By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Box Office Hell – Friday The 13th
(Updated, Fri 1:50… to include EW’s #s)
(Updated, Fri 1:50… to include EW’s #s)
http://www.soulduster.com/ on: Friday Estimates by Klady
http://www.rehabsandrentals.com/ on: Friday Estimates by Klady
Joe Leydon on: Weekend Estimates by MacKlady
Abi on: Weekend Estimates by MacKlady
betavaftrar on: 3-Day Estimates By Klady That Made The Clown Cry
Tashie Jackson on: Friday Estimates by Klady
Jeffrey Boam's Doctor on: Weeeknd Estimate Leftovers by Klady
DiggityDawg on: Weeeknd Estimate Leftovers by Klady
David Poland on: Weeeknd Estimate Leftovers by Klady
berg on: Weeeknd Estimate Leftovers by Klady
Weeeknd Estimate Leftovers by Klady
Friday Estimate by MuthaSmurfin’ Klady
4 Day Estimates by Vehicular Klady
Friday Estimates by Green Klady
4 Day Estimates by Wolfpack Klady
Weekend Estimates by Screaming Rio Klady
Friday Estimates by Rio de JaKlady
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” ā 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 ā 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 ā he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” ā and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging ā I was with her at that moment ā 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 namedā” “Yeah, sure ā 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 Iām on the phone with you now, after all thatās 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 didnāt seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. Thereās not a case of that. He wasnāt using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had ā if that were what the accusation involved ā 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. Iām not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, āYou know, itās not this, itās thatā? Because ā let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. TimesĀ piece, thatās what it lacked. Thatās 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
55 – 85. Wow, that’s quite a range. š
I’m so confident that my prediction of a 45-125 million gross is accurate that I will wager all of my earthly possessions.
I go with closer to 85M.
Ratatouille will hold stronger.
Not exactly a turnaway crowd for Captivity last night at the AMC CityWalk.
Man…I saw Pirates 3 yesterday…..borrrrrrrring. I was lost through half of it, then I dozed off. What the heck was that movie about anyway?
“Man…I saw Pirates 3 yesterday…..borrrrrrrring. I was lost through half of it, then I dozed off. What the heck was that movie about anyway?”
Pirates?
The top 3 this weekend are the unlikely saviors of this summer.
Saviors in what sense? Isn’t the summer already running ahead of last year’s take?
Joe, I hope you were staying at a Universal City hotel because otherwise you got screwed for parking. If you’re seeing a movie today take the ten minute drive to the Burbank complex where parking is free. (And of course nobody wanted to see Captivity – by all accounts it’s terrible).
Don’t waster your time at either Uni or Burbank. Take the 101 to either the Sherman Oaks Galleria or the Arclight. No, I’m NOT a shill for Pacific. They’re simply better than any other choice in the area.
And, of course, the Sherman Oaks Galleria is now becoming Arclight – Sherman Oaks, so it should be very spiffy come the ’07 holidays. Right now, though, the biggest screens are under construction, so the whole complex feels a bit more like a mallplex (albeit a nice one).
Good to know, Telemachos.
Well, trouble is, I kinda-sorta HAD to go to the AMC CityWalk, because it had the only midnight screening.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934175.html?categoryid=1263&cs=1
Even though I’m actually staying near LAX.
Closer to the Live Nude Girls by the airport, Joe?
Saviors, as in yes this summer is ahead of last summer, but this summer was supposed to be waaaay ahead. Instead we’ve had literally every major movie underperform expectations aside from Knocked Up and Die Hard 4 up until now.
This summer has been running ahead, but the costs of the movies released this summer I’m sure far outpace those released last summer.
This is probably not the best time to bring this up following the Hostel II insanity, but Pajiba.com torture-porn trashing of Captivity seems to indicate there’s been a new low point reached in the sub-genre.
http://www.pajiba.com/captivity.htm
If nothing else, it’s a fun read.
That was a fun read. I can’t get my head around Joffe directing that. I thought his worst crime was boring the hell out of me a couple of times. Sad to see he can enhance his rap sheet for the sake of a dollar.
“I can’t get my head around Joffe directing that. I thought his worst crime was boring the hell out of me a couple of times.”
HA! Got a good laugh out of that. Yes, this Joffe angle is both puzzling and kind of embarrassing. Now I’m fully expecting Hugh Hudson to pop back out of obscurity to direct “Saw V.”
I’ve noticed Joffe hasn’t done any interviews to support this film. Embarrassed perhaps?
Joe,
Ask for Sandy from Brampton.
“Closer to the Live Nude Girls by the airport, Joe?”
About a block away, actually. Of course, I’ve always been amused by that phrase — “Live Nude Girls.” As opposed to the dead ones in “Hostel 2” and similar flix, I guess.
You’re not in that Motel 6 in Inglewood, are you?
I don’t remember seeing anything about how a DVD of Captivity- just like Sicko- was leaked to the internet before it was released in theaters.
They could always blame the low gross this weekend on piracy if they wanted (although I don’t know if even pirates would want to see it).
I bet something “softer” like “I Know What You Did Last Summer” would do well now…
That ‘something softer’ is 1408.
I was wrong: The sign actually reads “Live Nude Nude.” I guess they assume you’ll know they’re referring to women.
BTW: Did you any of you guys hear anything about that “Bend It Like Beckham” guy coming to town? I haven’t seen much about it in the local media.
Oh, the “Live Nude Nude” next to the Carl’s Jr on the other side of the 405. Did you meet that bum that comes up to you and asks you for a “favor”?
According to “Fantasy Moguls” (not sure if they are a legit source, but they were right, last week) Potter did almost $27 mill, Transformers did $10 mill, and Ratatouillie did about $6 mill.
None of them are exceptionally strong holds, but none are disastrous, either. Looks to me that Potter and Transformers probably hurt each other, equally, just like Kong and Narnia a couple of years back.
It’s going to be tougher for Tranformers to crack $300 million, but it should squeak over. I would gather that this COULD be a record-breaking July – not a weak weekend ahead.
Is Universal getting nervous about Chuck and Larry? I still can’t see that film doing less than $130 million. Kevin James also has a lot of goodwill from Hitch. The Simpsons is looking stronger, still solid to break $100 million, I think.
Okay yeah, forgot about 1408. Oops.
But c’mon, if they can redo Hulk a few years later, why not “I Know What You Did Last Summer” starring Hayden Panettiere and a few other hot actors. Jennifer Love Hewitt could make a special appearance as Hayden’s Aunt.
Joe L, consider yourself lucky. Regal (largest US theater chain) and National Amusements have banned “Captivity” for content reasons. No newspaper ads in New York either.
Fortunately, no. BTW: Looks like Captivity isn’t even cracking the top ten. Snicker.
Er, that “no” was directed to Doug R’s query.
Well, between doing work for a magazine article, researching archives for another writing project (my long-delayed master’s thesis, actually) and, of course, seeing and reviewing Captivity, I have had no time for socializing while here in LA. (Not even with Live Nude Nude in the next block.) And my flight home takes off at 4:10 pm. So I’m proposing that, if I get more advance notice for my next LA visit, we organize the first Hot Blog Bacchanalia. Lots of cheap merlot for me, malt liquor for David, sherry for Ian Sinclair… Who wants to bring food?
Glad to hear you missed that bum, Joe.
Lee’s got Friday estimates up:
http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/Weekend-Box-Office.php?chart_id=3538
The irony is that Captivity is not the worst horror movie that I’ve seen this year – that would be The Hitcher, which still made $16 million.
At leasy you saw this one, Joe.
I was paid to, Jeff.
Can I pay you to not talk about movies that you haven’t seen?
(I kid.)
Jeff, I have reached a point in life where I see only films I’m paid to see or films I want to see. Some films — Knocked Up, The Lookout, The Prisoner, Reign Over Me and 3:10 to Yuma, to name just five recent examples — fall into both categories. Others — Hostel 2, for example — fall into neither. You want to watch gore porn? Be my guest. This is America, where we have freedom of choice. But here’s the thing: We also have freedom of assembly. So I don’t to hang with you, or any other bozo who likes gore porn. So once again, I would ask you not to address me in threads. I would also ask you to stop sending me pathetically weepy e-mail that read like the blather of a rejected lover. (That’s why I’ve had to block you on at least one of my e-mail accounts.) In short, I would ask you to quit stalking me because you’ve become, well, creepy. OK? You work your side of the street, and I’ll work mine. Thanks. Now, if you can just back away, and take your talk elsewhere, we’ll all see how mature you are. But if you continue to address me, if you continue to obsess and fixate on me, well, we’ll all see just how creepy you can be.
Joe, I wouldn’t pester you if you didn’t annoy me by acting like a spoiled child unable to hold a decent conversation. And you do interact with me: you just did at 2:12 am.
In other words: I see you can dish it out – needling and gloating, and annoying others without reason – but not take it. I’m very disappointed in you.
See what I mean, folks? Creepy, huh? And at the same, egomaniacal. “I’m very disappointed in you.” Doesn’t that sound like what the psycho killer would murmur to the beautiful prisoner who just tried to escape his dungeon?
Joe, I don’t appreciate your attempts to swiftboat me in public, and I hope you can behave like a grown-up before you’re a great-grandfather.
Joe, for someone who admits to liking worthless pieces of shit like Pearl Harbor and fucking Boogeyman (among many others), you sure are hard on jeff for liking Hostel. Your taste is definitely no better than his, and I would argue it’s much worse. You seem to really enjoy being an asshole to him.
Stella: How can Pearl Harbor be worthless? It won an Oscar. And we all know how much time we devote to discussing Oscars on this and other movie websites, right? So Oscars must be important, right? Otherwsie, we’re all wasting our time on frivolities when we should, oh, I dunno, be out gathering signatures on petitions demanding the impeachment of George Bush.