Karma At The Weekend B.O.
Posted by Dirty Harry on Sunday, September 28th, 2008
Spike Lee’s Miracle At St. Anna:
There have been few films I wanted to see flop more than Spike Lee’s Miracle At St. Anna, and flop it has taking in a humiliating $3.2 million. I’ll see and review it in the coming days, but regardless of how good or bad it is, race-baiting to promote a film needs to forever be rewarded just like this.
Tim Robbins’ The Lucky Ones:
Kyle Smith: “The Friday night box office figures are in and it appears that the latest Iraq War flop “The Lucky Ones” (seem my review below) is going to be distinguished by an even more gargantuan lack of interest than most films in this stillborn genre: the first estimates are that it sold $118 worth of ticket per screen on its opening day. At $10 a ticket, that’s 12 tickets per screen.”
The Christian based Fireproof:
Nikki Finke: “A surprise was the 4th place debut of Provident/Samuel Goldwyn’s Fireproof which debuted to a $2.3M Friday and $2.6M Saturday for a $6.4M weekend though released into only 839 dates. The reason why is that the studio targeted Christian audiences to push the PG-13 film starring the grown-up TV child star Kirk Cameron. “Just between you and me, keep your eye on the Fireproof per screen averages this weekend,” a Grace Hill Media source tipped me. “On Sunday, I think there will be some distribution execs around town who will be asking ‘What the hell is Fireproof?’”
Gotta love it.
Filed in General |
Ohio Wolverine momon 28 Sep 2008 at 10:25 am 1Churches in my area have posted on the signage “Is your marriage Fireproof?” this week—now I get it! Taking a page from the marketing of The Passion is wonderful,and shows that when you give faith-filled people a film that re-inforces their beliefs, they will come. None of this crap like the Mandy Moore vehicle, that mocked Christians but was aimed at that audience.|
Go Kirk! Not my kind of stuff usually, but I think I will go after I see American Carol.
maatkareon 28 Sep 2008 at 10:32 am 2Yeah, even a trip to the Temple of Oprah Friday wasn’t going to help Spike this time. But where was your “Fireproof” review Harry? Was it any good? (I saw somewhere that except for Cameron & the actress playing his wife, no-one was a professional actor, and NO-ONE was paid to make the movie.) And when will they let you post your “American Carol” review? There still isn’t any rating up at Rotten Tomatos, and there are reviews for other flicks opening Friday.
soulpileon 28 Sep 2008 at 11:08 am 3I was surprised to see Kirk Cameron made a movie when ads for Fireproof started playing a couple weeks ago. It looks interesting, but not really my kind of theatre-going film. Still waiting for American Carol to show.
amzarakon 28 Sep 2008 at 11:10 am 4maatkare,
I read somewhere “American Carol” was not going to be screened for critics. Normally, I would look at that as a bad sign, but in this case, I don’t blame them because it will be trashed by critics.
SweetBubbaon 28 Sep 2008 at 11:59 am 5$118/screen per day for Tim Robbin’s anti-American polemic actually turned out to be wildly optimistic - it ended up with $103/screen per day.
If there were 4 screenings in each theatre per day, on average, then each screening made about $26. In other words, less than 3 people per screening.
Yeah, Hollywood is all about the money
Andunedhelon 28 Sep 2008 at 12:35 pm 6Nah Nah Harry, we all know you aren’t voting for Obama and don’t like Spike Lee because they are black! (j/k)
TROon 28 Sep 2008 at 12:44 pm 7I know I shouldn’t take pleasure in the failures of others, but damn it is good to see Spike Lee’s movie bomb. And seeing Robbin’s in another atomic bomb of a anti-American movie is only icing on a very good cake.
Supramom2000on 28 Sep 2008 at 12:50 pm 8Kirk Cameron did not take a salary either. He asked that his salary be donated to the camp that he and his wife Chelsea run for terminal kids and their families. A true Christian and someone who so obviously puts his money where his mouth is.
Kiton 28 Sep 2008 at 12:52 pm 9SweetBubba,
Are your figures correct?
‘Cause if so, that is PATHETIC!
Jenny C.on 28 Sep 2008 at 1:53 pm 10Good for Kirk. He is such a good actor and underestimated. Since he became a Christian, liberal la-la land in Hollywood ousted him and made fun of him for his beliefs.
I am a Catholic, but I give kudos to the Christian community to put meaningful films out there.
I am waiting for “An American Carol” and hope it kicks “Religulous’” ass in the theaters. However, the movie is up against “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and we know how children’s films are almost always difficult to defeat.
Audietooon 28 Sep 2008 at 1:55 pm 11Oh, Happy day. Three people per screening for a total take of $26 , how will poor old Tim make enough to by a villa next to Clooney’s with that kind of take. Hope they sold lots of popcorn and cokes and candy.
Thomas Talionison 28 Sep 2008 at 3:01 pm 12I heard that Kirk wouldn’t kiss his co-star. They had his wife put on a wig or something and shot her in the shadows. I swear. That’s dedication.
Mr24pon 28 Sep 2008 at 3:41 pm 13Not to correct Nikki Finke but I believe Fireproof is actually rated PG not PG-13.
And not to laugh at other people’s failures but to the other two films … hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
maatkareon 28 Sep 2008 at 4:31 pm 14Did anyone SEE Fireproof? Did their church promote it? I saw zero ads here in L.A. and I don’t attend church, but that’s where the credit is going for its success. Just curious. It would be great if it’s actually a good movie, too!
Buck Turgidsonon 28 Sep 2008 at 5:04 pm 15I hate to be the wet blanket, and “Fireproof” may be a fine movie, but what’s this lame tagline about a “partner?” I have numerous partners. Haven’t had sex with one of them. Is even the Christian community so cowed by the gays and shackers that they can’t use the word “spouse?”
Jillon 28 Sep 2008 at 5:08 pm 16I can’t wait for David Zucker’s appearances this week on the talk shows.
I’m THRILLED about Spike’s movie bombing. Somewhere Clint Eastwood is laughing.
Clint Eastwoodon 28 Sep 2008 at 5:09 pm 17Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
ChristopherMCon 28 Sep 2008 at 6:33 pm 18Don’t forget Spike Lee dissing the Duke for supposedly single-handedly keeping down minorities in Hollywood for decades. Karma’s a witch.;)
Kiton 28 Sep 2008 at 6:50 pm 19ChristopherMC,
Don’t you mean “Karma’s a bitch?”
I agree with your point.
Kiton 28 Sep 2008 at 6:52 pm 20Buck Turgison,
The “partner” bit is just a cheesy way of connecting the main character’s occupation as a firefighter with his marriage.
Ohio Wolverine momon 28 Sep 2008 at 6:54 pm 21Buck, go read the synposis of the film–the protagonist is a firefighter,who has a partner, who gets him thinking about how to handle the troubles with his life partner—spouse–tagline line is to get you thinkin”…..not be P.C.
Carolynon 28 Sep 2008 at 6:55 pm 22Boy, are the grapes sour in Hollywood about this film.
Nikki Finke is forced to admit it had “the year’s highest grossing opening weekend return of any film (except 3-D Hannah Montana) released on 1,000 screens or less.”
But she got her revenge in the next paragraph when she snipped “…not all Christian-themed movies do well: in fact, most don’t..”
“Most don’t?” Sheesh, they just won’t give up, will they?
Buck Turgidsonon 28 Sep 2008 at 7:01 pm 23#20 and 21: Thanks for the information.
kevin J wadlroupon 28 Sep 2008 at 8:14 pm 24Did anyone SEE Fireproof? Did their church promote it? I saw zero ads here in L.A. and I don’t attend church, but that’s where the credit is going for its success. Just curious. It would be great if it’s actually a good movie, too!
Did anyone SEE Fireproof? yes
It would be great if it’s actually a good movie, too!
it ok Movie.
MovieBobon 28 Sep 2008 at 8:19 pm 25I, for one, have never made fun of Kirk Cameron for being a Christian. I HAVE, however, made fun of him for being Kirk Cameron.
You do realize, of course, that no matter how many of these crack the top ten it’s not gonna make much difference because they always come with that asterix, the one that says: “boxoffice take owed chiefly to insider marketing effort in community that wants nothing to do with you.” When one of these pulls it off without drafting ministers as pitchmen or church groups block-buying tickets to inflate the gross, it’ll be more impressive. The only lesson to be gleaned here is that striking a solid amount of prints and heavily marketing to a niche audience - with heavy emphasis on the notion of ticket-purchase as political-statement - is a good way to turn a profit on an independent B-movie; and that hasn’t been news since “Billy Jack.”
It’s the same thing with Tyler Perry - his success doesn’t prove that the Black Middle Class is an economic bloc worth pursuing, it just proves that they go to see a lot of Tyler Perry movies.
Carolynon 28 Sep 2008 at 9:38 pm 26Ohhhh, MovieBob!! You are sooooo clever to come up with that explanation — ‘Hey, people! Just because a film makes money doesn’t mean it REALLY makes money because the only films that make money are the ones Hollywood makes.’
Ooooh, gosh, I’m all aquiver. Tell me, when you knelt down at Hollywood’s knee for those many days to get this gem of thought, did you manage to get Hollywood’s other gem as well? You know, the one that goes ‘Making films that trash America just proves how much we love her’.
Clint Eastwoodon 28 Sep 2008 at 10:20 pm 27MovieBob, that’s kinda how we felt about Air America.
MovieBobon 29 Sep 2008 at 1:06 pm 28Carolyn
“Ohhhh, MovieBob!! You are sooooo clever to come up with that explanation — ‘Hey, people! Just because a film makes money doesn’t mean it REALLY makes money because the only films that make money are the ones Hollywood makes.’”
I didn’t say it didn’t really make money, I said that no matter how much money these make it’s not going to matter IF the ultimate goal is “transforming” the popular culture by getting more religious-right subject matter into the industry. Because the industry is, despite some evidence contrary, neither stupid nor careless with it’s money.
People following the business side of this know the score: That the Christian Film audience doesn’t respond to product - even when it’s aimed at them - unless they knows it’s been made “by the community, for the community.” That’s why B-grade entries like this, Omega Code, Left Behind, etc. have a turnout and the pious-to-a-fault “Nativity Story” didn’t: Because the Christian “market” is a seperate self-sustaining entity and no one involved in making that film was in “the family.”