March 12, 2010
REEL WEEK: Boxoffice Staying Power Peaked in the '80s
'She's Out of My...' a Fantasy for All Joe Averages....
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The visually awesome and flawlessly integrated multimedia high concept, “Avatar,” had a strong box office chart performance from its opening day. Interestingly, it’s weeks at the #1 gold position crumbles when looking back to another era. “E.T.” phone home in the #1 position from June 11, 1982 until September 2, 1982, making it the dominant summer blockbuster. Despite the back to school slump anticipated in September, “Zapped” and “An Officer and a Gentleman” took one week turns each at the top before the bicycling kids peddling through the air returned for three more weeks (Sept 17 to Oct. 7.
Spielberg’s classic had undisputed “legs” (term for a films ability to continue its draw usually a sign of strong repeat business) returning to the top spot Oct. 15-21 and capturing the Thanksgiving trophy. (Those were the days of 10-20% boxoffice weekly drops, not the huge 40-60% drop offs from opening week.)
The pattern was not simply an “E.T.” phenomenon, either, “Tootsie,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Back to the Future” also in 1982-1984 put together #1 strings that carried an entire season.
(Note: Statistics courtesy of Box Office Mojo )
That’ s another era. It’s pre-DVD and at the beginning of the multiplex (two, three, four screen) innovations, which exhibitors built to insulate and maximize their return in the subsequent weeks of a long run when the exhibitors kept a high admission percentage. Too, the multiplex provided a defense against the ‘blind bidding’ practices of promising to run a film for a four to eight week period often without a ‘trade’ (exhibitor/booker) screening. That practice before outlawed by courts, led to single screen auditoriums notoriously empty for weeks and weeks due to contractual obligations. When the multiplex surfaced, the owner had more options, i.e. switching the under performer to a smaller auditorium and opening a stronger pic in the bigger auditorium.
***
Do you remember Corey? Haim shot to fame in “The Lost Boys” (this week’s Flashback flick), “Lucas” (about bullying), and “License to Drive.” Early speculation suggest that while flu like symptoms were present, he still had and/or had in the past problems with drug usage. At the time of his death, according to a trade tally, he had nine films in pre-production. Many of his post '80s roles had been in direct to video features.
***
SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE: The R-rate average man’s fantasy of luring a ‘hottie’ has been blasting other new mainstream openings this week. Jay (“Knocked Up,” “Tropic Thunder”) Baruchel and British actress Alice Eve. So, will it be a film in the Judd Apatow or Farrelly Brothers tradition? I’ve heard it gives every Joe Average encouragement that he could just get lucky…..
GREEN ZONE: The title refers to the so-called ‘safe’ region of Baghdad after the U.S. occupation. Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for their latest electrifying thriller in Green Zone, a film set in the chaotic early days of... Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for this thriller about a team of special forces types searching for stockpiles of WMD and slyly avoiding mistakes in judgment that result in detonation. Expect a twist in this who’s loyal to whom thriller.
REMEMBER ME: Robert (“Twilight,” “Harry Potter”) Pattison has a handsome following from the franchises, but the story sound like an affront to 21st Century love. It’s about finding a woman whose personality and inspiration re-launches his confidence in himself following a trying period in his life. However, his love interest has unseen baggage too, so, will it be the man, woman or both who succumb to the relationship runs that occur when baggage is introduced?
OUR FAMILY WEDDING: Stressing the proverb, when you marry someone, you hook up with their family (in-laws) too, a college couple announces their impending walk down the aisle, which sets off their Alpha (competitive) fathers to concoct good intentions smothered by their own egos. Under the circumstances, will the couple ever say, “I do,” or, run away before it’s too late? Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are the newly engaged couple; Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia are the two out of control dads.
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REEL WEEK: Boxoffice Staying Power Peaked in the '80s
'She's Out of My...' a Fantasy for All Joe Averages....
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The visually awesome and flawlessly integrated multimedia high concept, “Avatar,” had a strong box office chart performance from its opening day. Interestingly, it’s weeks at the #1 gold position crumbles when looking back to another era. “E.T.” phone home in the #1 position from June 11, 1982 until September 2, 1982, making it the dominant summer blockbuster. Despite the back to school slump anticipated in September, “Zapped” and “An Officer and a Gentleman” took one week turns each at the top before the bicycling kids peddling through the air returned for three more weeks (Sept 17 to Oct. 7.
Spielberg’s classic had undisputed “legs” (term for a films ability to continue its draw usually a sign of strong repeat business) returning to the top spot Oct. 15-21 and capturing the Thanksgiving trophy. (Those were the days of 10-20% boxoffice weekly drops, not the huge 40-60% drop offs from opening week.)
The pattern was not simply an “E.T.” phenomenon, either, “Tootsie,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Back to the Future” also in 1982-1984 put together #1 strings that carried an entire season.
(Note: Statistics courtesy of Box Office Mojo )
That’ s another era. It’s pre-DVD and at the beginning of the multiplex (two, three, four screen) innovations, which exhibitors built to insulate and maximize their return in the subsequent weeks of a long run when the exhibitors kept a high admission percentage. Too, the multiplex provided a defense against the ‘blind bidding’ practices of promising to run a film for a four to eight week period often without a ‘trade’ (exhibitor/booker) screening. That practice before outlawed by courts, led to single screen auditoriums notoriously empty for weeks and weeks due to contractual obligations. When the multiplex surfaced, the owner had more options, i.e. switching the under performer to a smaller auditorium and opening a stronger pic in the bigger auditorium.
***
Do you remember Corey? Haim shot to fame in “The Lost Boys” (this week’s Flashback flick), “Lucas” (about bullying), and “License to Drive.” Early speculation suggest that while flu like symptoms were present, he still had and/or had in the past problems with drug usage. At the time of his death, according to a trade tally, he had nine films in pre-production. Many of his post '80s roles had been in direct to video features.
***
SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE: The R-rate average man’s fantasy of luring a ‘hottie’ has been blasting other new mainstream openings this week. Jay (“Knocked Up,” “Tropic Thunder”) Baruchel and British actress Alice Eve. So, will it be a film in the Judd Apatow or Farrelly Brothers tradition? I’ve heard it gives every Joe Average encouragement that he could just get lucky…..
GREEN ZONE: The title refers to the so-called ‘safe’ region of Baghdad after the U.S. occupation. Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for their latest electrifying thriller in Green Zone, a film set in the chaotic early days of... Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for this thriller about a team of special forces types searching for stockpiles of WMD and slyly avoiding mistakes in judgment that result in detonation. Expect a twist in this who’s loyal to whom thriller.
REMEMBER ME: Robert (“Twilight,” “Harry Potter”) Pattison has a handsome following from the franchises, but the story sound like an affront to 21st Century love. It’s about finding a woman whose personality and inspiration re-launches his confidence in himself following a trying period in his life. However, his love interest has unseen baggage too, so, will it be the man, woman or both who succumb to the relationship runs that occur when baggage is introduced?
OUR FAMILY WEDDING: Stressing the proverb, when you marry someone, you hook up with their family (in-laws) too, a college couple announces their impending walk down the aisle, which sets off their Alpha (competitive) fathers to concoct good intentions smothered by their own egos. Under the circumstances, will the couple ever say, “I do,” or, run away before it’s too late? Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are the newly engaged couple; Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia are the two out of control dads.
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
