The Cinema Is Alive And Well

[George Bellefontaine]

I just read where the film HARRY POTTER did $93 Million in its opening weekend. I don't know if that's a record or not, but it sure shows that people are still going to the movies-- especially for family fare. This is not my kind of film, but I am happy to see what it is doing for the industry.




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[P-Dub]

The turn out was phenomenal. The SilverCity, one of the local megaplexs, had 6 of it's 19 screens dedicated to showings.

The previous record holder was $72 million from The Lost World: Jurassic Park.




Paul

There are three kinds of people in this world; those that can count, and those that can't.

[Lex]

Yeah, it looks to be set to shatter all sorts of records. Don't remember the numbers, but heard on the news it was poised to take another record.

Lex

[Andrew Pratt]

Yeah I'll say it did ok

'Harry Potter' ties 'Phantom Menace,' raking in more than $100 million in 5 days
By DAVID GERMAIN
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Harry Potter" has matched another record: it tied the last "Star Wars" movie for fastest ever to gross $100 million domestically.

By the end of Tuesday, distributor Warner Bros. projected that "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" would hit about $105 million after just five days. That would equal the amount "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" took in over its first five days in 1999.

By Monday, "Harry Potter" had grossed $96.9 million, and Warner expected it to take in an additional $8 million Tuesday, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution.

"Harry Potter" shattered revenue records over the weekend. It had the best three-day debut ever with $90.3 million domestically and posted the two highest single-day grosses ever Friday and Saturday. The movie also had a record three-day debut in England, grossing $23.7 million.

The previous best three-day domestic debut had been $72.1 million for "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" in 1997, a figure that even included about $2 million from a Thursday night sneak preview.

Even factoring in higher admission prices since 1997, "Harry Potter" sold more tickets than "Lost World" in its weekend, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

At the 1997 average ticket price of $4.59, "Lost World" sold about 15.7 million tickets, according to Exhibitor Relations figures. Based on an estimated average ticket price of $5.60 this year, "Harry Potter" sold 16.1 million tickets, Dergarabedian said.

Adapted from the publishing phenomenon by British author J.K. Rowling, the first "Harry Potter" movie was directed by Chris Columbus and stars Daniel Radcliffe in the title role. Columbus began shooting the first sequel this week, and Warner plans to have it in theaters a week before Thanksgiving next year.

[George Bellefontaine]

Add to all that what this film will do when released to video and all you can say is WOW.




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