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Topic: Are some chains gun-shy on Columbine?

Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 11-02-2002 11:36 AM

Bowling for Columbine is doing well for a limited release but you wouldn't know it from the bookings.

Either MGM is not aggressive enough in getting this movie into theaters or -- this is what I fear -- some chains are gun-shy about showing it.

Loews is playing Columbine but not in their New Jersey megaplexes (New Brunswick, Jersey Gardens, Cherry Hill). National Amusements is playing Columbine but not in New Jersey. Regal is playing Columbine but not in New Jersey or southeast Pennsylvania. AMC apparently is not playing Columbine at all.

I can see why the New York-area chains opened Auto Focus and/or Comedian yesterday -- The Core got pushed back to early 2003. Why would these theaters pass on Columbine when that movie had the highest per-theater average in the national top 20 last week? Are the chains afraid of being targeted by the right wing?

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1707
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-02-2002 12:55 PM

We aren't a chain. We were pretty agressive about booking Bowling for Columbine. I saw Bowling for Columbine at the Telluride Film Festival and found that there wasn't anything objectionable in it. MGM had a hard time commiting to our date but they relented in the end.

Last week was it's first week here and we did over $11,000 on it. This week looks like a repeat.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1008
From: South Plainfield, NJ
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-02-2002 07:00 PM

Cinemark Tinseltown Plano, TX opens the picture on 11/8.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 3878
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 11-02-2002 08:47 PM

If the film is selling tickets, the chains will book it more widely.

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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 11-04-2002 09:55 AM

Only ONE theater showing it in the Orlando area -- the Regal Winter Park Village. This was the same theater that was the only one scheduled to open One Hour Photo when that was still slated as limited. Perhaps "Bowling" will go wider, or expand when Oscar Fever catches on.

=TMP=

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 4228
From: York, UK (4,642 miles or 7,470km NNE of Dallas)
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-05-2002 02:46 AM

The film's UK release is next Friday. Michael Moore was interviewed on BBC radio's Start the Week programme yesterday: you can hear it by clicking here.

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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 11-05-2002 06:57 PM

Two Regal megaplexes near Philadelphia -- Marketplace at Oaks (Norristown), Warrington Crossing -- go Bowling for Columbine on Friday.

No Regals in New Jersey are getting Columbine. Neither are the AMC Hamilton (methinks AMC has banned the movie) and Loews New Brunswick (holding 3 prints of Jackass in its 3rd week).

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 300
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-07-2002 02:22 PM

As of last weekend there are only about 150 prints of Bowling for Columbine playing around the country. Unless you are pursuing a strictly regional release strategy, you don't do multiples in narrow areas with only 150 prints. Also FYI, the film is working much better at dedicated arthouses and multi's that consistently play art product than it is at the megas. Thus MGM is handpicking where they go to get maximum value out of limited prints. It's a smart strategy. Rather than blowing the film out in a couple of weeks they are creating demand by having limited availability. For theatres this is a good thing too. It translates into longer runs.

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Darren Briggs
Master Film Handler

Posts: 371
From: York, UK
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 11-07-2002 04:26 PM

Were showing it later this month, looks good form the trailers.

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Mathew Molloy
Master Film Handler

Posts: 357
From: The Santa Cruz Mountains
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-08-2002 09:54 AM

We were one of the few theatres in the country who opened this film, unfortunately our buyer didn't think it would have legs and pushed back it's three-week run to two weeks. What a loss! We went from sell-out shows to nearly no-shows for the film that replaced it (that being Roger Dodger).

I'm finding this tactic of opening films like Columbine and One Hour Photo slowly at select theatres to be a good one.

It's a pretty well done film even though Michael Moore has a tendancy to bring up issues without offering any reasonable solutions. Sometimes he looks more foolish than those he's questioning, but I'm glad to see it's doing business.

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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 11-13-2002 11:02 AM

AMC will go Bowling for Columbine after all. In Times Square the pic will move this Friday from the Loews E-Walk to the AMC Empire (Loews needs the screen for Harry Potter).

Ky: Columbine is on fewer screens than Frida, Comedian or Auto Focus. Most megaplexes that run upmarket/arthouse product won't go near Columbine for political reasons. That looks small-minded since Comedian is stiffing and Auto Focus has tanked.

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1707
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-14-2002 01:48 PM

I have numerous high school groups calling me up to arrange screenings of Bowling for Columbine for their classes. I have one running now. I have one scheduled for tomorrow morning, Monday morning, Wednesday during regular show times, Thursday morning and I just had one more call who may want to piggyback on to one of my other screenings.

I also have another high school class in watching Frida at the moment. I have now scheduled 1 class for Frida and 4 or 5 classes for Columbine. This is without any marketing on my part.

My standard deal is $5 per student. Teacher collects the cash and presents me with a student count and a check or cash. Teachers get in for free. So far we have done these without a contract or anything formal. This morning I have made $650 before opening my doors to the public.

Both of these movies are rated R and I ask the teachers to make sure they have permission slips from the parents. I don't need to see the permission slips; I just make sure the teachers have them.

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Rachel Gilardi
Madam Moderator

Posts: 2214
From: Peabody, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2007

posted 11-16-2002 12:49 AM

We're not a chain but have been running it for a few weeks now. The attendance is fairly good, I believe our #3 movie behind Greek Wedding and Frida.

Like Ian and Ky's theater we have also had many schools calling us up wanting to book shows. We have not yet made any definate plans but 2 of the local colleges are looking into it, both for film students.

I peeked in the theater a few times and it looks very interesting, definatly something I want to see.

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Michael Brown
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1335
From: Bradford, England
Registered: May 2001

posted 11-19-2002 09:00 AM

It's apparently had its UK release last Friday. Nowhere near me is showing it. Two words -Harry Potter.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1008
From: South Plainfield, NJ
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-30-2002 09:12 AM

This picture opens at the Cinemark Movies 16 - Lubbock, TX, and the Cinemark Varsity Twin in Ames, IA on Friday, 12/6.

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