alliance
124,167
25
124,167
1
39
21
The Astronaut Farmer
WB
117,543
-78%
225
10,682,489
5
40
26
The Queen
Miramax
117,419
-63%
143
56,002,774
26
41
40
Avenue Montaigne (Orchestra S
Thinkfilm/Sev
107,685
14%
29
806,557
26
42
18
Black Snake Moan
Par Vantage
102,206
-85%
136
9,188,883
4
43
24
Because I Said So
Uni
93,540
-73%
152
42,544,915
8
44
New
Journey from the Fall
ImaginAsia
87,442
4
87,442
1
45
43
Epic Movie
Fox
74,265
-11%
122
39,598,585
9
46
36
Stomp the Yard
Sony
70,114
-48%
135
61,466,753
11
47
42
The Painted Veil
WIP
68,350
-24%
81
7,848,366
14
48
44
Volver
Sony Class/
61,227
-23%
70
13,698,504
21
49
41
Fido
TVA
60,740
-34%
48
181,481
2
50
35
Dreamgirls
Par
60,710
-65%
103
103,011,182
15
51
25
Reno 911!: Miami
Fox
60,183
-82%
126
20,216,440
5
52
52
Roving Mars
BV
51,837
-13%
14
6,512,872
61
53
38
Notes on a Scandal
Fox Searchli
48,105
-53%
65
17,333,306
13
54
45
Ma Fille, Mon Ange
Alliance
40,721
-48%
40
2,265,476
6
55
51
Eragon
Fox
40,402
-33%
71
74,989,944
15
56
49
Breaking and Entering
Weinstein Co
39,178
-42%
50
880,510
9
57
64
Into Great Silence (Die Grosse S
Zietgeist/Mon
38,655
25%
10
278,660
14
58
New
Color Me Kubrick
Magnolia
37,201
19
37,201
1
59
53
Children of Men
Uni
37,103
-31%
38
35,470,991
14
60
47
Magnificent Desolation
Imax
29,359
-62%
12
17,962,619
78
61
46
Hannibal Rising
MGM
28,223
-64%
32
27,561,285
7
62
New
Boy Culture
TLA
27,835
3
27,835
1
63
59
Little Children
New Line
27,500
-24%
43
5,414,998
25
64
56
Venus
Miramax
23,002
-52%
37
3,311,430
14
65
54
Casino Royale
Sony
22,630
-54%
35
167,490,028
19
66
57
Believe in Me
IFC
22,316
-47%
26
196,361
3
67
37
Arthur and the Invisibles
MGM
22,218
-81%
58
14,929,879
11
68
50
Catch and Release
Sony
21,656
-66%
71
15,595,635
9
69
60
The Italian
Sony Classic
20,341
-42%
22
321,036
10
70
55
Happily Never After
Lions Gate
19,746
-59%
52
16,128,968
12
71
61
Letters from Iwo Jima
WB
19,282
-44%
37
13,646,221
14
72
68
Smokin’ Aces
Uni
19,026
-28%
38
35,722,611
9
73
New
La Tournesse de pages
Tartan/Seville
18,844
2
127,104
21
74
69
Cashback
Alliance
18,100
-30%
20
59,958
2
75
New
Offside
Sony Classic
18,003
5
18,003
1
Source: Nielsen EDI; MCN

Estimates – March 23-25, 2007

Title
Distributor
Gross (avera
% chang
Theater
Cume
TNMT
WB
25.6 (8,220)
3110
25.6
300
WB
20.2 (6,160)
-38%
3280
162.1
Shooter
Par
14.4 (5,120)
2806
14.4
Wild Hogs
BV
14.2 (4,190)
-25%
3401
123.7
The Last Mimzy
New Line
10.0 (3,320)
3017
10
Premonition
Sony
9.9 (3,500)
-44%
2831
32
The Hills Have Eyes II
Fox
9.8 (4,010)
2447
9.8
Reign Over Me
Sony
7.8 (4,680)
1671
7.8
Pride
Lions Gate
3.7 (2,440)
1518
3.7
Dead Silence
Uni
3.4 (1,890)
-56%
1806
13.2
I Think I Love My Wife
Fox Searchlight
2.7 (1,520)
-52%
1794
10
Bridge to Tarabithia
BV
2.3 (1,160)
-55%
2010
78.9
Ghost Rider
Sony
1.7 (1,070)
-60%
1560
113.2
Amazing Grace
IDP
1.5 (1,650)
-27%
932
16.8
The Namesake
Fox Searchlight
1.3 (11,200)
83%
117
2.6
Zodiac
Par
1.1 (1,300)
-66%
872
31.6
Norbit
Par
1.0 (960)
-65%
1006
94.1
Music and Lyrics
WB
.89 (1,020)
-61%
875
49.2
The Lives of Others
Sony Classics
.69 (3,070)
-14%
225
5.6
Breach
Uni
.52 (1,140)
-65%
457
32.4
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films)
$132.70
% Change (Last Year)
29%
% Change (Last Week)
19%
Also debuting/expanding
La Vie en Rose
TVA
.25 (5,950)
2%
42
0.65
Namestey London
Eros
.24 (3,640)
65
0.24
Sharkwater
Alliance
.14 (5,640)
25
0.14
Journey from the Fall
ImagineAsia
68,400 (17,100)
4
0.07
Color Me Kubrick
Magnolia
31,500 (1,660)
19
0.03
Boy Culture
TLA
24,700 (8,240)
3
0.02
Offside
Sony Classics
18,100 (3,620)
5
0.02
The Page Turner
Tartan
17,800 (8,900)
2
0.02
First Snow
FreeStyle
12,700 (4,240)
3
0.01
What Love Is
Big Sky
10,000 (240)
42
0.01
Air Guitar Nation
Shadow
8,500 (4,250)
2
0.01
The Prisoner …
Red Envelope
2,420 (1,210)
2
0.01

To Worldwide Grosses – Jan 1 – March 22, 2007

Title
Distributor
Gross
Night at the Museum *
Fox
364,117,131
The Pursuit of Happyness *
Sony
202,988,338
Ghost Rider
Sony
200,774,278
300
WB
171,076,979
Norbit
Par
128,331,013
Blood Diamond *
WB
122,419,424
Wild Hogs
BV
116,754,553
Dreamgirls *
Par
114,372,497
Music and Lyrics
WB
108,395,840
Casino Royale *
Sony
102,641,923
Rocky Balboa *
MGM/Fox
95,257,430
Bridge to Terabithia
BV/Summit
90,716,168
Happy Feet *
WB
81,577,114
Charlotte’s Web *
Par
80,604,493
Eragon *
Fox
80,287,875
Déjà vu *
BV
77,197,330
The Holiday *
Sony
75,084,044
Hannibal Rising
MGM/DDL
69,859,179
Babel *
Par Vant/Summit
68,001,767
Arthur et les Minimoys *
MGM/Europa
65,896,328
Apocalypto *
BV/Icon
64,772,762
* does not include 2006 box office

Domestic Market Share: Jan 1 – March 22, 2007

Distributor (releases)
Gross
Percentage
Sony (10)
312.7
18.00%
Paramount (8)
252.7
14.50%
Warner Bros. (13)
241.4
13.90%
Fox (9)
210.5
12.10%
Buena Vista (10)
178.9
10.30%
Universal (6)
178.3
10.20%
MGM (8)
76.3
4.40%
Lions Gate (4)
47.2
2.70%
New Line (4)
44.4
2.60%
Picturehouse (2)
35.3
2.00%
Fox Searchlight (5)
30.9
1.80%
Miramax (2)
30.3
1.70%
Par Vantage (2)
22.5
1.30%
Sony Classics (4)
16.9
1.00%
Focus (1)
16.4
0.90%
IDP (3)
12.9
0.70%
Other * (56)
33.2
1.90%
*none greater than 0.45%
1740.8
100.00%
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Klady

Quote Unquotesee all »

It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon