MCN Columnists
Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, April 5th, 2009 - Comments Off on Pop Goes the Diesel
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Pop Goes the Diesel

Fast & Furious lived up to its moniker, speeding past the competition and re-writing the record books with an estimated $72.4 million debut. In another expansive frame the only other national debut — the droll retro-comedy Adventureland — didn’t provide much in counter-programming with a $5.7 million tally.

The session was also rife with limited and niche bows including a pair of inspirational films — The One Lamb and C Me Dance — that failed to speak to the converted. The lauded inside baseball-set Sugar slid home with an okay $64,500 at 10 stadiums and French import Paris 36 showed comparable strength with $45,800 gross from seven venues, while Bollywood entry 8 x 10 Tasveer disappointed with $50,200 at 38 theaters.

Exclusive openers were slightly more encouraging, including the documentary Enlighten Up!, the musical oddity Anvil! The Story of Anvil and the Oscar short-listed Tulpan from Kazakhstan.

Overall box office experienced a slight 8% bump from last weekend and a massive expansion compared with 2008.

Tracking had been torrid for Fast & Furious, which reassembled the original cast of the souped-up franchise. Fandango had the film taking 53% of its advance ticket sales and industry estimates predicted it would bow somewhere between $50 million and $55 million, or slightly less than last weekend’s launch of Monsters vs. Aliens.

However, following a $1.8 million gross from Thursday previews and full-day box office of $30.4 million expectations revved up. If estimates hold, F & F will be Universal’s biggest opening weekend ever, usurping The Lost World’s $72.1 million tally from its Memorial holiday debut. It certainly mowed down the prior April record of $42 million, held by Anger Management.

While reviews were upbeat for Adventureland, response was tepid for the mix of nostalgia, comedy and cheap thrills.

Ticket sales approached $157 million for the frame with Fast & Furious and runner up Monsters vs. Aliens accounting for about two-thirds of admissions. The tally exceeded 2008 business by 70% when debuts of Nim’s Island ($13.1 million) andLeatherheads ($12.7 million) failed to unseat the second weekend score of $15.3 million posted by 21.

Marketplace volume continued to contract with just 14 films, including the slowly expanding Sunshine Cleaning, posting a gross in excess of $500,000. The acclaimed American indie Sin Nombre is also taking the cautious route with few titles in the wings directed to alternative audiences in the coming months.

Last year’s success of Fireproof had to have been a prod for a pair of inspirational tales that bowed over the weekend in primarily Heartland locations. But neither C Me Dance nor The One Lamb connected with that audience which is primed for commercial pruning … if you have the right picture that hits the target and can crossover.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – April 3-5, 2009

Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New Fast & Furious Uni 70,950,500 3461 70,950,500 1
2 1 Monsters vs. Aliens Par 32,609,165 -45% 4109 104,799,387 2
3 2 The Haunting in Connecticut Lions Gate 9,481,647 -59% 2732 37,171,280 2
4 3 Knowing Summit 8,146,156 -45% 3323 58,219,770 3
5 4 I Love You, Man Par 7,722,469 -39% 2829 49,159,559 3
6 New Adventureland Miramax 5,722,039 1862 5,722,039 1
7 5 Duplicity Uni 4,174,240 -46% 2522 32,250,215 3
8 6 Race to Witch Mountain BV 3,212,602 -45% 2825 58,249,111 4
9 7 12 Rounds Fox 2,260,906 -58% 2331 8,982,767 2
10 11 Sunshine Cleaning Overture 1,807,164 42% 479 4,702,721 4
11 9 Taken Fox 1,544,471 -43% 1355 139,416,323 10
12 10 The Last House on the Left Uni 1,259,325 -52% 1305 30,674,195 4
13 8 Watchmen WB 1,074,320 -61% 1103 105,346,566 5
14 12 Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 499,257 -57% 498 140,244,722 21
15 13 Medea Goes to Jail Lions Gate 479,975 -58% 619 89,869,224 7
16 14 Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 373,718 -55% 545 143,162,362 12
17 16 Gran Torino WB 268,026 -39% 363 146,236,899 17
18 24 Under the Sea 3D WB 255,980 27% 43 4,733,885 8
19 15 He’s Just Not That Into You WB 207,532 -56% 261 92,901,114 9
20 21 Bedtime Stories BV 205,224 -20% 244 11,641,389 15
21 17 Hotel for Dogs Par 194,542 -38% 240 71,651,821 12
22 19 The Reader Weinstein Co. 192,085 -38% 232 33,807,465 17
23 41 Sin Nombre Focus 184,380 163% 24 398,982 3
24 20 Coraline Focus 178,148 -42% 211 74,255,387 9
25 25 Two Lovers Magnolia 171,555 -6% 121 2,479,261 8
26 35 Push Summit 142,179 54% 214 31,331,232 9
27 40 The Pink Panther 2 Sony 137,174 93% 227 36,078,721 9
28 23 Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 131,342 -37% 213 127,247,417 15
29 26 Entre les murs (The Class) Sony Classics 129,928 -28% 114 3,269,585 12
30 28 Dede a travers les brumes TVA 122,238 -28% 66 1,231,871 4
31 22 Confessions of a Shopaholic BV 103,044 -59% 164 43,662,614 8
32 18 The Cross Gener8Xion 93,980 -70% 127 496,009 2
33 29 Gomorrah IFC/E1 93,757 -16% 49 1,287,229 8
34 34 The Great Buck Howard Magnolia 91,988 -2% 64 390,092 3
35 New Ayan Sun 87,223 10 87,223 1
36 56 Friday the 13th WB 81,465 104% 202 64,877,692 8
37 50 Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li Fox 70,350 36% 69 8,646,753 6
38 27 Fired Up Sony 69,064 -61% 151 17,231,291 7
39 New 8 x 10 Tasveer Navar 65,716 48 65,716 1
40 36 Grande ourse: La Cle des possibles Alliance 62,799 -28% 44 189,042 2
41 31 Bride Wars Fox 60,339 -41% 143 58,570,609 13
42 New Sugar Sony Classics 60,140 11 60,140 1
43 30 Bolt BV 58,442 -47% 144 115,481,079 20
44 32 Marley and Me Fox 57,249 -42% 89 143,084,510 15
45 33 The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 57,143 -39% 107 26,063,654 16
46 66 Valentino: The Last Emperor Truly Indie 56,783 82% 4 177,180 3
47 81 Play the Game Slow Hand 52,542 254% 55 276,773 6
48 55 Everlasting Moments IFC 47,703 13% 25 295,104 5
49 38 Doubt Miramax 45,577 -45% 77 33,422,556 17
50 71 Shall We Kiss? Music Box 44,786 56% 19 83,715 2
51 New Paris 36 Sony Classics 44,690 7 44,690 1
52 New Alien Trespass Roadside Attract. 43,437 40 43,437 1
53 37 Inkheart WB 42,287 -49% 101 17,281,832 11
54 43 One Week Mongrel 40,410 -37% 28 985,342 5
55 42 Last Chance Harvey Overture 38,473 -40% 73 14,785,709 15
56 64 Magnificent Desolation Imax 38,111 14% 7 28,066,172 185
57 52 Dolphins and Whales 3D 3D Entertainment 37,506 -14% 7 5,842,602 60
58 68 Space Station 3D Imax 37,343 20% 7 78,301,156 364
59 39 The Uninvited Par 34,823 -53% 91 28,631,641 10
60 49 The International Sony 33,558 -36% 42 25,641,379 8
61 New Bart Got a Room Anchor Bay 32,764 11 32,764 1
62 48 Che IFC/E1 32,372 -38% 30 2,001,717 17
63 58 Goodbye Solo Roadside Attract. 30,395 -20% 5 80,868 2
64 61 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure NatGeo 29,279 -17% 15 21,233,671 79
65 44 Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 27,401 -57% 56 22,938,881 15
66 67 Wendy and Lucy Oscilloscope 26,212 -14% 32 783,789 17
67 63 New in Town Lions Gate 24,867 -26% 51 16,811,835 10
68 RE The Neccesities of Life E1 24,556 273% 9 361,801 7
69 New C Me Dance FreeStyle 24,066 151 24,066 1
70 51 Defiance Par Vantage 23,635 -52% 52 28,514,684 14
71 46 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Sony 23,012 -61% 62 46,758,824 11
72 75 Tokyo! Liberation 20,652 12% 12 172,789 5
73 60 Fly Me to the Moon Summit 20,272 -44% 8 13,408,004 34
74 57 Tokyo Sonata Regent 19,202 -50% 9 138,805 4
75 53 Frost/Nixon Uni 17,883 -59% 40 18,704,594 18
Source: EDI/MCN

Estimates – April 3-5, 2009

Title Distributor Gross (average % change Theaters Cume
Fast & Furious Uni 72.4 (20,920) – 3461 72.4
Monsters vs. Aliens Par 33.6 (8,170) -43% 4109 105.8
The Haunting in Connecticut Lions Gate 9.7 (3,540) -58% 2732 37.4
I Love You Man Par 7.9 (2,780) -38% 2829 49.3
Knowing Summit 8.1 (2,440) -45% 3323 58.2
Adventureland Miramax 5.7 (3,080) – 1862 5.7
Duplicity Uni 4.2 (1,670) -45% 2522 32.3
Race to Witch Mountain BV 3.2 (1,140) -44% 2825 58.3
12 Rounds Fox 2.3 (980) -57% 2331 9
Sunshine Cleaning Overture 1.9 (3,890) 46% 479 4.8
Taken Fox 1.5 (1,140) -44% 1335 139.4
Last House on the Left Uni 1.3 (980) -52% 1305 30.7
Watchmen WB 1.1 (970) -61% 1103 105.3
Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight .50 (1,010) -57% 498 140.3
Madea Goes to Jail Lions Gate .45 (730) -60% 619 89.8
Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony .37 (770) -56% 479 143.2
Gran Torino WB .27 (750) -38% 363 146.2
Under the Sea 3D WB .26 (6,070) 27% 43 4.7
He’s Just Not That Into You WB .22 (840) -54% 261 92.9
Sin Nombre Focus .19 (8,220) 170% 23 0.4
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) – $153.40 – – –
% Change (Last Year) – 70% – – –
% Change (Last Week) – 8% – – –
Also debuting/expanding
Sugar Sony Classics 64,500 (6,450) – 10 0.06
The One Lamb United Methodist 58,300 (580) – 100 0.06
8 x 10 Tasveer Precept 50,200 (1,320) – 38 0.05
Paris 36 Sony Classics 45,800 (6,520) – 7 0.05
Alien Trespass Roadside Attract. 41,200 (1,030) – 40 0.04
Bart Got a Room Anchor Bay 31,300 (2,850) – 11 0.03
C Me Dance FreeStyle 28,700 (190) – 151 0.03
Enlighten Up! Balcony 14,100 (14,100) – 1 0.01
Gigantic First Independent 11,200 (11,200) – 1 0.01
Anvil! The Story of Anvil Abramorama 10,300 (10,300) – 1 0.01
Tulpan Zeitgeist 8,900 (8,900) – 1 0.01
The Song of Sparrows Regent 8,100 (8,100) – 1 0.01
Forbidden Lie$ Roxie 1,750 (1,750) – 1 0.01

Domestic Market Share – January 1 – April 2, 2009

Distributor (releases) Gross (millions) Mrkt Share
Warner Bros. (15) 471.5 19.10%
Sony (9) 308.3 12.50%
Fox (7) 298.7 12.10%
Paramount (7) 293.1 11.90%
Lions Gate (6) 193.1 7.80%
Fox Searchlight (5) 184.8 7.50%
Buena Vista (8) 183.9 7.50%
Universal (7) 133.3 5.40%
Summit (4) 103.1 4.20%
Focus (2) 91.5 3.70%
Paramount Vantage (2) 51.1 2.10%
MGM (3) 42.3 1.70%
Weinstein Co. (6) 33.8 1.40%
Miramax (3) 22.4 0.90%
Overture (3) 37.7 0.70%
Other * (80) 37.7 1.50%
* none greater than 0.4% 2466.4 100.00%
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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