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Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 - Comments Off on Semi-Po’ and Con…
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Semi-Po’ and Con…

Despite topping the weekend box office chart with an estimated by $15.4 million, Semi-Pro provided slim comfort in a depressed post-Oscar frame. No Country for Old Men added close to 1000 theaters and saw its revenues rise 63% but other winners saw no immediate benefit in the domestic arena.

The frame also saw a strong $8.2 million opening for the sexually charged The Other Boleyn Girl but the metaphoric comedy Penelope had a tepid $3.6 million bow. Limited release openers proved glum including the distaff road movie Bonneville that generated roughly a $1,400 average from 101 theaters and a perhaps overly aggressive 75 screen launch for the Brazilian City of Men that was inching toward a $1,600 average. The Chicago 10 had a less than nostalgic $42,400 gross from 14 courts.

Weekend box office inched toward $94 million for a sharp 15% decline from seven days earlier and an even steeper 24% drop from 2007. A year ago Wild Hogs left its closest competitor Zodiac in the dust as the two films entered the marketplace with respective debuts of $39.7 million and $13.4 million.

While unlikely to occur any time soon, the industry would be well advised to move the early March dates of the ShoWest exhibition convention. The timing is almost certain to coincide with a movie going lull that traditionally elevates anxiety among theater owners and recent pronouncements of turnarounds by industry leaders have sounded more like p.r. than anything vaguely based upon credible evidence.

Reflecting the overall industry belt tightening was last week’s announcement of New Line’s further absorption into the WB family. Whether intentional or not, one had to smile at its concision with the launch of Semi-Pro that was anticipated to be a more commercially potent performer (think Blades of Glory). But irony was not to be and the worst case scenario remains that New Line’s future may be limited to a label to recycle past successes within a year.

The bright spot on the chart was The Other Boleyn Girl’s fourth place finish with a sturdy $7,060 location average. It’s always amazing when history challenged American movie goers embrace costumers and invariably it’s some adroit marketing finesse that emphasizes the “sexier” aspects of the story that gets implanted. Efforts to connect a considerably more recent past in The Chicago 10 failed to create a B.O. bama, so kudos to the Tudors.

Oscar foreign-language winner The Counterfeiters from Austria doubled its playdates and box office but appears short of the commercial traction (or social vibrancy) of last year’s triumphant The Lives of Others.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – March 2, 2008

– – Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New Semi-Pro New Line 15,075,114 – 3121 15,075,114 1
2 1 Vantage Point Sony 12,819,245 -44% 3150 40,823,745 2
3 2 The Spiderwick Chronicles Par 8,700,378 -34% 3654 55,028,942 3
4 New The Other Boleyn Girl Sony 8,203,061 — 1166 8,203,061 1
5 3 Jumper Fox 7,568,462 -40% 3128 66,790,968 3
6 4 Step Up 2 the Streets BV 5,742,479 -40% 2528 48,621,711 3
7 5 Fool’s Gold WB 4,418,229 -33% 2845 58,800,790 4
8 12 No Country for Old Men Miramax 4,114,994 71% 2037 69,680,625 17
9 New Penelope Summit 3,802,144 – 1196 3,802,144 1
10 6 Definitely, Maybe Uni 3,382,005 -35% 2189 26,650,585 3
11 8 Juno Fox Searchligh 3,264,570 -21% 1631 135,049,108 13
12 7 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Uni 2,646,570 -36% 1393 39,128,395 4
13 9 Be Kind Rewind New Line 2,089,157 -48% 810 7,123,561 2
14 11 The Bucket List WB 1,693,430 -33% 1565 87,604,043 10
15 10 There Will Be Blood Par Vantage 1,547,177 -42% 1248 37,572,245 10
16 13 Witless Protection Lions Gate 977,581 -54% 1354 3,485,150 2
17 16 Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 3- BV 948,075 -40% 531 63,167,101 5
18 15 27 Dresses Fox 855,724 -48% 796 74,466,610 7
19 14 Charlie Bartlett MGM 836,285 -54% 1122 3,254,225 2
20 17 The Eye Lions Gate 779,186 -44% 624 30,046,798 5
21 21 In Bruges Focus 775,255 5% 232 3,763,918 4
22 20 Alvin and the Chipmunks Fox 662,436 -11% 701 213,675,858 12
23 19 U2 3D nWave 607,095 -41% 451 5,738,171 4
24 18 Atonement Focus 486,089 -60% 480 50,224,809 13
25 23 National Treasure: Book of Secre BV 422,985 -39% 389 216,599,988 11
26 37 I Am Legend WB 380,265 151% 343 255,268,029 12
27 22 Jodhaa Akbar UTV 342,076 -51% 125 3,062,298 3
28 30 Enchanted BV 319,416 -15% 329 127,393,667 15
29 39 The Band’s Visit Sony Classics 291,414 128% 64 899,405 4
30 24 Rambo Lions Gate 271,407 -58% 402 42,281,425 6
31 27 Meet the Spartans Fox 247,987 -44% 340 37,751,406 6
32 28 Cloverfield Par 234,612 -39% 346 79,148,606 7
33 31 The Water Horse: Legend of Dee Sony 203,287 -25% 314 41,542,595 10
34 26 Untraceable Sony 195,307 -61% 218 28,687,835 6
35 25 Michael Clayton WB 193,821 -67% 200 48,849,846 22
36 34 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adv nWave 189,760 1% 45 8,536,174 22
37 49 The Counterfeiters Sony Classics 185,313 112% 18 330,137 2
38 New Bonneville SenArts 173,284 – 101 173,284 1
39 29 Persepolis Sony Classics 153,154 -60% 165 3,778,450 10
40 32 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Miramax 151,553 -41% 131 5,530,368 14
41 33 The Savages Fox Searchligh 135,077 -31% 108 6,207,164 14
42 New City of Men Miramax 130,579 – 75 130,579 1
43 36 Sweeney Todd Par 110,261 -28% 207 52,725,724 11
44 35 The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anythi Uni 108,395 -39% 252 12,701,880 8
45 40 Diary of the Dead Weinstein Co. 84,280 -31% 47 587,307 3
46 44 The Kite Runner Par Vantage 81,457 -24% 94 15,458,230 12
47 50 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days IFC/Mongrol 78,185 -5% 41 1,000,043 16
48 42 Borderline TVA 77,001 -31% 42 843,310 4
49 43 One Missed Call WB 68,630 -39% 123 26,812,746 9
50 41 Charlie Wilson’s War Uni 68,385 -39% 97 66,636,385 11
51 48 Bee Movie Par 66,182 -27% 107 127,000,319 18
52 47 The Golden Compass New Line 62,419 -32% 112 70,083,519 13
53 51 First Sunday Sony 55,959 -23% 65 38,003,969 8
54 RE La Vie en Rose Picturehse/TV 54,618 – 28 10,083,752 51
55 53 La Riviere aux castors Alliance 54,399 -12% 44 164,782 2
56 45 P.S. I Love You WB 51,989 -50% 138 53,627,065 11
57 67 Up the Yangtze KinoSmith 48,247 42% 6 195,081 4
58 57 Deep Sea 3-D WB 47,468 -9% 10 34,384,872 105
59 RE Dolphins and Whales 3-D 3D Entertainm 47,274 – 6 225,131 3
60 56 Year My Parents Went on Vacati City Lights 44,538 -18% 21 245,805 3
61 New Chicago 10 Roadside Attr 42,724 – 14 42,724 1
62 66 I’m Not There Weinstein Co. 38,100 10% 32 4,001,121 15
63 60 Space Station 3-D Imax 36,547 -28% 6 73,637,202 307
64 59 The Orphanage Pichouse/Chri 34,293 -33% 34 7,034,742 10
65 63 Caramel Roadside Attr 32,193 -18% 13 405,314 5
66 58 Into the Wild Par Vantage 31,435 -39% 54 18,304,261 24
67 64 Magnificent Desolation Imax 30,850 -21% 5 22,727,545 128
68 46 2007 Academy Award Shorts Magnolia 30,025 -70% 27 458,257 3
69 61 Mad Money Overture 28,957 -33% 50 20,272,213 7
70 55 Tout est parfait Alliance 28,646 -48% 26 244,846 3
71 54 Over Her Dead Body New Line/TVA 28,514 -50% 58 7,525,032 5
72 52 Strange Wilderness Par Vantage 26,059 -60% 88 6,563,357 5
73 62 The Great Debaters MGM 25,012 -39% 47 30,073,532 10
74 86 Starting Out in the Evening Roadside Attr 24,896 71% 23 790,726 15
75 38 The Signal Magnolia 23,143 -84% 38 231,687 2
76 71 The Duchess of Langeais IFC 21,176 -5% 3 54,427 2
77 68 Cover Reel Diva 20,013 -32% 14 62,217 2
78 92 Taxi to the Dark Side Thinkfilm 18,054 92% 18 130,288 7

Estimates – February 29 – March 2, 2008

Title Distributor Gross (averag % change Theater Cume
Semi-Pro New Line 15.4 (4,920) – 3121 15.4
Vantage Point Sony 12.7 (4,030) -45% 3150 40.7
The Spiderwick Chronicles Par 8.7 (2,370) -34% 3654 55
The Other Boleyn Girl Sony 8.2 (7,060) – 1166 8.2
Jumper Fox 7.5 (2,400) -41% 3128 66.7
Step Up 2: The Streets BV 5.6 (2,230) -41% 2528 48.5
Fool’s Gold WB 4.5 (1,590) -31% 2845 58.9
No Country for Old Men Miramax 3.9 (1,930) 63% 2037 69.5
Penelope Summit 3.6 (3,050) – 1196 3.6
Juno Fox Searchlight 3.3 (2,010) -20% 1631 135.1
Definitely, Maybe Uni 3.2 (1,470) -38% 2189 26.5
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Uni 2.6 (1,880) -37% 1393 39.1
Be Kind Rewind New Line 2.0 (2,520) -50% 810 7.1
The Bucket List WB 1.7 (1,100) -32% 1565 87.6
There Will Be Blood Par Vantage 1.4 (1,150) -46% 1248 37.5
Witless Protection Lions Gate .92 (680) -57% 1354 3.4
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Concert BV .89 (1,680) -44% 531 63.1
27 Dresses Fox .83 (1,040) -49% 796 74.4
Charlie Bartlett MGM .78 (700) -58% 1122 3.2
The Eye Lions Gate .72 (1,150) -48% 624 30
In Bruges Focus .71 (3,060) -4% 232 3.7
U2 3D nWave .55 (1,220) -46% 451 5.7
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) – $89.70 – – –
% Change (Last Year) – -24% – – –
% Change (Last Week) – -15% – – –
Also debuting/expanding
The Counterfeiters Sony Classics .18 (10,050) 107% 18 0.32
Bonneville SenArts .14 (1,410) – 101 0.14
City of Men Miramax .12 (1,570) – 75 0.12
The Chicago 10 Roadside At. 42,400 (3,030) – 14 0.04
Chop Shop Koch Lorber 8,900 (8,900) – 1 0.01
Romulus, My Father Magnolia 3,200 (1,070) – 3 0.01

Domestic Market Share – To February 27, 2008

Distributor (releases) Gross Mkt Share
Warner Bros. (11) 263.2 17.40%
Fox (7) 251.3 16.60%
Buena Vista (7) 205.4 13.60%
Paramount (5) 153.3 10.20%
Sony (9) 123.3 8.20%
Fox Searchlight (3) 108.3 7.20%
Universal (5) 101.5 6.70%
Lions Gate (4) 74 4.90%
Par Vantage (6) 59.8 4.00%
Focus (3) 41.6 2.80%
Miramax (2) 28.4 1.90%
New Line (3) 21.9 1.40%
Overture (1) 20.2 1.30%
MGM (6) 18.7 1.20%
Picturehouse (2) 6.7 0.40%
Other * (52) 33.3 2.20%
– 1510.9 100.00%

Domestic Grossers – To February 14, 2008

Title Distributor Gross
Juno * Fox Searchlight 91,538,337
National Treasure: Book of Secrets * BV 80,102,102
Cloverfield Par 76,773,236
The Bucket List * WB 76,232,361
27 Dresses Fox 66,761,871
Alvin and the Chipmunks * Fox 61,187,876
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Con BV 55,127,562
I Am Legend * WB 54,979,314
Rambo Lions Gate 38,199,768
First Sunday Sony 37,627,592
Meet the Spartans Fox 34,776,211
Atonement * Focus 34,761,980
Fool’s Gold WB 28,954,687
P.S. I Love You * WB 27,837,545
There Will Be Blood * Par Vantage 27,581,368
Charlie Wilson’s War * Uni 27,440,875
One Missed Call WB 26,569,730
Untraceable Sony 25,388,456
Sweeney Todd * Par 23,842,967
The Eye Lions Gate 23,145,696
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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?

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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.

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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.”
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~ David Simon