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Penguins Trounce Aliens
Demonstrating that movie audiences will still migrate toward good entertainment even when it fails to offer sex (human sex, anyway), violence, or special effects, a critically praised documentary about the migrating habits of emperor penguins earned more money per screen last weekend than any other film -- the box-office leading War of the Worlds included. According to the final tally, March of the Penguins earned $26,269 per screen versus $19,719 for Worlds. To be sure, Penguins played on just 20 screens, just 0.5 percent of the 3,900 screens showing Worlds. But it should also be pointed out that Penguins cost only $8 million to make, just 4 percent of the estimated $185-million budget of Worlds. Moreover, Greg Laemmle, president of the Laemmle Theatres art-house chain, told today's Los Angeles Times, "Penguins appears to be getting the kind of word of mouth that will enable it to play through Labor Day." Added Steven Friedlander, executive vice president of Warner Independent Pictures: "Some people, internally and externally, thought it was counterintuitive to release a film about penguins in the summer. ... We viewed it as quintessential counter-programming." It will expand to 55 theaters next weekend.
-www.imdb.com
Demonstrating that movie audiences will still migrate toward good entertainment even when it fails to offer sex (human sex, anyway), violence, or special effects, a critically praised documentary about the migrating habits of emperor penguins earned more money per screen last weekend than any other film -- the box-office leading War of the Worlds included. According to the final tally, March of the Penguins earned $26,269 per screen versus $19,719 for Worlds. To be sure, Penguins played on just 20 screens, just 0.5 percent of the 3,900 screens showing Worlds. But it should also be pointed out that Penguins cost only $8 million to make, just 4 percent of the estimated $185-million budget of Worlds. Moreover, Greg Laemmle, president of the Laemmle Theatres art-house chain, told today's Los Angeles Times, "Penguins appears to be getting the kind of word of mouth that will enable it to play through Labor Day." Added Steven Friedlander, executive vice president of Warner Independent Pictures: "Some people, internally and externally, thought it was counterintuitive to release a film about penguins in the summer. ... We viewed it as quintessential counter-programming." It will expand to 55 theaters next weekend.
-www.imdb.com