Variety in 60 Seconds »
China doesn't want Geisha: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Tech Stuff, Variety in 60 Seconds, Movie Marketing
Originally scheduled to open January 9 in Beijing, it now looks like Memoirs of a Geisha may not open in China at all. The film
was ostensibly pushed back to February 10, but sources say that title is absent from China Film
Group's planned distribution list for the next three months. Rumors have been swirling that a sex scene has the country's censorship board squirming. A Sony exec
confirmed that the scene was being shaved, with the intention of releasing the picture sometime in February, but likely
sometime after the earlier stated date. Geisha's opening in China has been hyped for months: the first major
American film with a cast full of Asian actors to debut on the Mainland, many saw it as a test to see what, if
anything, could bring audiences spoiled by easily accessible bootlegs back to the theaters.- What took so long? A new venture called Media Matchmakers has been set up to align companies looking for product placement deals with appropriate film and TV productions based on demographics. From now until March 1st, all users can join the service for free; in six weeks, a monthly subscription fee will kick in.
- Romanian actor Ion Fiscuteanu won an award at the Palm Springs Film Festival last weekend, for his starring role in one of our 2005 favorites, The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. The festival opened with one of the first screenings of the recut version of Terrence Malick's The New World.
Charlize bounces back from Flux: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Drama, Awards, Casting, Deals, Executive shifts, Lionsgate Films, Variety in 60 Seconds, 20th Century Fox, Movie Marketing, Charlize Theron, Oscar Watch
You're Charlize Theron. You have an Oscar. You also starred in
one of 2005's most notorious flops. What do you do
next? you find yourself a prestige project to produce, get the man who got you an Oscar on board, and get the hell on
with that "serious acting career". Ms. Theron is joining forces with Bob
Berney, producer of Monster and current head of Picturehouse, to produce The Ice
at the Bottom of the World. Through an unusual deal, Theron, who has owned the
property for several years, will not only produce and star in the picture – she'll own the final negative. The
film follows the relationship between a grizzled Navy captain and his daughter, played by Theron, "a heroin addict and the single mother of a mixed-race child." - Meanwhile, Lionsgate is putting all its Oscar money on Crash. They're sending out an astounding 130,000 screeners of Paul Hagis' film – about 10 times the usual screener push. The mailout will include all members of the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds, and unusual move that will put the ensemble drama directly in the hands of those professionals most likely to appreciate its strengths and overlook its weaknesses.
- In vaguely related news, former Lionsgate marketing man John Hedgeman has been tapped as COO of Fox's new youth division. This is interesting: Hedgeman says that the division, which is designed to produce content for an audience aged 12-24, is open to producing R-rated fare. "Whether it's a comedy or horror or drama or action, as long as it's speaking to a segment and it's a great piece of material, we'll make it," Hegeman said.
Lindsay Lohan, and more Hollywood flight: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Deals, Variety in 60 Seconds, Distribution, 20th Century Fox, DIY/Filmmaking
The New York City tax
incentive program Made in NY has so far
been a rousing success, drawing $600 million in new filmmaking business to the city, and
creating more than 6,000 jobs. The progame has helped pay for a total of 350 film and TV productions this year, and
it's not just about tax credits – the city also offers free advertising on any city-owned media property to
productions that conduct at least 75% of their shoot here, which somewhat explains why I can't leave the house without
seeing an ad for The Producers.- In other non-Hollywood Hollywood news, Washington state is putting together its own incentive package to lure film production back to the states from Canada. The project, organized by a group of Seatlle-based industry leaders and soon to work itself through the Washington legislature, would offer rebates of up to $1 million per picture (which seems pathetically low for all but the most indie of productions). The state is said to be smarting over the loss of several recent, Seattle-set films to the more affordable British Columbia.
- And now, you've been patient, so here's your Lohan: Fox is moving the young bombshell's upcoming Just My Luck from March to May. They're apparently so confident in the film, they're setting it up to compete against Warner Brothers' huge-money remake, Poseidon.
Dreamworks execs infiltrate Paramount: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Awards, Deals, Executive shifts, Paramount, Variety in 60 Seconds, Distribution, Exhibition, Dreamworks, Lists
Paramount has
just seen the first influx of defecting soldiers from recently-conquered Dreamworks: the latter's distrbution chief, Jim Tharp, has replaced Wayne Lewellen at Paramount. Lewellen was one of the last
remaining members of Paramount's "old guard", and he's said to have bickered with the new establishment, led
by Brad Grey. - The Florida critics circle is all about Brokeback Mountain. The circle of 14 critics gave Ang Lee's film four awards, including best picture, director, screenplay and cinematography. Acting prizes went to Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), Amy Adams (Junebug) and Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man). The Pauline Kael Breakout Award (?!?!?) went to Terrence Howard for his dual successes in Hustle & Flow and Crash.
- Two historic Los Angeles movie theaters - the Egyptian and the Aero, both owned by the American Cinematheque – are moving into digital ticket sales. Through a new deal with Fandango, they hope to "limit lines and staff costs for the exhib by allowing moviegoers to buy tickets in advance."
Grown-ups go to the movies: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Box Office, Variety in 60 Seconds, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Movie Marketing, Politics
Whilst the Big Dumb Christmas Flicks fought out the
top three slots, a handful of "serious" films made a big impact
in limited release over the holiday weekend. Munich opened strong on 500 screens, with exit research
indicating that "politics and history" (read: the so-called controversy) inspired 80% of ticket buyers to pick
Spielberg over the Big Fake Gorilla or the Magical Mystery Closet. Brokeback Mountain continued to expand into the
suburbs, besting Munich's per-screen average even as it dropped out of the top ten. Even Casanova and
The New World opened big, with the latter racking up over $10,000 on each of its 3 screens.- Narnia is kicking Kong's ass overseas. Buena Vista International is chalking up the success in non-English speaking territories to a trailer campaign begun in 2004 – which, considering what such a campaign must have cost, makes one wonder if was even worth it. In a related question, if Kong is rock and Narnia is paper, than what's scissors?
- Peter Bart on Munich: "I'm not sure Spielberg had a message to send or merely an ambiguity to convey. In any case, ambiguities aren't great grist for movies."
The rise of the middle-weight hit: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Box Office, Fandom, Variety in 60 Seconds, Distribution, Home Entertainment
The home video industry
isn't seeing the big-movie spikes it's used to, and that's a problem. On the other hand, mid-level titles, many of which
failed to make much of an impact at the box office, are doing great. At this point, retailers and distributors alike
have virtually no idea which titles are going to stick – and home entertainment growth is way down as
a result.- Speaking of unpredictability, studio niche arms had a great year. Take a look at Universal: each weekend as King Kong disappoints Daddy, Brokeback Mountain gives baby sister branch Focus Features cause for celebration. Heading into the Oscars and Sundance, says Ian Mohr, these studio-sponsored indie divisions will be the ones to watch.
- There is conceivably more news to report from Variety today, but their website is giving me problems right now.
Box office chaos: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Comedy, New Line, Sony, Universal, Box Office, Variety in 60 Seconds, Oscar Watch
Hollywood is unloading a
ridiculous number of films this week, some for Oscar consideration (cough Munich cough), some to capitalize
on your children being out of school, and some to clear the coffers in time for Q1. But because Christmas falls on a
Sunday – meaning that most will head to the mall instead of the movies on Saturday afternoon – a less-than
phenomenal holiday weekend is predicted. The article also sneaks in an odd tidbit that backs up my hunch that New Line
has no clue what they're doing with The New World: the studio opens the picture on 3 screens Christmas
Day, audiences will see the 149 minute version of the film that was screened for critics. But Terry Malick is
apparently cutting another, 20-minute shorter version as we speak for the wide release.- Meanwhile, Universal's got nothing but bad news on the Kong front: the Big Fake Gorilla was beat down mid-week by Narnia, and saw unexpectedly virile competition from Sony's apparent debacle Fun With Dick and Jane. Tumbleweeds apparently blew through theaters showing quickie kiddie sequel Cheaper by the Dozen 2.
- Robert Koehler has harsh words for The Ringer. "Sometimes veering close to being a promotional film for the Special Olympics, pic will be applauded by the disability community and its advocates but quickly ignored by longtime fans of the Farrellys and Knoxville for a subdued B.O. run."
Walk the Line goes to Jail: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Awards, Variety in 60 Seconds, Exhibition, Oscar Watch
In today's Most Meta Item Involving Convicted
Felons: Folsom State Prison has "invited" (there seems to be something weird about that, no?) 20th
Century Fox to screen their Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line, at the prison for inmates. The film features a
scene depicting Cash's legendary 1968 concert at the penitentiary, but because the $30 million production couldn't
afford to travel, they recreated Folsom on a soundstage in Memphis. The Variety piece is full of blushing praise from
both the filmmakers and prison representatives, in regards to Johnny Cash's "redemptive" potential; still, if
I was in prison and I was "invited" to watch a bunch of actors play-acting my predicament from the safety of a
soundstage, I think the last thing I would feel would be "redeemed".
- What is AMPAS's problem? The Academy is disqualifying candidates for Best Foreign Language Film left and right; they've just felled their eighth victim this year, Singapore's Be With Me, on grounds that the picture incorporates too many languages. Though much of the dialogue is in Chinese, Mandarin and even sign language, after a dispute, the picture was timed, proving that the dominant language in the film is actually English.
- AMC and Loews will sell 10 theaters in six cities in order to satisfy anti-trust concerns arising around their merger-in-progress. Included on the for-sale list: Loews' E-Walk, a huge complex right across the street from AMC's equally oversized Empire on 42nd street in Manhattan.
- We're not the only ones who love Pride and Prejudice – the latest Austen adaptation picked up a whopping eight nominations from the London Critics Circle yesterday, including nods for Keira Knightley and four other actors.
Is Kong a bomb? Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Classics, Foreign Language, Box Office, Variety in 60 Seconds, Distribution, Exhibition, Cinematical Indie
Is King Kong a slow-building, long-burning smash, or a full-on instant
disappointment? Ben Fritz again pimps
that meaningless Friday-to-Saturday 40% increase stat as proof that all hope for a smashing performance has not been
lost, but with Christmas falling on a Sunday, it'll be hard to gauge the big box office picture until after the new
year. - Focus Features is moving to pull out all the stops and expand Brokeback Mountain's release to 400 screens by January 6. It's currently averaging about $36,000 on less than 70 screens. In addition, they'll move to promote the picture in places like Texas and Wyoming, the regions it describes.
- Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows will finally get a US release. The film was completed 36 years ago; it has since been restored and will open in the US with new subtitles and a new soundtrack.
Brokeback breaks big, Wal-Mart breaking up with WB: Variety in 60 Seconds
Filed under: Comedy, Gay & Lesbian, Warner Brothers, Tech Stuff, Variety in 60 Seconds, Distribution, Focus Features, Home Entertainment, Lists
Brokeback Mountain expanded to 69 screens (heh, heh) and
moved into 8th place this weekend, earning as much as $70,000 per screen in gay-friendly (not to mention,
cowboy-friendly) cities such as Los Angeles, but still acquitting itself more than adequately in conservative markets
such as Phoenix ($50.000/screen). Looking at these numbers, Focus is willing to gamble that they can sell this thing
far beyond the gay/girl market; they'll expand to 100 screens ahead of schedule next week.- Deborah Young watches Albert Brooks' latest, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. "With a plethora of good lines and absurd situations, Brooks can afford to play smart and straight as a self-deprecating detective in search of comedy", she writes. "A more serious puzzle is what the film, which was shot in India, has to do with the Muslim world."
- It looks like Warner Brothers is about to lose its status as Wal-Mart's DVD "category captain". What the hell does that mean, you say? It's a practice, apparently employed by many large retailers, in order to obtain "exhaustive number crunching" that can then help them determine marketing, pricing, placement, etc, and the captain in turn "enjoys a unique relationship with the retailer that can be exploited if the studio suggests a strategy that is part of a favorable agenda for that studio." It's unsure why Wal-Mart would drop WB at this time – they're currently the leader in DVD market share – but it's thought that Fox, who is currently captain at Wal-competitor Target, is in line to take Warners' place.
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