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Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, February 1st, 2009 - Comments Off on Taken .. Not Stirred
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Taken .. Not Stirred

The kidnap thriller Taken topped weekend movie going with an estimated $24.5 million. While the top title’s take was upbeat, two other premiering films had below par results. The chiller The Uninvited ranked third overall with $10.5 million and the issue comedy New in Town slotted eighth with a $6.7 million gross.

The session also saw a good opening for Bollywood entry Lucky by Chance of $260,000 and an encouraging $14,100 single screen gross for the American indie Medicine for Melancholy. Otherwise most holdover titles experienced 50% to 60% declines in the face of anticipated competition from Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Taken, produced by Luc Besson’s company, was a major success internationally with a gross of close to $70 million last year. The domestic release initially seemed like an after thought and release schedule space filler but as its opening loomed interest appeared to perk up and expectations rose to a $20 million debut. Exit polls were also good and the film is now expected to be a highly profitable investment.

This is traditionally the time of year that horror genre movies start to lose their commercial luster and The Uninviteddid nothing to turn the tide. There also weren’t high expectations for the Renee Zellweger vehicle New in Town and downbeat reviews did nothing to bolster the yarn of hard times in a warm hearted Minnesota small town.

Overall revenues for the frame approached $127 million that saw a 22% decline from seven days earlier. Business was also on par with the comparable 2007 weekend when the 3D Hannah Montana concert film bowed to $31.1 million, followed by the $12.4 million gross for the chiller The Eye.

With Oscar three weeks in the offing, most contenders aren’t receiving a lot of award’s buttressing. Milk finally went wide and generated a rather dull $1,540 theater average. The results weren’t much better for The Reader andFrost/Nixon experienced a sharp drop following last weekend’s national launch.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button had an OK hold with $116.5 million already in the bank and initial international business looking upbeat.

However, the big commercial beneficiary remains Slumdog Millionaire that should get close to $100 million by February 22. The buzz on the street is that the best picture Oscar is Slumdog’s to lose and despite ramped up negative pieces – planted and otherwise – neither its momentum nor the lack of it for others appears to be having a significant effect.

The lack of Oscar recognition also doesn’t appear to be having much effect on Gran Torino which this weekend became Clint Eastwood’s highest grossing film. It should be noted that still comes up short of most popular as ticket prices were noticeably lower when his other $100 million plus movies In the Line of Fire and Unforgivenwere in commercial release.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2009

– – Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New Taken Fox 24,717,037 – 3183 24,717,037 1
2 1 Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 13,872,751 -36% 3206 83,247,655 3
3 New The Uninvited Par 10,325,824 – 2344 10,325,824 1
4 4 Hotel for Dogs Par 8,632,740 -33% 3160 48,156,061 3
5 3 Gran Torino WB 8,232,278 -49% 2015 110,178,990 8
6 5 Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 7,628,713 -29% 1633 67,193,169 12
7 2 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Sony 7,581,272 -64% 2942 33,165,746 2
8 New New in Town Lions Gate 6,741,530 – 1941 6,741,530 1
9 6 My Bloody Valentine 3D Lions Gate 4,479,662 -55% 1406 44,827,233 3
10 7 Inkheart WB 3,721,492 -51% 2655 12,813,023 2
11 9 Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 3,544,251 -42% 2126 116,473,266 6
12 8 Bride Wars Fox 3,524,896 -49% 1985 53,891,483 4
13 12 Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 2,674,320 -48% 1077 16,054,024 6
14 11 Defiance Par Vantage 2,503,514 -56% 1662 22,800,595 5
15 20 The Reader Weinstein Co. 2,380,376 70% 1002 12,655,858 8
16 14 The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 2,313,149 -38% 722 13,051,867 7
17 10 Notorious Fox Searchlight 1,700,301 -71% 1080 35,011,149 4
18 23 Milk Focus 1,481,155 67% 882 23,464,697 10
19 16 Frost/Nixon Uni 1,403,550 -54% 1105 14,316,246 9
20 17 Last Chance Harvey Overture 1,227,208 -57% 893 11,694,498 6
21 13 The Unborn Uni 1,222,980 -72% 1308 41,318,365 4
22 15 Marley and Me Fox 960,224 -68% 1022 139,793,037 6
23 24 Doubt Miramax 836,997 -1% 602 27,984,891 8
24 21 Twilight Summit 623,836 -36% 413 187,010,870 11
25 18 Bedtime Stories BV 555,488 -72% 639 108,566,034 6
26 26 The Dark Knight WB 436,843 -34% 211 532,356,746 29
27 19 Valkyrie MGM 402,518 -73% 509 81,619,482 6
28 22 Not Easily Broken Sony 373,286 -61% 292 10,302,104 4
29 27 Madagascar: Escape to Africa Par 326,479 -36% 275 179,282,122 13
30 30 The Tale of Despereaux Uni 229,175 -21% 312 49,899,955 7
31 28 Rachel Getting Married Sony Classics 223,075 -51% 220 11,659,863 18
32 New Lucky by Chance Adlabs 216,918 – 57 216,918 1
33 25 Yes Man WB 208,017 -74% 277 95,848,155 7
34 32 Australia Fox 172,706 -18% 297 48,955,455 10
35 37 Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 157,155 4% 44 991,343 6
36 47 Entre les murs (The Class) Sony Classics 155,190 118% 25 314,334 3
37 38 The Day the Earth Stood Still Fox 128,771 -7% 201 78,781,466 8
38 34 Bolt BVI 122,480 -33% 173 112,973,613 11
39 31 Quantum of Silence Sony 112,061 -50% 198 168,553,888 12
40 29 Seven Pounds Sony 97,375 -67% 151 70,143,199 7
41 33 Four Christmases WB 84,577 -59% 183 120,073,790 10
42 35 Che IFC 79,027 -39% 24 1,020,663 8
43 40 Beverly Hills Chihuahua BV 67,487 -33% 136 94,497,271 18
44 41 Transporter 3 Lions Gate 61,106 -37% 155 32,113,209 10
45 36 Arundhati Ficus 57,192 -64% 12 233,795 2
46 54 Wendy and Lucy Oscilloscope 45,354 39% 13 251,210 8
47 44 Role Models Uni 43,439 -43% 104 67,337,709 13
48 71 Cadillac Records Sony 39,530 235% 115 8,362,479 9
49 48 Let the Right One In Magnolia 37,866 -28% 29 1,828,452 15
50 45 Happy-Go-Lucky Miramax 36,210 -45% 20 3,636,685 17
51 51 I’ve Loved You So Long Sony Classics 31,967 -19% 27 2,649,479 20
52 49 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adven NatGeo 30,100 -40% 15 20,727,547 70
53 53 Fly Me to the Moon Summit 29,383 -17% 11 12,790,022 25
54 67 Dolphins and Whales 3D 3D Entertainme 28,245 74% 9 5,372,975 51
55 50 Synedoche, New York Sony Classics 25,989 -45% 23 2,971,177 15
56 42 Vicky Christina Barcelona Weinstein Co. 20,425 -74% 25 23,164,041 25
57 60 Roving Mars BV 18,357 -5% 7 9,959,080 158
58 58 Magnificent Desolation Imax 18,331 -24% 5 27,349,653 176
59 59 Space Station 3D Imax 18,044 -19% 7 77,477,715 255
60 39 Chandni Chowk to China WB 17,409 -86% 25 912,585 3
Source: EDI/MCN

Estimates – January 30-February 1, 2009

Title Distributor Gross (avera % change Theaters Cume
Taken Fox 24.5 (7,700) – 3183 24.5
Paul Bart: Mall Cop Sony 14.1 (4,390) -35% 3206 83.5
The Uninvited Par 10.5 (4,470) – 2344
Hotel for Dogs Par 8.7 (2,740) -33% 3160 48.2
Gran Torino WB 8.5 (2,810) -48% 3015 110.4
Slumdog Millionaires Fox Searchlight 7.5 (4,570) -30% 1633 67
Underworld 3 Sony 7.2 (2,460) -65% 2942 32.8
New in Town Lions Gate 6.7 (3,440) – 1941 6.7
My Blood Valentine 2D Lions Gate 4.2 (3,000) -58% 1406 44.6
Inkheart WB 3.7 (1,410) -51% 2655 12.8
Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 3.6 (1,690) -41% 2126 116.5
Bride Wars Fox 3.5 (1,770) -49% 1985 53.9
Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 2.7 (2,490) -48% 1077 16.1
Defiance Par Vantage 2.4 (1,470) -57% 1662 22.7
The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 2.3 (3,230) -37% 722 13.1
The Reader Weinstein Co. 2.3 (2,270) 62% 1002 12.5
Notorious Fox Searchlight 1.7 (1,550) -71% 1080 35
Frost/Nixon Uni 1.4 (1,240) -55% 1105 14.3
Milk Focus 1.4 (1,540) 54% 882 23.3
Last Chance Harvey Overture 1.2 (1,330) -58% 893 11.7
The Unborn Uni 1.2 (890) -73% 1308 41.3
Marley and Me Fox .96 (940) -68% 1021 139.8
Doubt Miramax .78 (1,290) -8% 602 27.9
Twilight Summit .59 (1,430) -40% 413 187
Bedtime Stories BV .57 (890) -71% 639 108.6
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) – $122.20 – – –
% Change (Last Year) – 0% – – –
% Change (Last Week) – -22% – – –
Also debuting/expanding
Lucky by Chance Adlabs .26 (4,610) – 61 0.26
Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 .16 (3,950) 5% 28 0.98
The Class Sony Class/E1 .13 (7,170) 130% 18 0.24
Medicine for Melancholy IFC 14,100 (14,100) – 1 0.01
Serbis Regent 12,700 (6,350) – 2 0.01
Blessed is the Match Balcony 2,800 (2,800) – 1 0.01

Domestic Market Share – January 1 – 29, 2009

Distributor (releases) Gross Mrkt Share
Warner Bros. (11) 149.1 16.30%
Sony (6) 132.6 14.50%
Fox ( 4) 131.8 14.40%
Paramount (4) 103.4 11.30%
Fox Searchlight (4) 80.5 8.80%
Universal (5) 65.5 7.20%
Buena Vista (5) 60.6 6.70%
Lionsgate (3) 47.5 5.20%
MGM (3) 40.5 4.40%
Paramount Vantage (2) 33.4 3.70%
Miramax (3) 16.1 1.80%
Summit (2) 16 1.80%
Overture (2) 10.6 1.20%
Weinstein Co. (4) 9.3 1.00%
Focus (1) 7.4 0.80%
Other * (25) 8.5 0.90%
* none greater than 0.5% 912.8 100.00%
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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?

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