WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : A Spring Shower of Films, a Trickle of Tickets
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Despite a spring deluge of film product--much of it dusted off after months on the distributors’ shelf--American film goers look like they are sticking with to films with that have already developed a strong following, such as the much-discussed “Colors” and “Beetlejuice,” as this past weekend’s box office figures suggest. Movie audiences are staying away from most new films, including critically well regarded films such as Spectrafilm’s “Tokyo Pop” (two weeks ago) and New Century/Vista’s “Lady in White” (released last week). And business is falling off for films that made an initial splash at the box office, like Fox’s “Bad Dreams” and Disney’s “Return to Snowy River Part II.”
* Paramount is a studio known for its marketing expertise and ability to turn “problem” films into hits (remember “Crocodile Dundee”?). But despite an innovative TV ad campaign and a sheaf of positive reviews, “Permanent Record”--a film about teen suicide--debuted with a remarkably meager opening weekend--a mere $250 per screen.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. April 27, 1988 MORNING REPORT AMPLIFICATIONS By DEBORAH CAULFIELD, Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press
Los Angeles Times Wednesday April 27, 1988 Home Edition Calendar Part 6 Page 2 Column 2 Entertainment Desk 2 inches; 53 words Type of Material: Column; Brief; Correction
Due to an accounting error at Exhibitor Relations Co.--which supplies The Times with its box-office figures--the weekend box office grosses for Paramount Pictures’ “Permanent Record” as listed in Tuesday’s Morning Report box were incorrect. The correct figures are: $840,243 at 337 screens, for a per-screen average of $2,493--far better than the $250 previously mentioned.
--DEBORAH CAULFIELD
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average in Release 1. Beetlejuice $6.2 1,582 4 (Warner Bros.) $40.1 $3,919 2. Casual Sex? $3.84 1,264 1 (Universal) $3.84 $3,038 3. Colors $3.80 480 2 (Orion) $10.7 $7,923 4. Above the Law $3.2 868 3 (Warner Bros.) $8.2 $3,686 5. Biloxi Blues $2.8 1,246 5 (Universal) $31.4 $2,265 * Permanent Record $.084 337 1 (Paramount) $.084 $250
SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.
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