yeah, and toning down the movie isn't going to help once people understand--or think they do--what's in the books...
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> While I personally do not have a problem with the anti-religious slant, you got to wonder when the people who decide to make it thought that it would be a Lord of The Rings or Narnia. It seems as if they did not take into consideration the ramifications of the religious issue until they had already committed to the project. knowing how American audiences and opinion groups are, you got to wonder what they were thinking [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > i know of at least one person who is refusing to see the film based on > the perceived anti-religious bias. i think that can't be discounted. i > bet that can translate into at least 5 - 10 million in loss if > Christian conservatives dediced to stay away. The FX on the trailers > look better than "Narnia" (or at least as good), which was released at > the exact same time of year as "Golden Compass". And to be honest, a > whole lot of people who took their kids to see "Narnia" hadn't read > the books and knew little about the story. What they *did* know was > that "Narnia" was at least in part based on Christian themes, which > drew them in. in the same way, they heard that "Compass" was based on > anti-religious themes, which i feel kept many away > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:tdlists%40multiculturaladvantage.com>> > > > "Golden Compass" disappoints at box office > > Sun Dec 9, 2007 10:27am EST > > http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USN0835936220071209 > <http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USN0835936220071209> > > By Dean Goodman > > > > LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Golden Compass," a costly fantasy starring > > Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, got off to a slow start at the North > > American box office and will likely fall short of opening-weekend > > expectations. > > > > New Line Cinema's $180 million film sold an estimated $8.8 million > worth > > of tickets during its first day in theaters on Friday, according to > data > > issued on Saturday by tracking firm Box Office Mojo > (www.boxofficemojo.com). > > > > After Saturday and Sunday sales are factored in, the film will come in > > at No. 1 with about $28 million when the studios issue their weekend > > estimates on Sunday, said Paul Dergarabedian at Media By Numbers, > > another tracking firm. > > > > New Line, a struggling Time Warner Inc unit hoping to launch another > > franchise along the lines of its blockbuster "Lord of the Rings" > series, > > said last week it was hoping the film would open to between $30 million > > and $40 million. > > > > "It's below expectations, but it's not an out-and-out debacle," said > > Dergarabedian. > > > > Conspiring against the movie, he said, were such factors as a soft > > marketplace and unrealistic expectations for an epic fantasy filling > the > > holiday void left by the "Narnia" and "Lord of the Rings" smashes. > > > > A New Line executive did not return a call seeking comment. > > > > Based on the first book in British author Philip Pullman's acclaimed > > children's series "His Dark Materials," writer/director Chris Weitz's > > film is set in an alternate world ruled by an oppressive religious > > authority. It features talking animals and a heroine played by > youngster > > Dakota Blue Richards. > > > > Even though the film downplays the religious aspect, it has been > savaged > > by such groups as the Catholic League and the U.S. Conference of > > Bishops. Opponents have cited Pullman's unflattering portrayal of the > > church and specifically the Catholic faith. > > > > Critics were also generally negative on the film, according to the web > > site Rotten Tomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com), which collates reviews. > > > > The film represents another disappointment for Kidman, who had yet to > > headline a live-action $100 million movie. Her most recent successes > > were 2005's "The Interpreter" ($72 million) and 2003's "Cold Mountain" > > ($96 million). > > > > She and Craig co-starred in the summer release "The Invasion," which > > flopped with just $15 million. Craig had better luck reviving the James > > Bond franchise last year with "Casino Royale" ($167 million). > > > > New Line has also struggled. Its biggest movie of 2007, "Rush Hour 3" > > ($140 million), earned less than half of its predecessor. Other films, > > such as Jim Carrey's "The Number 23" and the wartime drama "Rendition" > > quickly came and went. > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
