Posted on 01/10/2006 11:11:58 AM PST by HostileTerritory
Nothing is standing in the way of "Brokeback Mountain."
Expanding to 214 new playdates and more than 60 new markets, including numerous small cities in mountain, Midwestern, and southern states, Focus' cowboy love story averaged a still-strong $11,905 per theater.
Playing at 483 locations, weekend gross was $5.8 million, bringing the pic's cume to $22.5 million.
"Brokeback" came out ahead of several new pics on twice or four times as many playdates, including "Casanova," "Bloodrayne" and "Grandma's Boy."
Among the new markets where the critically acclaimed pic opened strong were Tulsa, El Paso, Des Moines and Lubbock, Tex.
Pic, which has been nominated for every major award thus far, also experienced its first flash of controversy as the Jordan Commons theater in suburban Salt Lake City reneged on a contract with Focus to play the pic. More information on reasons weren't available, though it appears to be over the film's same-sex romance.
With cities of every size in nearly every location doing well with "Brokeback," the next challenge is expanding further into the suburbs. Pic will likely expand to around 600 playdates by Friday and closer to 800 by Jan. 20.
"The film is maintaining its rock-solid consistency, and I think suburban markets are now ready for it," said Focus distribdistrib toppertopper Jack Foley.
(Excerpt) Read more at variety.com ...
Brokeback Spa and Salon will not do to well in Lubbock, I presume.
In another development, The California Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has announced a new rodeo event. In addition to Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding, cowboys will also compete in Rump Riding....
The pic's what????? BTW, went to Texas Tech in Lubbock. Plenty of liberals running around the High Plains.
I heard that "Brokeback...." is giving rival films some stiff competition.
BTW I like Andrew's line: "bringing the pic's cume to $22.5 million".
Just one mispelling.
My guess is that it's industry speak for "cumulative gross", how much it's earned so far.
Andrew Sullivan didn't write it, he just gloated and linked.
bringing the pic's cume
Cut it out.
The film is maintaining its rock-solid consistency
I said, Cut it out.
That is what is known as a "Freudian Slip".
I don't even wanna know.
"averaged a still-strong $11,905 per theater"
Right. Because it's playing on very few screens.
The whole piece is an example of the fact that there are, as Disreali said, "lies, damn lies, and statistics".
But how can this be? I've been reading about this movie on FR, and it is conclusively established that it is a dismal financial failure with no hope of ever earning a penny. In fact, one study shows that no one has actually seen the movie.
The picture cost $14, it has grossed $22.5 and is not weakening. It is a success - commercially and critically. I'm not happy about it, but people want to see it. Kevin Costner's last western, the excellent "Open Range," grossed somewhere north of $50 million...
It's up to nearly 500 screens now. Originally, it was on 6 screens and then 29.
Sounds like someone is playing with the numbers.
Yeah, it's funny how the truth lies between people who think Hollywood is making up numbers because no one has seen the movie, and between the MSM which is treating this like Star Wars and Gandhi combined. It's doing well for an independent film. Many more people have already seen Cheaper By the Dozen 2 than have seen or will see BBM.
"Late night talk show hosts should be paying royalties to "Brokeback" for supplying them monologue material for the next two seasons."
"Caught on the horns of a dilemma"... I'm sure they'll manage to work that one in, somehow.
-Eric
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