Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Blockbuster Release - The trend continues in a big way

A curious thing happened in the nation’s movie theatres this weekend. In blockbuster season, two new films: Premium Rush, a thriller and Hit and Run, a comedy opened this weekend and neither was able to top the gross box office chart. Worse, they were not even in the top 5 and a documentary, in limited release, topped both narrative films.
Obama’s America 2016 playing in half the screens of either of the other two out-grossed those films by 30% and 50% respectively.

I have written of the trend in blockbuster releases recently. That once it was that as a new blockbuster opened it would open at number one only to be supplanted in the number one slot the next week with the release of another blockbuster. Now it seems that fewer films are staying longer in the number one slot. The Dark Knight Rises stayed in the number one slot for three weeks in a row and as a matter of fact has remained in the top five for over a month. This week’s number one, The Expendables 2 was number one last week as well.

So the fact that two new films would neither make it to number one on opening weekend, is indicative of the trend. But for two ‘entertainment’ films to be topped by a political documentary is stunning. Studio types must be scratching their heads.

I have not seen Obama’s America 2016 and don’t plan to. It is based on a book by Dinesh D’Souza which is an anti-Obama polemic and I don’t need to see a polemic. I don’t do polemic, even if I might agree with the point of view.

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