Boxoffice-November.2001

IE BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THE GLOBAL MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY NOVEMBER 2001, $4.95 

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write 

These are days that the sky when cloudless 

seems a bit empty, and when cloud covered a 

little more louring. Colors seem just a bit out of 

gamut, somehow not quite the right hue. The 

air feels the slightest bit rough; even the sunlight 

seems a tinge too bright. And at night, at 

least on the country's coasts, there's the memory 

of no sound outside the window except the 

distant drone of jet fighters patrolling the coasts 

far off above the ocean. 

And these are days when, as most realized 

soon after the eastern tragedies, we share the 

unsettling expectation that there will be more 

troubles. As I this, at least two theatres in 

the nation have had to be checked for anthrax 

and, as reported elsewhere in this issue, even 

those exhibitors who have always taken the 

most methodic approach to maintaining and 

improving site security are wondering if those 

best practices will prove to be enough. 

Yet, although it's important not to understate 

the case, it's also important not to overstate it. 

These are surely troubled times but, then 

again, there are no Redcoat armies marching 

throughout our lands; there are no Nazi submarines 

surfacing in sight of our shores, sinking 

ship after ship. On balance, it's not that we're 

not safe; it's that we're unsettled, and the situation 

seems worse because we are accustomed 

to calm and comfort. 

And it's a fine fact, displaying the nature of 

the film exhibition industry, that from the first 

moments of the September 11 events right 

through now movie theatre operators have been 

toiling to provide some of that calm and comfort. 

In New York, in a section near the disaster 

area, United Artists' Union Square plex in those 

early hours opened its doors to all needing a 

place to rest, something cool to drink or even 

an abode for the night, and in those initial days 

the theatre provided comfort to more than 

16,000 people. It was just a sign of things to 

come from the motion picture business as a 

whole: On the seventh day after the tragedies, 

almost 500 of the nation's theatre operators, 

along with the National Association of Theatre 

Owners, the Hollywood studios and the MPAA, 

donated all proceeds to two key relief agencies, 

with a final tally of aid upward of $5 million. 

Despite the continuing troubles, that may be 

the way to think of these days: In the darkness, 

the chance to give light.—Kim Williamson 

BOXOFFICE ONLINE 

WEBSITE ADDRESS: http://www.boxoffice.com 

E-MAIL ADDRESS: editorial@boxoffice.com 

NOVEMBER, 2001 VOL. 137, NO. 11 HOLIDAY PREVIEW / S 

DEPARTMENTS 

6 MAILROOM 

COVER Quote: "Lord of the Rings" became my life. 

If became everyone's life.—ELIJAH WOOD 

D-bate: digital cinema; ozone affection. 

Compiled by Christine James 

8 REEL DEALS / STUDIO NEWS 

New Line goes Urban; one Lion up, one down. By Annlee Ellingson 

10 HOT SET 

Madonna "Swept"; Crowe "Green"; Arnold "Umps." By Christine James 

1 2 STUDIO FILM RELEASE CHART 

Major releases slated through February. Compiled by Wade Major 

1 4 INDEPENDENT FILM RELEASE CHART 

Specialized tare monthly to August 2002. Compiled by Wade Major 

1 6 TRAILERS: OUR ANNUAL "HOLIBA Y HIGHLIGHTS" 

Coming toward Christmas: "Monsters Inc.," "Harry Potter," "Jimmy 

Neutron" ready for families, for older auds "Spy Game," "AH," "Ocean's 

Eleven," "Vanilla Sky" and "The Majestic." By Annlee Ellingson 

110 EXHIBITION BRIEFINGS 

NATO, theatre circuits combine for relief effort; General interest; Re< 

files; AMC extends pass trial. PLUS. Regional and Local News; Ticker 

Time; Exhib Quips; Showminder Calendar. By Francesca Dinglasan 

118 HILL NEWS 

Kerasotes targets tax; Michigan project held. By Francesca Dinglasan 

119 TECH TALK 

Supply Side: AMC exec joins NAC board. Digital Cinema: Barco adds 

DC dealers. Large Format: Edwards rebrands, reopens its 

giant screens; 

Iwerks, SimEx merge. Wired World: Warner Village clix 1 mil. tix; Fandango 

record. PLUS: 9 on the Net: Great States. By Annlee Ellingson 

122 NORTHERN EXPOSURE 

ThinkFilm targets midrange of specialized. By Shlomo Schwartzberg 

123 EUROVIEWS 

Cinemark, UCI pact in U.K.; Moscow Paradise. By Francesca Dinglasan 

124 PACIFIC OVERTURES 

Force, Village, Reading fiscal results down. By Francesca Dinglasan 

126 MOVIEGOER POLL AND ACTIVITY REPORT 

Early book on Hollywood's holiday hopefuls. Compiled by MovieFone 

127 HOME RELEASE CHART: November 

"Shrek," "Grinch," "Apes," "Lara" lead month. Compiled by Wade Major 

128 FILM REVIEWS 

The 3 1/2-star "In the Bedroom" heads our analyses of 79 current and 

future releases (see list on p. 128), including our extensive coverage 

of the Toronto and Edinburgh fests. Compiled by Christine James 

157 AD INDEX / AD FAXBACK FORM / CLASSIFIEDS 

How to contact anyone (easily) among this month's long, long list: 

direct mail, phone, fax, email contacts, plus our one-stop Faxback. 

159 ANNUAL PUBLISHERS STATEMENT 

CIRCULATION INQUIRIES 

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4 BOXOIIKI

i 

— 

SPECIAL REPORT: SHOWEAST 2001 

The big East Coast holiday show returns to the warmer climes of Orlando for its Oct. 31 -Nov. 3 run. 

76 

80 

SHOWEAST SPECIAL: Independent Exhibition Showcase—Providence, R.l.'s Cable Car Cinema 

In the heart of the Rhode Island capital's business and university district, the Cable Car moviehouse and eatery is 

open 18 hours a day, offering a bill of fare of carbs, caffeine and art-house cinema. By Jon Alon Walz 

SHOWEAST: Awardees and Hall of Famers 

Among this year's in-person and posthumous honorees are exhibition luminaries Barrie Lawson Loeks of Loeks- 

Star Theatres; AMC's Richie Fay; New York independent operator Bernard Goldberg; Victor Carrady of Caribbean 

Cinemas; General Cinema's Paul Del Rossi; Pacific Theatres' Jerry Forman; and Raymond Syufy of Century 

Theatres. PLUS: Rick Sands and Mark Gill of Miramax; producer Jerry Weintraub; Buena Vista International's Diego 

Lerner; Jim Velde of United Artists; Circle Films' Ted Pedas; and Deluxe Labs' Bud Stone. By Kim Williamson 

SHOWEAST: Events Schedule 84 SHOWEAST: Trade Show Floor Plan 

SHOWEAST: Booth List 

90 SHOWEAST: New Products 

NOVEMBER FEATURES 

36 SNEAK PREVIEW: "Gosford Park" 

Director Robert Altman on his latest film, a wry study of 

class and culture set in 1930s England that he tells us 

represents a genre he has never tackled before: "that 

Agatha Christie kind of thing." By Jordan Reed 

SNEAK PREVIEW: "Tape" 

Director Richard Linklater goes digital with a one-room, 

three-actor character study. But this is digital done with a 

difference: The actors are Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean 

Leonard and Uma Thurman. By Annlee Ellingson 

COVER STORY: 

"The Fellowship 

of the Ring" 

Lead actor Elijah Wood 

describes his work as the 

hobbit Frodo in the first 

installment of the threepart 

"The Lord of the 

Rings." PLUS Effects 

wizard Jim Rygiel on 

CGIIng Middle Earth. 

By Christine James 

SPECIAL REPORT: 

Books on Cinema 

In an excerpt from "Hollywood Migraine," the former editorin-chief 

of BOXOFFICE recalls the early days of the megaplex 

era. By Ray Greene PLUS Greene on his feature 

documentary about the exploitation genre, "Schlock! The 

Secret History of the American Movie." By Jon Alon Walz 

54 POV: Cinema Sound 

Our sound columnist explains why he thinks surround 

systems still don't work—and the reasons why this 

situation need not be the case By John F. Allen 

62 POV: Staff Management 

What is the best way to handle crisis situations at movie 

theatres? Starting with "plan ahead," this primer focuses 

on taking a proactive approach. By Randall Blaum 

64 SPECIAL REPORT: Security 

American theatre operators have long been cognizant of 

the need to keep their sites safe and secure, but a number 

are reexamining policies to see if they can be made even 

stronger. By Melissa Morrison PLUS NATO's training 

tape series includes the volume "Safety and Security: 

Accident and Incident." By Kim Williamson 

105 SPECIAL REPORT: Great States Convention 

Proving the adage "the show must go on": On the 2001 

meet that bowed on what elsewhere became the dark day 

of Sept. 11. (More on pp. 120-121.) By Annlee Ellingson 

108 SPECIAL REPORT: Australian International Meet 

Australian for movie convention: the Film Code of 

It's 

Conduct debate; the fight against parallel importing; 

screenings and reels; an "On Show" award ceremony 

and the promised "boozy karaoke." By Christine James 

162 FAXBACK SURVEY: Your Chance to Vote 

The polls are open here at BOXOFFICE, where the editors 

would love to hear your comments about our magazine's 

monthly contents—features, special reports and news. 

Advertisers: Your 2002 Issue Calendar Is on Page 103 

EDITORIAL STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BUSINESS STAFF 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Kim Williamson 

kimw@boxoffice.com 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Christine James 

SENIOR EDITOR 

Francesca Dinglasan 

ASSOCIATE EDITOR 

Annlee Ellingson 

chnstinei@boxof1ice.com 

trancescad@boxotfice com 

annleee@boxotficecom 

SR. EDITORIAUADVERTISING ASST. 

Linda Andrade 

lindaaiiboxotfiC8.com 

EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING ASST. 

Marianne Moro man linncm@boxoffice com 

FEATURE CHARTS EDITOR 

Wade Major (310) 456-2767; fax (310) 456-9750 

CANADIAN CORRESPONDENT 

Shlomo Schwartzberg (416) 928-2179 

INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORS 

John F. 

Allen. Randall Blaum. Don Falkner, 

Ray Greene. Rick Mitchell 

ARTICLE/REVIEW WRITERS 

Bridget Byrne. Paul Clinton, Tim Cogshell. 

Kevin Coumer, Barbara Goslawski, Susan 

Green. Wado Mapr, Melissa Morrison. Jordan 

Reed. Luisa F Ribeiro. Shlomo Schwartzberg, 

Jon Alon Walz. Chris Wiegand 

PUBLISHER 

Robert L. Dietmeier (773) 338-7007 

NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR 

Robert M. Vale (626) 396-0250; 

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT 

Morns Schlozman (816)942-5877 

BUSINESS MANAGER 

Dan Johnson (773) 338-7007 

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR 

Chuck Taylor (312) 922-9326 

WEBMASTER 

Ken Partridge 

kenp@boxotfice.com 

bobv@boxoffice.com 

BOXOFFICE (ISSN 0006-8527) Published monthly by RLD Communications, Inc., 203 N Wabash Ave., Suite 800, Chicago IL 60601 

Subscriptions: U.S. $40 per year; Canada and Mexico $50, airmail $80; overseas subscriptions (all airmail) $80. Periodical postage paid at 

Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Boxoffice, 725 South Wells St., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60607. 

© 2001 RLD Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 

November, 2(iiil

1 

j 

' 

Insurance 

services 

for the 

theatre 

industry. 

Response No. 70 

MAILROOM 

THE D-BATE CONTINUES 

Dear BOXOFFICE: 

Our family-owned small-town theatre 

business has been around for 66 years, 

since 1935. We've seen a lot of things come 

and go. The one constant the world over 

A yellow 

light means 

get ready 

. .. has been the 

35mm format. The 

to stop, 

not hold 

[the pedal] 

to the floor 

— doesn't 

anybody 

get this? 

pirated versions of 

35mm had a bad 

picture and worse 

sound. [If we] go 

digital, [audiences 

can have] quality 

picture and sound 

for free. I can sit 

down and watch 

every new movie 

weeks before I 

have a hope of 

actually running 

them, all for free 

off the Internet. 

The quality may 

be even better than 

the print I 

get! 

I realize the studios don't care about the 

little guys, but big fish need little fish to survive. 

There's some serious thinking that has 

to be done, and quickly. Our industry lead- 

ers remind me of the captain of the Titanic. 

A yellow light means get ready to stop, 

not hold [the pedal] to the floor doesn't 

anybody get this? 

Don Falkner 

Falkon Theatre 

Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada 

POINT OF VUE 

Dear BOXOFFICE: 

When I 

you were running a list 

saw in the September issue that 

of all the survivixfi 

drive-ins, I immediately checked for those 

in the Central Kentucky area and was surprised 

to find that the only one still operai 

ing was the Sky-Vue outside Winchester 

the first I ever attended, and one of (if not 

the) first in the area. By the late '50s there 

were six around Lexington, two of which 

were first-run venues—not only for the 

typical drive-in fare, but also major releases. 

The Sky-Vue was always a second- or 

third-run venue and it's [inspiring] that it 

has outlasted not only Winchester's one 

hard-top but all of Lexington's hard-tops 

and drive-ins from the period as well. 

Cordially, 

Rick Mitchell 

Film Editor/Film Director/Film Historian 

Los Angeles, Colif. 

Send letters to: 

MUffiSfS! Mailroom 

155 S. El Molino Ave., Suite 100 

Pasadena, CA 91101 

— 

Fax: 626-396-0248 

E-mail: editorial@boxoffice. com 

6 llOXOIIKI

New 

JBL ScreenArray Two-Ways' 

m

l( I 

have 

REEL 

DEALS 

mama 

What Sony Wants 

His Spirit Dances at Fox 

MEmnraima 

Renew Lease at Lion's Den 

New Line has inked a multiyear, 

first-look deal with threeyear-old 

Urban Entertainment, a 

feature film and Internet entertainment 

production company 

topped by CEO Michael Jenkinson, 

a former Fox film executive, 

and president Damon Lee. 

Meanwhile, Urban also has netted 

$5.5 million in a second 

round of financing from New 

Line parent AOL Time Warner. 

No titles have yet been 

announced under the new partnership, 

but Urban has "Those 

Who Walk in Darkness" in 

development at Warner Bros., 

"Undercover Brother" at Universal-based 

Imagine, "There 

Goes the Nation" at Warnersbased 

Alcon and "Whitebread" 

at Disney. All of these projects 

are based on series originated on 

www.urbanentertainment.com. 

"Michael Jenkinson and 

Damon Lee have established an 

exciting home for innovative 

new filmmakers," New Line production 

president Toby Emmerich 

says. "They have nurtured 

relationships that New Line 

is 

anxious to pursue." 

Having helmed "What Women 

Want," which grossed $380 

million worldwide, writer/ director 

Nancy Meyers is what Sony 

wants. The filmmaker and studio 

have signed a lucrative overall 

deal that will launch with an 

untitled romantic comedy 

penned and helmed by Meyers 

that will go into production next 

year. Meyers will hang her asyet-unnamed 

shingle on the 

Sony lot, where she will further 

develop projects as a writer, 

director and producer. "The 

Parent Trap" was Meyers' directorial 

debut. She also produced 

comedies "Private Benjamin" 

and "Father of the Bride." 

Actor Forest Whitaker has 

pacted with Fox 2000 in 

a twoyear, 

first-look directing and producing 

deal for his Spirit Dance 

production shingle. The agreement 

solidifies a relationship the 

filmmaker has had with the studio 

and its 

various branches for 

several years. Whitaker currently 

is executive producing "Papi 

Chulo" for Fox 2000. He also 

starred in "Light It Up" and 

appears in the upcoming Joel 

Schumacher thriller "Phone 

Booth" for the label. also He is 

scheduled to helm "The Bow 

Wow Club" for niche arm Fox 

Searchlight. Whitaker in the past 

has directed romances "Waiting 

to Exhale" and "Hope Floats" for 

I 

20th Century Fox. 

"Forest Whitaker is one of the 

most multidimensional talents 

had the privilege to 

thai 

work with," says Elizabeth 

Cabler, president of Fox 2000. 

"He's able to bring to both directing 

and producing an incredible 

with story as well as—being 

skill 

a brilliant actor himself— 

unique sensitivity for performance. 

We are thrilled that our 

relationship has expanded with 

Spirit Dance and look forward to 

making a diverse slate of films 

with Forest and his company." 

Scribe David Coyer has inked 

a two-picture deal with New 

Line. The first picture under the 

pact will be the third installment 

in the "Blade" franchise. Goyer 

wrote the first and second 

episodes, the latter of which 

recently wrapped in Prague 

under the direction of Guillermo 

del Toro, with Wesley Snipes and 

Kris Kristofferson reprising their 

roles as vampire slayers. 

father, the pic, starring Snipes, 

Oliver Piatt, Natasha Lyonne and 

John Leguizamo, marks a departure 

for the screenwriter behind 

"Dark City" and "The Crow." As 

part of his deal at New Line, 

Goyer will receive overhead to 

fund his new shingle, Ghostlight. 

Kristen Harms has ankled her 

post as president of John Wells 

Prods, after five years with the 

a 

company and will segue into a 

production deal. In addition to 

her involvement in the development 

of TV shows "The West 

Wing" and "Third Watch," 

Harms recently executive produced 

"White Oleander," which 

stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee 

Zellweger and Robin Wright 

Penn, for Warner Bros, and Neil 

Jordan indie "Double Down," 

starring Nick Nolte. 

"I really loved the experience 

of producing 'White Oleander' 

and 'Double Down' and want to 

continue in that direction,' 

Harms says. "I'm thrilled that 

John has given me the opportunity 

to continue our collaboration 

and look forward to producing 

many more features and television 

shows with him." 

Goyer's follow-up will be a 

helm. Goyer's directorial 

Helmer George Hickenlooper 

script he'll 

debut was "Zig Zag," financed (the upcoming "The Man of 

by Warner Bros. -based Elie 

Fields") has inked a twopicture 

Elysian 

Samaha. About a boy with a 

deal with producers 

learning disability and his abusive Donald Zuckerman and Andrew 

STUDIO NEWS 

Pfeffer. The two titles are 

Woman of No Importance," 

based on the Oscar Wilde play, 

and "Vultures," about a young 

photographer who debates 

whether to publish a picture. 

Zuckerman and Pfeffer hope to 

put one of the films into production 

before the end of the year 

through their Zuckerman Entertainment 

and Pfilmco Entertainment 

shingles. 

BOX OFFICE BASKS UNDER SUMMER SUN: Box-office business sizzled 

this summer, setting a new record for the swimsuit season. Pegged 

at $3.08 billion by the Hollywood Reporter's Brian Fuson and $2.95 

billion by Variety, citing ACNielsenEDI, ticket sales for the Memorial 

Day-Labor Day timeframe melted last summer's numbers by 11 percent 

or more. Summer 1 999 previously held the record but was beat 

by six to eight percent this year. Even with rising ticket prices, admissions 

were up, too, to 548.9 million according to THR and 522 million 

if you ask Variety. That's eight or 1 1 percent ahead of last year's turnstiles 

but just shy of beating record-holder summer 1999. The top 

grosser of the season was DreamWorks' animated surprise hit "Shrek," 

which earned $206.4 million during the summer months. 

LION ROARS: Recovering from its recent slump, MGM set a record 

of its own, setting a new studio record for domestic gross. With 

three months to go in 2001, the lion surpassed the $370.6 million 

it earned in 1982, when "Rocky III" and "Poltergeist" were 

released. The studio's success was buoyed by "Hannibal," which 

grossed $165.1 million, and the summer sleeper "Legally Blonde," 

still attending classes at $90 million-plus. "Heartbreakers" and 

"Jeepers Creepers," the pic that pushed MGM over the top, were 

also number-one openers for the studio this year. 

CORPORATE REPORT CARD: Lions Gate has reported a first quarter net 

loss of CAN$51 7,000 (US$331 ,920) for the period ending in June, compared 

with a loss of CAN$ 10.6 million (US$6.8 million) during the same 

timeframe a year ago. Revenue jumped 27 percent to CAN$69.5 million 

(US$44.6 million) from CAN$54.7 million (US$35.1 

million) last year. 

Film revenue rose 47 percent to CAN$46.6 million (US$29.9 million). 

ON THE MOVE: MGM has inked a new long-term deal with MGM 

Pictures president and COO Michael Nathanson. the studio also 

has promoted Erik Lomis from executive VP to president of the studio's 

distribution division. ..Miramax Films has lured acquisitions 

executive Arianna Bocco from rival New Line, appointing her 

senior VP acquisitions. The minimajor also has upped Elliot Slutzky 

to executive VP and general sales manager of domestic distribution. 

S BOXOI I

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HOLLYWOOD 

HOT SET 

aninaaa 

Makes "Time" 

Signs on the "XXX" 

HililML'rJilMI 

Attends "Gathering" 

"TIMELINE" In this sci-fi thriller 

based on a Michael Crichton 

mentor, whose 700-year-old 

message for help is found on the 

directing, scripting and producing 

debut on this drama, in 

which he'll also star, about an 

Australian battalion in World 

War II whose soldiers come to 

doubt their mission. (Distribution 

is 

to be set) 

"SWEPT AWAY" This remake of 

the 1975 romance in which a 

haughty socialite is put in her 

place when she's stranded on a 

desert island with a brusque 

sailor will be directed by Guy 

Ritchie ("Snatch") and will star 

his wife, Madonna ("Evita"). 

(Distribution is 

to be set) 

"XXX" "The Fast and the Furious'" 

star Vin Diesel, director Rob 

Cohen and producer Neal Moritz 

reteam for this hip-hop spy thriller 

in which an extreme sports athlete 

(Diesel) is tapped by the government 

to infiltrate a crime ring. 


to be set) 

"CHICAGO" Catherine Zeta- in this biopic, which will detail 

Jones ("America's Sweethearts") the sitcom celeb's seedy private 

and Renee Zellweger ("Nurse life and unsolved murder. 

Betty") will star for helmer Rob 

TV 

Willem Dafoe ("Spider-Man") 

Marshall (the 1999 produc- 

co-stars and Paul Schrader 

tion of "Annie") in this adaptation 

of the Bob Fosse musical 

about a female vaudeville performer 

and a chorus girl who 

become murderers-turned-media 

celebrities in the 1920s. Kevin 

Spacey ("K-Pax") may play an 

unscrupulous lawyer, and Kathy 

Bates ("Rat Race") is attached to 

play a prison matron. (Miramax) 

"UMP" In this black comedy, "AGAINST THE ROPES" Meg 

Arnold Schwarzenegger ("The Ryan ("Proof of Life") stars in this 

6th Day") will play a hitman 

who's dubbed The Ump because 

of the rigid rules he imposes on 

his practices. He kills two of 

three mob bosses and goes into 

hiding in a small town, where he 

is heralded as a hero when he 

uses his expertise to take on the 

local criminals. (MGM) 

"MAN OF WAR" A special forces 

unit leader ("Unbreakable's" 

Bruce Willis) and his team traverse 

war-torn Africa to rescue a 

doctor ("Malena's" Monica 

Bellucci), but she refuses to leave 

unless the local villagers can be 

evacuated as well. (Distribution 

is 

to be set) 

"THE FARM" A CIA operative 

("Minority Report's" Colin 

novel, a group of young scientists Farrell) learns that his mentor 

must time-travel back to the 14 tn 

century to rescue their missing 

("Any 

Pacino) 

Given 

has double-crossed 

Sunday's" Al 

him 

in this James Foley ("The 

Corrupter")-helmed thriller. 

(Buena Vista) 

site of their present-day archeological 

survey. Paul Walker ("The 

"THE GATHERING" An American 

Fast and the Furious") and 

Gerard Butler ("Dracula 2000") 

star for director Richard Donner 

teenager 

Christina 

("Prozac 

Ricci) backpacking 

Nation's" 

("Conspiracy Theory"). (Paramount) through a small English village is 

involved in a car accident, after 

"THE LONG GREEN SHORE" which she has disturbing visions 

Russell Crowe will make his that may be connected to the 

horrifying images on a mural of a 

recently unearthed 1 st -century 

church. Brian Gilbert ("Wilde") 

directs this supernatural thriller. 


to be set) 

"THE TOUCH" Michelle Yeoh Fox). Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, 

("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Jonathan Lipnicki, Nathan Lane 

Dragon") and Ben Chaplin and Steve Zahn will reprise their 

("Birthday Girl") star in this 

romantic action-adventure about 

a crime ring of circus stunt performers. 

(Miramax) 

MEMBER" Mike Myers hogs 

"COLD MOUNTAIN" A even more screen credits in this 

wounded Confederate soldier third installment of the "Austin 

("Vanilla Sky's" Tom Cruise) is 

determined to return home to 

the woman he loves in this Civil 

War-set drama scripted and 

directed by Anthony Minghella 

("The Talented Mr. Ripley"). 

(Miramax) 

"AUTOFOCUS" Greg Kinnear 

("We Were Soldiers") will portray 

"Hogan's Heroes" star Bob Crane 

("Affliction") directs. (SPC) 

"THE ANTWONE FISHER STORY" 

Denzel Washington makes his 

helming debut on this biopic 

drama about a Sony studio security 

guard-turned-screenwriter, to 

star newcomer Derek Luke, a fellow 

employee of the real-life 

Antwone Fisher. (Fox Searchlight) 

biopic about female boxing manager 

Jackie Kallen; Charles S. 

Dutton makes his directorial 

debut. (Paramount) 

"ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE 

MIDLANDS" Robert Carlyle ("The 

Beach"), Rhys Ifans ("Human 

Nature"), Kathy Burke ("Elizabeth") 

and Shirley Henderson ("Bridget 

Jones's Diary") star in tins 

comedic parody of/homage to 

the Spaghetti Western genre, in 

which a man returns to the 

English Midlands to try to win 

back his ex-girlfriend. Shane 

Meadows ("A Room For Romeo 

Brass") scripts and helms. 


to be set) 

"THE TRANSPORTER" Jason 

Statham ("Snatch") will play a 

deliveryman 

privately-retained 

who gets in trouble when he 

starts asking questions about 

exactly what he's transporting. 

Hong Kong helmer and martial 

arts choreographer Corey Yuen 

makes his English-language 

directing debut; frequent collaborators 

Luc Besson and Robert 

Kamen (who most recently 

worked together on "Kiss of the 

Dragon") co-script. (Distribution 

is 

to be set) 

"STUART LITTLE 2" Christopher 

Walken will voice a villainous 

falcon in this sequel to the liveaction/animated 

"Stuart Little," 

in which a human family adopts 

a mouse (voiced by Michael J. 

roles, and Rob Minkoff returns to 

direct. (Columbia) 

"AUSTIN 

POWERS IN GOLD- 

Powers" spy-spoof franchise, 

playing not-so-secret-agent-man 

Powers, world-domination-obsessed 

Dr. Evil, henchman Fat Bastard 

and new villain Goldmember. 

Jay Roach returns to helm. (New 

Line) 

"THE BELLBOY" The 1960 Jerry 

Lewis farce about a posh hotel's 

staggeringly clumsy bellboy will 

be remade with Jackie Chan 

in title 

("Shanghai Noon") the 

role and Keenen Ivory Wayans 

("Scary Movie") directing. (MGM) 

"DOLEMITE" This remake of the 

1975 blaxploitation actioner 

will star LL Cool J ("Roller-ball") 

as a club owner who, with the 

help of a trio of lethal females, 

wreaks revenge on a rival who 

frames him for drug dealing. 

(Dimension) 

ET CETERA: Reese Witherspoon 

("Legally Blonde") may stai in 

Buena Vista's Andy Tennant ("Ever 

After")-helmed romantic comedy 

"Sweet Home Alabama" as a 

small-town woman who leaves 

her husband to move to New 

York, where she poses as a 

socialite. ..Ed Norton will star i 

as 

an FBI agent opposite Anthony 

Hopkins as serial killer Hannibal 

Lecter in Universal's "Silence of 

the Lambs" prequel "Red Dragon" 

...George Clooney, Nicole] 

Kidman and Sam Rockwell are 

in attached to star Miramax's 

"Confessions of a Dangerous 

Mind," a biopic scripted by 

"Being lohn Malkovich's" Charlie 

Kaufman about "Gong Show"! 

host Chuck Harris and his purported 

secret life as a government 

] 

assassin ( looney will also direct. 

10 K

Barco rffgital 

Cinema 

Barco Projection Systems Ai

SOXOFFICE Studio Charts 

212-593-8900 212-833-8500 

ember 2001: 

mworks SKG 

018-695-5000 

212-588-6000 

310-449-3000 

212-700-0300 323-022-4100

I 

Am). 

' 

, 

: 

j 

November, 2001 

Paramount 

20th Century Fox 

310-854-5811 

323-956-5000 

310-369-1000 

818-777-1000 

818-954-6000 

212-649-4900 

212-373-7000 

212-556-2400 

212-445-3800 

212-484-8000 

ELEASES SCHEDULED 

Hardball, 9 14, Dra, PG-13. DTS. SRD Glitter (formerly All That Glitters), 9/21 The Musketeer, 9/7, PG-13 Catherine 

Keanu Reeves. John Hawkes, Diane PG-13. DTS. SDDS-8, SR, SRD. Scope Deneuve, Tim Roth, Mena Suvari. 

Lane. Mike McGlone. Graham Beckel Manah Carey. Max Beesley. Terrence Stephen Rea. Justin Chambers 

Howard Dir: Vondie Curtis-Hall. 

Dir: Peter Hyams. 

9/28. Com, PG-13. DTS, SR Don't Say A Word. 9/28, R, DTS, SR, 

SRD. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Milla SRD. Scope. Michael Douglas, Famke 

Jovovich, Jerry Stiller, Christine Taylor, Janssen, Brittany Murphy Dir: Gary 

Will Fen-ell. Jon Voight. Dir: Ben Stiller. 

October 2001: 

Rock Star, 9/7. Com. R. DTS. SDDS 

SRD. Scope Mark Wahlberg, Je 

Aniston Dir: Stephen Herek. 

Hearts in Atlantis, 9/28, PG-13. t 

SDDS. Anthony Hopkins Dir: Scott Hie 

October 2001: 

Hams Dir Ernest Dickerson 

is a House. 10/26 ltd. 11/9 wide. 

). DTS. SDDS Kevin Kline. Knstii 

Thomas. Hayden Chnstenson 

NO RELEASES SCHEDULED 

Joy Ride (formerly Squelch), 10/5, Act, 

R, 97 mm, DTS. SR. SRD. Scope. 

Leelee Sobieski. Steve Zahn, Paul 

Walker Dir John Dahl. 

From Hell, 10/19. Act. R, DTS, SR. 

SRD. Scope Johnny Depp, Ian Holm, 

Nigel Hawthorne, Heather Graham, 

Robbie Coltrane Dir: The Hughes 

Brothers 

K-Pax 10/26, Fan/Adv, PG-13, DTS, 

SDDS, SR. SRD Kevin Spacey, Jeff 

Bridges, Alfre Woodard. Mary 

McCormack Dir lain Softley 

Training Day. 10/5. DTS, SDDS, 

Scope Denzel Washington, Ethan 

Hawke Dir: Antoine Fuqua 

The Heist, 10/19, Dra, DTS, SDDS. 

SR. SRD Gene Hackman. Danny 

DeVito, Delroy Lindo Dir David Mart 

Thirl 3een Ghosts 1026, DTS, SDL 

Flat Tony Shalhoub. Shannon 

Elizabeth Dir Steve Beck 

ELEASES SCHEDULED 

Tiber 2001: 


2001: 

Shallow Hal, 11/9. PG-13. DTS, SR, 

SRD, Flat. Gwyneth Paltrow. Jack 

Black. Jason Alexander. Rene Kirby. 

Dirs: Peter Farrelly. Bobby Farrelly. 

The Black Knight. 11/21. PG-13, DTS, 

SR, SRD. Martin Lawrence. Tom 

Wilkinson. Dir: 

Gil Junger. 

Spy Game. 11/21. Thr, DTS. SDDS, 

SR. SRD. Robert Redford. Brad Pitt. 

Catherine McCormack. Dir: Tony Scott. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's 

Stone. 11/16. DTS. SDDS. SR. SRD. 

SRD-EX, Scope Daniel Radclrfte Dir 

Chris Columbus. 

The Affair of the Necklace. 11/30. 

DTS, SDDS Hilary Swank. Simon 

Baker, Adnen Brady Dir: Charles Shy 

December 2001 

ord ot the Rings: Fellowship c 

lira. 12/19. Adv. PG-13. DTS. 

I SRD Elijah Wood. Cate 

Hen, Sean Astin, Dominic 

jnan. Billy Boyd. Dir: Peter 

Vanilla Sky. 12/14. Dra. DTS, SRD. 

Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Kurt 

Russeli. Jason Lee. Noah Taylor. 

Cameron Diaz. Dir: Cameron Crowe 

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, 12/21. 

Ani. DTS, SRD. Voices: Martin Short. 

Patrick Stewart Dir: John Davis. 

2/21. DTS, SR. SRD, 

Tim Alien, Julie Bowen, Kelly Lynch, 

Hayden Panettiere, Greg Germann Dir: 

A Beautiful Mind, 12/25. Dra, DTS, 

SDDS, SR. SRD Russell Crowe. Ed 

Harris, Jennifer Connelly Dir: Ron 

Ocean's Eleven, 12/7. DTS, SDDS, 

George Clooney. Brad Pitt, Julia 

Roberts, Mark Wahlberg, Bernie Mac 

Don Cheadle Dir: Steven Soderbergt 

The Majestic (formerly The Bijou). 

12/21. DTS, SDDS Jim Carrey. Marti 

Landau Dir: Frank Darabont. 

January 2002: 

January 2002: 

Orange County, 1/11. Com. Colin 

Hanks. Lily Tomlin. Jack Black. Schuylei 

Fisk, Cathenne O'Hara. John Lithgow 

Behind Enemy Lines, 1/18, DTS. SR. 

SRD Gene Hackman, Owen Wilson, 

David Keith. Gabriel Macht 

Dir: John 


February 2002: 

February 2002: 

NG: 

Destination 2, 2002. DTS. SDDS 

2, 3/22/02. Act. DTS. SDDS 

y Snipes. Kns Knstofferson. 

in Reedus. Dir: Guillermo Del Toro 

lets May 2002. Com. PG-13. 98 

)TS. SDDS. SRD, Flat Trevor 

tan. Elden Henson, Matthew 

nee, Martin Starr, Mary Tyler 

s. Dir: Andrew Gurtand 

n Powers 3, Summer 2002, Com, 

SODS Mike Myers 

riday After Next, Thanksgiving 

DTS, SDDS Ice Cube 

ord of the Rings: The Two 

r». 12/18/02. Adv. PG-13, DTS. 

I, SR. SRD Eliiah Wood. Liv Tyler 

Blanchett Dir Peter Jackson 

t Schmidt. 2002. DTS. SDDS 

Nicholson, Hope Davis. Dermot 

rtey Dir. Alexander Payne 

9. 2002. DTS, SDDS Vin Diesel. 

z Tate. Timothy Olyphant 

Sam (formerly Sam I 2002. 

i. DTS. SDDS Sean Penn. 

lie Pfeifler Dir: Jessie Nelson 

I X. 2002. Hor. R. DTS. SODS. 

Kane Hodder. Lexa Doig. Yam 

an. Knsti Angus. Jonathan Potts. 

aa Ade Dir James Isaac 

karound Guys. 2002. Dra. R. 91 

)TS. SDDS, SRD. Scope Dennis 

ar, John Malkovich. Seth Green, 

wael. Barry Pepper Dirs: David 

i. Brian Koppelman 

lonnle Run 2002. Com. DTS. 

! Dave Cross. Bob Odenkirk 

ne. 2002. DTS. SDDS. SRD Al 

/e. 2002. Com. DTS. 

Bates. Rupert 

yd Dir PJ Hogan 


Domestic Disturbance. Fall, Dra. 

John Travolta, Vince Vaughn, Ten Polo, 

Matthew O'Leary. Steve Buscemi 

Dir Harold Becker. 

Lucky Break. Com James Nesbitt, 

Olivia Williams. Timothy Spall. Bill 

Nighy. Lennie James. Christopher 

Plummer Dir Peter Cartaneo. 

2002 Jesse Bradford, 

Sweeney, Miko Hughes Dir 

The Four Feathers, 2002 Heath 

Ledger, Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson 

Dir Shekhar Kapur 

The Hours, 2002. Dra Meryl Streep, 

Nicole Kidman. Ed Harris. Julianne 

Moore, Claire Danes Dir Stephen 

Daldry 

Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, 2/15. Com. 

DTS, SR, SRD Steve Oedekerk, 

Dir: 

ifer Tung, Tad Honno, Philip Tan. 

Steve Oedekerk 

COMING: 

Age. 3/15/02. Ani, DTS. SR. SRD 

Denis Leary. Ray Romano. John 

Leguizamo, Jane Krakowski. Goran 

Visnjic Dir: Chris Wedge. 

Minority Report, 6/28/02. DTS, SR, 

SRD, SRD-EX Tom Cruise, Colin 

Farrell, Samantha Morton Dir: Steven 

Spielberg 

Phone Booth. 2002. DTS, SR, SRD 

Colin Farrell. Forest Whitaker. Katie 

es, Radha Mitchell. Ron Eldard 

oei Schumacher 

Disaster Area, SR, SRD. Vince 

Vaughn Dir Harold Zwart 

Fantastic Four. SR, SRD 

High Crimes, DTS, SR, SRD Ashley 

Morgan Freeman, Jim Caviezel, 

Amanda Peet, Adam Scott Dir: Carl 

Franklin 

Beauty King SR. SRD 

iihful, DTS, SR. SRD Richard 

Gere. Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez, 

Chad Lowe Dir Adrian Lyne 

Big Fat Liar (formerly Pay or Play). 

Com. DTS. SR. SRD. Frankie Muniz, 

Amanda Bynes. Amanda Detmer. Paul 

Giamatti, Lee Majors, Donald Faison 

Dir: Shawn Levy 

COMING: 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (reissue), 

3/22/02, Fan, PG. DTS, SDDS, SR. 

SRD Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore 

Dir: Steven Spielberg. 

The Bourne Identity, 1st Qtr 2002, Thr. 

DTS. SDDS. SR, SRD Mart Damon, 

Franka Potente Dir: Doug Liman 

Dragonfly. 1st Qtr 2002, Thr Kevin 

Costner, Kathy Bates Dir Tom Shadyac 

The Scorpion King 4/19/02. Adv. DTS. 

SR, SRD. Dwayne The Rock" Johnson. 

Michael Clarke Duncan. Kelly Hu. Peter 

Facinelli. Dir: Chuck Russell 

The Truth About Charlie, Fall 2002. 

Rom/Thr Mark Wahlberg, Thandie 

Newton, Tim Robbms Dir Jonathan 

Demme. 

About a Boy, 2002. Com/Dra Hugh 

Granl. Tom Collette. Rachel Weisz 

Dirs Chns Weitz. Paul Weilz 

Eye See You. 2002. Thr. R. DTS. 

SDDS. SR. SRD. Scope Sylvester 

Stallone Dir Jim Gillespie 

The Guru, 2002. Hor/Com Heather 

Graham, Marisa Tomei. Jimi Mistry. 

Christine Baranski, Michael McKean, 

Malachy McCourt. Rob Morrow. Thomas 

McCarthy Dir Daisy von Scherter Mayer 

The Palace Thief. 20(12. Dra Kevin 

KliMi' I int'i'tli ( I, ivi.lt.- HmI' M< .n.'V. 

Edward Herrmann. Caillin Hoaney 

Eminem Dir 

Curtis Hanson 

City by the Sea. 2/8. DTS. SDDS 

Robert De Niro, Frances McDormand 

Dir: Michael Caton-Jones. 

Queen of the Damned. 215. DTS, SD[ 

Scope Aaliyah Dir Michael Rymer 

COMING: 

Arac Attack, 3/15/02 David Arquerte. 

Kan Wuhrer Dir Ellory Elkayen. 

Salton Sea. 3/15/02. R, DTS. SDDS, 

Flat Val Kilmer Dir: D.J Caruso 

Death to Smoochy, 322/02 Robin 

Williams Dir: Danny DeVito 

Collateral Damage, R, DTS, SDDS 

SR, SRD Arnold Schwarzenegger Di 

Andrew Davis 

Charlotte Gray, 1st Qtr 2002. DTS. 

SDDS, Scope Cate Blanchett. Billy 

Crudup Dir Gillian Armstrong 

Scooby-Doo & 14/02. DTS. SDDS-8 

Freddie Pnnze Jr . Sarah Michelle Gell; 

Matthew Lillard Dir Raia Gosnell 

Juwanna Man. 2nd Otr 2002. DTS. 

SDDS, Flat Miguel A Nunez Jr . Vivic 

A Fox Dir Jesse Vaughn 

Murder by Numbers 2nd Qtr 2002 

Eric Roberts Dir Nur Nur Cummings 

Powerputt Girls 7 :! 02. Ani 

Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya 

Sisterhood 7/12/02 

Showtime 7/19/02 

Down and Under. 8/2/02 

Bloodwork 8/9/02 

Ballistic. 3rd Qtr 2002 

Insomnia, 3rd Qtr 2002 

Welcome to Collinwood 3rd Qtr 200 

Analyze That 4th Qtr 2002 

Chimera, 4th Qtr 2002 

Constantino 4th Otr 2002 

Harry Potter 2, 4th Qtr 2002 

The Last Man 4th Qtr 2002 

Last Samurai 4th Qtr 2002 

Okavango 4th Otr 2002 

Til Dr-nth Do Us Part ill. Oti .'nil.' 

Untitled Sandra Bullock 4th Qtr 21 

White Oleander 4th Qtr 2002

BOXOFFICE Independent Charts 

OCTOBER 

Arrow 

212-398-9511 

ie Curse. Amy Laughlin, Mike Dooly, 

ira Elena Knight. Dir: Jacqueline Garry. 

aelstrom Marie-Josee Croze, Jean- 

Dholas Verrault, Stephanie Morgen- 

;rn. Dir: Denis Villeneuve. 

Artisan 

310-255-3716 

>vocaine, Thr, R, 95 min. Steve 

artin, Laura Dern, Helena Bonham 

irter, Kevin Bacon, Scott Caan. Dir: 

ivid Atkins. 10/26 

Cowboy 

212-929-4200 

Cienaga. Dra, NR, 1 02 min. Martin Adrian, 

Diego Baenas, Leonora Balcarce, 

via Bayle. Dir: Lucrecia Martel. 10/3 

it Girl, Dra, NR, 93 min. Anais 

;boux, Roxane Mesquida, Libera De 

enzo. Dir: Catherine Breillat. 10/11 

Empire 

212-431-5119 

:imacy, Dra, NR, 119 min. Kerry Fox, 

ark Rylance. Dir: Patrice Chereau. 10/19 

Film Life 

212-219-7232 

ie Week. Kenny Young, Saadiqa 

jhammad, Eric Lane. Dir: Carl 

iaton. 10/5 

First Look 

310-855-1199 

ingkok Dangerous. 10/19 SF 

212-243-0600 

story Lessons, Doc, NR, 65 min. 

r: Barbara Hammer. 10/19 NY 

Fox Searchlight 

310-369-4402 

aking Life, Ani, R, 97 min. Dir: Richard 

iklater. 10/19 NY/LA, 10/26 exp 

IDP 

212-367-9435 

Jtter than Sex (Fireworks/Goldwyn), 

Dm. 84 min. David Wenham, Susie 

jrter. Dir: Jonathan Teplitzsky. 10/12 

Keystone 

310-317-4883 

ost Vertical Primate (aka MVP 2), 

im, PG, 89 min. Richard Karn, Bob 

?rnquist, Jack the Chimp. Dir: Robert 

nee. 10/5 Canada 

incing at the Blue Iguana, Dra. R. 

!0 min. Daryl Hannah. Dir: Michael 

adtord. 10/19 

Lions Gate 

310-314-2000 

ie Wash, R. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 

ninem. Dir: DJ Pooh. 10/3 

jlgar, 97 min. Brian O'Halloran, 

van Johnson, Jerry Leskowitz, Jason 

ewes, Kevin Smith. Dir: Bryan 

>hnson. 10/12 NY/LA/SF 

Lot 47 

646-638-4747 

aydowntown. 10/5 NY/LA 

New Yorker 

212-247-6110 

Sobibor, Oct. 14, 1943, 4 pm, 95 min. 

10/12 

Trembling Before God. 10/24 NY 

Ouch, 106 min. 10/26 

The Town Is Quiet. 10/26 NY 

Newmarket 

310-858-7472 

Donnie Darko. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena 

Malone, Drew Barrymore, Mary 

McDonnell, Patrick Swayze, Noah 

Wyle. Dir: Richard Kelly. 10/26 

323-956-5000 212-373-7000 

Focus. William H. Macy, Laura Dern 

Dir: Neal Slavin. 10/12 NY 

Banoo (The Lady) (Iran), Dra, NR, 113 

min. Bita Farrahi, Gohar Kheirandish. 

Dir: Dariush Mehriui. 11/9 NY 

The Flutter, Dra, NR, 94 min. Scott 

Gurney, Michael Cunio, Roxanne Day. 

Dirs: Richard Glatzer, Wash West. 

11/16 NY 


Super Troopers, R. Ja'y Chandrasekhar, 

Kevin Heffernan, Steve 

Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske. 

Dir: Jay Chandrasekhar. 11/30 

516-803-3000 

The Business of Strangers, Dra. 

Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, 

Frederick Weller. Dir: 

Patrick Stertner. 

WITCHES' BREW: Three hippies, rather than three witches, appear in the opening 

scene of Lot 47"s Scotland, PA." an update of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" set in the 

1970s fast-food industry. Timothy Speed Levitch, Andy Dick and Amy Smart star. 

Sony Classics 

212-833-8851 

Grateful Dawg, Doc. 10/5 NY/LA 

Strand 

310-395-5002 

Burnt Money (Plata Quemada), Dra, 

NR, 127 min. Eduardo Noriega, Leonardo 

Sbaraglia. Dir: Marcelo Pineyro. 10/5 

Universal Focus 

818-777-7715 

Mulholland Drive, Thr/Dra, R. Dir: 

David Lynch. 10/8 NY, 10/12 ltd 

UrbanworlrJ 

212-893-1855 

Fidel, Doc, NR. 10/26 

Zeitgeist 

212-274-1989 

Chop Suey. Dir: Bruce Weber. 10/5 NY 

NOVEMBER 

Cinema Guild 

212-685-6242 

Escape to Life: The Erika and Klaus 

Mann Story, Dra/Doc, NR, 83 min. 

Vanessa Redgrave. Dir: Andrea Veiss, 

Weiland Speck. 11/23 NY 

Lions bate 

Tape, 86 min. Ethan Hawke, Robert 

Sean Leonard, Uma Thurman. Dir: 

Richard Linklater. 11/2 

The Cat's Meow, Dra. Edward 

Herrmann, Kirsten Dunst, Jennifer Tilly, 

Eddie Izzard, Cary Elwes, Joanna 

Lumley. Dir: Peter Bogdanovich. 

Lot 47 

Happenstance. R. Audrey Tautou. Dir: 

Laurent Firode. 11/21 NY/LA 

New Yorker 

The Way We Laughed, 124 min. 11/21 

NY 

Paramount Classics 

My First Mister, Dra, R. Albert Brooks. 

Leelee Sobieski, Carol Kane. Mary 

Kay Place, John Goodman, Michael 

McKean. Dir: Christine Lahti. 11/2 

Picture This! 

323-852-1398 

Eban and Charley, Dra, 88 min. 

Giovanni Andrade, Brent Fellows. Dir: 

James Bolton. NY, December wide 

310-260-3333 

The Annihilation of Fish, Dra, R, 108 

min. Lynn Redgrave, James Earl 

Jones, Margot Kidder. Dir: Charles 

Burnette. 11/2 LA 

: 

Urbanworld 

Punks, Com, 104 min. Seth Gil 

Rockmond Dunbar, Vanessa Willi 

Loretta Devine, Renoly Sant 

Dwight Ewell. Dir: Patrik-lan Polk. 

Jungle. Dra. 

King of the 

Leguizamo, Rosie Perez, Mk 

Rapaport, Annabella Sciorra, M 

Tomei. Dir: Seth Zvi Rosenfeld. 11 

USA 

310-385-4400 

The Man Who Wasn't There, R. 

Bob Thornton, Frances McDorrr 

James Gandolfini, Jon Polito. Dir: 

Coen. 11/2 

Winstar 

212-686-6777 

Lola (restored), Dra, NR, 90 

Anouk Aimee. Dir: Jacques D 

11/15 

Bay of Angels (restored). Dra/I 

NR, 79 min. Jeanne Moreau. 

Jacques Demy. 11/23 

DECEMBEI 

Lions Gate 

Lantana. Geoffrey Rush, Bar 

Hershey, Anthony LaPaglia. Dir: 

Sony Classics 1 

Pauline and Paulette. 12/28 NY/l|| 

Strand 

Borstal Boy, Dra, NR, 91 min. Sri 

Hatosy, Michael York. Dir: Fa 

Sheridan. 

Princesa, Dra. NR, 90 mm. Ingriil* 

Souza, Cesare Bocci. Dir: Herol 

Goldman. 

Urbanworld I 

For da Luv of Money, Com. Pi 4 

Dir: Pierre. 

USA 

Gosford Park. Kristin Scott-Thoii 

Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon.H 

Robert Altman. 12/21 NY/LA 

Zeitgeist 

Dir: Jan " 

Little Otek. Svan 

12/19 NY 

JAN. 2002 

Cowboy 

In the Winter Dark, Dra, NR, 100 * 

Brenda Blethyn, Miranda Otto, | 

Barrett, Richard Roxburgh. Dir: Ja» 

Bogle. 

Lions Gate 

Frailty, R. Matthew McConaugheyl 

Paxton. Dir: Bill Paxton. 1/11 

Screen Gems 

310-244-4000 

Slackers. Com. 86 min. Devon Sil 

Jason Schwartzman, James H* 

Laura Prepon. Dir: Dewey Nicks. 1? 

Sony Classics 

Nine Queens. 1/11 NY/LA 

I

. Charlotte 

I Was 


otherhood of the Wolf, Adv, R. 141 

i. Vincent Cassel. Monica Bellucci. 

I Christophe Gans. 1/11 NY/LA, 

!5 exp, 2/1 exp 

rrison's Flowers, Dra, R, 138 mm. 

die MacDowell, David Strathairn. 

: Elie Chouraqui. Jan/Feb 2002 

Urbanworld 

jher Ed, Com, 80 min. Pras, Aries 

ears. Hill Harper. Leila Arcieri. Dir: 

in-Claude La Marre. 

FEB. 2002 

Fine Line 

212-649-4800 

man Nature, Com. Patricia 

luette, Tim Robbins. Rhys Ifans, 

3ie Perez. Dir: Michel Gondry. 


sing Jessica Stein, R, 94 min. 

inifer Westfeldt, Heather Juerisen, 

Scott Cohen. Dir: Charles 

man-Wurmfeld. 2/13 

Kino 

212-629-6880 

i Cherry Orchard, Dra. NR. 137 

Rampling, Alan Bates. 

Michael Cacoyannis. 

Lions Gate 

ilsea Walls. Uma Thurman, Marisa 

lei, Christopher Walken, Robert 

in Leonard. Dir: Ethan Hawke. 

Lot 47 

itland, PA Maura Tierney, James 

3ros. Dir: Billy Morrissette. 2/8 

Palm 

312-751-0020 

Btch. Dir: Doug Pray 

Picture This! 

ifuslon of Genders (France), 

94 min. Pascal Greggory. 

n, 

Richard, Julie Gayet, Vincent 

"•alie 

Man Duran Cohen. 

tinez. Dir: 

Rialto 

323-933-2733 

derous Maids. Dra. 

Screen Gems 

Mothman Prophecies. Thr 

lard Gere, Laura Linney, Debra 

*ing, Will Patton, Shane Callahan. 

Mark Pellington. 2/22 

Sony Classics 

Ing Bicycle 2/15 NY/LA 

USA 

moon Wedding Naseeruddin 

h. Kulbhushan Kharbanda. 

nan Seth. Mira Dir: Nair. 2/1 

Winstar 

ia Africa. Dra. NR. 90 mm 2/1 

MMMiliH 

Lot 47 

ible Every Day 3/1 

Screen Gems 

Lone Star State of Mind Joshua 

Jackson, James King. DJ Quails. 

Matthew Davis. David Semel. 3/8 

Dir: 

USA 

Possession. Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron 

Eckhart. Jeremy Northam, Jennifer 

Ehle. Dir: Neil LaBute. 

APRIL 2002 

Lot 47 

Somebody. 4/5 

Rialto 

Le Cercle Rouge (1970 reissue. 

France), Act/Dra, 140 mm. Alain Delon, 

Yves Montand. Dir: Jean-Pierre 

Melville. 

Sony Classics 

Crush. 4/5 NY/LA 

The Lady and the Duke. 4/12 

Dogtown and Z-Boys. 4/26 

MAY 2002 

Lot 47 

Never Get Outta the Boat Dir: Paul 

Quinn. 5/3 NY/LA 

Sony Classics 

Happy Times. 5/24 

JUNE 2002 

Sony Classics 

Sunshine State. 6/21 

JULY 2002 

Sony Classics 

Quitting. 7/12 

AUG. 2002 

Picture This! 

O Fantasma. Dra, 90 min. Ricardo 

Meneses, Beatriz Torcato. Dir: Joao 

Pedro Rodriguez. 

COMING 

Archival 

414-271-4383 

Nosferatu (American restoration), Hor, 

85 min. Max Schreck. Dir: FW. 

Murnau Current 

Arrow 

Dog Run, Dra Brian Marc. Craig 

DuPlessis, Lisa Ristorucci. Elizabeth 

Horsburgh. Dir: D. Ze'ev Gilad. 

Jump. Dra James LeGros. Amanda 

Peel, Mike McGlone, lone Skye. 

Jessica Hecht. Hal Linden Dir: Justin 

McCarthy. 

Artisan 

Dirty Dancing 2 

Heart of Love 

Iron Fist Dir: Kirk Wong. 

Raw Deal: A Question of Consent. 

Doc. Dirs: Alfred Spellman, Billy 

Corben. IstQtr 

Van Wilder Tara Reid, Ryan 

Reynolds. IstQtr 

Empire 

Janice Beard: 45' WPM. Rom/Com. 

NR, 78 mm. Eileen Walsh, Rhys Ifans, 

Patsy Kensit. Dir: Clare Kilner. Fall 

Very Annie Mary, Com, NR, 105 mm. 

Rachel Griffiths, Jonathan Pryce. Dir: 

Sara Sugerman. Fall 

Understanding Jane, Rom/Com, NR, 

99 min. Kevin McKidd, John Simm, 

Amelia Curtis. Dir: Caleb Lindsay. 

Esther Kahn, Dra, 142 mm. Summer 

Phoenix, Ian Holm. Dir: Amaud 

Desplechin. Winter 2002 

Fine Line 

Female Trouble (reissue). Divine. Dir: 

John Waters. 

Amelia Earhart Dir: Fred 

Schepisi. 

Pimp. Ice Cube. Dir: Bill Duke. 

The Ring. 

Ripley's Game. John Malkovich. Dir: 

Lilian! Cavani. 

Sleeping Dictionary. Bob Hoskins, 

Brenda Blethyn, Hugh Dancy. Dir: Guy 

Jenkin. 

Domani. Ornella Muti, Valerio Mastandrea, 

Marco Baliani. Dir: Francesca 

Archibugi. Spring 2002 

Invincible, Dra, PG-13. Tim Roth, E. 

Max Frye. Dir: Werner Herzog. 2002 

Storytelling, Dra. Selma Blair, John 

Goodman, Paul Giamatti. Dir: Todd 

Solondz. 2002 

First Look 

Bark. Lisa Kudrow, Hank Azaria, Vincent 

D'Onofrio. Dir: Kasia Adamik. Fall 

The Lawless Heart, Rom. Fall 

Skins. Dir: Chris Eyre. 


Chinese Coffee. R 

Hard Men (U.K.). Dra. R. Vincent 

Regan. Ross Boatman, Lee Ross. Dir: 

J.K. Amalou. 

The Banger Sisters. Goldie Hawn, 

Susan Sarandon, Geoffrey Rush, 

Robin Thomas. Erika Christensen. Dir: 

Bob Dolman Spring 2002 

One Hour Photo Robin Williams. 

Connie Nielsen. Michael Vartan, Gary 

Cole, Eriq La Salle Dir: Mark 

Romanek 2002 

IDP 

The Believer IstQtr 2002 

Rain. 2nd Qtr 2002 

IFC 

Go Tigers, Doc. Fall 

The Chateau 2002 

IMAX 

905-403-6500 

China: The Panda Adventures. Dra, 45 

mm. Mana Bello Dir Robert M Young. 

Leary. Elizabeth Hurley. Steve Buscemi, 

Luis Guzman Dir: Tom DiCillo 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding. PG. 

The Weight of Water. R. 114 mm 

Sean Penn. Catherine McCormack. 

Elizabeth Hurley. Sarah Polley Dir: 

Kathryn Bigelow 

November, 2001 

The Whole Shebang. 97 min. Ste 

Tucci, Bndget Fonda, Giancarlo Giar 

Talia Shire. Dir: George Zaloom. 

Manhattan 

212-453-5055 

Enigma, Rom/Thr, NR, 115 mm I 

Winslet, Dougray Scott, Jen 

Northam, Saffron Burrows. 

Michael Apted. Fall/Winter 

One-Eyed King, Dra, R, 90 i 

Armand Assante, Chazz Palmin 

William Baldwin, Bruno Kirby. 

Bobby Moresco. Fall/Winter 

In Praise of Love, Rom, NR, 97 

i 

Bruno Putzulu, Cecile Camp. J 

Davy, Francois Verny. Dir: Jean- 

Godard. Spring 2002 

Milestone 

201-767-3117 

The Adventures of Prince Achr 

(1925 reissue), Ani, 65 mm. Dir: L 

Reiniger. Fall 

Palm 

The Criminal, Dra/Thr. 98 min. Ste 

Mackintosh, Natasha Little. Ec 

Izzard. Dir: Julian Simpson. 1st Qtr 2 

The Last Minute, Dra, 100 r 

Stephen Norrington. 

Lockdown. Dra, R, 105 mm. Maste 

Richard T. Jones. Bill Nunn, Gal 

Casseus. Dir: John Luessenhop. 4th 

Sidewalks of New York Heai 

Graham. Stanley Tucci, Dennis Far 

David Krumholtz, Brittany Murj 

Rosario Dawson. Dir: Edward Bums. 

Screen Gems 

51st State (working title). Com// 

Samuel L. Jackson. Robert Carl 

Emily Mortimer, Rhys Ifans, Meat L< 

Dir: Ronny Yu. 3rd Qtr 2002 

7th Art 

323-845-1455 

Stockpile, Doc. 110 min Dir: Stepl 

Trombley. Fall 


Strictly Sinatra, Dra/Thr, R, 96 n 

Brian Cox. Kelly Macdonald. Ian H 

Tom Flanagan. Dir: Peter Capaldi 

The Parole Officer. Com Stt 

Coogan. Dir: John Duigan. 2002 

USA 

Never Again Jill Clayburgh. Jeff 

Tambor. Caroline Aaron. Dir E 

Schaeffer 2002 

Resurrection Man Stuart Townse 

James Nesbitt. Sean McGinl 

Brenda Fncker. Dir: Marc Evans 

Snarl Up Dir: Michael Winterbotton 

Thursday Thomas Jane. Aai 

Eckhart. Mickey Rourke. Gle 

Plummer. Dir: Skip Woods 

What Rats Won't Do (U > 

Rom/Com. Natascha McElhoi 

James Frain. Charles Dance. Pari 

Posey Dir: Alastair Reid. 

Viz/Tidepoint 

415-512-1924 

Chaos. Dra/Thr, NR Dir: Hid 

Nakata. 

Winstar 

Les Destinees. Dra/Rom. NR. 180 rr 

Emmanuelle Beart. Charles Berlu 

November, 2ooi

I i s 

from 

like 

HOLIDA Y 

HIGHLIGHTS 

Hollywood celebrates the holidays 

and "Rines" in the New Year. 

NOVEMBER 2 

Monsters Inc. 

— 

Sel in the realm of things that go 

bump in the night, this computeranimated 

family comedy features 

the voices of |ohn Goodman 

("Storytelling") as one of the monster 

world's premier Scarers, a big, 

blue furry beast with purple spots 

and horns. His sidekick, a short, 

green, one-eyed Scare Assistant, 

sounds a lot ' Billy Crystal 

("America's Sweethearts"). 

When a 

human child crosses 

over into their dimen- 

so, by the time the good Li and 

the bad Li meet, they both have 

super-human speed and strength, 

and an epic battle to conquer or 

save the world ensues. Delroy 

Lindo ("Cone in 60 Seconds"), 

lason Statham ("John Carpenter's 

Ghosts ni Mars") and Carla 

Gugino ("Spy Kids") co-star, 

lames Wong directs as well as 

scripts and produces with Glen 

Morgan, his partner on "Final 

Destination"; Li's manager Steve 

Chasman also produces. 

(Columbia, 11/2) 

Exploitips: 

Professional 

wrestlei The Rock ("The 

Mummy Returns") was originally 

pern iled m to stai in this 

motion picture but eventually 

exited and the script was 

rewritten to take advantage oi 

Li's martial-arts talents. 

sion, chaos ensues 

foi the monsters of 

\m . 

actually a bum h ol big 

fraidy-cats. lames 

Coburn 

fPIU 

("Affliction"), 

lennifer Tilly ("The 

( icw "), Steve Buscemi 

("Ghost World"), newcomer Mary 

Biggs, lohn Ratzenberger (TV's 

"Cheers," "Toy Story 2") and 

Bonnie Hunt ("Return to Me") also 

voice. Pete Docter, who wrote the 

oiigiu.il "Toy" story, directs; David 

Silverman ("The Road to El 

Dorado") co-directs; Darla 

Anderson ("A Bug's Life") produces. 

(Buena Vista, 11/2) 

Exploitips: This pic was produced 

by Pixar, the computer animation 

outfit that co-produced 

Toy Story,""A Bug's lite" 

Disney s 

Children") directs as well as 

and "Toy Stow 2," which grossed scripts with Guillaume Laurant; 

$191.8 million, $162.8 million Claudie Ossard ("The City of 

and $245.8 million, respectively. Lost Children") produces. 

Meanwhile. DreamWorks Shrek, 

had earned more than $250 mil- 

(Miramax, 

exp, 11/16 

11/2 

exp, 

NY/LA 

11/21 exp) 

11/9 

lion domestically at press time, 

making it i tear thai CGI is a good 

business to be in. The family film's 

biggest threat will be "Harry Potter 

and the Sorcerer's Stone"— so 

eagerl) awaited you'd never know 

it was a literary adaptation— which 

si ared I tisney away from its tradilit 

>nal lhanksgi\ ing slot. 

The One 

let Li ("Kiss of the Dragon 

does double

' 

; 

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Response No 23

I ranklyn 

" 

I 

arrell\, 

appeararu 

pn 

homa: 

Domestic Disturbance 

lohn Travolta ("Swordfish") stars in this 

thriller as a divorced dad who discovers his 

son's new stepdad isn't the upstanding citizen 

he claims to be. The boy witnesses a 

murder, but no one believes him except his 

father, a down-and-out boat builder and 

recovering alcoholic, who must remove his 

son from a life-threatening situation. Vince 

Vaughn ("Made"), Ten' Polo ("Meet the 

Parents"), newcomer Matthew O'Leary and 

Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World") co-star. 

Harold Becker ("Mercury Rising") directs a 

script by Lewis Colick ("October Sky"); 

Donald De Line and lonathan D. Krane 

("Swordfish") produce. (Paramount, 11/2) 

Exploitips: During the shoot in 

Wilmington, N.C., Vaughn, Buscemi and 

Colick caused a bit of a disturbance themselves 

when a fight broke out at a local 

hangout, and Buscemi ended up hospitalized 

with stab wounds to his face and neck. 

Vaughn and Colick were ordered to undergo 

alcohol counseling and are expected to 

testify against Buscemi 's 

attacker. 

Tape 

Ethan Hawke ("Training Day") and 

"Chelsea Walls'" Robert Sean Leonard 

and Uma Thurman star in this drama as 

high school pals who reunite a decade 

aftei graduation. Hawke plays a pothead 

whose entertaining shenanigans mask his 

greater purpose—to get his buddy to 

admit that he raped their mutual girlfriend 

during their senior year. Thurman is the 

girl caught in the middle who refuses to 

be cast as a victim. Richard Linklater 

("Waking Life") directs; Stephen Belber 

scripts based on his play; Anne Walker- 

McBay ("Waking Life") produces. (Lions 

( iate, 11/2, 11/16 exp! 

Exploitips: Like Linklater's "Waking I n. 

'Tape" grew out of InDigEnt's initiative to 

en< ourage filmmakers to use digii.il < inema. 

BOXOFFICE gave the pic four stars at 

Sundani e in the April 2001 issue, saying, 

"The movie is among the finest examples of 

digital cinema done 

right wherein the 

medium adds a sense 

SOUND 

th:

i ode 

harai 

hange. 

m 

ailing 

i Jlrane 

1, ni ["he i 

I rom 

si 

Rad< liffe ('The failoi ol 

anama") stars as the 

precoi ii ius youth; newi 

..inns 

ipts 

lell 

make 

Windtalkers 

Nicolas Cage ("Captain Corelli's 

Mandolin") stars in tins period actionei 

about Navajo soldiers whose native language 

was the basis for an unbreakable 

i ode used during World War II. The 

codetalkers were accompanied by bodyguards 

whose orders were to protect the 

at any cost, even it that meant killing 

the messenger. Adam Beach ("Smoke 

Signals ) and Christian Slater ("The 

Contender") co-star. John Woo ("Mission: 

Impossible II") directs and produces a script 

by John Rice and Joe Batteer; Woo veteran 

Terence Chang, Tracie Graham and Alison 

Rosenzweig produce. (MCM, 11/9) 

Exploitips: Invite a local historical society 

to set up a display further educating moviegoers 

on World War It's Navajo code talkt rs, 

who were honored this year with the 

Congressional Medal of Honor. BOXOFFICE 

interviewed Cage in last month's cover story. 

of events that ends in murder. Frances 

McDormand ("Almost Famous"! and lames 

Gandolfini ("The Last Castle") co star. |oel 

Coen directs; ]oel and Ethan Coen script; 

Ethan Coen produces. (USA, 11/9) 

Exploitips: 

"The Mm Who Wasn't There" 

tied with "Mulholland Dr. s" David Lynch tor 

the Best Director prize at Cannes this yeai 

where BOXOFFICE gave it three stars < it 

a woitln a/it/ e\quisitely beautiful heir to the 

noir tradition, cony x -II n \ge\ /> 

, 

as it tails short of the dramatic 

tension inherent in and requisite 

to the genre." See BOX- 

OFFICE s interview with Ion 

Polito in last month s issue. 

King of the Jungle 

John Leguizamo ("What's 

the Worst That Could 

Happen?") stars in this drama 

as a young man with the 

mental capacity of an adolescent 

who vows vengeance 

when his activist mother is murdered. Rosie 

Perez ("Riding in Cars With Boys"), Michael 

Rapaport ("The 6th Day"), Annabella 

Sciorra ("What Dreams May Come") and 

Marisa Tomei ("What Women Want) costar. 

Seth Zvi Rosenfeld ("A Brother's Kiss") 

directs and scripts; Bob Potter ("A Brother's 

Kiss") and Scott Macaulay ("Julien Donkey- 

Boy") produce. (Urbanworld, 11/7 NY/LA) 

Exploitips: Urbanworld, the distribution arm 

of the Urbanworld Film Festival, previously has 

released "The Visit" and "Punks. " The latter was 

but uses the lessons he learns in the joint to 

reinvent himself as a tough guy at his new 

school ac ross town—until, that is, his old 

nemesis uncovers his secret identity. Eliza 

Dushku ("Bring It On"), Zooey Deschanel 

("Almost Famous"), Lyle Lovett ("Cookie's 

Fortune") and Eddie Griffin ("Double 

Take") co-star. Screenwriter Ed Decter 

("There's Something About Mary") makes 

his directorial debut with a script by David 

Kendall; Todd Garner (an executive producer 

on "Tomcats"), Gordon Gray and 

Mark Ciardi produce. (Columbia, 11/16) 

Exploitips: In a fall and holiday season 

packed to the gills, Columbia has gone 

where no other studio has dared— up 

against "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's 

Stone. " The move is a potentially clever one 

as the teens in the target demographic for 

"The New Guy" may consider themselves 

too cool for Hogwart's School of Wizardry. 

Banoo (The Lady) 

In this Iranian drama, a young woman 

named Miriam discovers that her husband 

has t.iken another wife, and the shock 

inspires a spiritual transformation. Meanwhile, 

when a nearby garden is 

destroyed, a 

gardenei and his wife take refuge with 

Miriam and are soon followed by other trou- 

i 

bled ters. Through caring for others, 

Miriam finds her place in the world. Dariush 

Mehrjui ("Leila") directs. (First Run, 11/9 NY) 

Exploitips: "Banoo" has been banned from 

Mehrjui's native Iran and rarely has been 

si hi in (/ in North America. Here the pic will 

be released in a newly struck 35mm print. 

The Man Who Wasn't There 

Bob Thornton ("Bandits") stars in this 

Billy 

Coen brothers ("O Brother, Where Art 

rhou?") tilm noir set in the summer of 1949 

in 

northern California. Thornton plays a barber 

who, dissatisfied with his life, 

sees breaking 

into the dry-cleaning business as a welcome 

To raise the cash, he black- 

i 

mails Ins wife's lover to disastrous results, 

putting into motion an uncontrollable series 

released last weekend— a potential double bill. 

I 

Remember Me 

In this documentary, director/screenwriter/ 

producer Kim A. Snyder gathers anecdotal evidence 

on the mysterious, debilitating illness 

that rendered her 

bedridden for 

nearly a 

year. Documented in 

outbreaks since 1934 

and striking such personalities 

as film director 

Blake Edwards ("The 

Pink Panther"), Olympic 

Cold Medalist and 

World Cup soccer star 

Michelle Akers and 

high school senior 

Stephen Paganetti, who 

is 

determined to attend 

his graduation, even if it 

is by ambulance and 

I gurney, Chronii atigue 

Syndrome remains a 

medical mv - 

geisl 

11/9 NY) 

Exploitips: ln\ ite Snyder and some ot I in 

subjet ts io make an appearam e i 

ing weekend and parth ipate in 

i 

>pen 

screening Q&A to furthet discuss then 

experiences with this l Quails ("Road 

Inp") stars as a soi ial outi asl who gets 

himseli expelled and then thrown in jail 

Harry Potter and 

the Sorcerer's Stone 

Based on the best-selling children's novel, 

this family adventure tells the story ot a boy 

who finds out on his 11th birthday that he is 

the orphan of two powerful 

wizards. Gifted 

with unique magical 

powers of his own. the 

titular character is summoned 

to attend 

Hogwarts School of 

Witchcraft and Wizardry, 

where a couple 

of his classmates quickly 

become c lose friends 

and help him discover 

Mlllls 

'I'O' 

lllls 

lul adversary. Daniel 

Rupert Grint 

and Emma Watson, Richard Hams ("The 

( ounl oi Monte ( risto"), Maggie smith . 

rea 

With Mussolini"), Alan Kic knian ("Blow 

Hi\ lan 1 

losei You I iel and 

I 

i 

Robbie I I I up the 

ensemble suppi irting i ast. ( hris ( olumbus 

Bio 'in. 'iniial Man ') direi is Steven Kloves 

i 

Wondei Boys based on |.K. 

I 

Rowling's book David I leyman ("Ravenous") 

produces. (Warnei Bios., m 16 

Exploitips: Muggle families will be out in 

full lone hi the opening ot this p 

brate the spirit ol the frani hise b) 

aging fans to dress the part mui h like the) 

did as the) waited in bookstore-sponsored 

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i 

I 

his 

- 

.nies 

I 

II 

,: 

i 

Paul Schiff ("Rushmore") proi 

(Fox, 

Hate 

>arryl 

! 

and 

mt 

" 

sleepovers for the release of the fourth novel. 

Hold a Harr\' Potter trivia contest (there's a 

board game that could provide the questions) 

\ways of studio-provided memorabilia 

and concession coupons. Add Bertie Bott's 

Every Flavor Beans (inc. luding sardines, black 

pepper and grass) to your menu. 

The Fluffer 

In this dark tale of obsession, a wannabe 

actor named Sean moves to Los Angeles, 

where he accidentally comes across a copy 

of gay porn star Johnny Rebel's latest video. 

so obsessed with Johnny that 

he joins his production company as a cameraman, 

eventually moving up the 

ranks to 

the more intimate position of Johnny's fluffer. 

Scott Gurney, Michael Cunio and Roxanne 

Day star. Richard Glatzer and Wash West, 

who scripts, direct; Victoria Robinson (an 

producer on "Happy Accidents") 

and John Sylla produce. (FirsI Run, 11/16 NYl 

Exploitips: Co to www.ilulier.t om In lind 

out what a fluffer is. 

Princesa 

In this Italian- and Portuguese! 

drama set in Milan, Italy (the world 

market for transsexual prostituti 

teenage transvestite dreams of be 

woman, finding a husband and living happily 

ever after as a housewife. Working as a 

prostitute to raise money for her sex-change 

operation, she transforms into Pin 

populai and glamorous figure with many 

friends among hei peers and 

> 

lients. The 

ast— largely nonprofessional, mam 

well-known transvestites in Italy— includes 

Ingrid De Sou/, and Lulu 

lenrique Goldman directs as well 

as scripts with Ellis Freeman; Ri 

O'Brien ("Bread and Roses") pro 

(Strand, 11/16 NY) 

Exploitips: "Princesa" won th 

11; Foreign Narrative 

Feature at this year's LA Outfest. 

Market this pic to the gay, lesbian and transgender 

groups in your community. 

40-year old French lai 

ins Anouk Aimee ("8 1/2 

single mother who hopes the fathe 

son, who abandoned her during her preg- 

return. A bore. I 

her, giving his life meaning, but 

will she return n n< Mil hel 

co-stars. Jacques Demy ("Bay of Angels") 

directs and scripts; Georges de Beauregard 

("Breathless") and Carlo Ponti ("Doctor 

Zhivago") produce. (Winstar, 11/15) 

Exploitips: The restoration of this film was 

supervised by Demy's widow Agnes Varda, 

who spent many years tracking down the 

best materials before she finally 

located a 

pristine print struck from the original negative, 

which had been destroyed years before 

in a fire. Double-bill "Lola" with Demy's 

"Bay of Angels," which will also be rereleased 

by Winstar in a fortnight.. 

NOVEMBER 23 

Black Knight 

Martin Lawrence ("What's the Worst That 

Could Happen?") stars in this comedy as a 

down-on-his-luck employee at a medieval 

theme park. After slipping into the park's 

moat, he finds himself transported—a la 

Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in 

King Arthur's Court"— to 16th century 

England. There he helps a broken-down exknight 

and a beautiful peasant girl di 

evil king, learning honor and bravery and 

how to be a better man along the way. Gil 

lungei (Shakespeare update 

Things About 

direi ts Quarles 

You" 

("Big Momma's House") and 

"Say II Isn't So's" Peter 

Gaulke and Gerry Swallow 

script; Arnon I 

Mill han ("I ton 

Say a Word"), Michael Green 

("Big Momma's Hou 

11/21) 

Exploitips: Transform your 

theatre into a medieval 

anachronic 

employees in ren 

garb even while they sell 

mime Ik kets and popt urn 

and playing mandolin music 

on the PA. The) can even shout, "Huzzah! 

Ten pounds ini the king!" ever) nation 

aftei 

lion at the concession stand. Invite the 

knights from a lot al medieval-themi < 

rant to perform at your theatre on 

weekend, and give away discount < oupons 

in the eating establishment 

In the Bedroom 

Tom Wilkinson ("The Patriot") and Sissy 

Spacek ("The Straight Story") star in this intimate 

drama as a doctor and his musii 

ni; their version of the American 

Dream in a small New 

England town. I In 

that their son is 

involved with 

an older married woman, and, 

when tragi 

familial bonds are tested. Nil k 

Stahl ("Bully") ,m

(,i 120 \< l 

and are nun h more eflet tive and longei lasting lhan 

i 

II 

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termotl 

i Der 

find 

Escape to Life: The Erika 

and Klaus Mann Story 

In this documentary, archival footage, dramatic 

scenes and interviews reconstruct the 

lives of Erika and Klaus Mann, the brilliant 

eldest children of Nobel Prize-winning author 

Thomas Mann. Desperate for the affection of 

their famous father, they instead find 

intimacy 

in each other, claiming to be identical twins 

despite being born more than a year apart. 

Writers, actors, homosexuals and pacifists, the 

two lead creative, productive and contradictory 

lives— Erika is a lesbian who married twice; 

Klaus is a pacifist who joined the American 

army to fight against his homeland. Ultimately 

the two are exiled from Nazi Germany and 

torn apart by Klaus' addiction to drugs and 

Erika's shift in loyalty to their father. Vanessa 

Redgrave and Corin Redgrave voice the siblings; 

Andrea Weiss and Wieland Speck direct 

and script; Greta Schiller (helmer of "Paris Was 

a Woman" and "Before Stonewall") produces. 

(Cinema Guild, 11/23 NY) 

Exploitips: As for "I Remember Me, " invite 

the filmmakers of "Escape to Life" to visit your 

theatre on opening weekend, participating in a 

post-screening Q&A after the premiere. 

The Way We Laughed 

In this Italian drama, two brothers immigrate 

to Turin from Sicily in the late 1950s. 

(TV's "The Practice") lassoed 

the leads in this historical Western about 

a ragtag posse of cowboys who band together 

after the Civil War to clean up the West. 

Rachael Leigh Cook ("Josie and the 

Pussycats"), Ashton Kutcher ("Dude, Where's 

My Car?"), Robert Patrick (TV's "X-Files"), 

Randy Travis ("Black Dog") and Usher 

Raymond ("Light It Up") round up the cast. 

Steve Miner ("Lake Placid") directs a script by 

John Milius ("Clear and Present Danger") and 

Ehren Kruger ("Scream 3"); Alan Greisman 

("Fletch Lives") and Frank Price ("Circle of 

Friends") produce. (Miramax, 11/30) 

Exploitips: 

In a role for which he was paid 

$200,000, Van Der Beek led "Varsity Blues" to 

an unexpected $50 million-plus, and his hotticket 

status resurrected "Texas Rangers" from 

development hell. The pic had originally been 

set up years ago at Columbia, where it was 

expected to be the last film by director Sam 

Peckinpah. It then moved to Savoy Pictures, 

where it was intended to be the start-up's first 

big picture in 1 993. Once Van Der Beek was 

attached (this time tor a low seven-figure sum), 

though, interest in the script resud'aced, and 

Dimension Films picked it up, but post-completion 

the pic has been sitting on the shelf for 

a good year and a half. Promote this Western 

by dressing your staff up in boots, chaps and 

spurs and offering discounts to patrons who do 

likewise. See BOXOFFICE s interview with Van 

Der Beek in the April 2000 issue. 

—" 

Bay of Angels 

Jeanne Moreau stars in this 1964 

French romance as a compulsive gambler 

who falls in love with a bank clerk. At first 

the two are merely "good luck charms" 

for each other, but eventually their luck 

and love?— runs out. Claude Mann costars, 

lacques Demy ("Lola") directs and 

scripts. (Winstar, 11/30) 

Exploitips: Also lovingly restored by 

Demy's widow Agnes Varda, "Bay of 

Angels" should be programmed with "Lola, 

re-released two weeks ago by Winstar. 

Super Troopers 

Five-man comedy troupe Broken Lizard 

scripts and stars in this comedy about 

Vermont State Troopers who are overenthusiastic 

about, if under-stimulated by. 

Illiterate, the elder, Giovanni, works hard so 

that his younger sibling, Pietro, can get an 

education and escape their poverty. But Pietro 

isn't interested in school, and Giovanni's 

plans—and their relationship—become unexpectedly 

complex. Francesco Giuffrida and 

Enrico Lo Verso star. 

Gianni Amelio directs as 

well as scripts with Daniele Gaglianone, Lillo 

lacolino and Alberto Taraglio; "On Guard's" 

Rita Cecchi Con and Vittorio Cecchi Gori 

produce. (New Yorker, 11/21 m i 

Exploitips: "The Way We Laughed" won the 

Golden Lion at the 1998 Venice I ilm Festival. 

BOXOFFICE gai e it two stars in its Palm Springs 

coverage in the April / ( ''' ( ' issue, saying the 

plot is detailed "with such coolness and distance 

that all perspective on the char, ii 

situations are dissolved, leaving the audience 

with little more than some lovel) photography 

and heaut\ of the ut\ ot hum toenioy. 

NOVEMBER 30 

Texas Rangers 

Dylan M( 

I 

Beel Vars \) Blues") and 

The Affair of 

the Necklace 

Hilary Swank ("Boys 

Don't Cry") stars in this period 

drama set in pre-Revolutionary 

France as an aristocratic 

woman stripped of her 

name by the royal family. To 

restore her place in society, 

she schemes to steal a priceless 

necklace. Simon Baker 

("Red Planet"), Adrien Brody 

("Bread and Roses"), Jonathan 

Pryce ("Bride of the 

Wind"), Christopher Walken 

("America's Sweethearts") 

and Joely Richardson ("The Patriot") costar. 

Charles Shyer ("Father of the Bride" 

parts one and two) directs; John Sweet 

scripts based on true events; "My Dog 

Skip's" Andrew Kosove and Broderick 

Johnson produce with Shyer and Redmond 

Morris ("The Butcher Boy"). (Warner Bros., 

11/30 NY/LA/Tor) 

Exploitips: Collaborate with a local jeweler 

to auction off a diamond (or cubic zirconia) 

necklace modeled after the eponymous 

accessory on opening weekend, 

donating the proceeds to < harity. 

their job. Faced with budget i uts and the 

possibility of being replaced by their rivals 

at the local police force, they attempt to 

clean up their act before they're escorted 

away in handcuffs (so to speak). Jay 

Chandrasekhar, who directs, Kevin 

Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and 

Erik Stolhanske star. Richard Perello produces. 

(Fox Searchlight, 1 1/30) 

Exploitips: Called "the Dumb and 

Dumber' of police work" by co-si,i, 

Coughlan, "Super Troopers" was the first 

pic picked up at Sundance, where it was 

featured in the Park City at Midnight section. 

Fox Searchlight paid a teported $2.5 

million tor the $2 million corned) 

out rivals such as Miramax. 

NOVEMBER UNDATED 

No Man's Land 

In this Bosnian language 

drama set during the 

Bosnian wai two soldiers 

ih mi opposing sides ol the 

c onflii themselves 

trapped in a trem h be 

tween encim lines With 

no w.n to esc ape without 

getting shol and a fellow 

soldier lying on a bomb 

two find themselves 

in a stand off. 

Meanwhile, a U.N. sergeant 

.iiii\cs on tlic ene 

s( 

24 Boxoiiki

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oa< 

I 

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and 

usp 

I 

k i 

and 

o 

leep 

ailing 

nd' 

hade) 

i 

immi 

produi 

ild 

ould 

, 

i Smith 

ambition for the exclusive scoop escalates 

the predicament to an international crisis. 

Branko Djuric, Rene Bitorajac, Filip 

Sovagovic, Georges Siatidis and Katrin 

Cartlidge ("Career Girls") star. Danis 

Tanovic directs and scripts; Frederique 

Dumas-Zajdela and "Train of Life's" Marc 

Baschet and Cedomir Kolar produce. 

(MGM, November undated ltd) 

Exploitips: BOXOFFICE gave "No Man's 

DECEMBER 7 

I and" 4. S stars out of Cannes, where it was 

nominated for the Palme d'Or and won the 

AM 

Best Screenplay award, in the Septembei 

Will Smith ("The legend ot Bagger Vance") 

2001 issue calling it "an apt, hauntingly 

stars as the titular pugilist in this biopic that 

at i urate allegory foi the < onflh I and an 

spans a decade of the life of Muhammad Ali. 

'extreme!) taut, brutall) funn) and achingl\ 

frank drama." 

The film opens in 1964, when Ali, then known 

by Ins birth name Cassius Clay, emerged to teat 

Sonny Liston to become the world heavyweight 

champ. Ovei the next 10 years the 

The Business of Strangers 

ird ( harming (TV's "The West mouthy bo amous foi his poli- 

i 

Wing' Julia Stiles ("O") star in this 

le refused to be 

drama as Julie and Paula, a hard nosed drafted foi the Vietnam War, 

middle-aged businesswoman and a spitfire and his belt was stripped from 

i 

on the ot adulthood who form an him because of it. In 1 974, he 

unlikely friendship, lulie fires Paula foi adopted the Muslim name 

being late with the equipmem she needed Muhammad Ali and rei laimed 

foi .in important presentation, but later, Ins title i 

by beating ieorge 

both stui k in an out-of-town hotel for the Foreman in the famed Rumble 

in the Jungle in Zaire lamie 

Foxx ("Bait"), Ion Vo 

Croft: Tomb Raider") and Mario 

Van Peebles ("Solo 

Michael Mann ("The Insider") 

directs, scripts and produces; 

Eric Roth ("The Insider") co 

scripts; Jon Peters ("Wild Wild 

West"), lames Lassiter, Paul Ardaji and A. 

Kitman I lo ("The ( ihost I 

and the larkness," 

"JFK") produce (( olumbia, 12/7) 

Exploitips: In development lor the heltei 

part ot a ile< ade \h endured lawsuits i/n 

nighl they bond over dunks while celebrating 

Julie's surprise promotion. Their (Smith's "Wild Wild West" helmer Barry 

the boxei s formei 

spirits are dampened when Paula reveals Sonnenfeld) and budget i uts (to just over $100 

thai the business associate with whom million— Mann Peters and Smith a 

they ve been partying raped hei best fi iend foot thebillfoi an) overages) tomakeit tothe 

in college, and, as they struggle for the 

has \li's personal endorse 

uppei hand in theii new relationship, the mem "Will smith is //„ on l) person / want 

pair's at ts oJ revenge spiral out oJ i ontrol and trust to bring that stor) tothesi n 

'• 

Wellei i stars Patrick Stettner 

;aid andgained ipoun 

liiii ts and si ripts; Susan A. Stover ("High clefoi therole < 'scat hopesalread) are high. 

d Robert H. Nathan (exe< utive pro Sponsoi anexhibition bout between two la al 

du< ei "i " rhe I I I 

e. ill i boxers between showtimes on opening week 

Novembei undated) 

end. and rattle off boxing lessons from the 

Exploitips: "The Business of Strangers" trainer at the neighborhood gym 

was nominated foi the Grand lur) 

the dramatic competition at Sundance 

where Uoxoffice gave it three stars in the 

\pril 2001 issue i it In the( ompan) Cate Blanc hell ("Bandits") stars in this 

ot Vfen foi the ah >m :< niler sex." 

drama about a woman whose husband is the 

victim of a drug ovetdos r I leads to his 

Eban and Charley 

i 

29-yeai e> soi i ei 

li returns to his Pacific Northwi isl 

hi imeti iw n u here he befriends a 1 5-yearold 

with i 

whom he shares in inti irests 

like riding and poetry. When the 

ili< n K'l.ii ship is discovered, 

petween them is put to the test. 

How < ; 

liovanni Andrade star. 

ilton directs and scripts; i 

hris 

p odui es (Pii ture This!, 

ei undated NY) 

Exploitips: Depending on its ultimate 

ife Eban and i i be 

ith Princesa oi Punks and mat 

i) and sbian groups. li 

i 

In 

ongeniality") 

sposito 

ishei 

i 

\nieiu 

I Jon 

ian 

isn't 

and 

lanny 

overage 

Swi 

drug dealer repeatedly ignored by the police, 

she takes the law into her own hands and construi 

ts a homemade bomb. When her plans 

go horrifically awry, she's arrested for murder 

but finds herself falling in love with an officer. 

Giovanni Ribisi ("The Gift") co-stars. German 

Tom Tykwer ("Run Lola Run") directs a script 

by the late filmmaker Krysztof Kieslowski and 

writing partner Kryzsztof Piesiewicz (the makers 

of "White," "Blue" and "Red"); Anthony 

Minghella, Marlia Koepf ("Run Lola Run") and 

Frederique Dumas produce. (Miramax, 12/7 

qualifying run, 3/8 exp NY/LA) 

Exploitips: "Heaven" marks German 

h An ei s first English-language film. The pic is 

the first in a trilogy of films written by 

Kieslowski and Piesiewicz, to which Miramax 

alsohasat quired the rights. The other titles are 

7 tell and 'Purgatory," neither of which had 

.a quin \ I finarx mg or gone into production at 

the time ui I lea\ en's" announcement. 

Pinero 

In his first starring vehicle, Benjamin Bratt 

'Miss ( stars in this biopic about 

Cuban poet/playwright/actor Miguel Pinero, 

whose urban spoken-word poetry serves as a 

pro ursoi to rap and hip-hop in the 1970s. He 

dnrs some tune in Sing-Sing for petty theft ami 

drug dealing, | 

lenning a play based on his expeilli'd 

"Sin ui Lves," the production is 

nominated for a tony in 1974. Despite his sui 

erhaps because he is 

unable to deal 

with it, he dies in his early 40s, still homeless 

and addii ted. lalisa Soto ("Mortal Kombat' I, 

< ii.uk I 

arlo ("Ali") and movie vets Rita 

Moreno and Mauds Patinkin co-star. Leon 

k haso ("Sugai I 

lill") directs and scripts; 

Greenestrect Films' ("In the Bedroom") )ohn 

Pen and I 

Stevens produce with Rm 

Williams. (Miramax, 12/7 NY/LA) 

Exploitips: Boxoffice whs Pinero 

three stars in the Montreal i 

in this 

issue, tailing it a "seriousl) flawed, hai 

rowing portrait ot a i omplex artist. 

Ocean's Eleven 

< ieorge Clooney ("The 

Perfecl Storm"), Brad Pitt 

)amon 

("Spy Game I, Mill 

("All the Pretty Horses"), 

Che, idle in In--! 

\nd\ i.i ("D 

Measures lulia Ri iberts 

a s Sweethearts") 

in this Steven Soderbergh 

si, ii 

h. helmed ensemble 

heist comedy based on the 

Ral Pa< I. s i 

Dapper I 

it looney 

i 

I 

original 

t 

li ean 

24 bonis into 

his parole from a New lersey 

penitentiary when he already 

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he 

olumnisl 

9 

I 

( ome 

1 1 mn 

sell 

is 

oi 

(etermined 

" 

has a plan to steal more than $150 million 

from a Las Vegas casino magnate (Garcia) 

who just happens to be courting Danny's exwife 

(Roberts). To pull it off, he employs a 

handpicked 11 -man crew of specialists, 

including an ace card sharp (Pitt), a master 

pickpocket (Damon) and a demolition 

expert (Cheadle). Ocean has just three rules: 

Don't hurt anybody; don't steal from anyone 

who doesn't deserve it; and play the game 

like you've got nothing to lose. Casey 

Affleck ("Soul Survivors"), Scott Caan 

("American Outlaws"), Elliot Gould (TV's 

"Friends"), Edward Jemison, Bernie Mac 

("The Original Kings of Comedy") and 

industry vet Carl Reiner co-star. Ted Griffin 

("Ravenous") scripts; lerry Weintraub 

("Soldier") produces. (Warner Bros., 12/7) 

Exploitips: "Ocean's Eleven" marks a 

departure for helmer Soderbergh, whose 

last two pics, "Erin Brockovich" and 

"Traffic," were Oscar-nominated social 

commentaries, and stai Pitt, whose dark 

provocative "Fight Club" was ill-received 

by the public. Soderbergh has said that his 

goal on his latest project is simply to make 

something fun to watch. The filmmakers of 

"Ocean's Eleven" have made a point t distancing 

themselves from the Rat Pai L original: 

Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Cheadle and 

Roberts are not playing Frank Sinatra, Dean 

Martin, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis lr. and 

Angle Dickinson, respectively, for example 

and Vegas has changed quite a bit in the 

last 40 years. Nonetheless, it might be fun 

to book the original for special afternoon 

screenings on opening weekend. 

DECEMBER 14 

* if • 

ly bound for "Vanilla Sky" this weekend, 

Columbia may have a counter-programming 

coup on its hands, as few titles air 

aimed at the teen demo. The pic is rated R, 

however, for strong crude sexual i ontent 

and humor, language and some drug content, 

so get ready to ID your patrons. 

Vanilla Sky 

Tom Cruise ("Mission; 

Impossible II") 

stars in this remake of 

the Spanish romantic 

thriller "Open Your 

Eyes" by Alejandro 

Amenabar. Plot details 

about the update have 

been kept tightly under 

wraps, but the original 

was about a wealthy 

ladies' man who falls 

in love with Ins best 

friend's girlfriend, 

only 

to find himself horribly 

disfigured in a car accident 

caused by his suicidal 

ex. The love of 

his life falls for him 

anyway, and plastic 

is surgery able to 

restore his looks, but 

that's only the beginning 

in a surreal tale 

full of mind-bending 

twists that have garnered 

it comparisons 

to "The Matrix." Penelope Cruz ("Captain 

Corelli's Mandolin"), reprising her role from 

the original, Kurt Russell ("3,000 Miles in 

Graceland"), Jason Lee ("Jay and Silent Bob 

The Cat's Meow 

Helmer Peter Bogdanovich ("The Last 

I'u ture Show ') returns ti i the big si reen 

aftei an eight-yeai absence with this 

iln illei based on ,i < lassii loll} wood 

myth. One weekend in 1 

' 

aboard his 

yacht Oneida, publishing n 

William Randolph I suspei ts thai Ins 

mistress Marion 

I 

>a\ ies is ha\ ing an affaii 

with Charlie Chaplin. Firing his gun in a 

jealous rage he misses 

< 

haplin, shooting 

Thomas lm e instead. ini idem is o\ 

ouella 

ered up, bul gossip 

Parsi ms uni i 

I 

the truth, using the 

information to blackmail Hearst into giving 

her a lifetime contract with his newspapers. 

Veteran actor Edward Herrmann, 

Kirsten Dunst ("crazy/beautiful"), "Shadow 

of the Vampire's" Eddie Izzard and 

Cary Elwes and Jennifer Tilly ("The Crew") 

star as the respective characters. Steven 

Peros scripts based on his play; Kim 

Bieber and Carol Lewis produce. (Lions 

Gate, 12/14 NY/LA, 12/21 exp) 

Exploitips: "The 

Cat's Meow" follows 

Lions Gate's "Cods and 

Monsters" and 

"Shadow of the 

Vampire"—all speculations 

on influential figures 

and moments in 

film history. Pair the pic 

with one of these titles 

or, better yet, "Citizen 

Kane, " the pseudo 

hiopic on Hearst directed 

by Orson Welles, 

who reportedly first 

whispered the rumor 

that 

Hearst had killed 

Ince in Bogdanovit fi's 

ear in 1969. BOXOF- 

FICE gives the pic three 

tars in this issue, calling 

tin ' filmmaking style 

"pedestrian" and saying, 

"If it weren't for its 

intriguing 

what-if sce- 

nario, 'The Cat's 

Meow' wouldn't be 

iiiijx lling at all— with the exception of some 

of the picture's performances. 

DECEMBER 21 

Strike Back") and Cameron Diaz ("Charlie's 

Angels") co-star. Cameron Crowe ("Almost 

Not Another Teen Movie 

Famous") directs, scripts and produces; 

In this send-up of teen comedies, the Cruise and his partner Paula Wagner also The Accidental Spy 

school jock bets his buddies that he can turn produce. (Paramount, 12/14) 

Jackie Chan ("Rush Hour 2") stars in this 

a bespectacled aspiring artist into a prom Exploitips: Crowe, an ex-rock n roll Hong Kong actioner as Bei, an unsui ( essful 

queen. Sounds a lot like "She's All That," the journalist, has likened his remake .is a i ovei 

rom/com that begat the glut of product lor the version of the original. It is set in contemporary 

Manhattan (Cruise plays a New York 

Clearasil set, but expect spoofs of "( 

"Road Trip," "Can't Hardly Wait," "Varsity City publishing magnate) and is peppered brings to his attention tli.it he is the long-lost 

Blues" and "Never Been Kissed" as well. with pop culture references. Cruise first son di ,1 Korean businessman. Bei travels to 

Nubiles Chyler Leigh, Chris Evans, |aime screened "Open Your Eyes privatel) /\ a co workei in a dispute ovei a 

parking spa< e I 

respei I 

to earn ba< k the 

his daughtei and win the heari ol 

,i i 

olleague he trains fi h a remati h and 

undergoes a makeovei in the pro« ess finding 

l 

on the \\.i\ up the i orporate lad 

28 BOXOI I

der. 

: 

Herbert 

an 

. (Miramax, 

< 'uni 

in 

) 

Sean 

Paramount, 

>i 

h.u.H 

awreni 

ng 

I 

antana 

1 

ihony 

Ultimately he realizes, however, that he 

needs neither revenge nor to become someone 

else to claim either prize. Julie Bowen 

(TV's "Ed"), Kelly Lynch ("Charlie's Angels"), 

Greg Germann ("Sweet November"), child 

actor Hayden Panettiere ("Remember the 

Titans"), Patrick Warburton ("The Dish") and 

Jim Belushi ("Return to Me") co-star. |ohn 

Pasquin ("Jungle2Jungle") directs; John Scott 

Shepherd scripts; "Don't Say a Word's" 

Arnold Kopelson and Anne Kopelson, 

Matthew Gross, Ken Ati :hity ami Brian Reilly 

("Jungle2Jungle") produce. (Fox 12 

Exploitips: /> narks the 

third collaboration for Allen, Pasquin and 

Reilly, who .ill worked together on 

'Jungle" and The 

sequel for the Litter was in the works at 

f) w hen the trio 

turned to this project instead. Pit was filmed 

m Minnesota, as opposed to at ross the bordei 

m Canada at \llen s insistent 

workers. 

Gangs of New York 

Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Beach 

this period drama helmed by Martin 

set in earl} 1860s Manhattan in a 

neighbi irhood know n as 1 ive Points. 

DiCaprio plays Amsterdam, an Irish immigrant 

whose father ("The Phantom 

Liam Neeson) is killed by Bill 

"the Butcher" Poole ("The Boxer's 

Daniel 

I > . 1 \ Lewis). Aitei a stint in reform school, 

Amsterdam returns I 

to ive Points and rallies 

his fellow immigrants to stand up to Poole 

with the help of pickpocket lenny 

Everdeane ("Vanilla Sky s' ( ameron Diaz). 

|a\ ( 1 

icks 

(* i In ' 

Zaillian ("Hannibal") and 

You 

( a imald 

1 

Si orsese 

1 

on '• li 

\sbury 's book; Alberto 

Pai is") and 

Iu< 1 

12/21 

Exploitips: Scorsese had been kit king the 

ide.i tor "Gangs ol New York" around ever 

than two 

again when Crimaldi, who 

had been involved in the 

pic's development at 

Universal in 

1991, sued for 

being left out of the project 

once it was sold to Disney 

(which in turn is co-producing 

with sister 

< 

Miramax and taking foreign 

rights as part of that deal'. 

Crimaldi was given a producer 

credit and a cash settlement, 

though he was not 

further involved in 

the production. 

Though set in 

Gotham, "Gangs of New 

York" was shot at Ital) s Cinecitta studios, 

>( orsese used to watch Federico 

Fellini direct. It is presum 

attachment that brought together DiCaprio, 

been choosy since sailing 

dom in 1997's "Titanic, and Da) 

who hasn't made a film since "Th 

that same year. 

The Lord of the Rings: 

Fellowship of the Ring 

In this big-screen adaptation of I.R.R. 

Tolkein's classic fantasy novel, llijah Wood 

("Deep Impact") stars as Frodo Baggins, a 

non-adventurous hobbit who nonetheless 

finds himself at the center .it an extraordi 

nary adventure. He comes into possession 

of a golden ring thai gives unrivaled power 

to anyone who wears it. Frodo embarks on 

an epic Journey to return it to its sourci and 

destroy it, thus saving Middle Earth and the 

hobbits, ekes, dwarfs, w izards and humans 

who inhabit it. Ian McKellan ("X-Men"), Liv 

Tyler ("One Night at McCool's"), Viggo 

Mortensen ("28 Days Win ("Bul- 

I 

worth"), Cate Blanchett ("Heaven") and Ian 

Holm ("From Hell") co-star. Peter Jackson 

("Heavenly Creatures") directs scripts and 

produces; Fran Walsh ("Heavenly 

Creatures") and Philippa Boyens co-scripl 

.liii es. New Line, 12/19) 

Barrie M. Osborm ilso pro- 

Exploitips: Original^ in development at 

Miramax, "The Lord of the Rings' was sold 

by the minimajor— with co toppei Harve) 

and Bob Weinstein's nan 

executive producers— because the < ompafilm. 

New 

to-back in New Zealand, banking 

timeless popularity and p 

money despite its $250 million plus prh e 

'"ii To) Biz have 

helped defray the t osts and .aided marketing 

oomph. Allei I lain 

Potter/another fantaS) liter 

ary adaptation, 

"Th 

the Rings'' is arguably the 

most antit ipated pit ot the 

holiday season and fans old 

and new w ill be lining up .1 

la si. a Wars 

and tri\ 

ia 

rating with the 

iveawa) 

the tome 

as prizes. Parts two and three 

bow next ( hristma 

1 hristmas aftei that. 

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius 

In this computer-animated family 

flick, a boy genius with very real kid 

emotions must rescue his parents when 

they and all the other adults in his 

hometown Retroville are kidnapped by 

invading aliens. With help from his best 

friend, a rival classmate and his robot 

dog Goddarcl, limmy arms himself with 

his inventions and blasts off into space. 

Martin Short ("Get Over It") and Patrick 

Stewart ("X-Men") voice; John Davis (an 

animation director on "Olive, the Other 

Reindeer") directs, scripts and produces; 

David N. Weiss ("Rugrats in 

Paris: The Movie"), J. David Stem (TV's 

"Rugrats") and Steve Oedekerk ("Patch 

\dams") co-script; Oedekerk and Albie 

Hecht (an executive producer on 

"Rugrats in Paris: The Movie") also produce. 

12/21) 

1 

Exploitips: Paramount has positioned 

this tliek as the first in a fram fi/'se foi sister 

company Nickelodeon, w ith its 

preceded by tel 

shorts and an online presence. An animated 

series will bovt on Nick TV next 

year. Other promotional support 

int lucles $50 million in co-branding 

with Radio Shack, which will market a 

mtrolled car based on 

from the film, and Trident lor Kids, tor 

which limmy will be a spokesperson, in 

addition to tie-ins that include action 

by THQ, 

books In 

1 

Goldt cards 

by Amerii 

and consumer 

e/c'c tronit s fay RCA. 

Lantana 

In this ensemble Australian thriller, 

named foi a poisonous spiky weed native 

to the continent, the disCOvei 

murdered body brings togethei 

four couples struggling to get along in 

I aPaglia 

t'Autumn in New York"), Geoffrey Rush 

("The Tailor ot Panama") and 

i iics'i star. Ray I 

("A Soldier's Daughtei Nevei 

e I 

Bliss 

- 

Andrew Bovell s< ripts ba 

Chapman 

1 loly Smoke") produces 

il io 

Exploitips: boxoffice gives this pit 

iihii stars in its Toronto coverage this 

month is 

I a hale 

01 these , 

ters all meeting 1- a bit of 

co \ceit) the film still 

spell thai i/(.m murky 

waters 1 

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The Majestic 

Jim Carrey ("Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch 

Stole Christmas") stars in this romam e as a 

1950s-era Hollywood screenwriter who is 

blacklisted by the House Un-American 

Activities Committee. Having lost his job, 

he gets drunk and crashes his car, emerging 

from the wreckage with a case of amnesia. 

He stumbles into a small coastal community 

and is mistaken for a soldier returning 

from war. Under his new identity, he falls in 

love and catalyzes a town recovery that 

includes the restoration of a local theatre, 

the Majestic. But his returning memory and 

the pursuant blacklisted threaten his new, 

Capra-esque existence. Laurie Holden, 

Martin Landau ("Ready to Rumble") and 

Bruce Campbell ("Evil Dead") co-star. Frank 

Darabont ("The Green Mile") directs and 

produces a script by Michael Sloane. 

(Warner Bros., 1 2/21) 

JTlfTKilWJBTIC^ 

3P% 

Exploitips: Darabont who let a ball a 

decide pass between his i titkalh ,i< c Limed 

"The Shawshank Redemption" and "The 

Green vl/Ve was skeptical when his old pal 

Sloane handed him the screenplay for "The 

Majestic," then known as "The Bijou." Soon 

he was so enamored, however, that he agreed 

to direct. Darabont has indicated that it 

Frank 

Capra's films were a genre, he would call 

The ' la/esf/i i 

a aim and ( arre) is his 

limmy Stewart. Given tin hi ilh . I tj 

afternoons during the month ol Decemberto 

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\trh al setting, this 

ii theit h 

set in 19 !2 I ngland. A wealth} 

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that 

i ulminates w ith a murdei 

mi the poinl ol \ iev\ ol the ser- 

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i 

Gambon I 

leremy 

Northam ("The Golden Bowl"), Helen 

Mirren ("Greenfingers"), Emily Watson 

("The Luzhin Defense"), Ryan Phillippe 

("AntiTrust"), Stephen Fry ("Wilde"), 

Maggie Smith ("Harry Potter and the 

Sorcerer's Stone"), Kristin Scott Thomas 

("Life as a House") and Richard E. Grant 

("The Match"). Julian Fellowes scripts; 

Altman, actor Bob Balaban and frequent 

Altman collaborator David Levy produce. 

(USA, 12/21 NY/LA) 

Exploitips: "Gosford Park" marks the first 

time maverick filmmaker Altman has 

filmed in England and, with the exception 

of Phillippe, is comprised of a mostly 

British cast. BOXOFFICE talks to Altman 

from the Isle on page 36. 

Little Otik 

In this Czech fairy tale, which combines 

live action with claymation, a childless 

couple turn a tree stump into a baby and 

then watch him evolve into a monster. Jan 

Svankmajer directs, scripts and produces; 

Keith Griffiths and Jaromir Kallista also produce. 

(Zeitgeist, 12/19 NY) 

Exploitips: Invite Svankmajer to attend a 

screening on opening weekend to talk 

about his claymation technique and the 

origins of this story. 

DECEMBER 25 

The Royal Tenenbaums 

Gene Hackman ("Heist"), Anjelica 

Huston ("The Golden Bowl"), Gwyneth 

Paltrow ("Shallow Hal"), Ben Stiller 

("Zoolander") and Luke Wilson ("Soul 

Survivors") star in this comedy as a family of 

geniuses. As youngsters, the children were 

an award-winning playwright, a financial 

wizard and a tennis star. Now they're married 

to an older man, paranoid and burnedout, 

respectively, largely due to their father's 

failure as a patriarch. But they have reunited 

under one roof upon learning that their old 

man is terminally ill. Bill Murray ("Osmosis 

lones") and Danny Glover ("Beloved") costar. 

Wes Anderson ("Rushmore") directs, 

scripts and produces; Owen Wilson 

("Rushmore"), who also co-stars, co-scripts; 

Barry Mendel ("Unbreakable") and Scott 

Rudin ("Zoolander," "Wonder Boys also 

produce. (Buena Vista, 12/25 ^ 

I 

fying run, winter 2002 exp) 

Exploitips: Anderson, whosi 

"Rushmore" was a hit among a tin s it not 

the general public, wrote the two parental 

leads with Hackman and Huston in mind, 

hitting the proverbial jackpot 

when they agreed to star. 

I ista ob\ iousl) has 

Oscar hopes foi th 

positioning it with a oneweek 

qualifying run starting 

Christmas da\ before a w idei 

The Shipping News 

Kevin Space} ("K i'\\ 

stars in this drama .is .1 sin 

overweight new spaperman 

who. aftei the death ol Ins 

unfaithful wife, moves with 

his aunt and two daughters to the home of his 

ancestors, Newfoundland. There he takes a 

job reporting on the shipping news, falls in 

love with a local single mom and uncovers 

the secrets of his family's past. Julianne Moore 

("Hannibal"), Judi Dench ("Chocolat") and 

Cate Blanchett ("The Lord of the Rings") costar. 

Lasse Hallstrom ("Chocolat") directs; 

Robert Nelson Jacobs ("Chocolat") scripts 

based on the book by E. Annie Proulx; Irwin 

Winkler ("Life as a House"), Linda Goldstein 

Knowlton ("Crazy in Alabama"! and Leslie 

Holleran ("Chocolat") produce. (Miramax, 

12/25, 1/4 exp) 

Exploitips: "The Shipping News" has 

been in development since before its publication 

in 1 993, and such talent as helmer 

Fred Schepisi, actors John Travolta and his 

wife Kelly Preston, director/actor Billy Bob 

Thornton and actor Meg Ryan all have 

been associated with the pic at various 

points in time. The pic was originally set up 

at Columbia, which agreed to share distribution 

with Miramax when Hallstrom signed 

on, since he owed the minimajor his next 

film. Eventually, Columbia sold the rights to 

Miramax outright. Cooperate with a local 

bookstore to promote both the Pulitzer 

Prize-winning novel and the Oscar-hopeful 

film. Collaborate with a local travel agency 

to give away a trip for four to the story's 

1 hill\ setting, Newfoundland. 

A Beautiful Mind 

Russell Crowe ("Proof of Life") stars in 

this drama based on the life of John Forbes 

Nash Jr., a brilliant mathematician who 

makes some landmark discoveries early in 

his career at M.I.T. in the 1950s but succumbs 

to schizophrenia, a disease that 

threatens his marriage. Ultimately he overcomes 

his affliction and wins the Nobel 

Prize in economics for his work on Game 

Theory. Ed Harris ("Enemy at the Gates") 

and lennifer Connelly ("Requiem for a 

Dream") co-star. Ron Howard ("How the 

Grinch Stole Christmas") directs; Akiva 

Goldsman ("Practical Magic") scripts based 

on the biography by Sylvia Nasar: Brian 

Grazer ("Dr. Seuss' Hou the Grinch Stole 

Christmas") produces. (Universal, 12/25) 

Exploitips: A number of A-listers—including 

director Robert Redford and actor Tom 

Cruise— have circled this project m/ih' 

1 low aid ami Grazer's production 

company, bought the rights 10 the 

for $1 million thre ago Snooting 

began on the project the da) attei the 2001 

\w ards when ( 'rowe heat 1 11 si. 11 

Harris in the best actoi category. Nash's 

real-lite personal problems included an illegitimate 

child and affairs w ith men. but the 

32 BOXOIIKI

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When 

Jespiie 

he 

harat 

erguson) 

).i\ 

. 

- 

» 

" 

" 

cinematic version, which dramatizes (rather 

than documents) his life, will concentrate on 

the relationship with his wife. Steer moviegoers 

to Nasar's book for the whole story. 

DECEMBER 28 

How High 

Rappers Redman and Method Man star in 

this comedy as a couple of stoners who smoke 

something magical, ace their college entrance 

exams and wind up at Harvard. But, when their 

supply of wacky weed runs dry, they must rely 

on their own wit and talent to "make the 

grade." Commercial and music video helmer 

Jesse Dylan makes his directorial debut; Dustin 

Lee Abraham and Brad Kaaya ("O") script; 

"The Caveman's Valentine's" and "Erin 

Brockovich's" Danny DeVito, Michael 

Shamberg and Stacey Sher produce with 

Shauna Garr and lames Ellis. (Universal, 1 2/26) 

Exploitips: The college crowd will get a 

kick out of this campus comedy. The pic has 

not yet been rated but contains adult themes, 

and the filmmakers have dubbed the flick one 

"for everybody old enough to know that lighting 

up is not the key to higher test scores." 

Redman and Method Man also contributed to 

the pic's soundtrack. 

Monster's Ball 

Billy Bob Thornton ("The Man Who Wasn't 

There") stars in this drama set in the contemporary 

South as a professional executor who 

lives with his aging, racist father and son. He 

falls in love with a local black woman, enraging 

his father, not realizing that she is the 

widow of his latest victim. Halle Berry 

("Swordfish"), Heath Ledger ("A Knight's 

Tale"), Peter Boyle ("Doctor Dolittle"), and 

Sean Combs ("Made") co-star. Marc Forster 

("Everything Put Together") directs; Milo 

Addica and Will Rokos script; Lee Daniels 

produces. (Lions Gate, 12/26 NY/LA) 

Exploitips: "Monster's Ball" went through 

in.in\ i it the same behind-the-scenes machinations 

as some of the most notorious blockbusters— 

"Titanic" and "Pearl Harbor," for 

example. Budgeted at $2.5 million, the />/'< 

went through a roll call of big-name talent 

ini luding Robert De Niro, Wes Bentle) and 

Sean Penn, before going forward with its 

current cast. Among studios' objections 

were the body count and un-Hollywood 

ending. The film's title stems from medieval 

ngland, when prisoners on death row were 

referred to as "monsters" and, the night 

before their executions, their jailers would 

hold celebrations called "monster's balls." 

Pauline and Paulette 

In this Belgian, Dutch-language dramedy, 

Pauline is an elderly woman with the mind of 

a nli i I I 

her sister Martha dies, her care 

|usi i. wen in love. I 

tin- clinic nines in 

Pauline in line (she stubbornly insists 

on living with her favorite, Paulette), they come 

iate hei sweet innoi en< e. Dora van 

lie i i ,n 

.iml Ann Petersen 

in in the titular roles. Lieven Debrauwer 

nd si ripts; |aak Boon co icripts 

(" arriers lanne Are Waiting") 

< 

my ( lassies, 12/28 NY/LA) 

Exploitips: BOXOFFICE gives this pic 3.5 

stars in the Toronto coverage in this issue, 

saying, "Debrauwer thankfully prevents the 

film from descending into mere domestic 

melodrama, skillfully lacing his narrative with 

glimpses into Pauline's unique world view." 

DECEMBER UNDATED 

Borstal Boy 

Shawn Hatosy ("Outside Providence") 

stars in this Irish drama based on the adolescence 

of playwright/novelist and political 

activist Brendan Behan, who joins the 

IRA as a teenager and is sent to reform 

school—called a "borstal"—at the age of 

1 6. By the time he emerges three years later, 

his views on love, politics and art have 

matured while his ideals have remained the 

same. Danny Dyer ("Human Traffic"), 

Michael York ("Megiddo: Omega Code 2") 

and Eva Birthistle co-star. Peter Sheridan 

(brother of "My Lett Foot's" Jim) directs and 

scripts; Nye Heron also scripts; Pat Moylan 

and Arthur Lappin ("Agnes Browne") produce. 

(Strand, December undated) 

Exploitips: BOXOFFICE gives "Borstal 

Boy" four stars this month in our Lake 

Placid test coverage, calling its coming-ofage 

dynamics "more thrilling than any 

Hollywood fleshpot or special effect. 

For Ba Luv of Money 

Actor/comedian Pierre ("How to Be a 

Player") directs, scripts ami stars in this comedy 

about an average Joe who finds his sue ial 

status on the rise when bank robbers bury 

then stash in his backyard. Taj Lewis produces. 

(Urbanworld, December undated) 

Exploitips: Sponsor a community treasure 

hunt wherein the prize is buried on 

the theatre property or in a public park 

nearby. Goodies should include greenbacks 

as well as such green (as in envy)- 

inducing accoutrements as a shopping 

spree at a local clothing boutique, spa 

treatments and a fancy dinner party for the 

winner and his or her newfound friends 

LATE MOVIE MOVES 

Born Romantic 

In this British romantic comedy, set to 

the rhythm of salsa, three lonely Londoners 

contemplate what they considei life's 

greatest mystery: women. Fergus ("Captain 

Corelli's Mandolin's" David Morrissey) is 

search of the high-school sweetheart Injilted 

years ago ("Little Voice's lam 

Horrocks). Eddie ("East Is East's" |imi 

Mistry), a pickpocket, falls for locelyn 

("Spy Game's" < atherine McCormack), a 

grave tender. And Frankie ("Saving 

t irai e's" ( raig I 

in 

is determined to 

find the love oi his life while still residing 

with his ex-v\ lie i id Kane direi ts and 

s< ripts; Mi< hele ( amard 

on "Wonderland") produces (MGM 9 !8) 

Exploitips: Boxoffice gave this pit two 

stars out of the Toronto International Film 

Festivallasi yeai sayinginthel »a embei '000 

I 'i promise ol British a i entrii ft) and 

meat) i 

ten ation is soon betrayed as 

'Born Romantic' smoothes out the complexities 

and messiness of modem romantic life and ties 

everything up neatly by film's end." 

Iron Monkey 

In this Hong Kong actioner, loosely based 

on the Robin Hood myth, a masked bandit 

known as "Iron Monkey" has made a habit of 

robbing the dishonest officials of a Chinese 

village. When all else fails, the Governor 

forces a traveling physician to track the thief 

down by holding his young son hostage. But 

the boy is more than the Governor bargained 

for, and the doctor soon teams up with Iron 

Monkey to battle the corrupt government. Yu 

Rongguang and Donnie Yen ("Highlander: 

End Game") star. Yuen Woo-ping (the action 

choreographer from "Crouching Tiger, 

Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix") directs; 

Tsui Hark ("Black Mask," "Once Upon a 

Time in China") produces. (Miramax, 10/5) 

Exploitips: Miramax is hoping to capitalize 

here on the popularity of last year's 

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," resurrecting 

this title, already out on video, from 1 993. 

BOXOFFICE gives the pic four stars in this 

issue, calling it 

"both a dazzling martial arts 

action film and a rousing period adventure. 

Life as a House 

Kevin Kline ("The Anniversary Party") stars 

in this dramedy as a middle-aged architect 

who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. 

Unrelatedly, he also has been laid off from 

his job of 25 years. With time on his hands, 

he decides to spend his remaining months 

fulfilling a lifelong dream of building a home 

of his own. Enlisting the help of his teenage 

son, he's able to make a connection with him 

and his estranged ex-wife before it's too late. 

Kristin Scott Thomas ("Up at the Villa 

Hayden Christensen (the upcoming "Star 

Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones"), 

Mary Steenburgen ("Nixon"), lena Malone 

("Donnie Darko") and Sam Robards ("A.I. 

Vtitii ial Intelligent e"i < slai Irwin Winkler 

("At First Sight") directs and produces; Mark 

Andrus ("As Good As ii Gets") scripts Rob 

< owan (" \i I irsl Sight") also produces. (New 

Line, 10/26 ltd, 11/2 exp, I1/9exp) 

Exploitips: boxoffice gives this pu 

star in its 

one 

Toronto coverage this month, calling 

ii a bi igus i'ii-' e of whims) but sa> 

ing Somehow none ut the a< tors in I ife 

As A House cmharta^ themseh es. 

MORE MOVIE MOVES... 

New Yorkei l«ms "Life and Debt" on 9/2 I 

"Sobibor"..n 10 1 2 and "Ouch" in 10/26 .ill 

in the Big Apple...Film I ife plays "One Week" 

on in I. . "ih \n builds a "Stockpile" on 10 i 

in New York... I Irbanwoilil inlimlui es "Fidel" 

on 10/26 Winstai asks. "What Time Is It 

There?" on 10/26. and \m>w releases '"The 

Curse" sometime in ( )i tobei HUH 

34 BO\()l I K I

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Sneak Preview 

A WALK IN THE "PARK" 

Seminal American Filmmaker Robert Altman 

Crosses the Pond to Helm "Gosford Park" 

I 

Legendary filmmaker Robert Altman 

hardly comes off as the type America or anywhere in the world to do 

smoke. I couldn't have gotten actors in 

to engage in anything trivial. After a film like this. [Veteran British actor] 

over four decades of crafting such seminal 

works as "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," half days a week for six-and-a-half 

Alan Bates came to work four-and-a- 

"Nashville" and "The Player," he has weeks before he ever had a scene — just 

established himself as one of America's to be in the background. I don't think I 

finest directors. But on a cell phone from could get any American 

London, where he's finishing up his lat- 

actor to do that. And none 

of us made any money on 

est film—a wry study of class and culture 

in 1930s England called "Gosford 

Park"—Altman is in a hurry to get back 

to his apartment to sit by his land line. It 

seems a buddy has selected him to be his 

phone-a-friend lifeline for the evening's 

"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" broadcast. 

Thankfully, he has a bit of time to 

answer some questions about "Gosford 

Park" on his way home, under decidedly 

less pressure than the one he may be 

asked later in the evening. 

BOXOFFICE: Where was vour latest film, 

"Gosford Park," shot? 

Robert Altman: The downstairs and the 

j 

co-produced the film with 

attic rooms [where the servants lived] 

were a set at Shepperton Studios. The you. How did you hook up with him, and BOXOFFICE: With your reputation a;j I 

main part of the house was in a stately how did this project come together? 

one of the great American directors, ddj 

English home we liked for the wall portraits 

Altman: Bob. who also directs films, has you feel pressure to stamp your style ont( 

been a friend for years. He came to me your varying projects? 

and the size of the rooms. The 

owners were living in one wing while we about three years ago and asked if Altman: In my mind I don't have a style! 

there 

shot, and they were around and watching. 

They were terrific about it. 

said that one genre I'd never tackled—and ested in all these different kinds o:B 

was anything we could ever do together. I and that's why I get involved and inter! 

BOXOFFICE: What did you do to ensure what really interests me is going into a genre things. If you look at the stories of mosw 

period accuracy? 

that I haven't done before—was that of the films I've done, they're very simpk^ 

Altman: We had a cook, a butler and a Agatha Christie kind of thing. We went and conventional. In "McCabe & MrsU 

maid from that period—they're now in through a lot of Agatha Christie stuff that Miller." there were the three heavies, then 

their mid-80s—as technical advisors, and hadn't been done, and it was all too similar hero was the gambler with the heart oil 

they were on set all the time, mainly to and not what we wanted. Then Bob gold, and all of that stuff. The audience).) 

help the actors. My son Stephen was the became acquainted with Julian, and I knows those stories, and they're comfortable 

production designer, and he came here talked to him, and we hired him, and he did 

in them. I can deal with the details.! 

about a year ago and started his a smashing job writing a screenplay for us. with the way they look, and say, 'Ohlj 

research. And Julian Fellowes, who BOXOFFICE: You mentioned that working 

yeah, but this is the way it could have 

wrote the screenplay, was really our main 

in different film genres is important to been; maybe it was this way." Not the wayU 

technical advisor. He was determined you. Why is that? 

you've been shown with, [lor example. 

that the film be correct in terms of customs 

Altman: It's exciting and fun to go into an Clint Eastwood all the time. 

\jjjj§ 

and manners. He's an upstairs-er, 

and we had some downstairs-ers. The 

area I haven't dealt with before. If I don't 

have any fun, I'm not going to do this. "Gosford Park." Starring Michaa 

idea was to get it right and then not pay For instance, after doing "M*A*S*H" 

Jeremy Mirrem 

Gambon, Northam, Helen 

much attention to it, and 1 feel that we're 

Emily Watson. Ryan Phillippe, Stephen 

thirty years ago or so, I had a billion 

as accurate to the period as any film 

Fry. Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott 

that's ever been made here. 

and Richard E drain. Directed by Robert 

ThomaM 

BOXOFFICE: How was it to work in Eng- 

Altman. Written by Julian Fellowes. 

Produced by Robert Altman. Boh BalabcA 

land, with an almost entirely British east? 

Altman: This was the best experience 

I've ever had, and I'm not blowing 

by Jordan Reed 

this thing, nor will we ever. 

Everybody just loved what 

they were doing. It was so 

much fun to work with 

these actors and every day 

to see 20 great actors 

standing around like bit 

players. I'm looking to do 

my next picture here. I 

don't know what that is 

quite yet, but that's my 

intention. 

BOXOFFICE: You casted a 

couple of American actors 

including Bob Balaban, who 

offers to make more films like that, 

"M*A*S*H 2 ", "M*A*S*H 3"— 

BOXOFFICE: You were really asked to 

make "M*A*S*H" sequels? 

Altman: Oh. absolutely I was asked to 

make "M*A*S*II 2." And I said I was 

afraid I'd be late for work, meaning if 

were to do a second "M*A*S*H" o, 

"McCabe & Mrs. Miller" or "Nashville, 

I'd feel I'd done it already, and I'm nol 

very interested in copying myself. That* 

exactly why I did "The Gingerbread] 

' 

Man," because I hadn't done a thriller. 

: 

36 BOxOHKl 

ami David Lew. A L .V.I release Drama. 

Not vet rated Opens 12/21 XY/I.A.

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Sneak Preview 

"TAPED" CONVERSATION 

Director Richard Linklater Discusses 

His Foray Into Digital Filmmaking 

institution Richard Linklater 

Indie 

("Dazed and Confused") helmed a 

double feature at the Sundance Film 

when you see these bigger budget films. 

Festival this year, directing this 

November's one-room, three-actor character 

"Tape," Ethan 

People have 

shooting 

significant money, and 

seems 

study starring (only) they're digitally. It just 

Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard and Uma 

don't know what they're doing. 

stupid. I 

Thurman, in addition to last month's BOXOFFICE: In "Tape," because 

"Waking Life," an experiment in anima- 

you were working in 

tion and ideas that features a cast of 75. 

Both were filmed using digital equipment, 

a trend that could potentially equalize 

indie filmmakers with their studio-backed 

peers, and Linklater showed in both films a 

firm grasp of the potential of the new 

medium. In a conversation with BOXOF- 

FICE. Linklater expressed tempered enthusiasm 

for digital filmmaking, emphasizing 

that it requires a careful choice of material. 

BOXOFFICE: Why did you choose to 

shoot "Tape" digitally? 

Richard Linklater: I had shot "Waking 

Life" digitally, and I guess that kind of 

loosened me up and got me thinking I 

could see the advantages of shooting a 

quote-unquote real movie like this. But 

the image quality is something to consider 

at the end of the day. It's something you 

have to be more careful with. But with a 

film like "Tape," I liked the texture of the 

digital. I thought it would work with the 

movie, because "Tape" wasn't ever conceived 

of as a—it's almost not like a real 

film. It probably wouldn't have existed on 

film. I think "Tape" falls under the category 

of what digital can do best, which is 

like a new genre: a digital film, which 

shouldn't be like a regular film. The same 

way digital has a new palette—it looks 

different visually, [it has] a new visual 

palette—it's almost like a new subject 

matter, too, like Off Off Broadway. 

BOXOFFICE: What subject matters do 

you envision digital camerawork to be 

general. When I 

digitally, 

see a film that was shot 

I'm always thinking. "Well, did 

the digital thing enhance the story? Did it 

help it be told in some way? < )r was it just 

cheap because they couldn't afford film'.'" 

Because I see a lot of films [where] I go, 

"Well, they should have shot il on film. 

All the techniques they used were film 

by Annlee Ellingson 

techniques. They lit it like it was [film]. 

Everything about it was filmmaking 

except it 

didn't look as good." Especially 

such a cramped space, the digital 

camera really gives one a 

sense of being in the room 

with the three characters. 

Linklater: With these cameras, 

I wanted to attack it 

very physically, 

the subject 

matter, the way these people—they'll 

say one line; 

they'll see each other differently; 

things change pretty 

rapidly through the dialogue. 

I had in mind this 

sort of collage effect. It's the 

same event but seen from 

different angles. My working 

visual notion was this 

event 10 years ago in their lives now seen 

from a refracted gaze of many different 

angles and possibilities. Who knows what 

the original one is. I had in mind this kind 

of collage. Cubist effect of images. The 

digital cameras were great for that. 

BOXOFFICE: How big was the camera 

you were working with? 

Linklater: Oh, it's just one of those small 

little Sony things—a consumer model. 

BOXOFFiCE: Did the actors feel they had 

a lot of freedom, since they weren't working 

with so much equipment? 

Linklater: And not to mention you could 

put those cameras technically in places 

you can't put a bigger camera. Like you 

can lay it down and see the foreground. 

The lens is pretty close to the bottom of 

best suited for? 

the camera, so you can just set it on the 

Linklater: I would think to be out of genres 

that are Hollywood territory. This cameras, the lens is up higher on the cam- 

ground and see the ground. [On] a lot of 

goes for American independent film in era where you would have to dig a hole in 

the ground, to get the camera lens at 

ground level. These very naturally can go 

there. Plus your own body is the tripod, 

fun to operate because you can flip 

so it's 

down the screen, stick it way up in the air 

and just look at it and hold it still, [and] 

you've got a shot. You don't have to go 

set it up. You can just keep moving. 

BOXOFFICE: Given your experience with 

it, what does digital mean for filmmakers, 

particularly independent filmmakers? 

Linklater: I'm not sure. I'm not quite as 

enthusiastic as everybody else is. I think i 

an interesting tool at this juncture. I think 

it's evolving—it'll probably become some- 

DAILIES: Robert Sean Leonard takes direction 

from Richard Linklater on the set of "Tape." 

thing else pretty soon. I think maybe with 

24p—that's the step up—when there'; 

consumer model or a pro-sumer model of 

24p cameras that are small, that will really 

change the face of things. I don't think 

we're there yet. And I don't think every 

film should look like digital. Image qua 

ty is important. It just depends on what 

you have in mind, what the film in your 

head looks like. Like I said, I don't think 

every film should be shot digitally, and a 

lot of the films I'm thinking about in the 

future aren't on digital, but some o\' them 

are. Or [I'll] have one film where half of it 

will be digital and that other half will be 

film. It's just a tool.... But really at the end 

of the day, it's the stories [one is] telling. 

I'm always optimistic about technology 

because I think it helps us—it's there to 

communicate. The gist of it is to help us 

communicate and help us tell stories and 

help us along with our art. 

to communicate. 

It's a good tool 

"Tape." Starring Ethan Hawke, Rober\ 

Scan Leonard mid Uma Thurm 

Directed by Richard Linklater. Written by 

Stephen Belber. Produced by Anne Walh. 

\dcBay I Lions Gate release Drama Not 

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7The quest began a millennium 

ago and whisked the Bearer of 

the One "Ring" to exotic faraway 

lands. That is, Elijah 

Wood was tapped circa mid- 1999 to play 

Frodo Baggins in New Line's epic adaptation 

of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, 

filmed on location in New Zealand. 

Wood, now 20, was a child actor on the 

rise around the time his contemporary 

(and co-star in 1993's "The Good Son"), 

Macaulay Culkin, was skyrocketing to 

fame slapping himself silly in endless 

talk-show reenactments of his Edvard 

Munchian "Home Alone" aftershave 

scene. While Culkin's celebrity went the 

way of his baby teeth, Wood continued 

to build a reputation as a young star 

whose wise-beyond-his-years aura negated 

the need for a gimmick or catchphrase. 

Wood's footing in Hollywood 

became less sure as he vacillated between 

the artistic ("The Ice Storm") and the 

exploitative ("Deep Impact," "The Faculty"), 

but the same magic that turned 

Kiwi country into Middle Earth transformed 

the actor who not long ago was 

wrangling with adolescence in the bigscreen 

version of "Flipper" into the 

shining hero of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic 

good-versus-evil quest fantasy. 

As Frodo, who inherits a ring of great 

but inherently evil power from his uncle 

Bilbo, and must return it—with the help 

of a fellowship of elves, dwarves, wizards, 

humans and fellow-hobbits—to its 

place of origin in order to destroy it, 

Wood himself faces the equally daunting 

challenge of embodying a character 

whose iconic, archetypal status is rivaled 

only by that of its source material, the 

Bible of fantasy literature. 

40 BOXOFKIC'K

BOXOFFICE: / saw some advance 

footage [of "The Lord of the Rings: The 

Fellousliip of the Ring" j and the scenes 

m Moria [a dwarf mine overrun by the 

baneful Ores] were perfectly realized. 

Better yet. there was someone heside me 

who even said the Ores were actually scarier 

than they had been in his imagination 

Which is some feat, because usually it's a 

letdown to haw something rendered that 

you've already visualized in your mind. 

ELIJAH WOOD: So often when you 

read a book, it's very much your own 

interpretation, and everyone has their 

own interpretation of what "The Lord 

of the Rings" looks like. So to put that 

to film and [try to] meet other people's 

vision is really complicated. 

BOXOFFICE: What has the response 

been so far? 

WOOD: Tolkien fans who have seen 

simply just the trailer are pleased with 

what they see—and most of the people 

who have seen the footage you saw were 

absolutely blown away. The response has 

been great from Tolkien fans, just in 

terms of the look and the feel of it, which 

they feel represents the books perfectly. 

BOXOFFICE: What's your insight into 

how that was achieved.' 

WOOD: Ooh. a lot of heart and soul 

and hard work. This film, this project, was 

just a culmination of nearly a thousand 

incredibly passionate people who were 

either Tolkien fans or became Tolkien 

fans in the process. Everyone involved was 

so incredibly passionate to make the 

Tolkien vision that they had either grown 

up with or just read come alive on the 

screen. And we had some of the most 

amazing artists designing what they felt 

best represented Middle Larth. We also 

had an artist who had illustrated [later 

editions] of "Lord of the Rings," Alan 

Lee—he was one of our art designers. 

BOXOFFICE: That was very smart. I 

was about to use the word "synergy." 

but then I'd have to wash my mouth out 

with raw lye. 

WOOD: [laughs] Yeah. So a lot of 

people who are familiar with those illustrations 

will be really familiar with the 

imagers in the film. 

BOXOFFICE: There are a lot oj variant 

accounts a.s to how you became 

involved with the project, and most t 

them involve /Internet movie-news 

maven/ Harry Knowles. 

WOOD: I was working m Austin, 

Texas, on "The Faculty," and that's 

where llarrs lives, and he often visited 

the tel because he was friends with 

Robert Rodriguez. [Knowles in fact had 

November, 2001 41

— 

a cameo in the film as one of the titular 

alien-possessed teachers. Ed] And one 

day he came up to me, and he was like. 

"Dude, they're making "Lord of the 

Rings' as a feature. You gotta play 

Frodo!" And the news was really exciting, 

but they weren't casting for it at that 

point. It was just kind of in the news. I 

first heard about it from him, [but] I 

actually wasn't approached to audition 

for it 

until nearly a year later. 

BOXOFFICE: What was the process? 

WOOD: My agent called me and 

said. "Look, they're casting "Lord of the 

Rings'; Peter Jackson is gonna direct it, 

and you should go in and put yourself 

on tape." IBut] the idea of putting myself 

on (ape in a casting office wasn't particularly 

attractive to me. mainly because I 

wanted to try to convey my passion for 

i he project and for the role, and going 

into the casting office against a white 

background and being put on tape did 

not seem at all conducive to what 1 

wanted to portray. 

So I [decided to do] my own tape, 

which I'd never done before, but I figured 

that this project deserved mj own 

interpretation and my full attention. So 

I got a voice coach and worked on my 

accent for a little while, and then a few 

friends of mine got together and we 

went up to the Hollywood Hills after 

getting some costumes at Western 

Costume, and we shot the scenes like 

yon would a film, [with] various angles 

and things. And we went that night to 

the Miramax offices and borrowed their 

As id machine and edited it together, and 

the next day ! brought the video into the 

casting office and 1 kind of let it go, just 

knowing that I'd put my best foot forward 

in terms of getting the role, and I 

would see what happened. And it all 

went from there. 

BOXOFFICE: It's Interesting because 

you have, it's been remarked, otherworldly, 

kind of Elvish features, whereas the 

Hobbits are a little more stocky and 

ruddy. So how did that all work out? 

that. Which is kind of peculiar for a 

Ilobbit. because Hobbits tend to not 

want to know about what's outside the 

Shire, because outside is unknown to 

them, and slightly frightening. So Frodo 

was always quite different. And, in terms 

of my own features, I think [they] played 

into that in a physical kind of way. 

BOXOFFICE: What's your take on the 

character of Frodo and his motivations. 

his loyalties and his conflicts? 

WOOD: Wow! Well, Frodo. in 

terms 

of his decision to take the ring and the 

journey that he ends up taking—there's 

a lot that plays into that. Initially, his 

reason for taking the ring is because 

[benevolent wizard] Gandalf has explained 

to him thai the ring that Bilbo 

had had all these years was actually the 

Ring of Power, the One Ring, and that it 

was intrinsically evil, and that [the dark 

lord] Sauron would be willing it back to 

him and, if he did end up getting it back. 

Middle Earth would be doomed. 

So Frodo takes the ring in an effort to 

get the ring out of the Shire, so that the 

Shire is not a pinpoint for any of the 

"Everyone who 

filled the roles 

that they did 

completely 

inhabited them..,. 

It was as if they 

were always 

meant to be 

those characters.' 

minions of Sauron. He then realizes that 

he's still 

stuck with the ring once he gets 

to Rivendell [home of the elT lord 

Elrond], at which point he doesn't want 

to have anything to do with it, and he 

simply wants to go home and live the life 

that he once lived. But it's during his 

time in Rivendell that he realizes [he 

must] take the ring, out of a sort of fate. 

The humans and the elves are all starting 

to disagree as to what to do with the 

ring -they know it can't be destroyed, 

WOOD: Well, the thing is that Frodo and there's a quality in humans that, if 

actually is differentiated from the other 

Hobbits in a lot of ways. He. like his 

uncle. Bilbo, quite interested in the 

one takes the ring, they themselves will 

be destroyed. Frodo realizes that he's the 

is only one who can do this, and he's 

outside world- the world outside the meant to do this. 

Shire and in Elvin lore and the history 

of Middle Earth. And he was brought 

up by his uncle, hearing stories of his 

BOXOFFICE: And of course he has 

conflicts as the ring has its sway upon him. 

adventures and tales of the elves and 

things. So he's always been fascinated by WOOD: Yes, certainly. 

BOXOFFICE: That must have been difficult 

to portray, because this is a pure spirit, 

yet he's not totally free from corruption. 

WOOD: No, absolutely. Though 

Hobbits can sustain the power of the 

ring for longer than most species, it does 

BOXOFFICE: It's an interesting opportunity 

for you to be able to execute 

that are all at once fas all three films ir 

the trilogy were shot concurrently f. 

WOOD: Absolutely. That was brilliant. 

And what was kind of cool about 

the entire project was actually the fact 

that we were able to stretch out the filming 

over 1 5 months. 

BOXOFFICE: / Sarcastically/sympathetically:] 

Oh. yeah, that's cool! 

WOOD: No, in some ways, I think 

is, because we were given a chance to 

flesh out the story almost in real time. 

mean, the journey itself [in the three 

books] took place over a year, and 

had that same amount of time to film 

the movie and the story. So we had that 

amount of time to figure our arc out 

and to actually take our character to 

different places, as opposed to trying to 

figure it out in a very short amount of 

time, which you normally have for a 

film. So it was a privilege, because we 

had an extended amount of time to 

work things out as we went along. 

BOXOFFICE: But how did you survi 

WOOD: [laughs] Urn, well, it wa 

brilliant experience. I mean, yeah, it 

was 15 months, but the thing is, when I 

arrived in New Zealand, it immediately 

felt like home to me, and I was immedi 

ately comfortable. And within the first 

couple of weeks, once I'd met everyone 

and the Hobbits were all hanging out 

together and working together. "Lord 

of the Rings" became my life. And it 

became everyone's life. The kind of 

camaraderie that everyone felt together 

working over that period of time was 

unlike any I'd ever had before. I mean, 

it was a family. 

BOXOFFICE: Did you ever all go into 

town in your garb and impress the locals? 

WOOD: We never did. We weren't 

allowed, because we were afraid people 

would be taking pictures. We were trying 

to be as top secret as possible, although 

things leaked quite often. 

BOXOFFICE: For certain shots, fourfool 

stand-ins were used wearing masks of 

the actors. How surreal was that? 

WOOD: It was very surreal. I've 

never worked with a double that was to 

be smaller than me 

42 BOXOFFIC1

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Response No 15

— 

"LORD" OF ILLUSIONS 

FX Master fim Rygiel Conjures Middle 

Earth Creatures With CGI Hocus-Pocus 

/yiu' One Ring has the power to make its wearer invisible, but 

W that's nothing compared to the magic of "The Lord of the Rings" 

^f effects team, which produced an army of semi-sentient Ores with 

V some ordinary household pixels. "We had this program called 

Massive, which basically is an artificial intelligence crowd z - epbcation program," 

Jim Rygiel, visual effects supervisor for the "LOTR" trilogy, told 

BOXOFFICE in a phone interview from New Zealand, where he has been 

finishing his labors on "The Fellowship of the Ring" and starting work on 

the next installment, "The Two Towers." 

"It's pretty amazing, to say the least. If 1 had to animate 10,000 Ores in 

the old days, you would literally have to take 10,000 guys and move them 

around, move their arms, and it would take you 10,000 days to do that! 

With this Massive, you [utilize] motion capture, a technique where you 

take reflective markers and stick them onto a person. That person then 

does some acting in a room, and the computer is capturing all their 

motion in real time and transposing that data into 3-D data in the computer. 

You then take that data and stick it onto a computer guy, and that 

computer guy will move exactly like the human. 

"We have full battles where we have 10,000 Ores and 10,000 Gondorian 

soldiers running toward each other, clashing in battle. Ores stabbing 

Gondorians, Gondorians stabbing Ores, they're falling down, they're 

dying. But the cool part is they ail do it by themselves. We don't have to 

do any of it. They just know that they hate each other. In the computer. I 

can't even explain — you'd have to talk to the guy that invented it." 

HAL being unavailable for comment, Rygiel explained the best he 

could. "Basically, this program gives the computer nodules vision and 

hearing. They can see if the thing that's in front of them is an Ore or a 

Gondorian. If it's a [fellow] Ore and they're catching up to it, they run 

around it. If it's a Gondorian, they go into battle with it. And they also 

have hearing. We had crows cawing, and they [react to] the cawing." 

Massive provides each computerized character with its own height, 

weight, speed and other vital statistics that inform how it will move and 

act. "The first step that [the Massive programmers] do is, they build the 

brains of the Ores or the Gondorians. And these brains are the messages 

that say, 'Go and attack Ores. Don't attack Gondorians; attack Ores.' And 

'Run at an Ore' So they can see where the Ores are, with their vision that 

they have, and they can run toward the Ores. And if an Ore is running 

behind a hill the Gondorian will change his direction and head for the Ore 

that's running behind the hill. So they'll literally [seek] each other out." 

With this Asimovian technology upon us, what are the chances of artificial 

intelligence coming to bite us in the butt and lay waste to our planet? 

"I don't have that pessimistic an idea," said Rygiel. "You can't say anything's 

not going to happen; who the hell knows? But I think we're just 

going to get so reliant on computers to do things for us. 

"There's a book by [Ray] Kurzweil, and his theory is that it's not that 

robots or computers will take over the world, but that we'll have things so 

driven by computers and not manned by humans. For instance, you'll 

have agricultural farms in Saudi Arabia that will be totally computer-controlled—you 

won't have to have anybody there, and we're sitting on the 

Riviera drinking our Mint juleps, and you won't know that something has 

haywired and the farms are all dying. 

"Then, by the time you realize it, the food supply is so dire that it'll 

affect civilization. So I see it as more of that sort of thing, where computers 

will more break down and go haywire than actually get the brain to 

attack." Is Rygiel just trying to divert us because he's these creatures' 

daddy? "Yes, you see, I control them all from New Zealand," he laughed. 

"Just remember that always." Christine ]ames 

BOXOFFICE: And wearing a mask of 

your face! 

well. 

WOOD: That was pretty strange as 

BOXOFFICE: How accurate was it? 

WOOD: It was pretty accurate! It was 

kind of ghostly. But it was also quite 

cool as well, because we all got to stand 

back and watch people of real Hobbit 

size walk around and. essentially, they 

were Hobbits. So, for us, it was kind of a 

joy to watch them go through our scenes 

in the wider shots, because they were the 

real Hobbits and, in some ways, I think 

we were the scale doubles. 

BOXOFFICE: But just to see someone 

looking pretty much like you— what's in 

your head? 

WOOD: There were a lot of strange, 

new experiences for all of us in this 

movie, so it was just one of the many 

after a while. But it was certainly bizarre, 

especially to have a picture [taken with 

me and] my smaller self. I remember one 

day I noticed this kind of bin, and inside 

the bin— I opened it up—there were all 

of the Hobbit faces. And we took a picture 

of it, because it was so bizarre! It 

looked so eerie! Because nothing was 

filling the faces. They were just these 

blank expressions. 

BOXOFFICE: Sounds like one of those 

snuff films. Hannibal discards or something. 

Did you keep your skin? 

WOOD: I didn't, actually. I don't 

think they had enough for anyone to 

steal a copy. 

BOXOFFICE: Did you get to keep any 

of your wardrobe? 

WOOD: I 

haven't as of yet. There are 

a lot of things I still have my eye on. 

Although I do have the One Ring. 

BOXOFFICE: Do you? Where do you 

keep the One Ring? 

WOOD: My One Ring is 

at the moment. 

in the office 

BOXOFFICE: That's not very Middle 

Earthian. 

WOOD: No, it's not, but I can't wear 

it, for fear of losing it or someone taking 

it. The thing is, if I tell everyone I 

have the One Ring —which I've already 

kind of done, foolishly. 1 think—then 

everyone's going to want the One Ring. 

So it's kept away. 

BOXOKKICK: You're just in Fmdo's 

position! Instead of Ringwraiths, there 

are rabidfans. 

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WOOD: Exactly! Exactly. 

BOXOFFICE: How much of the first 

film have you seen? 

WOOD: Early on, we saw edited 

scenes put together, and that was an 

hour or so of footage, and then I've seen 

this last 25-minute cut. 

BOXOFFICE: And what are your impressions? 

WOOD: Speechless. We all sat in 

Cannes and witnessed the screening of 

the 25-minute cut, and we were absolutely 

blown away. We literally couldn't 

articulate what we felt about it after it 

stopped. We just asked them to play it 

again, because we were so dumbfounded. 

It was incredible. 

One of the cool things about being a 

part of this movie was that while we 

were making the film, though we were 

most of the time dealing with realistic 

imagery that we could actually interact 

with, i.e., big sets or people in costume, 

there are a lot of times where we had to 

work against a blue screen, or there were 

CG characters that weren't actually 

there to interact with us, or the wider 

shots we did and the landscapes [were] 

doctored later with added stuff in the 

background. So seeing the film in its 

completed form—there's so much there 

that's new to all of us. So, when we actually 

finally see the films, we'll share that 

state of shock, because it will be so very 

different from what [we did] on the day. 

or what we had imagined. 

BOXOFFICE: How do you think this 

movie has affected and will affect your life? 

WOOD: I knew before going to New 

Zealand that I would leave a different 

person and that it would be life changing 

in a lot of ways. I don't quite know how, 

or how to describe how it has changed 

me. but certainly it has. And, in terms of 

what the movie will do once it's released, 

I don't really know. One can only speculate. 

I've never, ever been a part of anything 

this massive. 

At the same time as it's so exciting 

and possibly really massive on a commercial 

scale, it's also something we're so 

proud of, and we poured our hearts and 

souls into. So it's actually really easy to 

meet people who are fans, 

as excited about it as they are. 

because I'm 

BOXOFFICE: / Just thought of something— 

doesn't Elijah mean "Chosen One"? 

WOOD: Isn't it funny you say that! 

Yeah, it does! Well, it also means ''Messenger 

of God," but I believe it does 

mean Chosen One. 

BOXOFFICE: Is this all pre-ordained 

then? Did you have an in with the deities? 

WOOD: I don't think so, but it all feels 

like it was meant to be. It's weird. The 

entire project felt like that for everyone. 

Everyone who filled the roles that they did 

completely inhabited them in a way that it 

was as if they were always meant to be 

those characters. Everything fell into 

place in the right way in this film. And we 

were all incredibly blessed to be able work 

with each other, and for it to work out and 

pan out the way that it did. I think we will 

always be so grateful for the experience. It 

was certainly one of the most incredible 

experiences of my life. 

UH 

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship 

of the Ring. " Starring Elijah Wood, 

Ian McKellen, Sean Astin and Cate Blanchett. 

Directed, written and produced by 

Peter Jackson. A New Line release. Fantasy. 

Rated PG-13. Opens wide 12119. 

10501 Florida Aver Minneapolis, MN 55438 • Tel: 952-828-0030 

m< ili.iti . Iiiuilni'.yv'im 

Response No 421

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I

SPECIAL FEATURE: Books On Cinema ^—^— 

GREENE ROOM 

An Excerpt From "Hollywood Migraine," A Collection 

of Articles and Interviews by Entertainment Journalist Ray Greene 

HOLLYWOOD MIGRAINE: 

THE INSIDE STORY 

OF A DECADE IN FILM 

by Ray Greene 

Merlin Publishing 

336 pgs./$ 15.95 

"Megacircuits Incorporated" 

few months ago 

A 

I was fortunate 

enough to spend an afternoon in 

the company of a legendary and 

still active film producer whose career 

extends all 

the way back into the early 

1950s. His conversation was wide ranging, 

opinionated, at times cantankerous, 

and instructive in almost every regard. 

He had war stories to tell: delightful 

tales of colorful personalities in exhibition 

and independent distribution, of 

booking deals cut at the last possible 

minute in bare-bulb back offices, of 

improvised strategies that beat his competitors 

to the punch. In a few quick sentences 

he conjured up a time when the 

men who made the movies and the people 

who screened them sat down face to face 

to hash out the details of getting product 

to the public, a time long gone in an 

industry where both distribution and 

exhibition are mostly run by vast bureaucracies 

as opposed to the gut instincts of 

a hustling handful, flying through each 

deal by the seat of their pants. 

Our conversation wandered into the 

contemporary exhibition scene. He was Vast independent circuits such as 

mindful of the technological transformations 

of the past decade or so, of the 

improvements in presentation that have 

done so much to bring audiences back 

Carmike, Regal and United Artists sit 

atop the list of exhibition's largest companies 

and a close examination of the manner 

in which those circuits with direct studio 

into moviehouses. But he sounded an 

ties formed studio alliances indicates 

interesting cautionary note I hadn't 

heard elsewhere when he said that, the 

way things were going, the film industry 

might easily blunder its way into a situation 

not unlike the one it got caught up 

in during the late '40s and early '50. To 

describe what he meant, he actually used 

the word "antitrust." 

What this very experienced industrywatcher 

was getting at is at the core of 

several of the more overwhelming trends 

in the exhibition field during recent 

times. In the late '40s, when studioowned 

circuits booked studio-created 

product for studio-derived profits, the 

U.S. government decided that much of 

exhibition was in fact operated according 

to monopolistic principles. The 

result became known as the "consent 

decree": the court-ordered divestiture by 

the studio production centers of the studio-owned 

circuits, an event which split 

the exhibition field wide open for a time. 

By 1953, when MGM- the last 

Hollywood holdout—severed its ties to 

the Loews Inc. chain, studio ownership 

of moviehouses was a thing of the past. 

Or so it seemed. 

In fact, though it took a few decades, 

many of the studios have again become 

important partners in the exhibition 

field. The word "partners" is significant 

here: In most cases, major circuits with 

direct studio ties are co-owned rather 

than owned outright by their studio foster 

parents, an important distinction in 

drawing analogies with the past. The 

word "studio" is also in need of redefintion, 

since the vast, multi-tiered, full-service 

entertainment corporations of today 

(in which movie production and distribution 

rarely account for the primary revenue 

stream) are a far cry from the one 

company, one product" approach of 

Hollywood's formative moguls. 

is Put succinctly, there not today and 

probably never can be anything resembling 

the closed dominance over 

American production, distribution and 

exhibition that a handful of companies 

exercised half a century ago. The situation 

is far more amorphous than it once was. 

that, in most cases, they are a haphazard 

by-product of a more general and industry-wide 

trend toward consolidation. 

That consolidation itself, however, is 

both the biggest exhibition story of our 

time and an at least potentially worrying 

development for the long term. The 

building spree of the last five years has 

seen the U.S. market grow in terms of 

sheer screen count at an unprecedented 

rate. North America, already the most 

well-screened and competitive movie 

market in the world at the start of the 

1990s, has now become an almost "kill 

or be killed" competitive situation. This 

is particularly true in those coveted population 

centers capable of sustaining the 

modern equivalent of the movie palace: 

the state-of-the-art megaplex of 20 

screens or more, a type of build for 

which there was no prototype a decade 

ago, but which has emerged in the 1990s 

as the industry standard. 

Though offering multiple opportunities 

for economies of scale, megaplexes 

are costly to build and costly to operate, 

and therefore need to maintain a high 

rate of attendance to stay profitable. 

That the time was right for such a development 

within the exhibition industry is 

demonstrated by the overall success of 

the megaplex model at luring audiences 

back into the American moviehouse: the 

continuing and uninterrupted climb in 

the U.S. attendance figures charted by 

the National Association of Theatre 

Owners (NATO) and the MPAA in 

recent years can be attributed in no 

small measure to the lure of megaplexstyle 

complexes in urban and heavily 

populated suburban markets. 

Still, there is grumbling afoot. Last 

year NATO president Bill Kartozian used 

the occasion of his address to exhibitors 

at the industry's ShoWest convention to 

coin a phrase that snapped into focus a 

fear already on a lot of people's minds, 

and he did so in terms worthy of an 1 1th 

commandment: "Thou shall not Ontario 

one another." The reference, of course, 

was to the infamous competitive situation 

that two major, well-run. seemingly ration 

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Response No 515

SPECIAL FEATURE: Books On Cinema—— 

GREENE ROOM 

An Excerpt From "Hollywood Migraine," A Collection 

of Articles and Interviews by Entertainment Journalist Ray Greene 

HOLLYWOOD MIGRAINE: 

THE INSIDE STORY 

OF A DECADE IN FILM 

by Ray Greene 

Merlin Publishing 

336 pgs./$ 15.95 

"Megaciratits Incorporated " 

few months ago 

A 

1 was fortunate 

enough to spend an afternoon in 

the company of a legendary and 

still active film producer whose career 

extends all the way back into the early 

1950s. His conversation was wide ranging, 

opinionated, at times cantankerous, 

and instructive in almost every regard. 

He had war stories to tell: delightful 

tales of colorful personalities in exhibition 

and independent distribution, of 

booking deals cut at the last possible 

minute in bare-bulb back offices, of 

improvised strategies that beat his competitors 

to the punch. In a few quick sentences 

he conjured up a time when the 

men who made the movies and the people 

who screened them sat down face to face 

to hash out the details of getting product 

to the public, a time long gone in an 

industry where both distribution and 

exhibition are mostly run by vast bureaucracies 

as opposed to the gut instincts of 

a hustling handful, flying through each 

deal by the seat of their pants. 

Our conversation wandered into the 

contemporary exhibition scene. He was 

mindful of the technological transformations 

of the past decade or so, of the 

improvements in presentation that have 

done so much to bring audiences back 

into moviehouses. But he sounded an 

interesting cautionary note I hadn't 

heard elsewhere when he said that, the 

way things were going, the film industry 

might easily blunder its way into a situation 

not unlike the one it got caught up 

in during the late '40s and early '50. To 

describe what he meant, he actually used 

the word "antitrust." 

What this very experienced industrywatcher 

was getting at is at the core of 

several of the more overwhelming trends 

in the exhibition field during recent 

times. In the late '40s, when studioowned 

circuits booked studio-created 

product for studio-derived profits, the 

U.S. government decided that much of 

exhibition was in fact operated according 

to monopolistic principles. The 

result became known as the "consent 

decree": the court-ordered divestiture by 

the studio production centers of the studio-owned 

circuits, an event which split 

the exhibition field wide open for a time. 

By 1953. when MGM— the last 

Hollywood holdout—severed its lies to 

the Loews Inc. chain, studio ownership 

of moviehouses was a thing of the past. 

Or so it seemed. 

In fact, though it took a few decades. 

many of the studios have again become 

important partners in the exhibition 

field. The word "partners" is significant 

here: In most cases, major circuits with 

direct studio ties are co-owned rather 

than owned outright by their studio foster 

parents, an important distinction in 

drawing analogies with the past. The 

word "studio" is also in need of redefintion, 

since the vast, multi-tiered, full-service 

entertainment corporations of today 

(in which movie production and distribution 

rarely account for the primary revenue 

stream) are a far cry from the one 

company, one product" approach of 

Hollywood's formative moguls. 

Put succinctly, there is not today and 

probably never can be anything resembling 

the closed dominance over 

American production, distribution and 

exhibition that a handful of companies 

exercised half a century ago. The situation 

is far more amorphous than it once was. 

Vast independent circuits such as 

Carmike, Regal and United Artists sit 

atop the list of exhibition's largest companies 

and a close examination of the manner 

in which those circuits with direct studio 

ties formed studio alliances indicates 

that, in most cases, they are a haphazard 

by-product of a more general and industry-wide 

trend toward consolidation. 

That consolidation itself, however, is 

both the biggest exhibition story of our 

time and an at least potentially worrying 

development for the long term. The 

building spree of the last five years has 

seen the U.S. market grow in terms of 

sheer screen count at an unprecedented 

rate. North America, already the most 

well-screened and competitive movie 

market in the world at the start of the 

1990s, has now become an almost "kill 

or be killed" competitive situation. This 

is particularly true in those coveted population 

centers capable of sustaining the 

modern equivalent of the movie palace: 

the state-of-the-art megaplex of 20 

screens or more, a type of build for 

which there was no prototype a decade 

ago, but which has emerged in the 1990s 

as the industry standard. 

Though offering multiple opportunities 

for economies of scale, megaple.xes 

are costly to build and costly to operate, 

and therefore need to maintain a high 

rate of attendance to stay profitable. 

That the time was right for such a development 

within the exhibition industry is 

demonstrated by the overall success of 

the megaplex model at luring audiences 

back into the American moviehouse; the 

continuing and uninterrupted climb in 

the U.S. attendance figures charted by 

the National Association of Theatre 

Owners (NATO) and the MPAA in 

recent years can be attributed in no 

small measure to the lure of megaplexstyle 

complexes in urban and heavily 

populated suburban markets. 

Still, there is grumbling afoot. Last 

year NATO president Bill Karto/ian used 

the occasion of his address to exhibitors 

at the industry's ShoWest convention to 

coin a phrase that snapped into focus a 

fear already on a lot of people's minds. 

and he did so in terms worthy of an 1 1th 

commandment: "Thou shall not Ontario 

one another." The reference, of course, 

was to the infamous competitive situation 

that two major, well-run. seemingly ratio- 

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nal American theatre circuits found themselves 

in when they decided to build 

megaplexes across the street from one 

another: a face-off nobody thought 

would ever go the distance, but in which 

neither company blinked. The result is 

that in Ontario, Calif., there are now 54 

screens within approximately 700 feet of 

one another, which easily qualifies it as 

the single most well (or is that over?) 

screened township anywhere in the world. 

The jury is still out on whether both 

theatre complexes will be able to survive 

over the long term; it will probably take 

some sort of major slump in production 

or attendance before one or the other of 

the Ontario complexes truly feels the 

squeeze. But as a symbol of just how 

brutal competition at the highest levels 

of exhibition has become, Ontario 

sprung up, ready made, with even some 

of the participants in this "clash of the 

titans" shaking their heads over the 

potential for colossal waste. 

As the escalating screening of America 

approaches its next phase, it is perhaps 

inevitable that consolidation has 

become the latest trend. Though no-one 

is ready to say just how much longer the 

building boom of the '90s can extend 

itself, common sense indicates that the 

U.S. market, which remains relatively 

stable in terms of overall population, 

can absorb only so many more screens, 

however well-designed and carefully 

market researched they may be. "Grow 

or die" still seems to be the philosophy 

of the mega-exhibitors; with new construction 

slated to become an increasingly 

less viable option in the years 

ahead, the acquisition of existing circuits 

selected to increase the reach and 

national presence of the already farflung 

circuits which buy them up has 

emerged as exhibition's next big thing. 

The starting pistol for this trend was 

actually fired prematurely a few years 

back when Cinemark USA came within 

a hair's breadth of selling out to 

Cineplex Odeon to form what would 

have then become the largest North 

American circuit. That deal never came 

to fruition, but in retrospect it has a 

familiar ring. The combined company 

would have had 2,839 screens; it would 

have spread the market share of its amalgamated 

parent company from two 

major but regionally specific players into 

a continent-spanning North American 

behemoth: it would have leapfrogged the 

combined company up the ranks of the 

biggest American circuits to claim the 

top spot with the stroke of a contract's 

attorney's pen. In retrospect, it was an 

idea that was ahead of its time. 

For 1997 has been exhibition's year 

of the merger, with major companies 

joining forces at an almost dizzying 

On the smaller side were the likes 

rate. 

of Carmike's purchase of the 105- 

screen first International circuit and 

Regal 's buyout of New Jersey-based 

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE 

Former BOXOFFICE Editor Ray Greene 

Discusses America's Relationship With War and Sci-Fi, 

the History of Exploitation Films 

and Hollywood-Size Headaches by Jon Alon Walz 

one of those people who always 

I'm has to be doing something." Ray 

Greene remarks while glancing 

around impatiently 

for a lighter or a 

match—or something 

with which to 

douse the unlit cigarette 

burning a hole 

in his right hand. 

Help comes swiftly 

in the patio of a very 

across Los Angeles since the early 1970s. 

Greene, an accomplished writer, 

filmmaker and former editor-in-chief 

of BOXOFFICE, has quite a lot to say 

on a number of issues very close to 

him—not the least of which is his residence 

in Silver Lake, having recently 

produced a documentary comprised 

of nine original shorts about the community. 

Entitled "Veritas" (Vol. 1), 

the feature premiered at the 2001 

Silver Lake Film Festival. 

Bad movies, too, are a favorite 

topic of discourse for Greene: The 

subject spurred another documentary 

last year entitled, "Schlock!: The 

Secret History of American Movie" 

( www.schlockthemovie.com ). which 

gives a serious look into the minds 

and the madness behind the explosion 

of exploitation and sexploitation 

films during the 1960s. 

Readers'" of BOXOFFICE might 

already be familiar with Greene's 

passion for good movies and intelligent, 

lively discussions about the 

state of the world, American film 

culture and film business— subjects 

he takes up in his new book, 

"Hollywood Migraine: The Inside 

Story of a Decade in Film." The 

tome recently spent some time at the 

number two spot on the Los Angeles 

Times non-fiction bestseller list. 

BOXOFFICE's talk with Greene 

takes place the day after the terrorist 

strikes against New York City and 

Washington. D.C. 

and four days before 

the death of 

one of the key 

interviewees in 

"Schlock": the reviled 

yet legendary 

master of the exploitation 

and teenexploitation 

genres. 

hip coffee shop in 

Samuel Z. Arkoff. 

the suddenly ultrahip 

L.A. neighborhood 

Although it would 

of Silver 

take more than a 

Lake—the present 

decade for the tenets 

home stop of wayward 

of the exploitation 

artists who 

film to finally reach 

have been forced by 

mainstream Hollywood, 

the powers of gentrification 

Writer and filmmaker Ray Greene 

producers 

Arkoff and the 

into an east 

like 

by-northeasterly migration pattern esteemed Roger Corman, as well as 

the genre itself, began with inexpensive 

science-fiction films that gave 

B 

unde 

voice to an American paranoia that, 

ironically, was never fully actualized 

until September 11. 2001. 

"The really fascinating thing about 

American sci-fi of the post-war period 

was that it was really obsessed 

with invasion, with the physical 

destruction of the United States." 

Greene frankly and eerily notes. "In 

World War II, almost every other 

country in the world suffered invasion 

and obliteration, and the average 

American experienced all the horror 

of it for the first time in the form of 

newsreels in their moviehouse. I really 

believe that a large part of our 

paranoia during the Cold War not 

only had to do with our fear of the 

Russians, but with the fact that psychologically 

we had already boon 

invaded during World War II." 

From these humble beginnings in 

sci-fi, a select group of ambitious 

filmmakers with grand notions and 

highly active libidos but limited 

funding- began to emerge, each one 

pushing the limits o\' onscreen 

acceptability. People like Russ Meyer. 

Doris W 

the productio 

Friedman al ith only a couple 

thousand doll apiece and a cadre 

o\' young 

willing to take their 

ips off—created a genre of films and 

n empire of, well, schlock: exploitaon, 

roughies. sexploitation and 

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Magic Cinemas and its 95 screens. Such 

deals, though not quite commonplace, 

have been a consistent part of overall 

growth patterns for more than a 

decade. But next came what appeared 

to be the big one: Regal's purchase of 

the massive 643-screen Cobb Theatres 

circuit, taking Regal's total screen 

count past the 2.000 mark. 

In any normal year the Regal/Cobb 

combine would have been exhibition's 

biggest merger story. 

But, even as that 

deal was announced, a rumor began to 

circulate: Sony-owned Loews was negotiating 

to merge with Cineplex Odeon in 

a unique arrangement that would insulate 

the parent company from Cineplex's 

crippling debt load, while at the same 

time creating the largest exhibition chain 

in history: As 1997 came to a close, that 

rumor became fact. 

There is something in the American 

character that blanches at deals of such 

unimaginable size. Look at "Star Wars": 

The most popular movie myth of all 

times pits a ragtag assemblage of renegade 

roughnecks against an evil empire 

defined almost completely in terms of 

overwhelming scale. With size comes 

power and it is undeniable that an 

increasingly smaller number of megacircuits 

either are now or soon will be exercising 

an unprecedented amount of 

clout over what American audiences go 

to see—a clout that will be theirs even if 

they don't wish to have it, simply by dint 

of sheer numbers. 

There is as yet no reason to view this 

development as anything other than 

virtue rewarded, the inevitable outcome 

of the labors of a handful of ambitious 

businesspeople who are recreating the 

exhibition industry in our time. But big 

companies can also represent big targets, 

as Microsoft's ongoing antitrust difficulties 

clearly demonstrate; while my producer 

acquaintance's biases as a man 

who owes his career to the original consent 

decree must be taken into account, 

his murmuring of the word "antitrust" 

can also be taken as a word to the wise 

in a time where megacircuits for which 

there is no precedent start to define 

themselves and take shape. 

In a noteworthy sidebar to the 

Loews-Cineplex merger, visionary Sony-Loews 

executives Barrie and Jim 

Loeks chose to return to their roots at 

the tiny Loeks-Star circuit rather than 

run the newly formed Sony megacircuit—a 

task which, it's easy to speculate, 

might seem less than appealing to 

executives with a direct, hands-on 

management style. What the next 

decade of exhibition history may tell us 

is which was the more historically significant 

gesture: the deal that created 

the largest megacircuit the world has 

ever known, or the decision by the two 

people who could have reasonably 

expected to run ii that, sometimes, less 

is more. — December 1 997 mm 

nudie cuties, among others. All were 

strange but vital to the future of movies. 

Mostly all were profitable. 

parody of "Prometheus Bound," satirizing 

Arnold Schwazenegger. 

"The book is 336 pages long, and if 

"One of the important messages of 

the documentary is that whether or 

not you like the fact that American 

movies are more violent and sexual 

than they were in the 1940s, this era 

was ground zero for films," Greene 

that represents a quarter of my film 

writing I would be surprised." Greene 

confesses while still canvassing the 

patio for a second light. "I am a very 

fast writer, and BOXOFFICE had a lot 

of need, as did the Village View, so 

says. "Also, this is where the teenage you just get into the habit of being 

preoccupation that still exists in able to bang things out." 

American movies began. Low-budget After receiving an undergraduate 

movies like American Pie' and degree in English, Greene worked as a 

'Legally Blonde,' which will be some 

and pop music journalist for 

political 

of the most profitable movies in several years before being accepted into 

recent times, really originated with USC's graduate film program. In the 

Roger Corman, Sam Arkoff 

and those people. Hollywood 

learned it from them." 

"Schlock!", after showings at 

various film festivals around the 

country, was recently picked-up 

for video distribution and is 

being sold to European television. 

The film has been a labor 

of love for Greene for years. He 

wrote, directed, narrated, edited, 

produced and wrote a song 

for the film—all the while writing 

hundreds of articles and 

reviews for various media outlets 

around the country. 

Many of these articles, 

written 

for BOXOFFICE, LA. Village 

View, Medio and ABC- 

NEWS.com, as well as several 

brand-new essays appear in 

Greene's book "Hollywood Migraine." 

The title refers to a literal 

headache Greene experienced 

after an excruciating loud screening of intervening years. Greene dabbled in 

"Last Action Hero" in an experimental acting and technical post-production 

digital sound process. "It was, I 

thought, a symbolic moment for a lot 

of what went wrong in the '90s," 

Greene says with a smirk. 

"The book and 'Schlock!' are both 

attacks on our current film culture," he 

says, with a second cigarette already in 

hand. "What the movie says is that 

these guys who you want to revile and 

sweep under the rug are everything 

thing that you are. One of the things 

that the book is about ultimately is 

that these gigantic multi-national corporations 

run by MBAs— judging by 

what they put out—are either hypocrites 

who put out movies that they 

themselves would never want to see or 

have no affection for the form." 

The book is a collection of A-list 

director and celebrity interviews culled 

from many years at BOXOFFICE, combined 

with various musings on the 

power and culture of celebrity, a long 

multi-part meditation on the destructive 

potential of the Walt Disney 

Company, a minute-by-minute account 

of the rise of independent cinema 

in the '90s as well as an obligatory 

for a time, before reconnecting to his 

journalistic roots and serving as editor 

of BOXOFFICE from 1993 to 1997. 

As a longtime writer and social crit- 

Greene was seemingly well-suited 

ic, 

for life in the realm of documentaries, 

a medium not too dissimilar from 

journalism in that a keen focus is on 

uncovering fact and exposing, rather 

than celebrating, fiction. 

"In journalism, if you are lucky, you 

get paid to tell the truth." Greene says. 

"Certainly there is a level of politics 

involved with journalism, but when 

you are actually there in front of the 

keyboard, you get to really reach into 

your head and say what you think. 

That's the beautiful thing about it." 

The interview with BOXOFFICE 

over, Greene is off to work on 

his next film project and to continue 

in his role as programming advisor 

to the Silver Lake Film festival. 

which was held last September but 

not before bumming a ride to a convenient 

store for more cigarettes. "They 

keep me going." he says. mm 

52 BOXOFFICE

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FIRST PERSON: Sound 

WHY SURROUND 

SYSTEMS STILL 

DON'T WORK 

The Reasons This Is the Case— 

and Why It Needn't Be 

by John F. Allen 

Audiences 

are routinely 

deprived of the 

enjoyment, 

enrichment and 

amazement 

that a good 

surround 

system can 

deliver. 

Nontheatrical options for viewing 

motion pictures keep getting better. 

Sales of home theatre systems 

remain strong while attendance at 

movie theatres stays flat, at best, or 

drops. According to Reuters/Variety, 

sales of DVD players in the first half of 

this year were 70 percent ahead of 2000 

with 5.2 million DVD players sold. 

Shipments of these players is expected 

to top another 10 million in the second 

half of 2001. As of midsummer 2001, 

more than 20 percent of U.S. households 

now enjoy this advanced format 

when watching films at home. More 

than 80 million DVD movies and musicvideo 

titles were reportedly shipped to 

retailers in the second quarter this year, 

nearly 2 1/2 times the number of units 

shipped in the same period last year. 

Of course, one of the major improvements 

made possible by DVD technology 

is in sound. Indeed, DVD-equipped 

home viewers can feast on the same (or 

better) six channels of digital sound now 

playing in most first-run theatres. It 

should also come as no surprise that, 

after years of scrimping on theatre 

sound systems, it has become fairly easy 

for even a modest home theatre system 

to sound better than a real theatre. This 

is especially true of the surrounds due to 

the number of home packages with 

matched speakers now on the market. 

This need not be the case. Indeed, if 

exhibitors wish to see their market 

expand, it cannot be the case! 

In 1983, I wrote an article for this 

magazine explaining the reasons why the 

vast majority of the arrays of surround 

speakers installed in most movie theatres 

failed to provide the surrounding effect 

they were allegedly designed to produce. 

Now, some 18 years later, the situation 

remains much the same. Audiences are. 

routinely deprived of the enjoyment, 

enrichment and amazement that a good 

surround system can deliver. Today this 

is even more of a loss for all concerned 

because the surround tracks of contemporary 

films are often so much more 

active and engrossing. 

Gone are the days when surround 

speakers were simply thought of by producers 

and mixers as an array of inexpensive 

"effects" speakers dotted around 

the theatre. Modern digital soundtracks 

are created with the assumption that the; 

combined surround channels are to be: 

treated as equal to a screen channel ini 

both frequency range and, more challenging, 

dynamic range. Such recordings 

demand that surround speakers be very 

high quality and high output devices. 

The layout of these speakers is also 1 

extremely important as they must be 

able to reproduce both ambiance effects 

(e.g., soft wind or music reverberation) 

as well as highly directional effects (such 

as flyovers and ricocheting bullets). 

All 

this must be done without any single 

speaker within the surround array calling 

attention to itself. 

Such demands are not easily met. 

Indeed, the admonition I wrote 18 years 

ago remains as true today as ever—that 

virtually every mistake one could possi 

bly make is commonplace when it come; 

to the design and implementation of 

surround systems. The surround speakers 

we are likely to encounter in movie 

theatres are typically too small, too inefficient, 

too underpowered and poorly 

placed. With the now regular use of 

equalization in the surround channels 

the systems are also most likely to be 

wildly over-equalized. As a result, the 

majority of movie patrons fail to exper 

54 Boxoiiki

# 

America's Concession FavoritL9

| 

k i 

From 

Rmplifier 

From 

Rmplifier 

— 

Figure 1, 

Speakers wired in parallel. 

T^T -pT T^T "pq~ 

Figure 2. 

Speakers wired in series. 

Figure 3. 

Speakers wired in series-parallel. 

Figure 4. 

Parallel wiring with 

impedance matching autotransformer 

shown with a four times impedance match. 

J^— 

ence a sense of being surrounded by 

anything. Rather, the surround speaker 

nearest to them tends to dominate over 

the others. What's more, due to the poor 

quality of the sound ultimately emanating 

from the speaker! s), very little may 

be heard at all. 

The result is 

that the soundtrack for 

the film remains largely a screen event, 

with only a whisper to (even worse) a 

distraction occasionally coming from 

the surrounds. To illustrate this, I compared 

the surround array coverage and 

performance in two theatres of identical 

size. I 

will call them theatre "A" and theatre 

"B." When one listened to the surround 

quality in these two theatres, it 

became immediately apparent that the 

10 surround speakers in theatre "A" provided 

vastly superior coverage, tone and 

overall performance compared to the 14 

surrounds in theatre "B." Indeed, this 

was the unanimous conclusion of all 

who heard and compared these two systems 

with the same films. How could 

this be, when the conventional wisdom is 

that 

the more surround speakers there 

are, the better the surround effect will 

be? There are several reasons. 

The speakers placed around theatre 

"B" were two-way, each employing a 12- 

inch woofer and a 1. 5-inch tweeter 

attached to a wave guide for coverage control. 

The surround speakers in theatre 

"A" were three-way with a 1 2-inch woofer 

as well as horn-loaded midrange and 

tweeter sections. As the industry has 

finally moved from two-way to three-way 

screen speakers, it is puzzling that the surround 

speakers have not been upgraded 

to three-way at the same time. The lower 

distortion and superior sound quality 

available from well designed three-way 

surround speakers dramatically improves 

the sound from the surrounds. 

It is an unfortunate truth that the 

worst sounding speaker in a sound system 

determines the sound quality appreciated 

from all the speakers in the system. 

The tone of the surround speakers 

should match the tone from the screen 

speakers. This demands an end to the 

time-honored tradition in this industry 

of scrimping on the surround speakers. 

SURROUND SPEAKER WIRING 

The 10 speakers in theatre "A" were 

wired in two parallel groups of five each. 

In other words, each speaker was connected 

directly to the output terminals 

of its amplifier. (See Figure I.) The 

speakers in theatre "B" were wired in 

series-parallel groups. This meant that 

some of the speakers were connected in 

series with other speakers, dramatically 

increasing the effective resistance of the 

wiring circuits between the amplifiers 

and the speakers. (See Figure 2.) 

In the world of audio, it is best to 

keep the resistance of speaker wiiinu to 

a minimum, perhaps no greater than 1/4 

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Desirable surround frequency response, measuring flat to 12.5 kHz, 

shown behind the theoretical "H" curue, rolled off aboue 2 kHz. 

o 

250 500 1000 2000 4000 

Frequencies on octaue centers 

Figure 5 

ohm from the amplifier to the speaker 

and back. A surround speaker with a 

minimum impedance (perhaps most 

easily understood as the total of the 

electrical factors that impede the current 

flow) of 6 ohms will therefore add 

about 6 ohms of resistance to the speaker 

wiring if it is in series with another 

speaker. The more speakers one wires 

resultant load on the amplifier would be 

reduced from 6x5 ohms, or 30 ohms, to 

about 7 ohms, and the effective wire resistance 

between a speaker and an amplifier 

would be reduced from 24 ohms to about 

6 ohms in the group of two speakers and 

about 12 ohms in the group of three. 

When one wires five surround speakers 

with a minimum impedance of 6 

ohms entirely in parallel, the amplifier 

will see a very low impedance load, perhaps 

as low as 1 .2 ohms. This is typically 

far below what an amplifier can live 

with. Most amplifiers can easily accommodate 

a load as low as 4 ohms. The 

best 

amplifiers can drive 2 ohm loads. 

An amplifier with a 2 ohm minimumload 

capability makes the job easier for 

the sound system designer, because more 

speakers can be wired in parallel with 

each other before the amplifier might 

become compromised. 

In the case of theatre "A," the surround 

speakers were specifically designed 

to have a minimum impedance of 

about 10 ohms. As such, five of these 

speakers can be wired in parallel, presenting 

a load on the amplifier of an 

together in series, the worse it gets. If 

five of these surround speakers were 

wired in series, each speaker would see 

an effective resistance of as much as 24 

ohms between itself and the amplifier, 

entirely acceptable 2 ohms. Loading the 

amplifier at its minimum 2 ohm capability 

or 96 times greater than it should be. In 

also means that the amplifier will 

order to reduce this series-parallel resistance 

problem, groups of speakers are 

deliver its maximum power, nearly twice 

the power it would deliver into an 8 ohm 

wired in several parallel groups of load and still more should the amplifier's 

speakers wired in series. 

power supply permit. 

If in the above example we wired our Theatre "B" had seven surround 

five speakers in two series groups, one of 

three speakers and the other with two, the 

speakers per surround channel. A group 

of four speakers wired in series was paralleled 

with another group of three 

speakers. (See Figure 3.) These speakers 

have a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. 

One can assume that the minimum 

impedance, though not specified, is 

somewhere around 4 to 6 ohms. This 

would have presented a load for the 

amplifiers of about 6.9 to 

10.3 ohms. If 

this load could have been reduced to 2 

ohms, the available amplifier power 

would have increased significantly. 

Another problem with surround systems 

wired in series-parallel groups is 

uneven power distribution among the 

speakers. This is due to the uneven 

impedance that results between the two 

groups of speakers when they contain a 

different number of speakers. Because of 

the series-parallel wiring in theatre " 

some surround speakers were louder 

than others. This is usually avoided by 

adding or subtracting enough speakers 

to ensure an equal number per series 

group. But adding unnecessary speakers 

is wasteful, and eliminating them reduces 

the surround coverage in the theatre. The 

all-parallel wiring in theatre "A," however, 

guaranteed that all the surround 

speakers would play at the same level. 

So how could all the surround speakers 

in theatre "B" be wired in parallel? 

Well, they couldn't unless something else 

was added: an impedance-matching autotransformer—and 

a rather hefty one 

at that. Wired in parallel, a group of 

seven of the surround speakers in 

theatre 

"B" would have presented the 

amplifier with a load of .57 to .86 ohms. 

Let's assume the lower number of .57 

ohms to be safe. By inserting an impedance 

matching transformer wired to 

multiply this by 4, we present the ampli 

fier with load of 2.28 ohms. (See Figure 

4.) The benefits are two to four times 

more amplifier power as well as cleaner 

sound with more punch from the speakers 

themselves thanks to the lower effective 

resistance in the speaker wiring. 

Another well-known approach for 

wiring surround speakers employs 70- 

volt transformers. This tried and true 

system will also work well. Its only disadvantage 

is cost, because a transformer 

is required for each speaker. 

58 BoxoilKI

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SURROUND SPEAKER 

PLACEMENT 

mathematical formulas. The resulting the claims of the author. Removing the 

coverage uniformity was within ±1/2 dB 

and without any distracting directional 

constant helped the spacing, but left us 

with the fact that the surround speakers 

One of the least understood subjects 

would be installed at the same height no 

the design of motion picture sound 

cues. No one could tell where a single 

surround speaker was, even if seated matter the size or shape of the seating 

in 

systems is how to efficiently locate surround 

underneath one. Since then, several area. That won't work either. 

speakers to create the uniform accounts of other formulas have been Unfortunately, the systems I have 

sound field with an absence of directional 

published or promoted. 

heard that were designed with other 

cues. It used to be common knowl- 

edge that there were "no surefire formulas" 

In one case a set of formulas was published 

in this magazine. However, careful 

showed them 

highly touted methods failed to produce 

a good surround field. The surround 

or methods for locating surround 

speakers. In 1980, as I was designing my 

first full-scale Dolby stereo installation, 

analysis of these equations 

to be problematic. Whether intended or 

not, the formulas contained a constant 

effects could best be described as "here a 

sound, there a sound." Clearly the exhibition 

industry deserves better than this. 

I discovered that it was possible to place 

according of 

that made it impossible for their use to 

speaker spacing matched 

the speakers to a series result in that 

SURROUND SPEAKER 

EQUALIZATION 

— 

As I have written several times, the 

methods used for measuring and equalizing 

motion picture sound systems are 

extremely flawed. Nowhere is this more 

evident than in equalization of the surround 

channels. For one thing, because 

the measurement microphones are so 

close to so many speakers, they are 

always effectively in the near-field of the 

surrounds. Therefore the ratio of direct 

sound to reverberation is very high 

much greater than for a screen speaker. 

It is the rather large amount of reverberation 

that is present in the measurements 

of screen speakers that causes 

these measurements to exhibit a 

rolledoff 

high-frequency response that is far 

greater than reality. 

Yet technicians regularly 

and mistakenly equalize the surround 

channels to resemble the response 

of a screen channel. This effectively 

shuts off the higher frequencies from the 

surrounds and is one of the main reasons 

that theatre audiences ultimately 

hear so little from them. 

Many surround speakers are sold with 

a switch that rolls off the high frequencies 

so that the surround array will "conform 

to the industry standard" frequencyresponse 

characteristic specified for the 

screen speakers. This has always struck 

me as rather odd, because the standard 

neither addresses nor pertains to surround 

speakers. Therefore. I would offer 

two recommendations: First, if found, 

place all frequency-response switches on 

surround speakers in their fiat position. 

Second, when equalizing surround 

speakers, adjust them for a frequency 

response that is fiat to 10.000 to 12,000 

Hz. (See Figure 5.) Even if the quality of 

the speakers themselves isn't everything 

it should be, at least the audiences will 

get to hear them. 

MjMM 

© 2001 John F 

Reserved. 

Allen. All Rights 


John F. Allot is the founder and president 

of High Performance Stereo in 

Newton, Mass. He is also the inventor of 

the HPS-4000 cinema sound system and 

in 1984 was thefirst to bring digital sound 

to the cinema. John Allen eon be reached 

by e-mail at johnfalleina hps4000.com. 

6(1 BOXOFFICE

ON HIS WAY INTO THE 

BUCKY 

ENJOYS 

SOME 

¥ TIME 

OFF...

POV: Staff Management 

Agreat sage once said, "Now is the 

seed from which later will grow." 

This is superb management advice, 

especially for how to positively 

manage crisis situations. 

The recent events on the East Coast 

have managers thinking about how to 

best handle a crisis situation—an abnormal 

event that threatens the operation of 

a company, its personnel or its assets. 

Successfully responding to any type of 

crisis depends on the cooperation of 

everyone within the company, the coordination 

of response methods, saving 

lives, protecting the business environment, 

limiting damages, and protecting 

the company's reputation, image, or 

brand identity, its future liabilities, and 

its ability to operate successfully now 

and in the future. In short, the proactive 

response is the best response. 

Believe me, I've had my share of 

learning some difficult lessons on the 

importance and necessity of being able 

snipers with automatic weapons for 

more than seven hours with 1 ,500 theatre 

guests and employees. Without panic! 

So the question now is: How prepared 

are you to meet the challenges of the 

unexpected, the dangerous, or the disastrous? 

Are you ready for the unseen crisis 

waiting to happen? The following crisis 

checklist is meant to be a "primer" for you 

and your staff to follow. It is by no means 

exhaustive, but meant only to get your 

"manager mind" thinking in the mode of 

being proactive "now" rather than reactive 

"later." The rest is up to you. 

POSITIVELY MANAGING 

CRISIS SITUATIONS 

APPROACH CRISIS AS A TEAM 

Know the strengths and weaknesses of 

your staff and cross-train for overall 

"coverage" so that if one team member is 

absent the rest of the team can fill in any 

gap. Because your staff will take their 

cues from you, stay calm and focused. If 

you react by panicking, they'll follow 

your lead. If you respond with thinking 

and implementing your crisis-situation 

plans, policies or procedures, they'll still 

follow your lead. Identify additional crisis 

"team leaders" on your staff. 

READY AN EMERGENCY PLAN 

Each crisis situation needs its own 

action plan. What plan, if any, do you 

have in place for each of these most likely 

crisis scenarios: bomb threat, hostage 

situation, robbery, shooting/stabbing, 

gang violence, biological infiltration, 

building collapse, fire/flood and riot? 

ASK PRE-CRISIS QUESTIONS 

To develop a comprehensive crisis 

plan, you must consider a worst-case 

by Randall Blaum 

scenario based on the potential threats 

to you, your staff and your facility. The 

following questions are the starting 

points for building a comprehensive 

plan: Are staff members trained for crisis 

situations? What are the company's 

to successfully manage a crisis to ensure 

minimal loss and damages, while continuing 

to provide great customer service guests, adjacent tenants, vendors, modes 

most vulnerable points—building, staff, 

that is also safe service. With my 23 of communication, etc.? What will I 

years in the movie business I've managed 

to survive: working through an inkets, 

medical help, food, cell phones, 

need in case of a crisis—supplies, blantheatre 

flood, being held at gunpoint, radio, back-up records, safe place for 

being attacked by an angry customer, money and sensitive company information, 

camera to document damages, etc.? 

outbreaks of gang fights, evacuating a 

sold-out theatre on opening night due to How many people am I responsible for? 

a fire, and also being held hostage by What if we're stranded for any length of 

time? What types of communication do 

I have, and what happens if they fail? 

Where do we go if the building is unsafe? 

What is our evacuation plan? 

IMPLEMENT THE CRISIS PLAN 

Make sure all your first aid kits are 

well stocked. Basics must include bandages, 

Band-Aids, sterile gauze, eyewash, 

scissors, and some type of pain 

reliever. Conduct a monthly inventory of 

all existing emergency supplies. Gather 

all of the supplies in a central storage 

area, or document where they are located. 

Check the expiration dates on batteries, 

fire extinguishers and the like. 

Make sure to have enough supplies 

for at least 72 hours. You will need: 

water, food, blankets, cell phones, camera 

loaded with film, flashlights, and 

trash bags (which can protect equipment 

from water damage from sprinklers). 

Survey your building. Is there anything 

that might make your crisis worse, or hinder 

you in bringing the crisis under control? 

Is there anything that can fall? Are 

your exits clearly marked and easily 

accessible? Is any room locked for which 

keys are not readily available? Do you 

have enough working fire extinguishers? 

Do you know where the safest place is. 

structurally speaking? And make sure 

your staff is trained. Does anyone know 

CPR? Can anyone handle minor triage? 

KEEPING TRACK 

How do you keep track of your 

employees during and after a situation? 

Do you know how many people you 

have on staff and all their names? How 

would you know if anyone was missing? 

Do you have current emergency contact 

information on everyone? 

The key to handling any crisis situation 

is knowing what to do before the crisis 

happens. This can occur only if you 

have ongoing crisis training as part of 

your regular staff meetings—and drills 

likewise are a must. The staff should 

understand that, if the "impossible" happens, 

lives can be saved, or lost, based on 

their actions. Get them involved. 

Management sets the example. Your 

staff will take crisis management seriously 

only if you take it seriously. Case 

in point: Tens of thousands of people 

survived the New York and Washington. 

D.C. terrorist attacks because they had a 

crisis action plan in place. So the only 

question is: 

the unexpected later? 

Are you preparing now tor 

HH 

Randall Blaum is the CEO of RB 

Communications Worldwide, a company 

specializing in creating successful business 

transformations specifically for the 

entertainment industry. A nationally recognized 

expert in marketing, advertising, 

branding ami publicity. Mr Blaum may 

he contacted at (503) 318-7705. 

62 BOXOFFICE

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Response No 155

SPECIAL REPORT: Security Practices 

SAFE AND SANE 

How American Theatre Operators 

Are Keeping Their Sites Secure 

by Melissa Morrison 

seemed like a normal summer 

ItSunday afternoon at the Paradise 

Cinema 7, located in a rural 

Northern California town. About 250 

patrons were watching matinees of 

"Legally Blonde," "Jurassic Park III" 

and other summer releaases. 

But all was not perfect in Paradise. 

An employee, while sweeping the 

parking lot, had discovered a device 

in a planter located about 60 feet 

from the building. Using the broom 

handle to part the greenery, he saw 

that the object was a commercially 

manufactured explosive commonly 

used in the town of Paradise's mining 

and timber industry. Its serial numbers 

had been obscured, and a warning 

on it read: DANGER. 

At that point, the employee's 

training and the theatre's security 

procedures kicked into gear. The employee 

immediately reported his discovery 

to the manager, who called 

the building opposite the parking lot, 

according to the theatre's written 

evacuation policy. 

Experience had also taught the 

Paradise's staff how to deal with less 

obvious adjuncts to such an emergency. 

For example, they knew to look 

out for unaccompanied children, 

making sure that the adolescents had 

access to phones from which to call 

their parents to come pick them up. 

And the cinema's staff knew to 

tell patrons, some of whom were 

grumbling about missing the movie 

they had paid to see, that their stubs 

would act as free passes the next 

time they used them. 

"In an emergency situation, you 

would think people would not be 

concerned about what they paid to 

get in, but they are," says Paradise 

general manager Scott Lotter. "If 

that slows the manager down from 

getting to the next auditorium and 

getting people out of the auditorium 

safely, that's not efficient." 

The sheriff's team eventually removed 

the explosive and detonated it 

in a remote area, so no one was injured 

and no property was destroyed. 

The 

event highlights one of 

the situations from which 

theatre operators must be 

prepared to protect their customers 

and their staffs. 

And, in a much more extreme way, 

so do the events of September 11th, 

when terrorists hijacked four com- 

the police. The police arrived within 

mercial jets and steered them toward 

minutes, eventually followed by the county sheriff's explosive ordinance 

four separate American targets. The 

removal team. 

disaster has resonated through all 

Meanwhile, the assistant manager aspects of American life, not the 

went to the projection room while the least of which is spurring custodians 

manager entered each auditorium. of public gathering places to reevaluate 

Working in concert, as the assistant 

how to respond to emergencies 

stopped each film, the manager made that formerly were imaginable only 

an announcement "we have an on a movie screen. 

emergency situation"—and calmly Cleveland Cinemas is one such circuit. 

Speaking one week after the 

directed patrons to exits on the side of 

attacks, president Jonathan Forman 

said his staff was moved to immediately 

begin developing strategies for 

situations beyond power outages and 

patron heart attacks. 

"We're very comfortable with what 

we have in place but realized we need 

to revisit it and add to what our plan 

currently doesn't cover," he says. 

"We have addressed so-called more 

normal emergencies. Only now we 

need to develop and train our managers 

and staff in the event of something 

more out of the ordinary." 

Now that the September 1 1 disaster 

has permanently altered Americans' 

idea of public safety, theatre operators 

are looking at the future of cinema 

security. Forman, for one, hopes that 

cinemas aren't required to become like 

airports, with metal detectors at the 

entrance and patron-profiling to identify 

potential threats. 

"I don't think theatres can afford 

it, unless the government subsidizing 

the airports wants to subsidize movie 

theatres," he says. 

For now, Cleveland Cinemas, like 

many others, is responding by taking 

another look at current safety policies. 

Most theatres' safety strategies 

have evolved as the times have demanded. 

Many of those, such as the 

Paradise's, used NATO's training 

tape, "Safety and Security: Accident 

and Incident." as a basis on which to 

build. (For more information, go to 

www.natoonline/trainingtapes.htm .) 

Building codes also have helped to 

define and evolve policies— for exam- 

facilitating evacuations by requiring 

ple, 

aisle lighting and a minimum 

space between seat rows. 

Beyond these commonalities, however, 

no uniform standard for creating 

and updating safety strategies exists. 

As the theatres surveyed for this article 

show, strategies range from regular 

staff drills to nearly nothing. 

Mary Ann Grasso, NATO's vice 

president, says that specific safety 

policies vary according to a circuit's 

size, its insurance and the jurisdiction 

in which it is located. She recommends 

that theatre owners contact their local 

fire and police departments for advice. 

"One size doesn't fit all," agrees Tim 

Pitzer, a spokesman for the Arizonabased 

Harkins chain. "You need to be 

sensitive to local challenges." 

In Arizona, for example, there's an 

influx of winter visitors, which must 

be taken into account. 

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"That very different dynamic pre- 

lines in the past few years. 

Some examples: 

In Brooklyn two years ago, in an 

apparent gang incident, a patron 

shot two others over a seating dispute. 

A year earlier, in Washington, 

D.C., a 15-year-old boy stabbed 

another patron in order to steal his 

Eddie Bauer parka. And, in a 

major Southwestern city, a multiplex 

was held up twice in two years, 

most recently this July, when the 

robber hid in the theatre and ambushed 

the staff at gunpoint before 

the morning's opening. 

Other crimes occurred outside of 

the Gund sports arena. 

"From the moment we took over 

we always had security during weekends 

[at peak hours]," Forman says. 

Security is beefed up even more for 

films that attract teen crowds. The 

theatre's previous owner used uniformed 

police officers. 

"We took a different approach, 

working with a security company that 

works with rock concerts, who are 

sents different types of challenges, 

trained to handle crowds effectively but 

security and otherwise," he says. "The 

without the intimidating look of police 

rules that apply to Phoenix do not the cinemas themselves but ultimately officers," adds Forman. "But we will 

necessarily apply to Boston. I came endangered patrons. 

use police officers during peak hours." 

from Denver, a very large sports In 1995, for example, an armed 

town, and one of the concerns in man who had just robbed a Los 

Denver is always when the Broncos Angeles clothing store fled into a 

When David Bettencourt 

win, when the Avalanche win—it's a neighboring cinema and tried to hide 

moved from the smaller cities 

very different situation." 

among audience members watching 

where he formerly worked to 

the movie "Tall Tale." And in West become operations manager for the 

Palm Beach, Fla., this September, Brattle Theatre in the Boston suburb 

all theatres potentially face lights broke out 

Still, 

among some of the of Cambridge, he adapted his safety 

some of the same situations, 150 teenagers milling around outside procedures accordingly. 

such as fires, protests and weather 

of a mall movie theatre. 

"In smaller cities, I would do money 

disasters. Certain regions also share Forman deals with urban security drops after work at midnight." he says. 

the same problems—urban cinemas, issues because one of the four theatres 

"Here, though, I don't do anything at 

that comprises Cleveland Cin- 

night. I do all my drops the next day, 

for instance, must deal with the higher 

likelihood of crime. In fact, a spate of emas is located in the city's downtown 

and I do them at different times of the 

area. That theatre is located in day so I don't have a pattern." 

cinema-based crimes has made head- 

a highly trafficked area—a mall He also notes, for the first time in 

that's also the gateway to Cleveland his six-year career, the presence in the 

Indians ballpark Jacobs Field and 

Brattle of "panic buttons," or silent 

alarms. (Fortunately, they've never 

needed to be used, he said.) 

Another security issue theatres 

share involves teenage employees, 

who present another set of challenges 

in terms of training as well as 

protecting a staff that has not yet 

reached adulthood and has a commensurate 

level of life experience on 

which to draw in emergencies. 

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Bettencourt says he's lucky—the 

Brattle's staff is older, and close like a 

family. But he has worked with 

teenage employees in the past, including 

at a Rhode Island mall theatre 

where a popcorn machine fire once 

forced the evacuation of the audience. 

"It can be difficult." he says. "You 

don't want anything to happen to your 

employees. One thing for teenagers, 

they usually don't have too much pride 

in where they work, I've noticed. 

That's tough in a fire, keeping them 

there doing their job, not having them 

run out. You have to spend extra time 

[training] them." 

Lotter of the Paradise Cinema 7 

credits his staff's training for their 

smooth handling of the bomb threat. 

"Before they touch the cash register 

or learn to pop popcorn, they get 

six hours of training on safety and 

customer service," he says. "If you 

have a staff that is not green,... they 

know what to do." 

Training 

regimes, like security 

policies, vary from theatre to 

theatre. 

For Harkins, it means all new employees 

are shown evacuation plans 

and are trained to deal with specific situations 

such as robberies, Pitzer says. 

He says that training is ongoing and 

that a corporate committee, including 

members of both the operations and 

human resources staff, get together to 

revise security procedures. 

For the Brattle's Bettencourt, a 

previous East Coast theatre assigned 

jobs to each staff member in the case 

of an emergency. 

"A good th ing fo 

owners and managers 

to think about 

is to imagine if 

yon didn't evacuate 

and people were injured. 

How are you going to 

deal with that?" 

"Concession would go to certain 

cinemas and open the doors and let 

people know, then go out themselves," 

he says. "Box office would lock the 

money drawers, leave the box-office 

area, then go to a cinema and help 

with getting people out." 

The staff were manned with special 

flashlights to guide people to exits in 

the dark. The staff practiced their 

positions with two drills in six months, 

Bettencourt says. 

Compare that with a medium-sized 

theatre circuit's procedures. A management 

employee at an art-house that 

was bought fairly recently by a corporation 

says the staff — has received no 

safety directives "not even an 

employee handout"—from its headquarters 

in the past three years. 

"They don't have very much communication 

with us," the employee said. 

Like 

The movie brings them in., but the POPCORN 

NATO, its Canadian counterpart, 

the Motion Picture 

Theatre Associations of Canada, 

does not issue specific guidelines 

to its members. However, the association's 

executive director, Adina Lebo, 

says its members' provincial meetings 

regularly include discussions of security 

issues. And the national organization 

helps spread that information 

through its publication. Cine-Scope, 

which comes out three times a year. 

Lebo remembers one particularly 

effective security exercise at an 

Alberta association meeting in 1999. 

During a police officer's lecture, a 

"robber" ran in, grabbed some items 

brings them BACK 

- 

68 Hoxoiiki 

Response No. 73

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and ran out. The robber was, of 

course, another police officer, 

whose colleagues then questioned 

attendees on their responses to 

the "emergency." 

"They asked, 'What was the 

man wearing? What color was 

his hair? What color were his 

eyes? Was he armed?'." Lebo 

says. "Just the reaction of everybody 

there made us realize that 

in fact some people did look and 

got right answers and other people 

looked away." 

The officers then discussed 

how to train staffs to react during 

such an incident, and the tips 

were subsequently published in 

an issue of Cine-Scope. The tips 

included not sounding the alarm 

till 

after the robber leaves (so as 

not to create a hostage situation) 

and having a suspect description 

form available for witnesses to fill 

out immediately (before they 

begin to forget details). 

In the United States, in addition 

to looking to local police for guidance, 

some circuits have consulted 

private security professionals. 

That's what Forman of Cleveland 

Cinemas did in 1988 when the 

controversial Martin Scorsese 

film, "The Last Temptation of 

Christ," prompted protests and 

the threat of vandalism. 

At the security company's suggestion, 

patrons were videotaped, 

bags were checked and 

some staff sat facing the audience 

to deter anyone from throwing 

something at the screen. 

course, the days when a 

Ofmanager's worst worry was 

an offended patron hurling 

a Pepsi ended on September 1 1 

That day made clear that there are 

some events from which guardians 

of public safety can never fully 

protect people. 

But at least they can try. 

"The personal safety of your 

customers and your employees is 

the foremost thing," Lotter of the 

Paradise Cinema 7 says. "Safety of 

property and cash and loss o( 

business is really inconsequential, 

because everyone has good insurance 

even if you have to pay the 

deductible. The important thing is 

to get people out safely. 

"A good thing for owners and 

managers to think about is to... 

imagine if you didn't evacuate and 

people were injured. How are you 

going to deal with that?" m* 


70 Boxoiik

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tape series covering a variety of 

exhibition best practices. 

"Safety and Security: Accident 

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information on how to take precautions 

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Highlights include instruction on 

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do if an emergency occurs. 

For NATO members, each videocassette 

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72 Boxoiik

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SHOWEAST 2001 

Special Contents 

INDEPENDENT THEATRE SHOWCASE: 

Providence, R.l.'s Cable Car 76 

PLUS: IHSIDE SHOWEAST— 

Awardees 80 

Events Schedule 84 

Trade Floor Map 84 

Trade Booth List 88 

New Products 90 

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Stan Reynolds, President 

Ron Fry, Executive Vice President 

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Steve Gooding, President-Benefits Division 

Sandra Bell, Theatre Department Manager 

Judy Gearhart, Account Manager 

Stan W. Reynolds, Account Executive 

Diana Wissler, Account Manager 

300 Walnut Street, Suite 200 

Des Moines, IA 50309-2244 

800-767-1724 

FAX 515-243-6664 

d.l.fischer@reynolds-reynolds.com 

74 BOXOFFICE 

Response No 479

HOLLYWOOD 

MIGRAINE 

"For a stimulating antidote to the decline 

and fall of Hollywood in recent years, take 

Ray Greene's HOLLYWOOD MIGRAINE. 

Rarely have the ills of the industry been 

this precisely diagnosed; Greene's 

\$? 

JL*&* 

deeply knowledgeable insights carry 

with them a passion that enables him 

to mourn the debasement of a oncepromising 

art form while angrily 

denouncing its debasers. 

HOLLYWOOD MIGRAINE is a book to 

be savored for its eloquence and 

wisdom." 

SPIELBERG: A BIOGRAPHY, and SEARCHING 

FOR JOHN FORD 

"An insightful, literate 

tome...Arollercoster 

* Tinseltown's tepid 

underbelly." 

RAY GREENE 

"He's a perceptive critic 

who doesn't follow the 

pack." 

/AILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD 

STRIBUTED BY INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS GROUP

INDEPENDENT EXHIBITION SHOWCASE 

DIVINE PROVIDENCE 

Where Little Cable Cars Climb 

Halfway to the Stars by Jon Alon Walz 

CABLE SERVICE: The cafe half of Providence, Rhode Island's Cable Car Cinema & Cafe. 

eginning at 7:30 each 

and every morning, the 

Cable Car Cinema & 

Cafe throws its doors 

open for business, taking 

on not the local 

multiplex for the first 

customers of the day, 

but rather the local Starbucks. 

"We are really involved in our community 

here in Providence," says Albert 

Bilodeau, owner of the popular movie 

theatre-slash-eatery in the heart of this 

historic Rhode Island city's business and 

university district. "We are only closed 

maybe six hours a day." 

76 BOXOFFICE 

Converted in 1976 from a dilapidated 

truck garage—that happened to still 

contain a classic cable car—into a snug 

moviehouse by Albert's brother, Ray 

Bilodeau, the Cable Car was at the time 

among a number of Rhode Island theatres 

owned and operated by the 

Bilodeau family. In 1990, Albert 

bought the Cable Car from his brother, 

turned over daily operations to his son 

Eric, and—in response to the 20-houra-day 

demand from students at nearby 

Brown University and the Rhode 

Island School of Design for carbs and 

caffeine—converted the lobby into a 

couch-tilled cafe and all-night hangout. 

"It has been wonderful for us. We get 

a nice, upscale crowd of students, politicians, 

businessmen and lawyers from the 

nearby government offices which keeps 

us so busy during the day that we don't 

have to show matinees," says Albert. 

It did, however, take time for the theatre 

to ensconce itself within the community. 

"It took three or four years to 

establish itself," Eric Bilodeau, Albert's 

son and the theatre's general manager 

since 1990, recalls. "On opening night. 

no one showed up. Over the years, however, 

it kept developing a clientele that is 

very faithful. It's paid off in the long run 

for sure."

When you hear a distant voice 

*&* 

SAYING 

~M- 

^LEAN 

OESN'T 

m 

-# 

Don't Listen, 

it's probably just your competitor. 

With Cincom managing the appearance of your theatre, you can 

be confident that customers will return to your theatre, and you will squash your competition. 

C ! 

^P 

NCOM I§0 1 

THE MEGAPLEX CINEMA SPECIALIST 

800-992-4403 • cincom.net 

Cincom Inc. is a proud supporter of VARIETY The Children's Charity

typical day, movies are 

jwn at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 

/.m. in the main auditorium, 

after some live entertainment—musical 

acts, typically—a tradition the theatre 

has continued without fail for over 25 

years. After the performances, a popcorn 

box is passed around for donations 

and the screening begins. Comfortable 

couches and love seats, rather than traditional 

fold-down movie chairs, make 

up the 135-person seating capacity. 

"You just have to get more and more 

creative about how you can make use of 

the space," Eric says. "We do a lot of 

alternative events. We have live entertainment, 

talent shows, and a number of 

film festivals. For the Rhode Island 

"Voujusthaueto 

get more and more 

creatine about 

how you can make 

use of the space." 

-Eric Bilodeau 

Convergence Festival, we're the film 

venue every night at seven o'clock. We 

have had an amazing French film festival 

for the last four years in coordination 

with Brown University: We do a retrospective 

of one director and then 

[screen] recent films from France that 

have not been shown in the U.S. That 

has been a terrific success for us." 

The daily bill of cinematic fare at the 

theatre is high-quality American independent 

movies and international 

films 

that might not otherwise be seen in the 

Providence area. The Bilodeaus have 

even forged a working relationship with 

another local art theatre, the 500-seat 

Avon, about two miles away. Though 

technically competitors, both owners recognize 

that working together to support 

and encourage the viewing of outstanding 

alternative cinema serves both of 

their long-term goals. In fact, the Cable 

Car will on occasion pick up a film from 

the Avon once it has run its course there. 

"'Memento' was a big hit for us over 

the summer, and was a perfect example 

of our relationship with the Avon 

Cinema," Eric says. "They were showing 

it for about three or four weeks, 

which is longer than they like to show 

78 BOXOFFICE 

most things, and when 

they let it go, we showed it 

for about three months. I 

don't know why I let it go, 

to tell 

the truth." 

In addition, Eric notes 

that the theatre had wonderful 

success this summer 

with such films as "Amores 

Perros," "Sexy Beast," "The 

Princess and the Warrior," 

"The Road Home," "Under 

the Sand" and the Frenchlanguage 

hit "The Closet." 

While 

the quality 

of the product 

available this 

summer to many independent 

cinemas was very high, 

operators like the Bilodeaus 

are seeing the direct 

effects 

of overscreening on their 

operations. In years past, 

Eric believes, films like 

"Run, Lola, Run" or 

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden 

Dragon" would have originated 

their runs in the traditional 

art-houses rather 

than the mall multiplexes. 

"Lately we're feeling a 

little more pressed upon 

when you wind up having 

foreign films going to the 

mainstream cinemas. When 

they have empty screens and 

need to procure films for 

those screens, they begin to dabble in the 

product we tend to show." 

Nevertheless, the Cable Car has its 

unique and immensely profitable sidebusiness 

to fall back on during slow 

periods. "The movie side of it can really 

be an up-and-down thing, and this is 

where the cafe kicks in," Eric says. 

"When times are tough, the cafe seems 

to pick up—especially during the school 

year when the kids are around." 

To keep fresh and up-to-the-minute 

on the current independent film scene, 

Eric consults BOXOFFICE's lists of 

upcoming releases and takes the time to 

CABLE CAR CINEMA & CAFE 

204 S. Main St. 

Providence, Rl 02903 

Ph: 401-272-3970 

cablecarcinema.com 

Eric Bilodeaus... 

Most Useful Boxoffice Feature: 

Independent Charts. 

Favorite Boxoffice Feature: 

Movie Reviews/Review Digest. 

Earliest Movie Memory: 

"Watching my first PC movie: 

'Brother Sun, Sister Moon.'" 

Car owner Albert Bilodeau and 

manager Erie I 

make regular trips to Boston and New 

York, particularly the Angelica Film 

Centre. ("We [were] making sandwiches, 

cakes and espresso drinks long 

before the Angelicas of the world were 

doing it!" Eric exclaims with a touch of 

competitive spirit and pride.) 

"We like to bring in films for our regular 

clientele that wouldn't have been 

shown in the Providence area at all, and 

at least give them some kind of viewing," 

Eric says. "Those films [can] wind 

up being huge hits or great critical surprises. 

It just really makes being in the 

business a pleasure." 

WM 

Favorite Movie: No favorites, 

but I cannot watch 'Young 

Frankenstein' too many times." 

Favorite Concession Item: 

Milk Duds. 

Advice To Other Exhibitors: 

"It's always better to hold a film 

that's grossing consistently 

week to week than to let it 

go for an untested new release 

—even if it is the 1 4th week 

of the run. A bird in the hand 

is worth two in the bush..."

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 

PROJECTOR HEADS-

SPECIAL REPORT: Showeast Awardees 

• 

SHOWTOPPERS 

Industry Veterans to Receive Awards, 

Hall of Fame Nods at Showeast 2001 

by Kim Williamson 

Editor's Note: We asked a number of the awardees, as leaders in exhibition, to send us a "Personal Statement" 

about themselves or about a topie of interest to them or the industry. Those "P.S." comments are included below. 

BARRIE LAWSON LOEKS 

Salah \ I. Hassanein 

Humanitarian Award 

Having begun in the exhibition business 

by taking a second mortgage on their 

home to help finance the conversion of a 

Rochester Hills, Mich, twin into an eightplex, 

Barrie Loeks and her husband and 

partner Jim Loeks are co-owners and 

operators of the Grand Rapids, Mich.- 

based Star Theatres chain. The Loeks in 

1987 entered into a partnership with 

Columbia Pictures that led to the building 

of six theatres (82 screens); after Sony's 

acquisition of Columbia, Ms. Loeks and 

her husband became co-chairmen and co- 

CEOs of the then 900-screen Sony/Loews 

circuit, serving in that role (along with 

retaining their Star duties) through the 

1998 Loews merger with Cineplex Odeon. 

Loeks-Star Theatres now operates 156 

screens in Michigan. Ms. Loeks served for 

two years as chairman of NATO and was 

named ShoWester of the Year in 1997. 

Personal Statement: "Since September 

1 1, we have all had to deal with unprecedented 

levels of stress, grief, fear and 

uncertainty about our futures. However, 

we have also experienced the indomitable 

spirit, solidarity and innate kindness of the 

American people. 1 know that in New 

York, and throughout the country, people 

are reaching out to help others in unprecedented 

ways. The decency and humanity of 

Americans as a society have never been 

more evident in my lifetime. 

"Many people are concerned that their 

work and daily routines are 'frivolous' or 

unimportant in light of the life and death 

issues of our day. However, those of us in 

the entertainment business have a real and 

very important role to play. As a society, 

we all share the need to come together and 

to laugh, cry, and be taken away from our 

daily lives, at least for a short while. From 

the days of the tribal campfires, communal 

storytelling has been a way of joining 

together and coping with life's stresses. In 

America, the movie theatre is the quintessential 

entertainment escape—accessible 

to all, it is the tribal campfire of our era. 

The respite that we receive from a trip to 

the movies is more needed today than ever 

before. Our theatres need to remain community 

centers where our patrons can be 

with others and can escape their daily 

troubles in order to emerge refreshed and 

ready to face whatever life brings. Today, 

our theatres can serve a more important 

role in society than ever before. We all need 

to hug our families, hug our friends, and 

make sure the show goes on for all of our 

friends and neighbors who rely on us to 

provide a few hours of fun." 

BERNARD GOLDBERG 

Founders Award 

As CEO of B.G. Enterprises, a small 

independent circuit headquarted in New 

York City, Bernard Goldberg has headed 

his company since its founding in 1991. 

Goldberg's honor, the Founders Award, is 

given annually to an individual who has 

been a key contributor to the birth and 

growth of the Showeast convention. 

RICHARD FAY 

Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award 

Now president of AMC Film Marketing 

and leader of AMC's film buying team 

based in Woodland Hills, Calif, Richie 

Fay began his entertainment career in 1971 

and in the three decades since has held film 

and distribution positions with such companies 

as Loews Theatres. UA Theatres, 

MGM/United Artists and Warner Bros. In 

1994, he joined Sony Pictures Releasing ; 

senior vice president and assistant general 

sales manager; he moved over to AMC 

Entertainment in 1995. 

P.S.: "Thirty years or 1.560 Mondays., 

but who's counting. This is a great, great 

industry. It rewards and is rewarding. 

Movies help to bring us all together; to ease 

our pain; and to encourage us to go forward. 

I am proud to be a part of that process." 

VICTOR CARRADY 

Media Salles International 

Achievement Award in Exhibition 

Victor Carrady is president and CEO of 

Caribbean Cinemas/Regency Caribbean 

Enterprises, based in Santurce. Puerto 

Rico. Founded in 1968. the circuit had 

grown to a total of 255 screens at 35 sites 

as of year-end 2000. He was our Close 

Focus profilee in our February 2001 issue 

P.S.: "I was not always in the exhibitioi 

business. In fact. I was born in a family 

that was engaged in foreign trade, foreign 

exchange and foreign financing. My Dad 

"My entering the exhibition business 

was an accident, in thai at some point I 

yvas asked to finance an individual who 

8(1 BOXOI1KI

. . 

. above 

. 

. 

h\ed in Puerto Rico, who visited me in my 

New York office, and who asked me if I 

would finance a film distribution business 

in Puerto Rico. I agreed, and we made a 

deal. At that time this individual was the 

manager of United Artists in Puerto Rico. 

"1 was essentially a silent partner, but 

after two sears in overseeing the distribution 

business out o[ New York City, which 

1 decided was erratic. I came to the conclusion 

that the exhibition end of this industr\ 

was more stable. I started to acquire 

cinemas in San Juan and. eventually, 

throughout the island of Puerto Rico. 

Through all this time I was actively running 

my family business out of New York 

City and other parts of the world, while 

overseeing the Puerto Rico operation. 

Ultimately, the business had grown so 

JERRY WEINTRAl B 

kodak Award 

In its four decades. Jerry Weintraub's 

stoned entertainment career has spanned 

the music. Broadway, concert, TV and film 

industries. Born in 1937 in the Grand 

Concourse section of the Bronx and at one 

time an employee in the William Morris 

Agencv mailroom. Weintraub now counts 

such titles as ••Nashville." "Diner," "The 

Karate Kid" and the upcoming "Ocean's 

Eleven" among his film producing credits. 

RICK SANDS and MARK GILL 

Show "E" Award 

Showeast this year bestows its Show 

"E" Award to Miramax's dynamic duo of 

Rick Sands and Mark Gill. Sands has 

served as chairman of worldwide distribution 

for the New York City-based Disney 

label since 1997; he first joined Miramax 

as president of international in 1995. coming 

over from Hallmark/RIII Entertainment, 

where he was executive vice president 

and CFO. Gill was named president 

of Miramax/L.A. in 1997. with responsibility 

for development, production, postproduction, 

acquisitions and marketing. 

He came aboard Miramax in 1994 as head 

of marketing: before that, he was an executive 

at Columbia and TriStar. 

Hall of Fame 

PAUL R. DEL ROSSI 

Paul Del Rossi is chairman of General 

Cinema Theatres and has responsibility for 

international operations in South America. 

Del Rossi served as president and chief 

executive from 1983 through 1997, and 

before that as executive vice president from 

1 980 to 1 982. He also was vice chairman of 

Babson College. Del Rossi is a director of 

two other public companies. The DeWolfe 

Companies and Charlotte Russe Inc. 

Motion Picture 

Projector Classics 

3 

Lave2 

much that I found it convenient to withdraw 

from my family business and devote 

my full time to the exhibition business. 

"As it stands today, my family and 

myself are completed devoted to our circuit 

of theatres in Puerto Rico, the 

Dominican Republic. Virgin Islands. St. 

Maarten and Trinidad. Our intention is to 

continuously expand and improve this 

business within the Caribbean islands, and 

we are looking forward to further expansion 

of where we are now and also other 

locations that we hope to develop in other 

islands, in time. 

"Even before I entered this market. I 

always enjoyed going to the movies. 1 

spent m> childhood growing up in Kobe. 

Japan, and spent my teenage years in 

Shanghai. During those years, going to 

the movies in Shanghai was a great event, 

and to spend "a night at the movies" we 

dressed in tuxedos'" 

DIEGO LERNER 

Media Salles International 

Achievement Award in Distribution 

Diego Lerner in 1999 became president 

.mil managing director of The Walt 

Disney Company Latin America, where 

he oversees all Disney business throughout 

the region. Previously, he served as president 

of The Walt Disney Studios Latin 

America, responsible for distribution lor 

the Disney. Hollywood, touchstone and 

\lii. mi. labels. He originallj joined 

i\ 

Disney in 1988 after practicing copyright 

l.iu as .in attorney in Latin America. 

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©2001 LaVi L U S A. 


November, 2ixn 81

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P.S.: "In my 21 

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business, our industry 

has seen lots of ups 

and downs. It appears 

to me that the rea' 

strength of our industry 

is in its people, 

both in the exhibition 

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of our business. I have confidence in 

our business looking forward, because I 

believe that strength will always be there." 

JEROME A. FORMAN 

Always a man of 

the American West 

he was born in Hood 

River, Ore. in 1934 

and educated at the 

University of Arizona—Jerry 

Forman 

served as general manager 

of United Theatres 

of the Northwest 

and in 1 97 1 joined what 

was to become his longtime home of Pacific 

Theatres, where a series of promotions 

led to the presidency in 1987. Forman was 

a founder of ShoWest and has served as 

chairman of NATO, NATO of California, 

and the Will Rogers Memorial Fund and 

board member of the Foundation of the 

Motion Picture Pioneers. 

RAYMOND J. SYUFY 

Raymond J. Syufy 

was born in 1918 in 

Sacramento, Calif, 

the child of Lebanese 

immigrants who were 

in the grocery business 

in Berkeley. After 

a year in law school, 

he joined his cousins, 

the Naify family, in 

their Bay Area exhibition 

business. With his parents, Syufy 

opened his first theatre in 1940, in Vallejo; 

in the early 1950s, the single-screen Vallejo 

Auto Movies launched what grew to a 

drive-in circuit of more than 100 screens. 

By the 1960s, moviehouses under the 

Century name were operating throughout 

California and in Nevada and Utah. 

Today, with surviving sons Raymond W as 

CEO and Joseph as president. Century Theatres 

has more than 700 screens in 1 1 states. 

JAMES VELDE 

Called "the dean of the motion picture 

business," Jim Velde headed film distribution 

for United Artists from the late 1950s 

through the mid-1970s—the two-decade 

era when the then-independent UA produced 

the Oscar-winning "Around the 

World in 80 Days," "The Apartment," 

"Elmer Gantry" and "Marty." Velde is 

credited with creating the premiere showcase 

distribution pattern that debuted new 

releases in downtown and suburban cinemas 

simultaneously. He first joined 

Paramount in the 1930s, and returned to 

the studio after the Second World War. 

during which conflict as an army lieutenant 

he made landings in the Philippines 

and was decorated for a grenade wound. 

— 

P.S. ( by surviving son Thorn Velde, AMC 

senior vice president): "Remembering Dad 

In light of Dad receiving this award, I 

could talk about his many achievements, 

outstanding career in the industry, distinguished 

military service in WWII, campaign 

ribbons and Purple Heart, or his 

holding the 100- yard dash record in Chicago 

his senior year and also beating Jessie 

— 

Owens in the dash that same year, or his 

four varsity letters in football and track at 

Old Hyde Park High School and his two 

varsity letters in football at Illinois Wesleyan 

University and holding a B+ average. 

"But I prefer to just say that he was a 

great dad who loved his family, his God 

and his country—he and Mom are missed 

every day—and that they devoted themselves 

to us, the family. .and we are all forever 

grateful." (In the archival extendedfamily 

photo above. Thorn Velde is the Lee 

Majors-looking gent on the right; Jim 

Velde is on the far left; and Jim Velde's 

wife Jan is seated at mid-table. Ed. 

TED PEDAS 

Born in 1931 in Farrell, Penn., Ted 

Pedas with brother Jim Pedas opened the 

Circle Theatre in Washington, D.C., one of 

the country's first repertory houses; the 

Circle/Showcase group of moviehouses 

grew to more than 80 screens before it was 

sold in 1988. The brothers also formed 

Circle Releasing, with Ted Pedas serving as 

president. In film producer capacities, his 

credits include a number of Coen brothers 

films, including "Raising Arizona," "Miller's 

Crossing" and "Barton Fink." 

BUD STONE 

From our editorial coverage of Sho West 

2001 earlier this year, where the longtime 

Deluxe leader was also honored: 

"Presenting the Ken Mason Inter- 

Society Award, R/C Theatres' Wayne 

Anderson quoted from the ShoWest handbook 

in introducing recipient Bud Stone, 

saying he 'must have a very large house. 

Having received virtually every major 

award, honor and plaque known in the 

motion picture industry, they must occupy 

an enormous amount of space.' Anderson 

declined to list them, joking that, if he did 

so, 'We'd be here 'til lunchtime!' 

"Recently retired as president of Deluxe 

Labs but still active in the industry. Stone 

said in his acceptance speech, 'I spent 

much of my career trying to build bridges, 

linking my friends in the creative community,' 

including directors, einematographers, 

editors and students with exhibitors 

and distributors. 

"Citing the collaboration of art and 

technology. Stone continued, 'That's what 

this industry is about— providing the creative 

freedom to storytellers to bring their 

vision to the screen." 

uuu 

) 

82 BOXOFFICE 

Response No. 86

Sony Pictures Entertainment 

Proudly Congratulates 

The Following 

2001 ShowEast Award Winners 

Al Shapiro distinguished Service Award 

RICHIE FAY 

AMC Film Marketing 

Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award 

BARRIE LOEKS 

Loeks-Star Theatres 

Media Salles International achievement Award in 

Victor Carrady 

Caribbean Cinemas 

exhibition 

The Kodak award 

IERRY WEINTRAUB 

The founder's Award 


B.G. Enterprises 


Rick Sands and Mark Gill 

Miramax Films 

media Salles International achievement award in 

DIEGO LERNER 

BUENA VISTA IN II RNATIONAL 

distribution 

SONY 

PICTURES" 

Lighting Up Screens Around The World'

SHOWEAST 2001 

Orlando, Florida • October 31, 2001 

SCHEDULE 

ShowEast Registration information

UNIVERSAL PICTURES 

We Proudly Congratulate the 

SHOWEAST 2001 AWARD HONOREES 

RICK SANDS & MARK GILL 

SHOW 'E' AWARD 

BARRIE LOEKS 

SALAH M. HASSANEIN HUMANITARIAN AWARD 

JERRY WEINTRAUB 

THE KODAK AWARD 

RICHIE FAY 

AL SHAPIRO DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD 


THE FOUNDER'S AWARD 

DIEGO LERNER 

MEDIA SALLES AWARD OF ACHIEVEMENT IN DISTRIBUTION 


MEDIA SALLES AWARD OF ACHIEVEMENT IN EXHIBITION 

UNIVERSAL

" 

SHOWEAST 2001 

Orlando, Florida • Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2001 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 

WEDNESDAY, October 31 

THURSDAY, November 1 

9 a.m. -4 p.m. 

10 a.m. -5 p.m. 

4:30-6 p.m. 

6:30-8:45 p.m. 

9-11 p.m. 

Opening Day 

Hospitality Suite 

Will Rogers Health 

and Fitness Fair 

Opening Dinner Reception 

Screening: "Crush, 

Sony Pictures Classics 

Special Pepsi Dessert Party 

Reception at Sea World 

7:45-8:30 a.m. 

8:45-10 a.m. 

10:30 a.m. 

-12:30 p.m. 

11 a.m. -4 p.m. 

1-2:30 p.m. 

2:30-6 p.m. 

Continental Breakfas 

Customer Service Semina 

Screening: "Spy Game, 

Universal Picture 

Will Rogers HesM 

and Fitness Fat 

Exhibitor Relations Luncheot 

Opening Day Trade Sho\/ 

and Dolby Cocktail Receptioi 

6-7:45 p.m. "Lord of the Rings" Dinner Part], 

New Line Cinema and Fine Line Feature: 

8:15-11 p.m. "Lord of the Rings " reel 

other screening, New Line Cinemi 

FRIDAY, November 2 SATURDAY, November 3 

7:45-9:30 a.m. 

Hollywood Reporter 

and Cincom Breakfast 

8:30-11:30 a.m. 

Breakfast on tht 

Trade Show Floo, 

10 a.m. -12 noon 

11 a.m. -4 p.m. 

Screening: "The Count 

of Monte Cristo, 

Buena Vista 

Will Rogers Health 

and Fitness Fair 

12 noon- Trade Show; Texas Instruments 

4:30 p.m. Luncheon on the Trade Floor 

6- 7:30 p. m. Warner Bros, and 

Eastman Kodak Dinner 

8-10 p. m. Screening: "Ocean 's Eleven, 

Warner Bros. 

11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. 

12:45-2:15 p.m. 

2:30-4:45 p.m. 

7-8 p.m. 

8-10:30 p.m. 

Screening: "Kate am 

Leopold, " Mirama> 

Miramax Luncheor 

Screening, Miramay 

Boeing Digital Cinema Fina 

Night Cocktail Receptior 

Coca-Cola Final Nighi 

Banquet and Awards 

Ceremony 

86 BOXOFFICE

New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features 

GIVE A WARM CONGRATULATIONS TO 

The ShowEast 2001 Award Winners. 

Jerry Weintraub 

The Kodak Award 

Rick Sands & Mark Gill 

Miramax Films 


Barrie Loeks 

Loeks-Star Theatres 

Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award 

Richie Fay 

AMC Film Marketing 


Bernard Goldberg 

BG Enterprises 

The Founder's Award 

Diego Lerner 

Buena Vista International 

Media Salles 

'International Achievement in Distribution 

F 


Carribbean Cinemas 

Media Salles 

"International Achievement in Exhibition 

m 

FINE LINE FEATURES M \\ LINE CINEMA

I -Mall 

I 

BAER AND ASSOCIATES 1505 

5488 Marion Edison Rd.. Marion. NJ 43302 

419-946-2657; Fax: 419-946-2658 

Contact: Ken Vance 

SHOWEAST 2001 

BOOTH LIST 

An Alphabetical List of the 

Companies Exhibiting at 

ShowEast's Trade Show, 

Complete With Contact 

Information and 

Product/Service Descriptions 

ACCO ACOUSTIC PANELS 7503 

E-Mail: infow accopanneaiiv.Koustique.com 

Contact: Francois Brisebois 

Manufacturer ot acoustic wall and ceiling panels 

ACQUIRE 617 

3265 Kifer Rd., Santa Clara. CA 95051 

409-739-3300; Fax: 409-739-2791 

E-Mail: ronWacquire-inc.com 

Contact: Ron Mclnnis 

ADAPTIVE MICRO SYSTEMS EUROPE 

1100, 1102 

7480 N. 86th St.. Milwaukee, WI 53224 

414-357-2020; Fax: 414-357-2029 

E-Mail: klm@ams-I.com 

URL: www.adaptivedisplays.com 

Contact: Karen McCartney 

.Manitlacllircrs a/ I I'll message displays lor the the- 

ADSPACE NETWORKS. 1613 

6845 Escondido St.. Ste 100, Las Veuas. NV 89119 

702-798-8680; Fax: 702-798-8678 

E-Mail: michele@coolsign.com 

ALL CINEMA SALES & SERVICES 504 

120 Laurel Rd. East Northport. NY 11731 

631-754-5655; Fax: 631-754-2213 

E-Mail: kel0727@worldnet.att.nel 

Contact: Tom Kelly 

Projection and sauna 1 equipment, design, installation, 

aisle ami sic/' light in v. no. folia lion wholesale distribution 

oj lighting fixtures ami bulbs 

AMATECH USA 300, 302. 401. 403 

AMERICAN CINEMA EQUIPMENT. 620 

1927 N. Argyle. Portland. OR 97217 

503-285-7015; Fax: 503-285-6765 

E-Mail: dougwcinequip.com; L1RL: www.cinequip.com 

Contact: Doug Sahin 

Worldwide sales and service with a personal touch, 

incgaplex value packages, low \enon bulb pricing, service 

contracts, 2-11" support, factory direct pricing. 

expert installation and repair 

AMERICAN INTL. CONCESSION 1000. 1002 

20 Dubon Ct.. Farmingdale. NY 1 1735 

631-420-1868; Fax: 631-420-4042 

Contact: Stephen Sciortino 

Provider oj candy, snack, ice cream and load products 

lo the theatre and concession industries, product hues 

include Nestle. Jarct. Ian Melle, Jell) Kelly. CB2. 

Pierre. Adams cs Brooks and Nathan's 

AMERICAN LICORICE 519 

2477 Liston, Union City, CA 94587 

510-487-5500; Fax: 708-371-0231 

E-Mail: mikemactn@aol.com 

URL: www.redvines.com. www.sourpunch.com 

Contact: Mike MacDonald 

Manufacturer of licorice and oilier candy confet tions 

AMERICAN 

SEATING. .1214, 1216 

42 ll Shannon Dr.. Baltimore, MD 2I213 

410-488-8500; Fax: 410-488-8858 

E-Mail: lynnow ainci icanpicniici scaling com 

Contact: Lynn Odom 

Theatre seating 

ATLAS SPECIALTY LIGHTING 1204 

7304 N. Florida Ave.. Tampa. II. 33604 

813-238-6481; Fax: 813-238-6656 

URL: www.asltg.com 

Contact: Ralph Felten 

BANNER CANDY. 1512 

700 Libertv Ave.. Brooklyn, NY 1 1208 

800-221-0934: Fax: 718-647-7192 

Contact: Libby Mauro 

For theatre, amusement, leisure trade 

BARCOUSA 

3240 Town Point Dr.. Kennesaw. GA 30144 

770-218-3274; Fax: 770-218-3250 

URL: www.barco.com 

Contact: Lon Bauer 

Suite O 

Manufacturer of high-performance large screen display 

systems lor theatrical presentations oj digitally released 

motion picture tilms. 

screen uttverttsing displays as well 

us post production and ouldooi display applications 

BIG SKY INDUSTRIES 

259 Center St., Phillipsburg. NJ 

908-454-6344; Fax: 908-454-6373 

E-Mail: cmsui prodigy.nel 

URL: www.bigskyindustries.net 

Contact: Mike Avallone 

and supplies 

BOEING DIGITAL CINEMA 

2250 E. Imperial Hwv.. 12th Fl„ Ste. 1211 

ElSegundo. CA 90245 

310-416-5652; Fax: 310-335-6629 

E-Mail: steven.bergman@hsc.com 

Contact: Steven Bergman 

Suite P 

BRAND CONCESSIONS 1307 

60 E. 15th St. #239, Edmond. OK 73013 

405-359-4999; lax: 405-359-5950 

E-Mail: miloodsl23wiaol.com 

Contact: Mike Zimmer 

Nestle branded chccsciakcs. .1 I ulpilta's pizza 

BRINTONS U.S. AXMINSTER 

P.O. Box 877, Greenville, MS 38703 

662-332-1581; Fax: 662-332-1594 

E-Mail: michellem@brintonsusax.cor 

URL: www.brintonsusax.com 

Contact: Michelle Moore 

Carpet and wall coverings 

C. CRETORS & COMPANY. 

3243 N. California Ave.. Chicago. IL 

Kl 

Popiarn. caramel lorn and cotton candy machines; 

kettle cleaners and bulla -flavor salt and supplies 

.206 

CABINET SYSTEMS INTL 114, 116 

12050 49th St N.. Clearwater. FL 33762 

727-571-1991; Fax: 727-561-7654 

E-Mail: ro\lo\eland:u aol.com 

Contact: Roy Loveland 

CAMATIC SEATING 308, 310 

2606 Julianne, Belton. TX 76513 

254-939-9392; Fax: 254-939-9368 

E-Mail: garyknight@uvm.com; URL: www.camatic.com 

Contact: Garv Knight 


CHRISTIE 914. 916, 1015. 1017 

10550 Camden Dr.. Cypress, CA 90650 

714-229-5158: lav: 714-229-3185 

CHRONICLE SOFTWARE 218 

PO. Box 174. Hartland. Ml 48353 

866-278-2333; Fax: 517-552-9899 

livunhiimkM./ cllionk lesolluaic coin 

IRL. www.justwa 

CINCOM 607 

P.O Box 2533. Salem. NH 03079 

603-893-4403; Fax 603-893-1667 

88 BOXOFFICE

jeiw 

YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN 

OU& CHAMPION 

THE&E IS NO BETTED (HOKE 

FOP THE HALL OF FAME 

YOUD FAMILY AT 

PACIFIC THEATRES

CINEMA CONCEPTS 219 

2030 Powers Ferry Rd. #214 

Atlanta, GA 30339 

770-956-7460; Fax: 770-956-8359 

[-Mali Stewart'./ eiiienuiconcepts.com 

URL: www.cinemaconcepts.com 

Contact: Stewart Harnell 

Custom ami pencil, polity trailers; lobby video pro- 

^rams. tape to film Intinlci oud lull custom s^mm 

CINEMA EQUIPMENT. 

12441 S.W. 130th St.. Miami. FL 331 

305-232-8182: Fax: 305-232-8172 

F-Mail: billu; cinemaequip.com 

URL: www.cinemaequip.com 

Contact: Guillermo Younger 

New and used theatre equipment 

CINEMA LIGHTING 

MIX* Sunninedale Dr. Hudsonville, MI 4942 

616-669-5019: Fax: 616-669-5011 

F:-Mail: cainpbkuKtol.com 

URL: www.cinemalighting.com 

Contact: Kirk Campbell 

Servu a all theatre lighting products 

.722 

CINEMA PRODUCTS INTL 319 

1015 5th Ave. N.. Nashville. TN 37219 

E-Mail: sales@cinprod.com 

URL: www.cinprod.com 

Contact: Ron Purtee 

Protection booth •.applies. Sankor Lenses: CPI 

Projection Ports and FilmGuard 

CINEMA SOLUTIONS 

613 N.W. Loop 410, Ste. 840 

San Antonio, TX 78216 

210-223-2100; Fax: 210-223-2110 

E-Mail: anitatg'cinemasolutions.co 

Contact: Anita Watts 

I pro 

CINEMECCANICA 904. 906. 1005. 1007 

8753 Lion St., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91 730 

909-481-5842; Fax: 909-481-5845 

E-Mail: cinemecwearthlink.net 

houses power luppltcs,

NationalAmusements Congratulates 

Rick Sands & Mark Gill 

Show 'E' Award 

Barrie Loeks 

Salah M.Hassanein Humanitarian Award 


Kodak Award 

Richie Fay 


Bernard Goldberg 

The Founder's Award 

Diego Lerner 

Media Salles International Achievement In Distribution Award 


Media Salles International Achievement In Exhibition Award 

NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS • 200 ELM STREET • DEDHAM, MA 02026 

NOW SHOWING 

"COPJGRATULATIOrJS" 

Starring: Rick Sands, Mark Gill, Barrie Loeks, 

Richie Fay, Bernard Goldberg, 

Diego Lerner,Victor Carrady, Jerry Forman, 

Raymond Syufy, Paul del Rossi 

fcest 

Wishes 

From 

Mami 

Theatres

I -Mail 

1 

; fax 

— 

CROWN INTL. 1104 

1718 W. Mishawaka Rd., Elkhart, IN 46517 

219-294-8200; Fax: 219-294-8329 

E-Mail: audioinfoWcrownintl.com 

URL: www.crownaudio.com 

Contact: Nicole Kline 

flmir amplifiers, system < 

DATA DISPLAY USA 

511(14 Veteran's Memorial Hwy. 

Holbrook, NY 11741 

631-218-2130x47; Fax: 631-21! 

E-Mail salesinli.vciddusa.com 

URL: www.data-display.com 

Contact: Jennifer Haggerty 

lional dtspla. 

antral products and microphones 

.1607, 

DAVID TYSON LIGHTING 316 

RO. Box 1932. Callahan. FL 32011-1932 

800-385-3148; Fax: 800-385-3149 

E-Mail: info@davidtyson.com 

URL: www.davidtyson.com 

Contact: David Tyson 

Distributor ,./ 

knig-hlc lighting products to the exhibition 

industry 

DESTRO S.P.A 1301. 1303 

Via Marco Polo 1 

Albignasego (PD) 35020. ITALY 

39-498S05299; Fax: 39-498805384 

E-Mail: infocii destrospa.com 

Contact: Dino Chiarotto 

DIXIE FOODSERVICE. 1314, 1316, 1318 

2410 Northampton St.. Easton, PA 

610-250-1426; Fax: 610-250-7410 

Contact: Vincent Zarcone 

DOLBY LABORATORIES.. ..900, 902, 1001, 1003 

100 Potrero Ave.. San Francisco. CA 94103 

415-645-5000; Fax: 415-645-4000 

E-Mail: epd@dolby.com; URL: www.dolby.com 

Contact: Erin Dare 

Et/uipmcnl lor analog and dlgllal illiema pro, essoi s. incorporating 

Dolby analog. Dolby Digital ami Dolby Surround EX 

DTS 

.Suite K 

5171 Clareton Dr.. Augora Hills. CA 91301 

818-706-3525; Fax: 818-879-7668 

E-Mail: kcolburn@dtsonline.com 

URL: www.dtsonhne.com 

Contact: Konlyn Colburn 

Designs, manufactures and licenses premier-quality, 

multi-channel, digital audio delivery systems for the 

DURAFORM. 1206 

1435 S. Santa Fe Ave.. Compton. CA 90221 

310-761-1640; Fax: 310-761-1646 

E-Mail: duraformwearthlink.net 

URL: www.duraformcpi.com 

Contact: Betty Prosser 

Dash reeepnnlc and ben, lies inaniihu Hirers of 

Durulorm products tin, I 

custom infilling 

DURKAN PATTERNED CARPET. 621, 623 

405 Virgil Ave., Dallon, GA 30720 

706-278-7037; Fax; 706-279-8451 

salesi.idurkancpt.com 

URL: www.durkan.com 

Contact: Joann Hamby 

Maiiitfaetnrer of patterned carpet 

EISENBERG GOURMET. 605 

3531 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. 1L 60618 

773-588-2882; Fax: 773-588-0810 

Contact: Ed Weinshenker 

tiourmct heel liauk s .///./ hot dog bine, 

ELECTRO VOICE 1108, 1110, 1209, 1211 

12000 Portland Ave. S.. Burnsville, MN 55337 

952-736-3837; Fax: 952-736-4585 

E-Mail: randy.siefertiuitelex.com 

Contact: Randy Siefert 

EOMAC 200.202 

2505 Dunwin Dr. 

Mississauga. ON L5L IT! . CANADA 

905-608-010(1: Fax: 905-608-0103 

diuaall. 

ERNEMANN CINETEC USA 

382 Springfield Ave., Summit. NJ 07901 

908-273-3696; Fax: 908-273-8995 

E-Mail: mfoi.iememann.com: URL: 

EVS DIGITAL CINEMA 821 

rue Bois Saint Jean, 16 

Liege-Ougree 4102, BELGIUM 

32-4-361-70-64; 32-4-361-70-79 

E-Mail: b.collardfaevs-cinema.com 

Contact: Bernard Collard 

Server for digital cinema 

EZCARAYINTL 1022 

Carretera de Santo Domingo, s/n P.O. Box 105 

Ezcaray. La Rioja 26280. SPAIN 

34-941-354054; Fax: 34-941-354523 

E-Mail: ezcarayiu ezeaiayinternacional.com 

Contact: Jesus Gomez Monge 

FIELD CONTAINER COMPANY. 1200 

1501 Industrial Park Dr.. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 

205-333-0333; Fax: 205-333-9862 

Contact: Richard Burklew 

Concession and load Mine e pa< kaging 

Inkling cartons, 

popcorn containers, tubs and combo trays 

FIGUERAS INTL. SEATING 1304. 1306. 

1308, 1310, 1405, 1407. 1409, 1411 

Crta. Parets a Bigues Km 7.700 

LlicadeMunt 09196 SPAIN 

14-93-844-5050; Fax: 34-93-844-5064 

E-Mail: tyfigueras(5>mail.cinet.es 

URL: www.figueras.com 

Contact: Nuria Puigdomeneck 

FILMACK STUDIOS 506 

1327 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago. IL 60605 

800-345-6225; Fax: 312-427-4866 

E-Mail: inquiriesw'filmack.com 

URL: www.filmack.com 

Contact: Randy Mack 

Designers, producers and duplicators oj theatre trailers 

and slides utilizing digital pu nee and sound Icihnology 

FRANKLIN DESIGNS. 1614 

P.O. Box 12315, Jackson, MS 39236 

601-991-9288; Fax: 601-991-9798 

E-Mail: FrankhnDesignsW.aol.com 

Contact: Diane Melohn 

Insliilh drapes, screen frames and screens, speaker 

brackets and speakers 

FRONT ROW MARKETING... 

1514 Wealthy St. S.E., Ste. 218 

Grand Rapids. Ml 49506 

E-Mail: 

URL: w 

Contact 

-9520; Fax: 616-456-115(15 

GLASSFORM 

11C 

10639 Roselle St.. Ste. A, San Diego, CA 92I2I 

800-995-8322; Fax: 630-761-8853 

E-Mail: glassform@aol.com 

LIRL: www.glassform.nel 

Fiberglass trash rccptutles. ash urns, planters and 

GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS 1506, 1507 

10700 Medallion Dr. 

Cincinnati. OH 45241-4807 

? 

benches, ovei 30 Handard and granite finishes, cus- 

CineQ's Version 

5.2 Firmware 

is now available. 

Benefits include 

remote control 

of any theatre 

from any other 

local and remote 

control of sound volume and formats; a 

"Main Status" screen that controls show 

titles, start times, progress, film and 

sound format, lighting levels and the status 

of all automations; internal scheduling 

routines that interface to ticketing 

systems; and multi-format trailer and 

commercial settings. 

CineQ also introduces its Enhanced 

Dimmer. New features include improved 

manual switches providing at-a-glance 

light setting status; a "panic" ability to bring 

up full lights instantly; control for cleaning 

lights through an independent "Solid State 

Relay"; and dimming for two channels 

with an increased capacity of 4.8 kilowatts. 

Visit Booths 1315 and 1317; write 1070 

Morrison Dr., Ottawa, ON K2H 8K7, 

CANADA; call 613-820-0654; fax 613- 

820-1 773; e-mail ccrupit@cineq.org; or log 

• on to ww.cineq.org. 

Harkness Hall is featuring two new 

products at ShowEast. Airscreens, the 

inflatable solution for open air and arena 

events projection, are inflated PVC frames 

incorporating a choice of Harkness Hall 

projection surfaces ranging from 26 feet 

to 78 feet wide. Stored rolled and transportable 

anywhere, Airscreens are easily 

and quickly inflated—typical mid-size 

frame inflation time is only 10 minutes 

using a powered air pump. De-rigging is 

quick; Airscreen deflates in minutes and 

is folded or rolled. Airscreens are constructed 

to withstand wind force to 

Beaufort Scale 5 (19-24 mph). 

ScreenClean, the quick and easy way 

to attend to emergency screen cleaning 

situations, is a blend of mild detergents 

and natural citrus professionally prepared 

to provide the perfect cleaning 

solution for essential projection screen 

screens, St reenClean will alleviate stains 

caused by food-grade syrups, oils and 

sugar. Visit Booth 515; write The Gate 

Studios, Station Rd., Borchamwood, 

Herts VVD6 1 DQ, ENGLAND; call 44- 

208-953-361 44-208-207-3657; 

1 

e- 

lll, III s.il, -...I'll, nknrssll. ill i cilll in log nil 

92 BOXOIIKI

in Exhibition « * , ' 

i 

Congratulations 

To All ShowEast 

Award Recipients 

!**+"-?£ 


Medio 

f 

BARRIE LOEKS 

Salles International 

M. Hassonein 

Saloh 

Achievement Award 

k 

/^1 Humanitarian Award

1 

1 

GOLTERMAN S SABO 323 

3555 Scarlet Oak Blvd., St. Louis. MO 63122 

314-781-1422; Fax: 314-781-3836 

E-Mail: nedfa'golterman.com 

Contact: Ned Golterman 

Designs, maiiului lures ami liquids custom acoustical 

wall panels for the theatre industry 

GOULD EVANS AFFILIATES 204 

4041 Mill St., Kansas City, MO 641 1 

816-931-6655; Fax: 816-756-5054 

E-Mail: mbowker@geaf.com 

URL: www.geaf.com 

Contact: Margaret Bowker 

Architecture, interior JcMe.il hinds, ape architecture. 

GREAT WESTERN PRODUCTS.. 

30240 U.S. Hwy. 72. Hollywood. AL 35752 

256-259-3578; Fax: 256-259-2939 

E-Mail: mark(a>gwproducts.com 

URL: www.gwproducts.com 

Contact: Mark Hamilton 

Manufacturer and processor of theatre conces. 

plies ami equipment 

HARKNESS HALL 

10 Harkness Blvd.. Fredricksburg, VA 22401 

540-370-1590; Fax: 540-370-1592 

E-Mail: jwardw'harknesshall.com 

URL: www.harknesshall.com 

Contact: Joe Ward 

Manufacturer of projection screens, frames ant 

ing systems 

HIGH PERFORMANCE STEREO.. 

64 Bowen St., Newton, MA 1820 

617-244-1737; Fax: 617-244-4390 

E-Mail: JohnFAllenfa>hps4000.com 

URL: www.hps4000.com 

Contact: John Allen 

Exclusive distributors o/ III'S-IIIIIII theatre 

> 

ICON SOFTWARE 820. 822 

15375 Barranca Pkwy., #C104 

Irvine. CA 92618 

949-789-981 1; Fax: 949-789-9850 

E-Mail: ed.hart(u'iconsoftware.com 

URL: www.iconsoftware.com 

Contact: Ed Hart 

International supplier o/ tickcline.. stock. Internet and 

wireless systems to the entertainment industry 

INNOVATIVE INTERIORS 14 15 

400 Corporate Cir., Ste. P 

Golden. CO 8040 

303-215-9870: Fax: 303-215-1766 

E-Mail: ppulkto inno\ati\emtenors.com 

URL: www.innovativeinteriors.com 

Contact: Peter Pulk 

Designer and installer oj fabrii 

stretch systems. 

acoustical wall punch and .omul dampening drapes 

INTL. CINEMA EQUIPMENT. 

KIO N.E. 39th St.. Miami, FL 33137 

E-Mail: icecofaiaol.com 

URL: www.iceco.com 

Contact: Steve Krams 

Ucsliu projection equipment, 

supplier at i 

uprnt 

..215, 217 

IRWIN SEATING 814. 816. 818. 915, 917. 919 

P.O. Box 2429, Grand Rapids, Ml 49501 

616-574-7319; Fax: 616-574-7119 

E-Mail steinv@irwinseating.com 

URL: wwuirwinseatmg.com 

Contact VickiStem 

ISCO-OPTIC. 

J&J SNACK FOODS.. 

— 

" 

New Products 

SOUND 

~ ~ 

" *"" " 

~ ~ 

" ~" ~ 

' ~ 

~ 

' ~ 

' 

Dolby Laboratories has debuted its new 

Digital Media AdapterT (Model DMA8T), a tool that addresses not only the audio needs 

of digital cinema, but also alternative programming in cinemas, such as pay-per-view 

events, commercials or digital broadcasts. The new product allows cinemas to decode 

multiple digital audio formats such as PCM, broadcast Dolby Digital and Dolby E from 

multiple sources, including satellite, servers or fiber, and feed them into their existing cinema 

sound system. Furthermore, with the future of digital cinema still unclear, the DMA8 

has the built-in processing capacity to ensure it can be upgraded. Visit Booths 900, 902, 

1001 and 1003; write 100 Potrero Ave., San Francisco, CA 94103; call 415-645-5000; 

fax 415-645-4000; e-mail website@dolby.com; or log on to www.dolby.com. 

The new GC-120 AC line purifier is 

now shipping from SMART Theatre 

Systems. The product is designed to 

remove unwanted interference from the 

AC power line that feeds the cinema sound 

|BL Professional 

introduces three new 

Two-Way Screen- 

Array Systems to the 

Screen-Array 

line, 

meeting the challenge 

of low-cost 

cinema systems 

while utilizing the 

most advanced technology. 

The new 

two-way screen 

channel systems pro- 

, vide smooth and accurate reproduction of 

system for a cleaner sound and more stable dnema SOU ndtracks in a compact, very costdigital 

processor. The unit produ Ineffective 

system. All three models—3622N 

anced AC power from an unbalanced line . 

Passive Systemj 4622N passjve System and 

source to provide common mode reaction I 

4622 B i-amplified System-feature the ultrato 

incoming line noise. 

low-distortion ScreenArray high-frequency 

sister company Panastereo | horn with patented Screen Spreading 

introduces the MP64 magnetic preamplifier 

package. Used as a replacement for 

' Compensation and dual 15-inch low-frequency 

sections. Visit Booths 1101, 1103, 

| 

.1105 and 1107; write 8500 Balboa Blvd., 

older MPU units or to install in the 

70mm/35mm magnetic systems, the 

Northridge, CA 91329; call 

I 

MP64 is configured and priced for the i R1A-) 818 fay • fax 83 . o-7865; e-mail ldean@ha 

this customer s needs. Only one RU high mancom; or |og on to www.jblpro.com. 

new, modern design can hold up to tour 

^ _ 

six-channel preamps. Visit Booths 1510 

and 1511; write 5945 Peachtree Corners 

E., Norcross, CA 30071; call 800-45- 

SMART or 877-PANASTEREO; fax 770- 

449-6728; e-mail info@smartdev.com or 

info@panastereo.com; or log on to www.smart 

dev.com or www.panastereo.com. 

J 

— • — . —• • — • 

at 

USL has launched! 

a new digital DSTR-20 

film reader. The new 

reader has verifiably 

superior 

performance 

lower cost than comparable units on the 

market and is fully compatible with Dolby 

digital system. This penthouse unit mounts on 

—| top of any standard projector. Visit Booths 

Crown Audio now offers 415 and 417; write 181 Bonetti Dr., San Luis 

the IQ-PIP USP2 Adapter I Obispo, CA 93401; call 805-549-0161; fax 

that allows Crown's non- . 805-549-01 63; e-mail usl@uslinc.com; or log 

PIP2 compatible amplifiers i on to www.uslinc.com. 

to accept the popular IQ- L_ ._.__. ^.^.^._. __j 

PIP USP2 module, a device that provides such tools as programmable DSP fil- 

ters, 

signal delay, thermal limiter, auto standby, input signal compressor/limiter, 

clip eliminator, presets, error reporting, aux input/output, listen bus and signal routing. 

Crown ak > mlrc >< kit cs the IQ-INT 3 Interface, a simple yet important piece of hardware that 

bridges the RS232 connector on a host PC to an IQ Bus loop(s) for communication with IQ 

System components. The new model differs from its predecessor, the IQ-INT II, by replacing its 

previous IQ Bus DIN connectors with common RI-45 connectors for easier product wiring and 

serviceability, as well as offering "Loop Status" LEDs on both the front and rear panels. 

Crown's IQ-RPT 3 Repeater is an equally straightforward component that helps an IQ 

System go the extra mile by int leasing the length of a single IQ Bus loop. B\ 

leionsluu ting the 

data signal to prevent degradation, the IQ-RPT i can typically boost the operating distance of 

a IQ Bus by 1,000 feel (305 meters) or more. In addition, up lo r added to 

a single loop, so total loop distant e may reach 58,000 leet (I 7.7 kilometers) or almost ll 

miles'^ Visit Booth 1104; write 1 718 W. Mishawaka Rd., I Ikh.uf IN 465 1 7; < all 219-294-8200; 

tax 2I'»-2'M H '.."); c mail .iiidioinlot

CROWN^THEATRES 

congratulates our good friends and colleagues 

RICK SANDS and 

MARK GILL 

winners of the 


iimmuiii 

nimmnC 

iiiiiiiiiiuiiini mm T 

along with all of 

onight's mos 

eserving honoree 

Barrie Loeks - Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award 

Jerry Weintraub - Kodak Award 

Richie Fay - Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award 

Bernard Goldberg - Founder's Award 

Diego Lerner - Media Salles International Achievement, Distribution 

Victor Carrady - Media Salles International Achievement, Exhibition 

Muvico Theaters is Proud to salute 

the winners of this years ShowEast Awards : 


Show "E" Award: 

Rick Sands & Mark Gill - Miramax Films 

The Found< 

Bernard Goldberg - bg Enterprises 

Barry LoekS - Loeks-Star Theatres DiegO Lerner - Buena Vista International

ii 

1 050 

, mill, 

1 ':'-:'" 

aiipon 

1 

JARCO INDUSTRIES.. 

ers oj concession stands, custom , 

ion equipment supplierfor the mo 

JBL PROFESSIONAL 1101. 1103. 1105. 1107 

8500 Balboa Blvd.. Northridge, CA 91329 

818-894-8850; Fax: 818-894-3479 

URL: www.jblpro.com 

Contact: Mike McCarthy 

including amplifiers and crossovers 

K.C.S. (KELONIK CINEMA SOUND) 405 

CI Badajoz. 159 bis 

Barcelona 08(118. SPAIN 

34-93-3004361; Fax: 34-93-3000315 

Contact: Jose Fiestas 

KELMAR SYSTEMS 1004 

;84 Broadway 

Hu 

Station. NY 11746 

631-421 1263; Fax: 631-421-1274 

URL:w vw.kelmarsystems.com 

Andrew Marglin 

I'lole.tl. and sound equipment 

KINOTON 508. 510, 609. 611 

Indusir.cstr. 20a 

Germering 821 10. GERMANY 

49-89-89-44-460: Fax: 49-89-84-02-002 

E-Mail: welcomewkinoton.de 

URL: www.kinoton.com 

Contact: Renate Zoller 

LAWRENCE METAL PRODUCTS 1201. 1203 

260 Spur Dr. S.. Bay Shore, N Y 1 1 706 

631-666-0300; Fax: 631-666-0336 

E-Mail: kjfoslerw km icnccniclal.com 

URL: www.lawrencemetal.com 

Contact: Karen Jean Foster 

Crowd control, posts, ropes, railing, signs and Tensa- 

Barrier, portable posts n nli 

retractable tape 

LESNA 1118 

8487 8m Ave. 

Montreal. QC H1Z 2X2, CANADA 

514-721-6914^ Fax: 514-721-7188 

E-Mail: info@lesna.com 

URL: www.lesna.com 

Manulaeturer of projeetion screen systi 

MAH COMMUNICATIONS 222 

151 Kalmus Dr.. Ste. J-7. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

714-966-9164; Fax: 714-966-8538 

E-Mail: mahcommwaolcom 

Contact: Kristy Roesener 

I'av telephone provider, puhln ac, , ss Internet terminals 

MARBLE.. .720 

3102 Ambrase Ave, Nashville, TN 37217 

800-759-5905; Fax: 615-227-7008 

1 -M.iil tn.iihkvunip.inv,/ huinc c. >in 

URL: www.marbleco.com 

Contact: Randy Bauch 

Sankor ultra HD and SS lenses, splicers, booth supplies. 

Xenon bulbs, exciter lamps, carbons, reflet lory 

l\l transmitters sound lenses and Palaiuas lliernta 

tiekel printers, naliauol and mi, motional sales 

MARCEL DESROCHERS.. 

MEDIA SALLES 1404, 1406 

Via Soperga 2, Milano 20127, ITALY 

39-02-6698-4405' Fax; 39-02-6691-574 

E-Mail: infocinemaf&.mediasalles.it 

Contact: Rosella GiofTre 

MEDIA TECHNOLOGY SOURCE...51 7, 601, 603 

1 Florida Ave. S.. Minneapolis, MN 55438 

612-829-0161: Fax: 612-829-0166 

E-Mail: infowmediatechsrecom 

URL: www.medutcchnologwHirce.com 

Contact: Lois Glowacki 

Worldwide supplier of new and used cinema and special 

venue equipment 

MEGASYSTEMS 400, 402, 404. 501. 503, 505 

435 Devon Park Dr., Wayne, PA 1 9087 

610-225-7200; Fax: 610-225-7258 

E-Mail: cneifeld(5)megasystem.com 

URL: www.megasystem.com 

Contact: Cathy Neifeld 

Full-service provider o/ products and services for the 

large-format film industry, manufacturer, seller and 

installer oi 

the MEGA 8170 and Super 8170135 projection 

systems 

MESBUR S SMITH ARCHITECTS 718 

14S Kenwook Ave . Toronto. ON M6C 2SE, CANADA 

E-Mail: mailwmesbursmith.com 

URL: www.mesbursmith.com 

Contact: David Mesbur 

Cinema and theatre an lute, Is ami , onsultanls 

MOBILIARIO 614,616 

Calle del Sol #3. Col. San Raphael 

Chamapa. Naucalpa 53600. MEXICO 

525-300-0620; Fax: 525-300-2136 

E-Mail: bcamachow mobili.moseating.com 

URL: www.mobiliarioseating.com 

Contact: Benito Camacho 

.Manulaeturer ol theatre chairs 

MOVIE CASH 622 

28 W. 23rd St.. New York. NY 10010 

212-727-6715; Fax: 212-727-671 

E-Mail: mfrank(«:tpgny.com 

URL: www.creative-properties.com 

Contact: John Galinos 

Owns and develops a variety ol entertainment ami 

blestvle properties such as Movie Cash Musi, i'ash 

and Gas Cash 

MOVIEAD/BASS INDUSTRIES 1611, 1612 

3500 N. Andrews Ave.. Pompano Beach. FL 33064 

954-784-6767; Fax: 954-794-0700 

URL: www.moviead.com 

Contact: E.J. Noah 

Supply ad slicks, 

title art. concession mylars and translates 

MULTIMEDIA 113 

3300 Monier Cir., Ste, 150 

Rancho Cordova. CA 95742 

916-852-4220: Fax: 916-852-8325 

E-Mail: saleslaimultimedialed.com 

URL: www.multimediaLED.com 

Contact: Karen Klueh 

Stuns and lighting 

MUNDOCOLOR 207 

I'" 

I I'., I 1 .die UlC.lllIC 16 

Si Boidcllobrce.il B.iicclon.i (18810. SPAIN 

14.

CONGRATULATIONS 

TO ALL THE 2001 

SHOWEAST HONOREES 

FROM 

BOXOFFICE ONLINE 

www. boxoffice. com 

SynoPak 

CONGRATULATIONS! 

2001 

Showeast Award 

Recipients 

Congratulations 

CONSOLIDATED 

THEATRES 

Charlotte, North Carolina

Cheswick, 

1 

. 

NESTLE USA 1508, 1509 

30003 Bainbridge Rd., Solon, OH 44139 

440-349-5757 

Contact: Cindy Temple 

Confection andfood-service products 

NEUMADE PRODUCTS 407, 409, 411 

30-40 Pecks Ln., Newton, CT 06470 

203-270-1100; Fax: 203-270-7778 

E-Mail: neumadegiCuaol.com 

URL: www.neumade.com 

Contact: Gregg Jones 

Projection and sound e 

NICK MULONE & SON. 1610 

100 Hiehland Ave , PA 15024 

724-274-3221; Fax: 724-274-4808 

E-Mail: nickmulwaol.com 

Contact: Dennis Tafi 

Scran Inline, movable masking luudwaie anil marking 

boards 

THE NUTTY BAVARIAN 205 

37 Skyline Dr., Ste. 2106, Lake Mary, FL 32746 

800-382-4788; Fax: 407-444-6335 

E-Mail: davidzangW'netzero.com 

URL: www.nuttb.com 

Contact: David Zangenberg 

Nut roasting equipment and supplies to produce on site 

ODELLS 809 

P.O. Box 11336, Reno. NV 89510 

800-635-0436; Fax: 775-323-6532 

E-Mail: odellswpopntop.com 

URL: www.popntop.com 

Contact: Arthur Anderson 

Popcorn topping', ond popping products 

OMNITERM DATA TECHNOLOGY 

7006. 1008. 1010 

2785 Skymark Ave., Unit 1 

Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y3. CANADA 

905-629-4757; Fax: 905-629-8590 

E-Mail: infoteiomniterm.com 

URL: www.omniterm.com 

Contact: Ed Coman 

fiox-of/iee ticketing systems, telctiekeliug. 

concession sales ami inventory management 

AHOlklosks. 

SYLVANIA 421,423 

Mill EndicottSt. 

Danvers, MA 01923 

978-750-2404; Fax: 978-750-2089 

E-Mail david greening"' sylvania.com 

URL: www.sylvania.com 

Contact: David Greening 

OSRA M brand xenon lamps 

PACKAGING CONCEPTS 514. 516 

497 1 Flyer Ave. 

St. Louis, MO 63139 

314-481-1155; Fax: 314-481-6567 

E-Mail: jjiw packaging tonccptsinc.com 

URL: www pack. igin go MKvpi sinc.com 

Contact: John Irace 

Mannhh unci ol theatre popcorn hag\ and kids trays; 

exclusive rep lor Sweetheart cups to the theatre industry 

PARAMOUNT PICTURES 700, 707, 

702, 703, 207, 203 

5555 Melrose Ave., MOB 41 12 

Hollywood, CA 90038 

323-956-4836; Fax: 323-862-1054 

E-Mail, markmulcahyw paramount.com 

URL: www.paramount.com 

Contact: Mark Mulcahy 

Mohan pieluie ,li\tilhutor 

.NY 

v7 

E-Mail: peter. lcvhWpcpsi.com 

URL: www.pepsi.com 

Contact Peter Leyh 

PERKINELMER OPTOELECTRONICS.. .715, 717 

New Products 

Seating Concepts has launched the BC- I 

" 

1000 Firenze, a precisely tooled and pro- ' 

I duced cinema seat to ensure your patrons | 

. receive the ultimate in style and comfort. . 

Features include innovative lounger back I 

I movement, retractable armrests, wide seat * 

' cushions, sumptu- 

| ous contoured 

• back foam, injec- 

I tion molded tex- 

" 

tured plastic outj 

erback and seat 

| pan, single pedestal 

support base 

I 

for ease of mainte- 

nance, optional tip-up seats and distinc- 

I 

Itive upholstery details. Visit Booths 406, 

408, 410, 507, 509 and 511; write 2255 

Hancock St., San Diego, CA 92110; call 

| 619-491-3159; fax 619-491-3172; e-mail 

. tgatto@seatingconcepts.com; or log on to 

www.seatingconcepts.com. 

Tempo Industries introduces Low 

Voltage Wall Mounted Stair Lighting The 

Sentinel System creates an increased 

spectrum of illumination 

with a 

unique soft glow 

that provides 

effective and safe 

lighting. 

Sentinel's 

two-piece 

design with hidden 

light sources prevents glare and provides 

a visible light path. Super-bright LED 

boards provide the most light output 

available, are individually replaceable for 

easy maintenance and come in assorted 

LED colors to provide your application 

with a distinctive look. Optional stepnoses 

are available for increased path definition. 

Sentinel is factory-assembled, providing 

for easy installation. Visit Booths 

120, 122, 221 and 223; write 1961 

McCaw Ave., Irvine, CA 92614; call 949- 

442-1601; fax 9490-442-1609; e-mail 

sales@tempoindustries.com; or log on to 

www.tempoindustries.com. 

Stadium Savers now offers new heavyduty 

components for riser mounted seating. 

The Stadium Savers system utilizes 

geofoam blocks and metal risers to provide 

a platform for stadium seating areas. 

The new components facilitate concrete 

risers suitable for mounting sealing. Visil 

Booth 1202; write 550 3 Mile Rd. N.W., 

i 

CONCESSIONS 

Tootsie Roll olll 

introduces a new 

extension to the 

company's Junior 

Mint line: Junior 

Mint Chews. 

Junior Mint Chews 

utilize a uniquely different production 

process to create a product that will 

Ste. B, Grand Rapids, Ml 49544; call format. Visit Booth 810; write 621 S. Flores, 

61 6-785-5598; fax 61 6-785-5657; e-mail San Antonio, TX 78204; call 210-226-4167; 

stadium@stadiumsavers.com; or log on to fax 210-227-0907; e-mail info@ricos.com; 

www.staciiuiusavers.cotn. .stadiumsavers.com 

. or log on to lo www.ricos.com. 

www, mi , 

provide 

consumers with great mint flavor in a 

soft, non-chocolate chew. Visit Booth 

1019; write 7401 S. Cicero Ave.; Chicago, 

IL 60629; call 773-838-3400; fax 773- 

838-3569; or log on to www.tootsie.com. 

Odell's, the originator of Bag-in-the-Box 

popping oil and topping products, now 

bows two new flexible package sizes, the 

2.5-gallon Bag-in-the-Box and the 96-ounce 

Pouch. The 2.5-gallon BIB fits in existing BIB 

systems or can be removed from its box and 

used with larger counter top dispensers. The 

96-ounce Pouch is designed specifically for 

locations where space is a premium. Visit 

Booth 809; write P.O. Box 11336, Reno, NV 

89510; call 800-635-0436; fax 775-323- 

6532; e-mail odells@popntop.com or log on 

to www.popntop.com. 

Ricos Products debuts 

five new products at 

ShowEast. Ricos' new line 

of easy-open Ready Pack 

30-ounce Sliced Nacho Jalapeno Pouches 

features packaging by Cryovac. The flexible 

pouch eliminates openers and sharp lids and 

is perfectly sized to fill a concession condiment 

container with nothing left to store. 

Ricos also announces that it has 

removed TBHQ from its Additive-Free 

Buttery Toppings. TBHQ doesn't add any 

flavor, color or aroma to buttery topping 

and is a prohibited preservative in most 

overseas markets. The product ships starting 

on November 1 

Ricos has launched the 

Pour-it-on-Pouch, a threeounce 

portion control aseptic 

pouch for cheese sauce. 

The cheese sauce is Ricos' 

creamy authentic cheese 

taste and is competitive in pricing. The product, 

available November 1 , can 

be used for 

nachos, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, salads, 

chili and French fries. 

its 

Finally, Ricos has added two new items to 

portion-cup line. Ricos' Cheese Dip Salsa 

is a delightful cheese dip with rich spicy 

salsa overtones while Ricos' Nacho Cheese 

Sauce combines the quality and richness of 

Ricos famous Regular and Spicy Nacho 

Cheese Dip with a profitable value-pricing 

1 

9S 

BOXOFFICE

CONGRATULATIONS 

From, Your Friends 

STEVE MARCUS BRUCE OLSON MIKE KOMINSKY 

and the Associates of the Marcus Theatres Corporation.

I 

I Mail 

' 

1 

PIKE PRODUCTIONS 307 

1 1 Clarke St.. Newport. RI 02840 

401-846-8890: Fax: 401-847-0070 

E-Mail: info@pikeproductions.com 

URL: www.pikeproductions.com 

Contact: James Pike 

Custom and generic polii v trailers, haulers, dalers and 

3-D computer animation 

PMG 208,210 

I800 Baltimore Ave.. Kansas City. MO 64108 

816-221-3833: Fax: 816-221-6166 

Contact: Jim McGinness 

PRIME TICKET. 318 

1 1540-B Hwy. 17 By-Pass, Frontage Rd. 

Murrells Inlet. SC 29576 

800-385-3148; Fax: 800-385-3149 

Contact: Keith Black 

PROCTOR 811 

10497 Centennial Rd.. Littleton, CO 80127 

303-973-8989; Fax: 303-973-8884 

E-Mail: pdiiaproctor.com; URL: www.proctorco.com 

Contact: Julie McMahon 

Turnkey concession packages, design, 

201-784-5800; Fax: 201-784-1010 

E-Mail: mailtapromotiomnmotion.com 

URL: www proTnolioniiunoliun.com 

Contact: Jeff Scudillo 

casework and 

Care Bears. Sow Jacks, Lemonhead, Fisher Choc, 

PROSTAR INDUSTRIES 1018 

1590-A N. Har\e\ Mitchell Pkwy.. Bryan. TX 77803 

979-779-9399: Fax: 979-779-7616 

Contact: Dory Howell 

OSC AUDIO PRODUCTS 1009. 1011 

1675 MacArthur Blvd.. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

714-754-6175; Fax: 714-754-6174 

E-Mail: inrotaqscaudio.com: URL www.tiscaudio.com 

Contact: Julia Clark 

Sound equipment that nnludes 

Tit X-approred profesl>sr 

nuruincli n III a'owner tunc dchiv and load 

OUINETTE GALLAY. 721, 723 

15, rue de la Nouvelle France 

Montreuil Sous 93108. FRANCE 

33-149-886-333; Fax; 33-148-582-286 

E-Mail: quineuesia!la\

„>„,. >.-. faihafes, film movers andfilm rollei y/stems 

I \l 

i , tad 

Bakei 

Grand 

on, 

fin,' 

'mi. 

I 

Lawrcncevillc. 

STADIUM SAVERS/MHB PARADIGM 1202 

S50 J Mile Rd N w . Rapids, Ml 49544 

' 

Ni.iJiunM-.tadinni'.avcrx.com 

I Rl www 5tadiumsavers.c0m 

William Brunner 

Slipping a sy.1t/n lor studio renovation and n, m 

studio 

STADIUM SEATING ERECTORS/BCS 1402 

I 

pi si ( osta Mesa,< \ 9262f, 

H9-629 4 '.mi Fax 949-629-4310 

I \l " ullei • 

birthcherconst.com 

Patented stadium „ atule iclrolittllle svslelll can he installed 

m nvt five da) i usingminimal, onstm "on equipment 

STEIN INDUSTRIES 500, 502 

ESprague Vve Vmityville, NY I Pol 

Bl-789-2222 Fan h.M-789-8888 

I'Rl ww» concessionbuilders.com 

i ontact Jean Mot afire} 

Cuslom-,1, signed and hudd , 

poppers, popcorn warmers 

Btomases and theatre lobby 

, s\t„n stands, pop, out 

no, ho warmers, candy 

fixtures 

STRONG INTL 700. 702. 704. 801. 803. 805 

Contact: Leslie I 

>onino 

/'./ tiiimmi Hears, hulk candv and \a\a Spring \lalei 

SUPERIOR QUARTZ PRODUCTS 

214, 216. 315. 317 

404 Rte. 519, P.O. Box LIS. Phillipsburg, NJ 088f.5 

ins 

I 

454 lax 908-4544154 

! -Mail dcn|i'« stipuv.com 

URL: www.sqpuv.com 

Contact: Dennis Losco 

Xenon lamp manufacturer 

TARGETTI NORTH AMERICA 309, 311 

1 5 1 3 E. Saint Gertrude PI. 

Santa \n.i. CA 92705 

714-957-6101; I ..x 714-957-1501 

1 -Mail mbriseno@targettiusa.com 

URL: www.tuolihchling.com 

Contact: ReneeReeder 

Manufacturer of iivoh auditorium !-,,, -\ollaec helilme. 

TASTE OF NATURE.. 320 

Manilla, unci of I ookie Hough Hues. Si/h levhes. 

Muddv Hears on, I < oiton t audi Swirls, also dislrihulor 

of hulk candy 

THEATRE SERVICE 923 

610Parkvie» Ln.. Richardson. TX 75080 

800-345-5898; Fax: 972-699-7355 

(ontact 

David Stuck 

THX/LUCASFILM 1014, 1016, 1115, 1117 

l'() Box I0127. San Rafael, CA 949I2 

415-492-3914; lax 415-492-3973 

I Mail cjlohriscn nthx.com 

Contact 

Christina Lohnxch 

( uslom designed sound svstem crossovei and svstcms rack 

TICKETPRO SYSTEMS 121, 123 

JOi Mcrcurx l>. SI 

. GA 30045 

"l ,.s; -S4>- I. n. -70-f.82-.S397 

I Mail ticketpronsprynet.com 

URL: xvxvw.licketpro.org 

Computerized lickeline. point-of-sale hox-office and 

concession svslems. corporate office svstcms. 

clock and LED integration 

lime 

TK ARCHITECTS INTL 1604, 1605 

lOf. VV I lih St . Ste 1900 

Kansas City, MO 64105 

816-842-7552; Fax:816-842-1302 

E-Mail: tknappintkarch.com 

URL: xvwxv.tkarch.com 

Contact: Tamra Knapp 

Iti, air, spc, inlisls dcsien. planmny. renovations and 

expansions 

TOOTSIE ROLL INDUSTRIES 1019 

740 1 S. Cicero Ave. Chicago. IL 60629 

-- si, Uoil lax "1-838.(569 

I Rl www .H..n--.m^,., ...m 

Contact: Pat Coleman 

Protc, lion and sound equipment lor commercial theatres 

and special venue applications, xenon slide projectors 

and spotlights 

SUMMIT FOODS 1513. 1514 

P.O. Box Ml. Dedham. MA 02027 

617-830-0201; Fax: 617-880-0205 

Manilla, unci ot low-voltavc lighting syslei 

incandescent and LKP hyht sources in s 

step aisle and decorative hchttny appli, alto. 

THEATRE CONFECTIONS 

745 Monroe Axe. Rochester. NY 14607 

716-271-0858; Lax- 716-271-0859 

URL www theatrcconlections.com 

Junior Minis and Mason Dots 

TVP. 1205, 1207 

921 N.E. 79th St.. Miami. FL 33138 

305-754-9136; Fax: 305-7549-0863 

E-Mail: tvpmiamiiatvpmiami.com 

URL: www.tvpmiami.com 

Contact: Richard Fowler 

lull line cinema cjuifincul dealer custom sou/id systems 

y\\\r\k you know everything 

nbout movies?

Sic 

San 

Van 

t 

- 

" 

^ 

^^B^ 

' 

! 

, 

, 

j nte 

e 

B 

ticket 

Wntt 

ULTRA STEREO LABS 415, 417 

I8l Bonetti Dr., San Louis Obispo, CA 93401 

805-549-0161; Fax: 805-549-0163 

E-Mail: usl@uslinc.com 

URL: www.uslinc.com 

Contact: Clint Koch 

Cinema products: processors, booth monitors. 

crossovers. ADA devices Jashglu exciter lamps and 

lest equipment 

UNIVERSAL CINEMA SERVICES 520, 522 

1205 Corporate Dr. E.. Arlington, TX 76006 

817-633-2180; Fax: 817-633-2190 

E-Mail: www.CuslomerSemceni eoUCS.com 

URL: www.goUCS.com 

Contact: Kris Bartlett 

lupitpmenl sales and installation, parts and supplies. 

Xenon hulhy turnkey 1'leil: packages, design consul- 

VARIETY-THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY. 418 

8455 Beverly Blvd. #501, Los Angeles. CA 90049 

323-952-1300; Fax: 323-952-9677 

E-Mail: avcus@aol.com 

URL: www.usvariety.org 

Contact: Jay Cooper 

VAST INTL.. .1114, 1116, 1215, 1217 

1 1 1 1 1 Flintkole Ave 

. Dicuo. CA 92121 

858-552-0200; Fax: 858-646-0660 

E-Mail: rhumphreytg'usevast.com 

URL: www.usevast.com 

Contact: Ryan Humphrey 

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SPECIAL REPORT: Great States Recap 

BIG SKY, BIG "HEARTS" 

Straight From Scenic Kalispell, Mont., 

Highlights of Great States 2001 \» a,,„ic, km^s,,,, 

GREAT STATES DAY ONE: 

GALA OPENING PARTY 

Attendees Somber as National Tragedy 

Strikes on Opening Day 

Conventioneers and staff alike had 

[dent) on their minds as they congregated 

for the first annual Great States 

Theatre Convention, held September 1 l- 

(9 in Kalispell. Mont. The gathering, 

which marked the unification of the 

Rock) Mountain and Geneva conventions, 

coincided with the terrorist attacks 

on the World Trade Center in New York 

and the Pentagon in Washington. 

D.C., shocking and 

saddening those in attendance. 

In his welcoming remarks. 

Great States co-chairman Dan 

Klusmann indicated that 

approximately 80 of 300 expected 

attendees had not 

arrived due to 

the natic 

cancellation of all flight 

been quite a day." Klusmann 

said to the group. "I think we'll 

alwavs remember it." But he enc 

those present to have as "'enjoyable time 

as possible" before asking for a moment 

of silence "for what happened today." 

and said to "say our prayers." 

Meanwhile the conventioneers did 

indeed try to concentrate on the reason 

for the gathering. Klusmann's remarks 

were followed by a good-natured prize 

giveaway from the golf tournament held 

in the morning in which the last-place finishers 

walked away with brand-new 

wedges while other winners received hotpink 

pony heads with which to cover their 

clubs. Discussions around the dinner 

tables included tales about bear sightings 

on the show-sponsored Glacier Park tour. 

The cocktail party was followed by a 

screening of Buena Vista's 'Big 

[rouble " Klusmann warned conventioneers 

that the film is a comedy that 

contains a plot about a bomb and a 

plane. He added that given the day's 

events, the studio had pulled the pic 

from its release slate—it had been due in 

theatres in September—to next year. 

DAY TWO: STARS UNDER THE 

BIG SKY AWARDS BANQUET 

Great States Honors 

Cinemark's Tim Warner 

The Great States awards banquet 

took on a roast-like tone as convention 

co-chairmen Dan Klusmann 

and Larry Hanson and 

Founders Award winner Tim 

Warner had a good time at the 

expense of each other and 

_ themselves. Still, it was clear 

^ HhH lnat tnese men 'lave tne utmost 

respect for each other, having 

all been involved with the 

Great States Theatre Convention 

in its earlier incarnation as 

the Rocky Mountain Theatre 

Convention since its very inception. 

In his acceptance speech, Warner. 

president of Cinemark International, 

paraphrased Will Rogers, saying. "I've 

left this industry better than I found it." 

Having traveled the world introducing 

the modern cinema to 

far-off 

places, he said, "The thing I'm 

most proud of is a whole new 

generation of people that I've 

introduced to what I feel is a 

great industry. I've tried to 

pass that love on to them." 

Unfortunately, like many 

conventioneers. Distributor of 

the Year awardee Wayne 

Lewellen, president of distribution 

for Paramount Pictures, 

was unable m be m attendance 

event in his honor. Warnei 

co-awardee, "Wayne does a great job 

working with exhibitors and his company.... 

He has had the same people working 

for him for a number of years. That 

says a lot about him." 

The evening's festivities were followed 

by a screening of Warner Bros.' 

"Hearts in Atlantis," starring Anthony 

Hopkins. The presentation was in 35mm 

rather than digital 

as promoted due to 

the ongoing transportation difficulties, 

But the conventioneers seemed taken 

with the poignant drama and chuckled 

especially boisterously at the line. 

"Women. Can't live with 'em. Can't live 

without 'em. Can't shoot 'em— at least 

not outside of Montana." 

DAY THREE: 

BOXOFFICE CONFERENCE 

Panelists Diseuss State of the Industry 

NATO chairman John Fithian. who 

was schedule to deliver an address on the 

state of the industry, was among those 

who could not attend the Great States 

convention for obvious reasons and sent 

his regrets. Belinda Judson, executive 

director of Mid-States NATO, was asked 

to speak in his place, and the two had a 

detailed phone conversation about what 

he would like to have conveyed himself 

to the conventioneers. 

Among the topics addressed 

was the economic state of the 

industry. Via Judson, Fithian 

declared. "We are in 

the recovery 

stage." The national screen 

count is down bv about 2.(100 

since last year, and box office is 

up He offered a word o\' caution, 

however, indicating that 

there are always places that 

need new theatres. On the governmental 

from. Fithian communicated 

Ins (hanks to exhibitors lor enforcing the

) 

I 

ratings system—the 

government recognizes 

this effort on 

the part of the industry. 

He encouraged 

theatre operators to 

stay vigilant, however, 

as he gets calls 

every week from television 

stations to 

comment on the sting 

operations they have 

conducted. Fithian 

also addressed the 

industry's hottest 

topic, digital cinema. 

As he has said repeatedly. 

"The technology 

has come a long 

way. but the change 

will not come tomorrow." 

There are still several business 

issues to be worked out. so "If you need 

that new lamphouse. buy it." 

Curiously, digital cinema was not an 

issue discussed at length by the rest of the 

morning panelists, nor brought up by the 

attendees during the post-presentation 

Q&A period. (Their thoughts were reserved 

for the digital seminar later that afternoon. 

Instead, the debated topics included the 

frontloading of films, alternative sources of 

revenue and customer service. 

Mike Kominsky, a representative of 

Marcus Theatres, observed that this summer 

has been especially noted for the 

Fufe-Stor 

Excellent 

AonMemzitt 

Clockwise from bottom left: 

Entertainment at the 

Great States Grand Finale 

included clay shooting, 

music by Rob Ouist and the 

Great Northern Band, 

elk watching and fly fishing. 

frontloading of releases, wherein a string 

of blockbusters opened spectacularly 

only to drop off the map subsequently. 

His proposed solution for exhibitors is to 

book multiple prints at convenient showtimes 

so that patrons aren't turned away 

at the door due to sold-out screenings. 

Kominsky added that this new direction 

also necessitates the end of the sliding 

scale, 

saying, "The old formulas just 

don't work anymore." Instead, financial 

arrangements between exhibitors and distributors 

should be formed on an "aggregate 

basis," settling on one fair price 

decided before or after a release. Without 

"Your Neighborhood Theatre" 

All First Rcuv 

Moiriet 

Stote-of-thz-Art 

Audio Atid Visited 

Currently seeking to expand operations in the southern market. 

Presently operating theatres in Coral Springs, Naples, Orlando and Ocala. 

Specializing in renovating existing theatres to the highest of today's 

industry standards. 

ture 

a!I 

such an adjustment, 

"All the technology in 

the world won't save 

us." he said. 

Orpheum Theatre's 

Bill Campbell, an 

independent showman 

from Sheridan, 

Wyo.. concentrated 

on two key words: 

customer service." 

Small-town operators, 

especially, can 

put their finger on 

the pulse of their 

customers' needs, inluding 

quality pic- 

and sound presentation 

along with 

fast, friendly service. 

Founders Awards 

honoree Warner, representing one of the 

few large circuits in attendance at the 

show, shared his company's success with 

adding a third tier of revenue: In addition 

to ticket sales and concessions, advertising 

from rolling stock, sampling and lobby 

displays can be lucrative sources of cash. 

DAY THREE: THEATRE 

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT 

Attendees Learn From Each Other 

The Great States Convention's 

planned Theatre Website Development 

Seminar adjusted its approach due to the 

absence of presenter Anita Watts. 

Instead, Lezlie Chesler, president of 

Theatre Candy, took the initiative to lead 

a casual discussion among those present 

about what they were doing on their 

websites and what they would like to do. 

The session actually turned into quite a 

productive period during which independent 

theatre operators learned from each 

other. See BOXOFFICE's coverage on 

page 121 for some of the ideas generated. 

DAY THREE: NAC SEMINAR 

Industry I eterans Share Tips 

United Artists' Wally Helton also was 

absent from the Great States gathering due 

to cancelled flights and thus was unable to 

follow up his "One Percent Solution" talk 

from ShoWest. Instead, Theatre Candy's 

Norm Chesler, Multifoods' Mike Bates, 

Ventura Foods' Richard Biggs and Pepsi's 

Curt Miller stepped up to the mic to share 

their experiences in the concessions industry, 

and Great States chairman Dan 

Klusmann offered advice as well. For their 

tips, seepage 120. 

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DAY THREE: 

DIGITAL CINEMA SEMINAR 

Indie Exhibitors Express Their Concerns 

Because the digital cinema technician 

was unable to make it to the Great Slates 

convention, the digital cinema demonstration 

that was to have taken place this 

afternoon was cancelled. Nor were scheduled 

panelists Loren Nielsen from 

Entertainment Technology Consultants 

1(16 BOXOFFICI

or George D. Scheckel of QuVIS in attendance. 

But Digital Projection's Peter 

Nicholas and Ballantyne of Omaha's Pat 

Moore did appear as scheduled, and Gerd 

Jakuszeit stepped in for his Technicolor 

Digital Cinema colleague Russ Wintner. 

Among the concerns expressed by the 

conventioneers, most of whom are independent 

theatre operators, were quality, 

the outdating of equipment and the 

Investment not only monetarily but in 

training personnel and repairs, in addition 

to the age-old question. "Who will pay?" 

Technicolor Digital Cinema proposed 

a solution for the latter issue at 

ShoWest. Jakuszeit indicated that the 

company's plan has evolved since then, 

especially in light of NewCo, a studio 

consortium that has come up with 

another alternative. He was unable to 

comment publicly, however, as the 

absent Wintner is the official spokesperson 

for Technicolor Digital Cinema. 

Unfortunately, despite the panelists' 

assurances that the quality of digital cinema 

right now is very, very good, they were 

unable to illustrate their point with a demo. 

But they described SMPTE's goals to 

ensure that any digital cinema technology 

would be interoperable and backwards 

compatible and conveyed the reliability of 

the recent prototypes in place in theatres. 

"We will see digital take over in our 

movie theatres, but film will be around for 

quite some time," Moore said, describing 

the seeming inevitability of this technological 

shift. "This isn't something to be 

afraid of any longer." Nicholas said. 

BOXOFFICE interviewed Nielsen. 

Wintner and Moore as well as NATO's 

digital cinema consultant Michael 

Karagosian. Great States chairman Dan 

Klusmann and Marcus Theatres Bruce 

Olson in the magazine's Great States preview 

coverage in the October 2001 issue. 

DAY THREE: GRAND FINALE 

Great Staters Have a Great Time 

Given the stress experienced by all 

during the Great States Theatre Convention, 

the Western barbecue planned 

for the Grand Finale was a welcome 

opportunity to really let loose and have 

a good time. Held on the Levingoods 

shooting range quite a ways outside of 

Kalispcll. conventioneers could choose 

from such pastimes as ft\ fishing in a 

manmade pond, shooting claj pigeons 

or observing elk grazing in a pen nearby. 

After helping themselves to a bullet of 

Louisiana chicken wings, baked beans, 

corn muffins, crawdads. steak and portabello 

mushrooms, attendees were treated to 

a sei bj country-western quintet RobQuist 

Bnd the Great Northern Band. A bonfire 

provided warmth in the chill) night air. 

On the bus rule home, the conventioneers 

bursi out m a spontaneous chorus ol 

America the Beautiful" a poignant 

coda expressing both the joy the) had 

experienced that night and the sorrow 

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SPECIAL REPORT: AIMC Recap 

0*& 

overage of the Australian 

International Movie Conven- 

t vSk tion occasioned this reportei s 

first-ever excursion to 

Australia, where it was 

ascertained that, contrary to 

^^L^^B comedian George Carlin's 

^^Hr W theory.Downl nderdenizens 

do not call the United States 

"Up Over," and the Croc Dundee hats 

with the reptile teeth in the band are 

strictly for the tourists—but just about 

everyone really does say "G'day," is 

friendly as can be and likes to have fun 

(the AIMC is the only show BOXOFFICE 

has attended that advertises "boozy 

Philip Noyce accepts the Excellence in Filr 

"Dishing with Rosebud 

Cinemas' Pam Ashdown 

karaoke" on its 

printed materials). 

The AIMC featured 

two screenings 

per day of 

upcoming product, 

as well as a 

surprise sneak peek 

at 25 minutes of 

"Lord of the 

Rings" footage — 

an extraordinary 

privilege requiring 

equally extraodinary security, involving 

metal detectors and the relinquishing of 

bags, purses and cell phones. 

108 BOXOFFICE 

TOTALLY AUSOMf. 

Golden Moments From the 

Gold COaSt by Christine James 

In addition to the screenings 

were awards ceremonies 

with celebrity appearances 

(including International Star 

of the Year Geoffrey Rush) 

and "Moulin Rouge" video 

reenactments, poolside parties 

complete with hula girls and a 

Beach Boys cover band, and 

the aforementioned boozy 

karaoke—not to mention several 

seminars on topics salient 

STARS OF THE "SHOW" 

AIMC Honors Homegrown Heroes 

"Australia On Show" was the appropriate 

title of the 56th annual Australian 

International Movie Convention's kickoff 

event, which celebrated some of the 

country's top exhibitors, filmmakers and 

stars. Kodak's marketing awards for 

Australian feature films were presented 

to third-place winner Glenbrook 

Cinema for its promotion of "The 

Magic Pudding," the second-place 

Birch, Carroll & Coyle Australia Fair for 

"Moulin Rouge" and first-place honoree 

Reading Belmont Perth, also for 

"Moulin Rouge." 

James C. Sourris, whose family has 

been in exhibition for 80 years, and Ken 

Kirkley, a Hoyts veteran since 1950, 

were named lifetime honorary members 

of the Motion Picture Exhibitors 

Association of Queensland (MPEAQ). 

Australian Star of the Year Eric 

Bana, a comedian who made his breakthrough 

performance in the biopic 

"Chopper," was unable to accept his 

award in person as he was on the set of 

his next film. "The Nugget," though he 

did send a filmed message of appreciation 

for the honor. 

Local celebrity film critic David Stratton 

was on hand to interview, live before the 

audience of AIMC conventioneers. 

Award for Excellence of Filmmaking 

recipient Philip Noyce, whose directing 

credits include "The Bone Collector," 

"The Saint," "Patriot Games" and the 

upcoming "Rabbit-Proof Fence." about 

the "stolen generations" of Australia's 

Aboriginal children. 

to the Australian exhibition 

View from the Gold Coast's Royal Pines Resort, host hotel of the AIMC. 

industry. For those who were 

too caught up in the former to 

CODE OF HONOR 

glean all they could from the latter, following 

is a precis of the topics addressed Conduct Code Strives to Maintain 

at the 2001 AIMC. 

Open Dialogues, Self-Regulation 

Australia's Film Code of Conduct, 

which has just marked its third anniversary, 

has recently been amended to facilitate 

early intervention into disputes 

between exhibitors and distributors. 

John Dickie, chairman of the Film 

Exhibition and Distribution Code 

Administration Committee (FEDCAC), 

and Ross Jones, Commissioner of the 

Australian Competition and Consumer 

Commission ( ACCC). expressed concern 

at the Australian International Movie 

Convention that they and their colleagues 

have been learning of complaints 

through avenues other than the Code of 

Conduct channels, and assured delegates 

that the changes made to the Code 

should alleviate the apprehensions — particularly 

the fear of retribution from distributors—that 

have kept many independent 

operators from reporting disputes. 

The Code's aim, said Jones, is to provide 

a "fair and equitable framework" 

with regard to the exhibition and distribution 

industries' commercial objectives, 

and a "non-legalistic, cost-effective way 

of settling disputes." At present, the 

Code is voluntary, but the government 

has discussed making it mandatory. "The 

industry has been around a long time 

and should have the capacity to self-regulate 

civilly—rather than being dragged 

kicking and screaming through federal 

court," Dickie cautioned. 

To promote internal resolutions. 

Dickie said the FEDCAC's revision of 

the Code has made it more user-friendly, 

with complaints being handled more 

expediently and distributors' retaliatory 

behavior (withholding product) "roundly 

condemned" and investigated as a 

breach o\' the Trade Practices Act.

For independent exhibitors who might 

feel intimidated in meeting with distributors 

on their own to work out the problem 

at hand, the Cinema Owners Association 

of Australia (COAA) has agreed to supply 

negotiators to assist in discussions. 

Conciliator David Newton added that 

exhibitors are now invited to call 

FEDCAC's Secretariat, who will discuss 

the problem with the distributor in question 

tree of charge. In the five weeks 

since this element has been implemented, 

eight issues have been lodged, with swift 

and successful resolution, said Newton. 

The Code committee is striving to 

resolve such key issues such as terms, 

access to first-run prints, session times 

and length of seasons, balancing the distributors' 

aim to maximize the return on 

their investment with exhibitors' supply/demand 

formula. Dickie asserted 

that the Code has begun to foster an 

environment of "speaking amicably and 

constructively." which he deemed a 

"great step forward." 

PARALLEL UNIVERSE 

Government Bodies Vow to 

Maintain Parallel Importing 

Restrictions 

Independent exhibitors in the U.S. 

have enough troubles getting first-run 

product in a timely fashion so as not to 

or lifted. Exhibitors in New Zealand have 

been the first to feci the effects as the 

restrictions on parallel importing were 

reduced to a three-month window following 

the film in question's U.S. release— 

time period that Mark Christensen of the 

New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors 

Association (NZMPEA) deems "meaningless" 

as it still generally precedes or 

coincides with international theatrical 

release. The NZMPEA has noted a boxoffice 

drop-off of a staggering 1 1 percent 

since this policy was enacted: though this 

figure was also impacted by the recently 

lowered drinking age in New Zealand, 

which has drawn some of the primary 

demographic away. Christensen said this 

does not account for similar statistics 

outside of city centers; likewise, much of 

the industry is experiencing a downturn 

due to competition in the form of 

increased Internet usage but, were that 

the primary cause of New Zealand's 

admissions decline, it would be in proportion 

to that of other countries. 

Federal Minister for the Arts Peter 

McGauran was on-hand to support 

exhibition's position in this matter, pointing 

out that "since the mid 1890s. cinema 

has been a part of every generation of 

Australia." and that cinema outings were 

so vital in the 1920s that ticket prices 

were calculated into the formula of the 

living wage. McGauran, calling for a 

window of nine to 12 months after a 

a 

HOW DO THEY RATE 

Multi-Media Packages 

Complicate the Ratings System 

Now that DVDs are being released 

with movie-related video games, screensavers 

anil webcasts accompanying the 

feature, there is some confusion as to 

how such multi-media amalgams should 

be rated. 

One could package only like-rated 

materials together, or make each individual 

component's rating known to consumers. 

But there is a call in Australia for 

a universal rating system that would 

unify standards for all forms of media. 

The key issues being reviewed, said 

Des Clarke, director of the Office of 

Film and Literature Classification 

(OFLC). are uniform ratings standards 

lor entertainment media (or a "National 

Classification Scheme") versus maintaining 

the current separate standards, and. 

in either case, the implementation of 

consistent symbols in all product ratings. 

On a related matter, Clarke noted the 

problem of showing trailers of a higher 

rating than the feature presentation. 

Clarke said that reports show exhibitors' 

levels of compliance to be low, yet the 

discrepancy is a top concern with audiences. 

One recent complaint came from a 

mother who took her children to see the 

PG "Shrek," only to be exposed to the 

much more intense "Final Fantasy" trail- 

lose customers who are willing to travel 

further to the major chains to see a film film's U.S. release before the DVD or 

er, on which a "Yet to be classified" 

within the first week or two of its opening. 

So imagine the plight of the 

video is made available, assured conventioneers 

that "the federal government CGI sci-fi actioner was already being 

caveat appeared, despite the fact that the 

advertised on television as having been 

Australian indie, who often not only has has no intention of taking parallel 

rated Ml 5+ (approximately a U.S. PGweeks 

and even months after the U.S. Shadow Minister Bob 

several 

to wait (along with the circuits) 

importing into Australia." 

McMullen 

13). Clarke reminded AIMC attendees 

that regulations state all posters 

openings to receive prints, thus losing noted dryly that he "can think of no 

must be 

special 

interest group to whom the govern- 

out on much of the buzz- and marketinggenerated 

changed within 4H hours of a film receiving 

momentum in the ever more ment would say no" preceding an 

a rating, and all trailers at their weekly 

election, 

changeover. 

instantaneously informed global village, 

but hastened to add that he "knows 

but also must deal with the threat of [this is a] position Peter genuinely holds." The required size of the rating in 

these same movies turning up in stores and reaffirmed that "we will not lift parallel 

advertisements was also discussed: It 

on DVD before they even get a chance to importing restrictions." 

must be five percent of the area of the 

thread them through their projectors. Democratic Spokesperson for the ad. and in a color or shade that is easy to 

Moderator Peter Sekuless. a lobbyist Arts Aden Ridgeway. also concurred, notice and read. 

against parallel importing, warned that acknowledging the argument that an Clarke directed exhibitors to the 

New Zealand is a "concrete example of open market is better for the consumer, Office o\' film and Literature Classification 

website. www.oflc.gOV.au, for more 

what would happen" in Australia if parallel 

importing restrictions are reduced should be protected." 

information on ratings practices. 

but asserting that "a cultural component 

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EXHIBITION 

BRIEFINGS 

TICKER TIME 

LEAD STORY: FILM INDUSTRY 

RAISES MONEY FOR VICTIMS 

OF SEPTEMBER 11 TRAGEDY 

On September 25th, exhibition trade 

organization the National Association of 

Theatre Owners and several domestic circuits 

participated in a one-day event to raise 

funds for individuals in New York City, 

Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania affected 

by the tragic events that devastated the 

country on September 11. During the 

"Victims' Benefit Day at the Movies," theatres 

taking part in the cause donated all 

proceeds earned from ticket and concessions 

sales to the American Red Cross and 

the United Way. In an official statement 

released by NATO, the association remarked, 

"The members of America's movie 

theatre industry, like all Americans, were 

deeply saddened by the tragic events of 

September 11, 2001... We. ..recognize and 

commend the heroic efforts of the individuals 

and organizations who have worked so 

tirelessly in the rescue and relief operations. 

We want to help the cause." More than 250 

exhibition companies, comprising close to 

28,000 screens nationwide, partook in the 

charitable event, 

raising over $5 million to 

be divided evenly between the Red Cross 

and the United Way. 

Executives at many of the largest theatrical 

chains expressed their desire to aid in 

the fundraising effort. Piano, Texas-based 

Cinemark USA president Alan Stock stated, 

"We, as a company, wanted to do something 

to contribute to both the courageous 

efforts of the disaster relief workers and help 

the families of the victims." W. James 

Edwards III, CEO of Newport Beach, Calif.- 

based Edwards Theatres commented that 

the event was "a great opportunity for 

moviegoers and Edwards to join together to 

actively support the victims and their families 

while moving forward in our nation's 

recovery." Paul Richardson, CEO of arthouse 

circuit Landmark Theatres, explained 

that his company had "been inundated with 

proposals from our staff and friends as to 

how we could join the relief drive." 

In addition to participating in the 

September 25th benefit, Regal Cinemas, the 

country's largest theatre chain, sponsored a 

companywide "Red, White and Blue Day" 

on September 21st. Fifty cents from every 

popcorn purchased at Regal's 337 moviehouses 

on that date was donated to the 

American Red Cross. 

Canadian theatres also did their part to 

help in the cause, holding their own special 

fundraising day on October 1st. Famous 

Players, Cineplex Odeon, Landmark Cinemas 

of Canada, Empire Theatres, Alliance 

Atlantis, Galaxy Entertainment, Cuzzo 

Cinemas and Stinson Theatres were just a 

few of the many northern exhibition companies 

that either donated $4 for each turnstile 

turn or a percentage of their concession 

sales. Adina Lebo, executive director of 

Canadian exhibition trade association 

Stock (close) 

GRAPH: Exhibition Stocks, % Change YTD(9/Z8) 

AMC (AEN) 

Carmike (CKECQ) 

CinemaStar (LUXYQ) 

Ent. Prop. (EPR) 

Gen. Cinema (GCCXQ) 

Loews (LCPFQ) 

Marcus (MCS) 

Stock (52-week) 

AMC (AEN) 

Carmike (CKECQ) 

CinemaStar (LUXYQ) 

Ent. Prop. (EPR) 

Gen. Cinema (GCCXQ) 

Loews (LCPFQ) 

Marcus (MCS) 

)9/28 % Ch. 

10.50 +162.50% 

0.38 + 11.76% 

0.07 - 92.47% 

16.90 + 62.90% 

0.53 - 53.64% 

0.09 - 59.09% 

12.00 - 1.35% 

Low 

10.50 

0.51 

0.07 

10.12 

CIRCUIT-BY-CIRCUIT LOOK: 

Mkt Cap (bil) 

0.00 

0.249 

Columbus, Ga. -based Carmike Cinemas has submitted a bankruptcy reorganization plan 

that calls for the closure of 25 of its 330 venues currently in operation. The company, 

which has already shuttered more than 100 theatres over the past year, is further targeting 

underperiorming venues in the hopes of emerging from its Chapter 11 status within 

the coming months. Should the Wilmington, Del. U.S. Bankruptcy Court approve 

Carmike's proposal, preferred stockholder Goldman Sachs will 

0.00 

receive a 40 percent share 

of the company, since the plan involves a conversion of approximately $46.5 million worth 

of preferred stock into common shares. 

A group of Edwards Theatres' largest creditors has officially endorsed a restructuring 

plan that would give Denver-based exhibition investor Philip Anschutz a majority stake in 

the Newport Beach, Calif-based chain. Observers note that pending a widely expected 

approval from a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge, Anschutz and partner Oaktree Capital's 

acquisition of Edwards is all but complete. Upon finalization of the transaction. 

Anschutz's domestic exhibition holdings will total close to 2,200 screens. 

General Cinema parent GC Cos. is 

reporting third-quarter losses of just over $15 million, 

or red ink $1 .94 per diluted share, compared with the previous year's loss of $10.1 

million. The company attributes the widened loss to charges related to bankruptcy 

restructuring. Revenue earned during the three-month period totaled $85.3 million, compared 

with $108,6 million a year ago. Chestnut Hill, Mass-based General Cinema itself 

recorded an operating loss of $7.7 million during the timeframe. 

MPTAC, said that she hoped that "this added 

incentive" would "attract film-lovers to our 

theatres and give them an opportunity to 

participate in the relief effort." 

The majority of Hollywood studios lent 

their full support to the September 25th benefit 

by waiving the rental fee for the day's 

screenings. Sony Pictures, Paramount Studios, 

Warner Bros., DreamWorks, MGM and 

Buena Vista were among the distributors that 

agreed to donate their share of ticket revenue 

earned on the fundraising date. 

Following the terrorist attacks on the World 

Trade Center and the Pentagon, several movie 

theatres across the country had made the 

decision to close for business on September 

11, citing both safety concerns and a wisli to 

pay respect to the victims of the tragedy. 

GENERAL COMMANDS BIDS 

Competition to purchase the 677-screen 

General Cinema theatrical circuit heated up 

early last September, as a number of companies 

submitted offers to meet the U.S. 

Bankruptcy Court's final deadline. Industry 

observers name Kansas City-based AMC 

Entertainment and investment partners 

Onex Corp. and Los Angeles-based Oaktree 

Capital as leading bidders, with both groups 

believed to have increased their respective 

proposals, which were submitted earlier 

the year (see Exhibition Briefings, October, 

2001). Also making a bid for the Chestnut 

Hill, Mass.-based chain are unexpected 

partners Century rheatres and Muvico. 

Analysts speculate that H San Rafael, Calif. 

based Century and Fl. Lauderdale, Fla.- 

in 

110 BOXOIIKI

ased Muvico successfully acquire 

General Cinema, they are 

likely to divide the venues geographically. 

Investors that had 

been expected to present an 

offer were a group of former 

General Cinema executives 

headed by father-and-son team 

Richard and Robert Smith. 

Although the group had court 

approval to present an offer, a 

bid never came through. 

BANKRUPTCY FILING 

IMMINENT FOR NATION'S 

LARGEST CIRCUIT 

Regal ( inemas, the world's 

largest exhibition circuit, announced 

today that pending maim 

it\ approval from the company's 

leading subordinated debt 

holders, the Knoxville, Tenn.- 

based chain intends to file for 

voluntary Chapter 11 protection. 

Under terms of the proposed 

restructuring, senior creditors 

will receive payment of accrued 

and unpaid interest as well as 

1 00 percent of reorganized Regal 

common stock, dependent upon 

dilution by a new management 

incentive plan. In addition, a 

number of creditors will also 

receive payment for certain costs 

and expenses resulting from the 

company's restructuring. 

"After careful evaluation of 

REGIONAL NEWS 

MID-ATLANTIC NATO INVITES SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS 

go out to our member theatres early in January, but our 

Our scholarship applications will 

announcements and early advisory should be in your hands now, having been mailed 

September 5. Please, managers, post the red bulletin notice so that your employees will know 

about the program. $20,000 in scholarships will be awarded to high school senior and college/university 

employees of our Mid-Atlantic NATO theatres in 2002 as follows: Employees 

who are now college/university students— first place: $3,000 Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarship; 

second place: $2,000 Jim & Ted Pedas Foundation Scholarship; third place: $2,000 Paul Roth 

Memorial Scholarship; fourth and fifth places: $1,000 Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarships; sixth 

and seventh places: $500 Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarships. Employees who are now high 

school seniors— first place: $3,000 Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarship; second place: $2,000 

Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarship; third place: $1,000 Sam Bendheim Memorial Scholarship, 

funded by Regal Cinemas; fourth, fifth and sixth places: $1,000 Mid-Atlantic NATO 

Scholarships; seventh and eight places: $500 Mid-Atlantic NATO Scholarships. Criteria for 

judging includes on-the-job performance, need, school record and all-around citizenship. 

—Contributed by Mid-Atlantic NATO 

NATO OF PA LISTING 

Please add NATO of Pennsylvania to [BOXOFFICE'sl listing of organizations and associations. 

We have a membership of approximately 80 members representing about 800 screens. 

President and Executive Director, H. Donald Busch; Vice President, Nick Mulone, Mulone 

Theatres; Vice President, Marvin Troutman, Cinema Centers; Vice President and Treasurer, 

Charles Fogel, United Artists Theatres; Secretary, Gina DiSanto, Cinema Centers. NATO of 

Pennsylvania, 128 Chestnut St., Suite 303, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Phone:215-238-0633; 

Fax: 21 5-238-0683—Contributed by NATO of Pennsylvania 

Regional NATO offices and exhibition associations, send your news clips to: 

BOXOFFICE, Attn: Regional News 

155 S. El Molino Ave., Suite 100, 

Pasadena, CA 91101 

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1 

EXHIB QUIPS 

'The fight to keep small local cinemas 

is.. .a worthy cause ami consumes the 

attention of many liberal democrats, to 

the extent that if 

a nuclear missile targeted 

on Bournemouth were now over 

Turkmenistan and heading our way at 

Much 2. they would point out that this 

still left time to finish the debate on 

local cinema closures. "—United 

Kingdom newspaper columnist Simon 

Hoggart's opinion on the priorities of 

the country's "LibDem" political 

party (The Guardian). 

'Holly .,/M do fine nthoul my 

participation. A rare visit 

to the local 

cineplex recently with my spouse, 

daughter and a friend cost $28. 1 realfounds 

me that regular moviegoers can 

take this kind oj pockethook pummeling 

every weekend. 

When. I wonder, are 

the economic effects of NAFTA going 

to affect the film industry and give consumers 

relief with lower-priced imports 

from Canada and Mexico?"—Writer 

Jeffrey Shaffer discussing why "the 

success or failure of entire companies" 

do not necessarily depend on the 

"behavior of single consumer|s|," such 

as himself (Christian Science Monitor). 

various restructuring and recapitalization 

alternatives, we concluded that a consensual 

prepackaged reorganization under Chapter 

11 presents the most effective means to 

restructure the company's debt, strengthen its 

capital structure and position Regal to compete 

effectively in the film exhibition industry," 

notes Regal CEO Michael Campbell. 

According to Campbell, the 3,898- 

screen circuit aims to complete its reorganization 

within two to three months after 

officially filing for Chapter 11 protection, 

with business operations at its 338 theatres 

expected to continue as normal during the 

entire bankruptcy process. 

AMC CONTINUES 

MONTHLY PASS PROMOTION 

Exhibition giant AMC Entertainment 

intends to extend the trial period for its promotional 

pass, which allows patrons to see 

one movie per day for a flat monthly fee, as 

long as subscribers sign up for a minimum 

of six months. The Kansas City-based 

chain, which first launched the promotion 

last June in Omaha, Neb. and Oklahoma 

City, Okla. (see Exhibition Briefings, 

August 2001), recently announced that it 

will continue to run the program in the two 

test markets for an additional six months. 

The company is attempting to assess the 

number of program subscribers that will 

renew their passes once the initial sixmonth 

period has expired. AMC is also 

looking to determine the frequency of pass 

use during the winter season. 

"We launched the MovieWatcher 

Premium Card test with the intention of 

growing box-office receipts through an 

increase in moviegoing frequency," says 

AMC topper Phil Singleton. "We are encouraged 

that the test appears to be having the 

desired positive effect on both frequency 

and total admissions revenue." 

AMC had originally planned to test the 

movie pass in four more markets, but decided 

against the expansion since similar results 

in Omaha and Oklahoma City seem to indicate 

minimal differences in regional performance. 

While the theatrical circuit is optimistic 

about the promotion, a handful of distributors 

have expressed concern about the 

possibility of shrinking profits from revenue 

splits. AMC has stated that it would continue 

to pay on a per-viewing basis, but not all studios 

are reassured. Last summer, Paramount 

decided to withhold Robert De Niro starrer 

"The Score" from AMC theatres in the 

Omaha and Oklahoma City markets. 

NYC CINEPLEXES CHANGE 

FROM REGAL TO UATC 

New 

Regal Cinemas has officially exited 

York City as a bankruptcy filing looms near 

for the Knoxville, Tenn. -based chain (see 

page 111). The company is said to be transferring 

leases on its NYC sites—including a 

16-screener in Battery Park, a Brooklyn 

Heights 12-screen complex and the 14-plex 

Kaufman Astoria in Queens—to United 

Artists Theatre Circuit. The Englewood, 

Colo. -based exhibition company is 

also taking 

over the lease for Regal's state-of-the-art 

multiscreener in North Bergen, N.J. All of 

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LOEWS PUTS THE 

"SPOTLIGHT ON THE CURE" 

To help raise awareness and edu< ate the 

public about breast cancer, exhibition chain 

Loews Cineplex Entertainment ran a "Spotlight 

On the Cure" program throughout 

October. As part of the event, the New York 

City-based exhibition circuit contributed 

over $400,000 in cash and media exposure 

to the Susan C. Komen Foundation, with a 

portion of revenue from October ticket sales 

at all of the company's domestic venues also 

being donated to the cause. The program 

was inaugurated with pre-release screenings 

of the John Cusack starrer "Serendipity" in 

several major markets, including New York, 

Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., 

Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, 

Seattle, Houston and Pittsburgh. Ten percent 

of all concession sales during the special 

presentations were donated to the Komen 

Foundation. "Breast cancer touches many 

people, and we want to maximize all 

of our resources to provide support in 

every way we can," says Loews 

Cineplex president Lawrence Ruisi. 

"We are hopeful that by raising 

awareness and educating the public, 

more women will get early screenings, 

and more lives will be saved." 

CIRCUITS PULL APOCALYPSE PIC 

United Artists, General Cinema, Edwards 

Theatre Circuit, Pacific Theatres and Loews 

Cineplex Entertainment are among the 

largest domestic circ uits th.it have decided 

against screening Gener8xion Entertainment 

release "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2." The 

decision, which was rendered in the wake of 

the events of September 11th, left the apocalypse-themed 

sequel to open on 50 less 

theatres than the original 400 that had been 

scheduled. The movie, however, was not 

cancelled by all major chains. AMC Entertainment, 

Regal Cinemas and Cinemark 

USA are a few of the major exhibitors that 

programmed the film as initially planned. 

CALENDAR 

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Portland, 

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CALIFORNIA 

FAIRFAX THEATRE RECEIVES 

NEW LEASE ON LIFE 

Art-house circuit Laemmle Theatres 

has announced its purchase of the 

Fairfax Theatre located on the corner of 

Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard 

in the heart of Los Angeles. The company, 

whose headquarters is just a few 

miles from its new site, intends to refurbish 

the three-screen venue, with plans 

calling for new carpeting and seating as 

well as removal of several rows of seats 

in each auditorium to increase patron 

comfort-level. Formerly a second-run 

cinema, Lammle says that the reopened 

Fairfax Theatre will exclusively program 

specialty and foreign-language films. 

The theatre, which is slated to bow in 

early November, is one of several facili- 

Square Cinema features 14 screens, allstadium 

auditoriums and digital surround being renovated—nearby Los Angeles 

ties in the L.A. neighborhood currently 

sound. Designed by firm WPH Architecture, 

County Museum of Art and tourist 

the 44,570-square-foot venue attraction the Farmers Market are just a 

anchors mixed-use complex Gilbert couple other entertainment destinations 

Town Square, which will also eventually 

house retail spaces, restaurants, a hotel 

and office buildings. 

receiving major facelifts. 

SAN LEANDRO MAY PLAY BAL 

The city council of Bay Area municipal- 

San Leandro is currently contemplating 

ity 

purchasing the historic Bal Theatre. 

Though some council members are skeptical 

that the venue could continue operating 

as a moviehouse—since cinemagoers 

tend to prefer the amenities provided by 

competing multiplexes—some officials 

believe the site will find more success as a 

performing arts center, an idea that is 

being supported by local residents. Other 

possible uses being discussed for the 

10,400-square-foot, 55-year-old theatre 

include transforming it into retail space, a 

townhouse development or a new iibrary. 

ASBESTOS CONCERNS 

HALT AUBURN SITE 

Construction on a 10-screen plex in the 

Northern California city of Auburn was 

voluntarily put on hold while the site's soil 

is tested for asbestos. Health officials, who 

had been in the process of investigating 

an excessive dust complaint, discovered 

serpentine rock in the work area. The mineral 

is known as a common producer of 

cancer-causing asbestos fibers. 

California 

is the first state to pass legislation regarding 

asbestos emission control in construction 

and mining areas. 

LAEMMLE'S NEW 

VALLEY GOOD THEATRE 

San Fernando Valley's infamous Valley 

Girls will now have a new mall to call their 

own, as owners of one of the region's oldest 

shopping centers have announced plans to 

renovate the Fallbrook Mall in West Hills. 

General Growth Properties aims to transform 

the property, renamed the Fallbrook Center, 

into an open-air site to include major retailers 

and a new seven-screener to be operated by 

art-house circuit Laemmle Theatres. The 

Laemmle moviehouse will replace a 10- 

screen multiplex, which Chestnut Hill, Mass.- 

based General Cinema closed last year. 

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CONNECTICUT 

FAIRFIELD BELIEVES 

IN COMMUNITY 

A local campaign that aims to raise 

enough capital to restore Fairfield's 

jewel-box cinema the Community Movie 

Theatre is 

currently underway. Plans for 

the two-screen venue, which closed last 

May, include a possible stage in one of 

the auditoriums for live performances 

and a staff comprised entirely of volunteers. 

In addition to restoration efforts, 

monev donated to the fundraising group, 

dubbed the Community Theatre Organization, 

will also help establish college 

scholarships and support local charities. 

According to Community Movie Theatre 

leaseholder Leo Redgate, the cinema's 

reopening date depends on the speed of 

contributions. He notes that once back 

in business, the Community will program 

primarily art-house and second-run 

Hollywood fare, holding occasional 

screenings of classic films. 

WHOLE NEW WORLD 

IN WEST MELBOURNE 

Groundbreaking recently began on a 

new 16-screen complex in the city of 

West Melbourne. The new Cinema 

World site is the first of what investor 

Rick Starr hopes will be more all-stadium 

cineplex projects in 

Florida. Local industry 

observers report that Starr has entered 

discussions with developers of nearby 

retail complex Brevard Crossings in 

Cocoa about the possibility of opening 

another Cinema World to anchor the 

although a formal commitment has 

site, 

yet-to-be made. In addition to the 

Cinema World screens, Starr's other 

Brevard County projects include fourscreen 

Atlantic Plaza Shopping Center 

anchor the Satellite Beach Cinema as 

well as the proposed 16-screen Rave 

Motion Pictures for the town of Viera. 

SUNSTAR 

BRIGHTENS UP OCALA 

A six-screener in the city of Ocala recently 

reopened after being closed for a brief 

six-week period during a change of ownership. 

Formerly the Boulevard Six operated 

by Knoxville, Tenn.-based Regal Cinemas, 

the revamped venue has been renamed the 

Ocala Center 6 by new owner SunStar 

Theatres. Among the amenities added by 

the Coral Springs, Fla.-based circuit are an 

improved concession stand and audiovideo 

displays in the lobby. The six-screen 

site is one of many theatres that have been 

bought and renovated by SunStar. Other 

sites remodeled by the company include 

theatres in the Florida cities of Coral 

Springs, East Naples and Lake Mary. 

CINEMA SHRINKAGE 

IN COLUMBIA 

A former General Cinema threescreener 

was recently torn down in the 

community of Columbia. The art-house, 

which first opened its doors more than 

three decades ago, has been closed to 

the public since October 2000 and was 

one of three cinemas operating in town. 

Another local cinema, the Palace 9, 

which is run by Loews Entertainment, 

was also scheduled for closure, but has 

temporarily remained open while the 

New York City-based company negotiates 

with site landlord Continental 

Realty. However, should the ninescreener 

ultimately meet with the 

wrecking backing, Columbia residents 

will be left with just one option if they 

wish to see a movie in town: UATC's 

Snowden Square 14. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

VOLUNTEERS HELP REBUILD 

AMHERST VENUE 

Restoration is 

underway on the 75-yearold 

Amherst Cinema, which was purchased 

at the beginning of the year by 

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non-profit group the Amherst Cinema 

Center Committee. With the aid 

of local 

volunteers, the organization is hoping to 

renovate the moviehouse into a 375-seat, 

two-auditorium venue for the performing 

arts. The site also plans to include a cafe, 

an art gallery and office space. Among the 

partners helping to fund the conversion are 

the University of Massachusetts and the 

New World Theater. 

BOSTON PLEX GOES BUDGET 

New York City-based Loews Entertainment 

has revealed plans to operate its fourscreen 

Boston theatre as a second-run cinema. 

Formerly one of the city's most upscale 

moviehouses, the Cheri theatre's transformation 

into a budget venue follows the recent 

opening of Loews' 19-screen cineplex in 

nearby Millennium Place. A spokesperson 

for Loews says that the exhibition chain 

decided to take an experimental approach to 

the area rather than shutter the Cheri. 

UPTOWN BUILDS UP 

IN BIRMINGHAM 

Developer Uptown Entertainment has 

announced the opening of a state-of-theart 

cineplex in Birmingham, a suburb of 

Detroit. The new Uptown Palladium 12 

features curved screens, Dolby digital 

surround sound, highback leather seating, 

complimentary valet service and 

gourmet concession options. The 

is 

73,500-square-foot, 500-seat venue 

the second Uptown Entertainment venue 

to bow in the area, with the Uptown 

Birmingham 8 multiplex also in operation. 

"Location was a key factor for us, as 

the new development offers several great 

restaurants and retailers in the same 

complex," says company president Carole 

Hitch Trepack. "IPeople] can peruse 

downtown, shop, dine and see a movie 

all in the heart of Birmingham." 

ALTERCATION AT 

MARYVILLE CINEMA 

A recent confrontation outside of a 

movie theatre in Maryville has landed one 

18-year-old in jail and another 18-yearold 

in the hospital. Jonathon Hensen has 

been charged with first-degree assault for 

allegedly hitting Damon Ross in the head 

during a Saturday night encounter. A local 

witness described the two men as having 

an "ongoing feud." 

OKLAHOMA 

SAPULPA PONDERS PLEX PLANS 

Sapulpa city council members are 

considering final plans for a retail complex 

project currently being developed 

on New Sapulpa Road. Among the major 

facilities expected to anchor the site are 

two family restaurants and a multiplex, 

which, according to architectural sketches, 

will hold eight screens and 14-inch 

riser stadium seating auditoriums. The 

theatre is also expected to cover just 

under six acres of property. The Sapulpa 

Metropolitan Area Planning Commission 

and city manager Tom DeArman have 

already expressed their approval of the 

finalized scheme. 

NEW THEATRE 

DANDY IN SANDY 

Plans for an eight-screen theatre in the 

town of Sandy seem to be back on-track 

after a disagreement about development 

fees threatened to derail the project. 

Theatre developer El lie Kassab had been 

in negotiations with Sandy's city council 

regarding $32,000 in local construction 

fees. Kassab's Prestige Development had 

requested that the city waive the fees, 

arguing that the community was not 

charging the levies when his company 

first considered building the multiplex 

several years ago. Sandy officials, however, 

countered that the exemption would 

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e unfair to other businesses and voted 

unanimously to allow Kassab to make 

payments over a 10-year period, rather 

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hopes to complete construction on 

the theatre in time for a summer opening. 

MODERN PLEX 

TO COME TO CHEHALIS 

Chehalis Theatre owner Daryl Lund 

has unveiled a pioposal tor a modern 

multiscreener in the Chehalis-Centralia 

area. Lund, who currently operates the 

single-screen venue in Chehaiis, plans to 

include seven or eight screens, more 

than 800 seats, digital surround sound 

and all-stadium auditoriums in the new 

cineplex, which he predicts will be the 

most popular movie destination in the 

rural area. Currently, the largest movie 

theatre in the immediate region is a 

three-screener in 

the town of Chehalis. 

MALCO'S RALEIGH RALLY 

Memphis, Tenn. -based Malco Theatres 

has bowed a new 12-screen multiplex 

anchoring the recently revamped 

Raleigh Springs Mall entertainment 

complex. Measuring over 42,000 square 

feet, the cineplex includes such modern 

amenities as all-stadium auditoriums 

and digital surround sound systems. The 

opening of the Malco site last July 

marked completion of the shopping 

center's mass renovations, which cost 

upwards of $11 million. In addition to 

the 12-plex, other major anchors of the 

Raleigh Springs Mall include retailers 

Sears and ICPenny Outlet. Simon 

Property Croup, which owns the complex 

and put up the funds for its extensive 

remodeling, is putting the entertainment 

site on the auction block. 

MAGNOLIA FLOWERS 

IN DALLAS 

Austin, Texas-based art-house circuit 

Magnolia Pictures has opened its flagship 

theatre in Dallas. Located in the 

city's Uptown district on the corner of 

Lemmon and McKinney, the new cinema, 

dubbed the Magnolia, features five 

screens and 1,000 seats and anchors the 

West Village entertainment complex, 

which also holds retail shops, restaurants 

and residential spaces. Magnolia 

Pictures founders Bill Banowsky and 

John Sughrue hope to expand their circuit 

nationwide, with plans to bow as 

many as 12 venues per year. The chain 

will program specialty and foreign lingo 

pics at its theatres. 

WISCONSIN 

MAKING CINEMAGIC 

IN MENOMONIE 

Alter a number of delays, including a 

notoriously wet spring season that made 

construction impossible on certain days, it 

looks like Menomonie's new CineMagii 

Theatre will soon be opening its doors to 

the public . Among the amenities to bo featured 

in the seven-screen plex are all-stadium 

seating, surround sound stereo systems 

and a 5 2 -square-foot screen in the 

largest auditorium. CineMagic management 

originally hoped for a March 2001 

opening date for its latest build. 

CEC'S SUPERIOR ENTRANCE 

Exhibition company Cinema Entertainment 

Corp. recently completely renovations 

on a seven-screen plex in the c 

of Superior. The Superior Seven Theatres, 

which anchors the Mariner Mall, features 

three brand new auditoriums, wall-to-wall 

carpeting, reclining seats and surround 

sound audio systems. Additionally, individual 

patron comfort level has been prioritized, 

with overall seat count decreasing 

from 1 ,000 over four screens to 1 ,1 40 

throughout seven auditoriums. Other 

local sites developed by Cinema 

include the Cinema 

Entertainment Corp. 

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LEAD STORY: 

KERASOTES MULTIPLEX 

FIGHTS CITY TAX 

Citing violations of two Constitutional 

Amendments, Chicago-based Kerasotes 

Theatres' 12-plex in Edwardsville, III. has 

submitted a lawsuit to the local court asking 

that the city be prevented from levying 

a three percent entertainment tax on movie 

tickets. According to the Kerasotes Showplace 

12's filing, 

"The amusement tax violates 

the First and 14th Amendments to the 

United States Constitution because it 

impermissibly targets expressive conduct 

for special tax treatment." The cinema's 

complaint also criticizes the tax for singling 

out the venue, since it happens to be the 

only moviehouse in town. Edwardsville 

city council members, who passed the initiative 

in June, had been divided over the 

issue. Money earned from the special tax is 

earmarked for community cultural and 

recreational activities. 

Among the Amendments Kerasotes 

names in its suit are the First, which guarantees 

freedom of expression, and the 1 4th, 

which forbids the denial of life, liberty and 

property without due process. 

COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION 

HALTED OVER LAND DEBATE 

Construction on a 

Bloomfield Township, 

Mich, retail and residential complex has 

been put on hold while developer Harbor 

Companies goes to court over the land on 

which the project is slated to be built. Local 

voters overwhelmingly approved a measure 

that annexed 80 acres worth of land to the 

city of Pontiac—an issue whose validity 

Harbor Companies is challenging in the suit 

it filed in Oakland County City Court. 

According to the filing, an agreement 

between the communities of Bloomfield 

Township and Birmingham would invalidate 

the recent vote, since state law specifies that 

land shared between two or more governments 

is ineligible for annexation. Among 

the venues that would anchor the proposed 

construction project if Harbor Communities 

wins its suit are a luxury hotel, expansive 

office and living spaces, a health club and a 

state-of-the-art multiplex. City residents say 

they voted down the project because they 

disfavor designs for high-rise buildings and 

anticipate traffic 

problems. 

JUDGE THROWS OUT 

ARTISAN FRAUD CASE 

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has 

dismissed a lawsuit filed by Artisan 

Entertainment charging fraud against broker 

Peter Hoffman and insurance firm Royal & 

Sun Alliance. According to the court ruling, 

Artisan's suit was unable to demonstrate its 

claim that the defendants had willfully 

defrauded the studio when insurance covering 

a $100 million loan was revoked after 

two productions. Artisan says that the insurance 

agreement was originally intended to 

cover eight films altogether, but once the 

contract was rescinded, the studio had to 

use other sources of income to pay expenses 

on completed films, while production on 

new features had to be halted. Judge 

Frances Rothschild, however, remarked in a 

pretrial 

hearing that though she believed a 

breach of contract may have occurred, she 

thinks fraud "is much less likely." 

ENTERTAIMENT TRADE 

ASSOCIATIONS TAKE 

ONLINE COMPANIES TO COURT 

The MPAA has joined forces with the 

Recording Industry Association of America 

in an attempt to halt what they believe to be 

copyright infringements on product released 

by members of the two trade organizations. 

Both associations have filed suits in 

Los Angeles Federal Court against Internet 

companies MusicCity.com, MusiCity Networks, 

Grokster Ltd. and Consumer- 

Empowerment BV for allegedly selling 

unauthorized copies of movies and recordings 

via cyberspace. Among the complaints 

listed against the online ventures in court 

documents is the claim that the defendants 

peddle "illegal copies of hit sound recordings 

as well as recently released motion pictures, 

including many that are still playing 

in theatres and are not yet legitimately 

available in any other media format." 

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NAC NAMES NEW BOARD 

The National Association of Concessionaires 

has welcomed several new members to 

its 

board of directors. Among them are Lezlie 

Chesler, president of Salt Lake City, Utahbased 

Theatre Candy, and Rolando Rodriguez, 

senior VP of the food and beverage 

group of Kansas City-Mo.-based AMC. In May 

the trade organization elected Bethel, Conn.- 

based Ovations Food Services' Gary Horvath 

president and Kansas City, Mo. -based Bigelow 

Companies' Chris Bigelow president elect. 

TECHNICOLOR DYES RE-RELEASES 

Having re-introduced its dye transfer process 

for the re-releases of "Funny Girl" and 

"Apocalypse Now Redux," Technicolor has 

announced that the procedure is now available 

for commercial film print production. The 

Technicolor dye transfer process offers greater 

color saturation, superior color rendition, superior 

tone scale, greater representation and detail for 

blacks and whites, less grain and a sharper image. 

The process, which involves layering magenta, 

cyan and yellow dyes onto a special blank film 

stock, will be selectively used when quality takes 

precedence over quantity. Its 

major advantage is 

that it cost-effectively produces high-quality 

release prints that are resistant to fading. 

ITEA HONORS ITS OWN 

At the International Theatre Equipment 

Association's annual convention in Bad 

Kreuznach, Germany, the trade organization 

awarded its two highest honors: Schneider 

Optics, the sponsor of the event, was given the 

Teddy Award, and American Cinema Equipment 

was honored with the Rodney Award. 

ON THE MOVE 

DTS has tapped Walter Browski as Cinema 

Products Development Manager. Browski, 

who previously worked at DTS through 1997 

as marketing manager, re-joins the company 

from Neumade, where he served as president. 

DIGITAL CINEMA 

BARCO INKS DC DEALERS 

Barco Digital Cinema has added five cmcm,] 

dealers to the < ompan/s digital cinema 

dealer network, an arrangement announced 

at ShoWesI earlier this year (see Tech Talk, 

May 2001). Harrah's Theatre Equipment 

Company, Hollywood Theatre Equipment, 

Theater & Video Products, Shelby Amusements 

and Source One have all signed 

agreements with Barco to serve .is ollir ial 

dealers lot the i s digital 

i line 

of projectors and related produi ts. 

PROJECTORS BOUGHT FOR POST 

ers have announced the purchase ol their 

respective products by three Hollywood 

post-production companies. Barco will 

deliver its D-CineStar projector to IVC 

(International Video Conversions), a highdefinition 

mastering, restoration and conversion 

facility headquartered in Burbank, 

Calif. IVC recently completed the high-definition 

digital 

restoration of "Akira." 

Christie has sold its DigiPro projector to 

Hollywood, Calif. -based LaserPacific Media, 

a media technology company that provides 

digital post-production services to the 

motion picture, television and digital media 

industries. Christie also has sold the DigiPro 

to Vidfilm International Digital, a post-production 

facility with operations in Los 

Angeles, London and Singapore. Among 

Vidfilm's clients is Disney, which used the 

company's digital cinema technology center 

for the digital mastering of "Atlantis," "The 

Emperor's New Groove" and "Dinosaur." 

LARGE FORMAT 

EDWARDS TO REOPEN LF SCREENS 

Having shuttered a half-dozen of its IMAX 

screens, Edwards Theatres has re-branded 

them, dubbing them instead Edwards Giant 

Screen Theatres. Located in Irvine, Valencia, 

Ontario and Fresno, Calif, as well as Boise, 

Idaho and Houston, the screens' grand 

reopening will occur on January 1, 2002 

with the debut of Disney's "Beauty and the 

Beast," which has been reformatted for the 

giant screen with new animated sequences 

and an enhanced score. 

Edwards will replace the sites' IMAX systems 

with an as-yet-unnamed rival's, 

installing an 8/70 rather than a 1 5/70 format 

because the former is more cost-efficient, 

according to a company spokesperson. The 

circuit's contract with Imax Corp. was voided 

as the company reorganized under 

Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. 

IWERKS BOARDS SIMEX 

Special venue outfitters Iwerks and SimEx 

have inked to merge in a deal worth $2.2 

million. Under the agreement, first 

announced in March (see Tech Talk, May 

2001), Toronto-based SimEx, a simulation 

attraction company, will acquire Iwerks, an 

8/70 large-format and ride-simulation 

provider, for about 63 cents per share. 

Iwerks will retain its brand name and continue 

to operate with existing management 

at its Burbank headquarters. 

"The SimEx/lwerks company will provide 

market breadth to the industry," says Siml \ 

CEO Michael Needham. "Together, we are 

well positioned for substantial growth." 

"With a combined network of over 120 

simulation theatres and 250 large format 

1 

theatres worldwide demand lor new 

films continues to grow," adds Iwerks ( hairman 

Don Iwerks. "The Iwerks film produi 

tion and distribution teams will work c 

losely 

with Siml x Digital Studios to at < elerate the 

production of new film content fot our combined 

network ol theatres " 

MEGASYSTEMS MOVES TO PACIFIC 

ani 

i 

Studio, a 

I 

lollywi 

formal opl 

bined companies, which are Safeguard 

Scientifics (NYSE: SFE) partnership companies, 

will now operate under the name 

Pat iIk title and Art Studio Inc , 

Par 

itic 

Title/Mirage's Phillip Feiner is CEO and president 

of the new incarnation. MegaSystcms 

will 

continue to conduct business under its 

existing brand name, and Cathy Neifeld will 

preside as president of the division. 

"With many large-format customers reexamining 

their current large-format provider 

and seeking alternatives, MegaSystems is 

uniquely positioned to provide these customers 

with quality equipment at affordable 

prices," Neifeld says. 

GSTA AWARDS SHOW 

Among the activities at the Giant Screen 

Theater Assoc iation's annual conference and 

trade show, held in Chicago in September, 

was the GSTA Achievement Awards Ceremony, 

at which the winners of the organization's 

Film and MAC (Marketing Achievement 

and Creativity) Awards were 

announced. The winners are... 

BEST FEATURE: 

"Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: 

"Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" 

BEST SOUNDTRACK: "All Access" 

LIFELONG LEARNING AWARD: Dolphins" 

SPECIAL JUDGES AWARD: Friday Night 

Holiday Festival, John IMAX Theater- 

National Museum of Natural History 

BEST FILM DISTRIBUTOR'S MARKETING 

AWARD: "lourney Into Amazing Caves," 

MacGillivray Freeman Films 

BEST THEATRE LAUNCH: 

Launch Phase 1999, IMAX Auckland 

BEST FILM LAUNCH BY A THEATRE: 

"Michael Jordan to the MAX," 

Louisville Science Center IMAX Theatre 

CORPORATE REPORT CARD 

On the cusp of being acquired by rival 

SimEx (see related story, above), Iwerks 

reported a fourth-quarter loss of $3.3 million 

for the period ending in June, compared u ith 

$5 million in red ink during the same timeframe 

last year. Quarterly revenue fell 1 8 percent 

to $4.6 million from $5.5 million a year 

ago. Annual losses were $5 million, compared 

with $22.5 million in losses in 2000. 

Annual revenue slid 21 percent to $22.2 million 

from $28.2 million the year before 

WIRED WORLD 

M0VIES.COM UPLOADS 

Following the lead ol a studio i onsortium 

comprised ol MGM, Paramount, Sony, 

Universal .\m\ Warnei Bios the Wall 

Disney Co. and Fox-parent News Corp. have 

pat ted to delivei mo\ ies \ ia the Internet in a 

\ jdeo on demand mi del I 

alliani e w ill 

He iindei the name Mo\ ies I 

oin a I Rl 

alrcads operated b\ I 

)isne\ 

Distinguishing it from Mo\ ioFly.com, 

the < ompany i omprised ol the five afore 

mentioned studios. Movies I 

also will 

delivei feature films to t in the 

Mm 

broadband market 

om s 

Mso 

release 

unlike 

ma\ 

its 

0< I 

ur 

typii before the al pay per view window 

i , ithei planned features on the Mo\ ies om 

site in< lude free trailers -\nd behind the 

\< enes fi » itage 

ember, 2001 1 19

GREAT STATES EXTRA: INDUSTRY VETS SHARE CONCESSIONS TIPS 

The Great States Theatre Convention was, like most 

American life and business, inconvenienced by the terrorist 

attacks that occurred on the opening day of the event. 

Because of the grounding of all airplanes that week, many 

conventioneers and scheduled speakers were unable to attend. 

United Artists' Wally Helton was one of the absentees and 

thus unable to follow up his "One Percent Solution" talk from 

ShoWest. Instead, Theatre Candy's Norm Chesler, 

Multifoods' Mike Bates, Ventura Foods' Richard Biggs and 

Pepsi's Curt Miller stepped up to the mike to share their experiences 

in the concessions industry, and Great States chairman 

Dan Klusmann offered advice as well. 

Among their tips, ranging from the general to the specific, were 

• The importance of customer service. "Everything happens 

if you make a profit," Chesler said. "If you make a profit, 

your customers are happy. 'Profit' is not a nasty word." 

• "You have a captive audience," Bates reminded those in 

attendance. "Product selection isn't as important as how you 

do it." There aren't going to be any ground-breaking popcorn 

or sodas introduced onto the market, for example. "Speed of 

delivery is more important than anything else," he added. You 

need to have "good people, working fast" behind the counter. 

• In addition. Bates suggested, pay attention to your 

have an equipment problem. "That's important," Bates said. 

If the temperature's not right, "You're losing big money." 

• Popcorn kernels should stored away from air and away from 

heat. The smaller exhibitors who perhaps don't pop a whole bag 

of popcorn in one day should store it in a sealed bucket. 

• Be flexible in your candy choices—tastes do change. 

• Offer combos—they increase per caps. And Klusmann 

suggested sweetening the deal by including bonus items such 

as coupons to local businesses. In addition, prepare a handout 

advertising your combos to distribute at the box office. 

• Klusmann also confessed to feeling guilty for charging 

high prices for concessions during his stint as an exhibitor, 

but he learned, "The more you charge, the more you profit, 

the higher the per caps.... Don't be afraid to charge premium 

prices, but make sure your candy is fresh and popcorn and 

soda are high-quality." 

Audience participation at the makeshift seminar was high, 

as the attendees traded tips from their experiences behind the 

concession counter: 

• One exhibitor has instituted free refills and found that 

"sales went up," and customers generally "don't come back." 

• Emulating the fast-food industry, another theatre operator 

has begun setting up self-serve stations, mainly due to lim- 

patrons. If you have a lot of families attending your theatre, ited space in his lobby. He found that service time at the 

offer kids trays and sour candies. Chocolate, for example, sells counter was cut in half, as staffers didn't have to wait for the 

well among adult, sophisticated audiences. 

pop cups to fill, and the theatre per cap went up 20 cents. In 

• Citing advice he's heard others give, Biggs remarked that addition, this exhibitor observed that many customers use 

clearly marked menu boards result in faster decision-making "more ice than we ever dreamed of putting in." 

on the part of the customer and thus faster service. 

• Pepsi's Miller gave audience members the opportunity to 

• Popcorn should be popped at 425 degrees if you're using emphasize that customer service is the most important element 

in choosing a beverage (or any concessions) provider, 

coconut oil. After popping an initial batch of corn, employ 

the three-minute test. If your popper is taking shorter or and they're anxious to brand products if access to promotional 

buttons, bowties, t-shirts, etc., is longer than three minutes to produce a batch of popcorn, you 

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9 ON THE 'NET: GREAT STATERS NETWORK 

AT WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR 

The Great States Theatre Convention's 

Theatre Website Development 

Seminar adjusted its approach due to 

the absence of presenter Anita Watts, 

Whose scheduled appearance was called 

off due to cancelled flights. 

Instead, Lezlie Chester, president of 

Theatre Candy, took the initiative to 

lead a casual discussion among those 

present about what they were doing on 

their websites and whal they would like 

to do. The session actually turned into 

quite a productive period during which 

independent theatre operators learned 

from each other. 

Among the tips and information 

exchanged were 

1) Gabeltheatres.com approached a 

local server for the design and training 

for their website. A simple template 

makes it easy for information and 

images to be updated. 

2) Contact local television and radio 

stations to post showtimes on their 

websites. Many see it as an opportunity 

to provide information to their viewers/listeners 

and will do so for free. 

3) Though the attendees could not 

make a numerical correlation between 

their websites and ticket sales, they were 

in some cases able to say that phone 

calls to the theatre had dropped dramatically, 

freeing up stall' members. The 

move also theoretically speeds up service 

time, as many customers come to 

the theatre with their questions about 

the films, times, prices, etc.. answered. 

4) Websites are also a valuable forum 

for customers to convey their comments, 

compliments and complaints. 

5) Great States chairman Dan Klusmann. 

who also publishes the Independent 

Marketing Edge newsletter, 

advised being vigilant in updating one's 

website. "'Be persistent, accurate and 

up-to-date," he said. 

6) He also suggested hiring a local 

"computer nerd," using the term affectionately, 

perhaps even bartering their 

services for movie tickets, particularly if 

they are, for example, a local teen. 

7) In addition to showtimes, Klusmann 

recommended that theatre websites 

should include coupons and special 

offers that gives exhibitors the ability 

to track site use. 

8) Upon launching a new website, he 

said, get the word out to your patrons 

with lobby displays and forms to 

acquire e-mail addresses. 

9) Finally, Klusmann suggested, it is 

easy to investigate what others in the 

industry are doing on the Internet, so 

you don't have to start from scratch. 

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The move on both alliances' part is an 

attempt to prevent the Napster-ization of the 

movie market. An estimated 400,000 films 

are already traded on the Internet on a daily 

basis. Between the two sites, all of the 

Hollywood studios with the exception of 

DreamWorks are involved with the online 

delivery of film content. 

FORRESTER FINDINGS 

According to a new study by Internet 

resean h firm Forrester Research, the web has 

not reached its full potential as a marketing 

tool for entertainment, despite expensive 

sites with "bloated" budgets. Culled from 

interviews with 21 entertainment companies, 

"Bigger Hits With Net Marketing" advoi ates 

a 

three-pronged approac h to online marketing: 

1 1 ,k ( derate word ot mouth; I) use .ids 

and fan sites to extend rea< h; and !) refocus 

sites as sources of information. 

•\ 

single Internet post has the potential to 

instantly reach thousands ol people worldwide 

who can respond online in addition to 

telling their friends," says I orresler analyst 

I M. si heirei B\ shifting just one pen enl ot 

a marketer's web budget to fund online 

word-of-mouih efforts, entertainment com 

panies can help move consumers through 

the produt 

, 

t c onsideration and buying 

le 

taster boosting bo\ olhc o grosses by as 

mu< h as $ 

l "i million per film." 

ONLINE TIX A HIT 

Online ticketer Fandango has reported 

okI levels ot usage .it its site this summer, 

tei 

with the numhei ot daily visitors to 

www.fandango.com increasing 91 percent 

between May and |uK Amorr; the hottest 

movies of the summer were "Pearl 

Harbor," 

"Planet of the Apes" and "The Mummy 

Returns," which saw most of their online 

ticket sales on Fandango occur on the films' 

opening weekends. The growth spurt was 

calculated by Jupiter Media Matrix during 

the months of May, June and )uly. 

"Even we are a bit surprised how quickly 

consumers have adopted the behavior of 

buying their tickets online before they go to 

the theatre," says Fandango topper Art Levitt. 

Also this summer, Fandango more than doubled 

the number of screens for which it offers 

online ticketing. The site now represents nearly 

5,000 screens nationwide. Likewise, the site 

has almost tripled the numlier of screens for 

which it offers at-home printing. In May, the 

service was available for 12 screens; by luly, 

that number had grown to 26; by Labor Day, 

more than 30 theatres around the U.S. are 

scheduled to offer this option. Recent ice ipients 

ol the tec hnology include six Century theatres 

in the Sac ramento, ( alit. area, representing ' I 

screens, and more than a dozen in the Bay ^rea 

around San I ranc rsc o, representing 90 SI leens 

WARNER VILLAGE CLIX ONE MIL TIX 

i \ based Wamei Village I menus .i divi 

sion of Warner Bros International Fheatres has 

announi ed that it has sold one million tic Lets 

via lis website at www.wamervillage.co.ul 

Mm eitsini eption two years ago rhe company 

also said that it is selling an average ol seven 

pen enl ol its tii kel online rhal Figure uses to 

i I percent fi n pi tpulai bloc kbusters. 

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS 

NORTHERN EXPOSURE 

Canadian News Notes by Shlomo Schwartzberg 

"THINK'PIECE: FORMER LIONS GATE TOPPER 

JEFF SACKMAN FORMS NEW DISTRIBUTOR 

There's a new film distributor in Canada, but ThinkFilm, whose 

mandate is "We'll be strictly film distribution," will do some things 

differently from other Canadian companies, says its president and 

CEO, Jeff Sackman. The 41 -year-old Sackman has a long history in 

film distribution, having spent 10 years at Lions Gate Films and its 

precursor, Cinepix Film Properties. He left Lions Gate, where he 

was president for six years, last April, after handling such successful 

films as "The Red Violin" and "Gods and Monsters." 

Sackman announced the new entity in late summer, officially 

launching it at the Toronto International Film Festival, where 

ThinkFilm had the event's opening night movie, Bruce 

Sweeney's "Last Wedding." That Canadian project was originally 

part of the stable of films from Blackwatch, which went into 

receivership last spring; some Blackwatch titles that were in 

limbo after the company's problems, such as "The Luzhin 

Defense," "Chopper" and "Brother," will now come out under 

the ThinkFilm banner this fall. Sackman also plucked from 

Blackwatch Andy Myers, who will be in charge of Canadian distribution. 

Mark Urman, who also comes from Lions Gate, will 

head the U.S theatrical distribution division. 

mimiii 

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I M.lll solution-, «i'sos In. Ki'llllil i i. in 

Website: www.sosticketing.com 

BOXOFFICE: Why did you launch ThinkFilm at this time? 

JEFF SACKMAN: It seemed like a good time to launch the company 

because there is a niche in the distribution sector that we [are] 

capable of filling. 

BOXOFFICE: Were the Blackwatch problems an impetus in forming 

ThinkFilm? 

SACKMAN: We were planning to do 

it anyhow. The Blackwatch thing was 

an incidental opportunity. There was 

always a plan from the time I left 

Lions Gate to raise some money and 

ThinkFilm president and CEO 

Jeff Sackman. 

then start a new company and do it 

with lower overhead and more efficiency 

and build another company 

form scratch like we did before. 

BOXOFFICE: What are you going to 

be doing differently from when you 

were at Lions Gate? 

SACKMAN: There's not that much 

one does differently in terms of distri- 

bution. We buy films, we sell them to 

theatres, we sell to video, we sell them to pay TV, we take ads in 

the New York Times. I 

think (the biggest difference is] we're starting 

out with Mark Urman heading up the U.S. If one looks back at 

the history of Lions Gate, one would see a monumental leap when 

Mark came on board, and it's [because of] his marketing instinct 

that he's born with. That's what makes the difference: the combination 

of people that we have starting out, lour] ideas and experience 

and creativity, and especially Mark's knowledge of films. 

BOXOFFICE: What will be unique about your acquisitions? 

SACKMAN: A company with an overhead of $30 million can't 

afford to focus on a film that's only going to generate $400,000 of 

profits. They have to look bigger. And companies that are smaller 

don't have the capital to go after a film that requires the marketing 

supports that you can get to that level. So I think that's kind of the 

niche that the Lions Gates and Artisans of the world can't really 

focus on. Our overhead is substantially less. It's a small overhead. 

BOXOFFICE: How many films a year will you distribute? 

SACKMAN: We'll see. That's another beauty of being small. 

Obviously, you want to be busy and see opportunities, but if it's 

eight or nine as opposed to 11 or 12, it doesn't matter. 

BOXOFFICE: In light of the solvency issues afflicting Canadian distributors, 

such as Blackwatch, TVA and the now defunct Malofilm, 

why are you so sure ThinkFilm can prevail in the marketplace? 

SACKMAN: I look at Canada as the Isole] marketplace, and 

all those other companies seem to. Canada, as a marketplace, is 

incredibly difficult, because of its size and because you have 

Alliance-Atlantis, which is such a dominant independent distributor, 

that there's very little product available. Five years ago we recognized 

that lat Lions Gate] and sort of tiptoed into the States and 

said we're the only [Canadian-based] North American distributor. 

The thing that I'm most proud of labout] Lions Gate is we were the 

only ( ompany to succeed in the U.S., based in Canada. I to 

say one day that ThinkFilm is the second and that there's a common 

thread between those two. 

BOXOFFICE: So you'll still be around a year from now? 

SACKMAN: I think 10 years from now we'll still be here. That was 

the game plan at I inns Gate. There was nothing elaborate, it was 

just slay in business for 10 years, and that's my business plan now. 

Stay in business for 10 years and all good things will come.


EUROVIEWS 

European News Notes by Francesca Dinglasan 

LEAD STORY: 

KINOWELT HEADS TOWARDS BANKRUPTCY 

BERLIN—Industry insiders are speculating that German 

film distribution and exhibition giant Kinowelt is moving closer 

toward declaring bankruptcy. Plagued by disappointing 

half-yearly financials. including a loss of 196 million euros 

(US$176.4 million) and net income totaling negative 194 million 

euros (USS 174.6 million), the company recently unveiled 

its intent to sell off its exhibition interests. During the first six 

months of this year, Kinowelt's cinema division saw operating 

losses increase by 600.000 euros (US$540,000) over the same 

timeframe a year ago to 5.2 million euros (US$4.7 million), 

despite a significant boost from its acquisition of seven theatres 

from Australia-based Hoyts Cinemas. Kinowelt co-CEOs 

Rainer and Michael Koelmel have acknowledged in 

a public 

statement that the conglomerate "can operate successfully in 

slimmed-down from," but also note that "the survival of the 

company is not assured." 

MEDIA SALLES REPORTS 

ADMISSIONS DOWNTURN IN EASTERN EUROPE 

LONDON—EU media group Media Salles' latest research 

reveals that while cinema admissions are steadily climbing in 

Western Europe, theatre operators on the eastern half of the continent 

will continue to see ticket sales head southward. According 

to the report, 12 eastern territories saw a combined decrease of 

5.7 percent in admissions during the 1999-2000 period, with 

Poland experiencing the worse downturn at just below 30 percent. 

Other theatres seeing notable drops in ticket sales during the timeframe 

include Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Poland. 

European exhibitors in the West, however, witnessed a much 

rosier 12-month period than their eastern neighbors. Admissions 

in France shot up by just over eight percent to 12 million compared 

with the previous year, while Spain recorded a gain of 3.1 

percent to four million turnstile turns during the timeframe. Also 

enjoying increases in ticket sales were Belgium, at 6.3 percent; 

Sweden, with 6.2 percent; Germany, which saw a 2.4 percent 

uptick: and Italy, which recorded a two percent rise. 

EASTERN EUROPE TICKET SALES ON THE RISE, 

ACCORDING TO D0D0NA 

LONDON—Contrary to Media Salles' take on Eastern 

European box-office figures, global exhibition industry analyst 

Dodona Research reports that admissions at movie theatres 

throughout the region are actually on the rise. According to the 

l.K -based linn's latest findings, though the majority of worldwide 

markets are suffering from lackluster ticket sales, seven ol 

the 10 territories covered in the report including Bulgaria, 

Croatia, the Czech Republic. Hungary. Poland. Romania. Russia, 

Serbia. Slovakia and Slovenia are experiencing an upswing in 

turnstile turns, buoyed by a proliferation of multiplex openings 

Among the exhibition chains bowing new cinemas in areas previously 

without modern movie complexes are South Vfrica based 

Stcr Kinekor's European arm. Ster Century, which opened an 

eight-screenei in Slovakia, and Slovakian multiplex operatoi 

l.jubljanski Kmematografi. which recently built a 12-plex in its 

native territory Other countries expected to see then first multiplexes 

within the next couple of years are 

Bulgaria and Serbia 

"In contrast to some of the disappointments elsewhere, we have 

found ourselves upgrading some of our forecasts for this region." 

notes Katharine Wright, author of Dodona report. "Cinemagoing 

Central and Eastern Europe." Total screens in the 10 territories 

reached 5,023 in 

2000, according to Wright's research. 

BOX OFFICE BOOMS IN FRANCE 

PARIS—French film industry association Centre National de la 

Cinematographic reports that 2001 is shaping up to be a banner 

year for the domestic box office. According to the latest figures 

gathered by the CNC, ticket sales in the Gallic territory are estimated 

to have hit 122 million so far this year, increasing by just under 

10 percent compared with the same timeframe a year ago. Also on 

the rise is the market share held by local pics, which took a 42.5 percent 

of the pie from January to August, compared with a 31.2 percent 

share during the first eight months of 2000. At the same time. 

Hollywood product is taking a slide at French cinemas, tumbling 

from last year's 60.8 percent market share to the current 48.9 percent. 

The summer was especially busy at cincplexes throughout 

France: July turnstile turns rose by 16.2 percent over last year's figures, 

while August saw admissions climb by 15.6 percent. 

PARADISE NOT LOST IN RUSSIA 

MOSCOW— Russian film distributor Paradise Productions 

has announced plans to open a multimillion-dollar modern cineplex 

outside of Moscow. Slated for a fall bow. the new multtscreener 

brings the company's domestic screen count to 13. 

Although miniscule compared with exhibitor holdings in other 

territories, 

the figure catapults Paradise into the position of the 

country's largest theatre operator. The distributor, which specializes 

in rolling out independent product, also recently opened a 

new single-screener in the Russian city of Vyborg, with another 

CINEMARK AND UCI JOIN FORCES IN NORTHAMPTON 

NORTHAMPTON, U.K.—Piano. Texas-based Cinemark 

International subsidiary Cinemark Theatres UK has reached a 

deal with international exhibitor UCI to oversee operations of a 

new cineplex in Northampton. Dubbed the Sol Central, the 10- 

screener will anchor an entertainment and retail complex, which 

will also hold several restaurants and retail shops as well as a hotel 

and modern gym. Amenities to be featured in the 10-plex include 

all-stadium auditoriums, wall-to-wall screens and box offices 

equipped with computerized ticketing. "We have always believed 

in the potential of the Northampton site." notes Cinemark 

International president Tim Warner "This management agreement 

allows us to combine a premium project with premiere international 

cinema operators." I CI senioi VP Steve Knibbs adds, 

"UCI is extremely evened about the opportunity to combine two 

industry 

leaders m tins project 

CINEMAXX NAMES NEW EXEC 

COLOGNE, GERMAN\ re tic exhibition circuit 

Cinemaxx has appointed Hartmul Scheunemann as us new 

(it) Scheunemann, who most recently served as a finance executive 

at German Internet company Spiegelnet, replaces Marius 

Schw.il/. who left Cinemaxx shortly aftei the company posted 

us dismal financials foi first-hall 2001, including red ink ol 

DM52 1 million il S$24 million) 

November. 2(MM

SS1 


PACIFIC OVERTURES 

Notes From the Pacific Rim by Francesca Dinglasan 

LEAD STORY: FORCE-FUL LOSSES 

WELLINGTON—New Zealand entertainment conglomerate 

Force Corp. has reported a whopping NZ$47 million (US$20.2 

million) in red ink for the fiscal year. The company attributes the 

loss to a NZ$39 million (US$16.8 million) writeoff related to the 

company's exhibition investment in Argentina, which Force Corp. 

says suffered from a lack of quality films in release during the 12- 

month period. Earnings for Village Cinemas SA, Force Corps 

joint venture in the South American territory, totaledNZ$28.2 

million (US$12.2 million) before interest, depreciation and taxes, a 

29 percent drop compared with the previous year. Total operating 

revenue during the timeframe was reported at NZ$53.4 million 

(US$23 million), with full-year earnings before depreciation, interest, 

taxes and writedowns equaling NZ$1.5 million (US$64,500). 

FISCAL END AT VILLAGE 

SYDNEY—Oz-based film conglomerate Village Roadshow 

has unveiled its financial for the fiscal year ending last June, indicating 

a disappointing 27 percent drop in net profit to AUS$55.1 

million (US$28.5 million). Accounting for part of the downturn 

is the first-time red ink recorded by the company's exhibition sector, 

which reported a loss of AUS$13.5 million (US$7 million), 

compared with earnings of AUS$15.5 million (US$8 million) a 

year ago. Village has been actively divesting itself of theatre holdings 

in a number of foreign territories, which have included 

France, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland over the past year, 

with industry watchers singling out Austria and Malaysia as the 

next markets to be exited by the company. "Plain and simple, the 

tough environment for cinema has continued, and we recorded 

our first-ever loss in this division," notes Village Roadshow managing 

director Graham Burke. And though the Aussie firm, which 

currently holds exhibition interests in 15 territories, ultimately 

aims to scale back its presence to 10 markets. Village is ambitiously 

planning to open 232 new screens during the upcoming 

fiscal year, with key sites being constructed throughout the U.K., 

Italy, South Korea and Taiwan. 

READING UNVEILS FINANCIALS 

FOR SECOND QUARTER/FIRST HALF 

SYDNEY U.S.-based exhibition company Reading Entertainment, 

which operates theatre circuits in the Australian and 

New Zealand markets, has announced its second-quarter and 

first-half results for the period ending last June 30. Revenue 

totaled just under $9 million for the three-month period and $19.3 

million for the six-month period, down 18.3 percent and 12.8 percent, 

respectively, with second-quarter loss widening by 62.3 percent 

to $2.8 million and half-yearly red ink equaling $5.3 million, 

compared with first-half 2000's $5 million. Reading cites its recent 

disposal of certain American sites lor driving the revenue downturn, 

noting that the "decline was partially offset by an increase in 

revenue from the company's Australian cinema operation." which 

recorded earnings of S5.4 million in the second quarter, in comparison 

to the previous year's $4.9 million. Reading adds that its 

Australian screen count grew from 84 in 2000 to 106 screens this 

year. The company, which also operates theatres in Puerto Rico, 

had announced last yeai that it planned to concentrate its efforts 

ENTERTAINMENT TAX REGULATIONS 

INFURIATE INDIAN EXHIBS 

BOMBAY—The Indian state of Maharashtra has passed a 

ruling effectively exempting local multiplexes from a punitive 

entertainment tax over the next three years, making the territory 

an attractive site for international theatre operators looking 

to expand. The government's decision, however, has not fared 

well with many local independent theatre owners, since singlescreen 

venues are still expected to pay a 60 percent tax. Indiabased 

trade organizations the Theatre Owners Association and 

Cinematograph Exhibitors Association have publicly criticized 

the ruling as discriminatory, with an estimated 70 single-screen 

cinemas shutting down in a one-day protest last September. 

Theatre operators are expected to enter into discussions with 

Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh over the matter. 

MALAYSIAN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX GOES ECO 

Kl'ALA LUMPUR—A doomed entertainment project that 

had been put on hold due to an inability to raise enough capital 

for completion has been brought back to life with the help of 

entrepreneur Syed Mokhtar. Entertainment Village Sdn Bhd had 

managed the construction of six out of eight soundstages to be 

part of a Malaysian complex dubbed E-Village, comprising a 

theme park, movie studios and associated facilities. Further development 

of the site had to be temporarily halted as Entertainment 

Village, which industry observers believe accrued $14 million in 

debt to creditors, tried unsuccessfully to secure additional funding. 

Replacement developer Mokhtar is currently involved in taking 

over for Entertainment Village, and the mogul is expected to 

rename the project Eco-Media City. 

ON THE MOVE 

The newly established distribution arm of Australian exhibition 

giant Hoyts Cinemas is expected to name Richard Sheffield as 

its new executive in charge of international acquisitions. However, 

both Hoyts and Sheffield, who currently works at Oz-based REP 

Film Distribution, have yet to confirm the appointment... UIP 

Korea has announced the appointment of Douglas Lee as its new 

general manager. Lee, who formerly served as the company's marketing 

director of Asian operations, replaces H.G. Lee, who is 

retiring from the business... Hong Kong-based Media Asia has 

revealed that current managing director Thomas Chung w ill take 

the post of executive director. 

PACIFIC RIMSH0TS 

AC Nielsen Media International reveals that it expects advertising 

spending throughout the Pacific Rim to take a downturn, if half-yearly 

figures are anj indication. In the New Zealand market, for example, 

ad spending grew bj just one percent during the first half of the year 

compared with a 9.1 percent uptick a year ago. Of the NZ$822 million 

(I IS$^2 ( ) million) spent during the six-month period, just NZ$4 

million (I 

: 

.(> million) went to the Kiwi cinema sector... Box-office 

figures lor Thai production "Suriyothai" reached an unprecedented 

1 10 million bahl ( USS2.2 million) in the pic's domestic market over its 

opening weekend, toppling the previous record of 43.7 million bahl 

(US$874,000) previously held by "Star Wars: Episode I The 

Phantom Menace." The period drama about the country's fabled 16th 

century Queen Suriyothai carried a $9 million budget, making it 

most expensive film to conic out of the local film industry. 

the 

124 BOXOFFU

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November 2001 

HOME VIDEO 

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DATE

— 

TORONTO REVIEWS 

Jfie horrific terrorist attacks in 

New York and Washington cast an 

understandable pall over the 26th 

edition of the Toronto International Film 

Festival. Screenings were cancelled on 

Tuesday, Sept. 

II. and although the festival 

decided to resume the next day, minus all 

festive parties, it just wasn't the same. Some 

film prints coming from New York never 

arrived, and others, such as "Pinero" and 

"The Believer," which dealt with violence 

and racism in New York, were pulled by 

their distributors because of their touchy 

subject matter. 

More significant was the media's personal 

reactions to the tragedy. We proceeded to 

see the films we needed to view hut we did so 

with heavy hearts. After the carnage, movies 

just weren't that important anymore. 

For the record, 

the winners at the festival 

were: Best Canadian Feature Film: "Atanarjuat, 

the Fast Runner"; Best Canadian First Feature 

Film: "Inertia": Discovery Award: "Chicken 

Rice War": FIPRESCI award: "Inch'altah 

Dimanche"; People's Choice award: "Amelie 

(Le Fahuleux Destin D Amelie Poulain.)" 

— Shlomo Schwartzberg, Kevin Counter, 

Susan Green and Barbara Goslawski 

BIRTHDAY GIRL *• 

Starring Nicole Kidman, Ben Chaplin 

and Mathieu Kassovitz. Directed by Jez 

Buttcrworth. Written by Tom Butterworth 

and Jez Butterworth. Produced by Steve 

Buttcrworth and Diana Phillips. A Miramax 

release. Comedy IDrama. English- and 

Russian-language: subtitled. Rated R for 

sexuality and language. Running time: 94 

min. Opens 2122102. 

There's a good half-hour at 

the begin- 

seems as if 

ning of "Birthday Girl" when it 

the film will be a sweet and original love 

story between John (Ben Chaplin), a lonely 

British bank clerk, and Nadia (Nicole 

Kidman), the Russian mail-order bride he 

has chosen as his wife. She doesn't speak 

English, as advertised, and he doesn't 

know what to do with her. But there's an 

attraction between the two that promises 

to make for a fine semi-political romantic 

comedy, in the vein of "Letter to 

Brezhnev". But then the film takes a 360- 

degree turn and before you can say 

Quentin Tarantino, John has committed a 

crime, is on the run. has discovered his 

would be missus' true motives and gotten 

involved with a couple of Russian thugs. 

"Birthday Girl" is. thus, yet another 

British film whose promising quirkiness is 

quickly subsumed b) American- style violence 

and action. Why it couldn't have 

stayed with the touchingly believable couple 

and their burgeoning love all, in is 

unfathomable because once ii sluits gears, 

it becomes increasingly formulaic, before 

ending on a falsely upbeat note. 

None of this is the faull ol the actors. 

Chaplin, especially, has never been this 

good, and lus sad-sack character is given a 

few refreshing and creative sexual kinks, 

which makes John fascinating. Kidman, 

for her part, is completely authentic as a 

Russian woman—she reportedly learned 

the language for the role and even 

French actors Mathieu Kassovitz and 

Vincent Cassel are convincing as the 

Russian bad guys. So why did the filmmaking 

Butterworth family go for the 

obvious chase drama? Whether it's 

Miramax's pressure to Americanize the 

script or the filmmaker's wish to score a 

success at the U.S. box office almost doesn't 

matter. The final product is like a dozen 

movies we have seen before. It's forgettable 

and disposable. Shlomo Schwartzberg 

KISSING JESSICA STEIN •••1/2 

Starring and written by Jennifer 

Westfcldt and Heather Juergensen. Directed 

by Charles Herman- W urmfeld. Produced 

by Eden W urmfeld and Brad Zions. A Fox 

Searchlight release. Comedy. Rated R for 

sexual content and language. Running time: 

94 min. Opens 21 1 5102. 

This witty urban comedy, adapted from 

the stageplay "Lipschtick," puts a refreshing 

and comical spin on the all-too-familiar 

saga of the contemporary single woman. 

Featuring clever dialogue, a zippy pace and 

a delightfully eccentric cast of supporting 

characters. "Kissing Jessica Stein" is also an 

intelligent send-up of many of 

society's foibles, especially with 

regard to sexuality. 

Jessica Stein is a successful 

career woman, a writer for a 

publishing house, intent on finding 

a lasting relationship. She is 

also a deeply neurotic but loveable 

soul an updated version of 

Woody Allen's character Annie 

Hall. One day, as her insistent 

best friend reads her the ads in 

the classifieds, Jessica is struck 

by one which features a favorite 

quote from Rainer Maria Rilke. 

Trouble is. the ad is in the 

"Women seeking Women" sect 

Jessica is straight. 

ind 

After a series of disastrous dates with 

men, hilariously catalogued with elliptical 

precision, Jessica decides to answer the ad. 

The woman behind the ad. Helen, is a 

novice herself but is much more savvy 

about modern-day realities. Thanks to 

Jessica, however, their first date, and in fact 

much their nascent relationship, becomes a 

tour-dc-force of insecurities, fears and 

neuroses. Just as Helen is about to give up 

on her. Jessica relaxes into the relationship 

but not enough to tell her mother. 

Ill the end. "Kissing Jessica Stem" is a 

bittersweel portrait of two lonelj individuals 

who help each otliei discovei the truth 

about themselves. 

I he scriptwriters con 

from the delicate nature of thisstorj ol two 

women who decide to experiment with wil 

and intelligence And while both women 

choose different paths, then journey, togeth 

ei unravels manj cogent insights into contemporar) 

relationships and the sometimes 

fluid nature ol sexuality Barbara Goslawski 

BEIJING BICYCLE 

•••• 

Starring C ui Lin. Lee Bin, Zhou Xun, (iao 

Yuanyuan ami lee Skuang, Directed by Wang 

XiaoshuaL Written by Wang Xiaoshuai, Tang 

Daman, Peggy Chiao and Hsu Hsiao-ming. 

Produced by Peggy Chiao and Fahicnnc 

Voider, A Sony Pictures Classics release. 

Drama. ( hinesc-lunguuge, subtitled. Rated 

PG-13 for some violence and brief nudity. 

Running time: 113 min. Opens 211511)2. 

In Vittorio De Sica's masterful " I lie 

Bicycle Thief," a stolen bicycle became an 

emblem that set a man against his own 

impoverished surroundings. In the equally 

rewarding "Beijing Bicycle," the stolen 

bicycle is instead an emblem of class conflict. 

Director Wang Xiaoshuai creates a 

poignant and bittersweet picture of life in 

modern China. In the newly industrialized 

world of Beijing, the bike is not merely a 

mode of transportation, but also a key to 

one's identity and self-worth. 

At 17. Guei (Cui Lin) decides to leave 

his provincial village to find a new life in 

the city. He begins work as a bicycle courier, 

managing to make a meagre salary until 

he can pay off the cost of his lustrous 

mountain bike. Just at the moment when 

he almost gains possession of his treasure, 

the bicycle is stolen. Guei, who is fired 

Sony Pictures Classics 

"Beijing Bicycle" 

from his job. combs the city in search oi' 

Ins lost possession. What Guei doesn't 

know is that Jian (Li Bin), a wealth) cit) 

boy, lias bought duel's bike from a local 

Ilea market, lor Jian, whose father has 

denied him a bicycle so the) can send his 

sister to school, the vehicle is merel) a tool 

girlfriend, Qin (Zhou 

to impress a new 

Xun), and gam status with his friends 

Before long, both young men confront 

each other to finally decide who is to gam 

possession o\ the bicycle. 

'Bciimg Bicycle" has a blithely comic 

an that slowly turns tragic \iaosliu.u lets 

us take in the rapid pulse of the city 

alongside 

( luei, so we gradual!) conic to see that 

owning the bike is a majoi step tor him to 

becoming an adult with proprietorship 

and responsibilit) Jian, on the other hand, 

comes to see that having the bike does little 

to take awa) Ins anxiet) at feeling thai 

he barel) matters in hie 'Beijing Bicycle* 1 

is a startling ami livsli examination ol how 

the bike still remains an ambiguous icon in 

( hmese societ) Kevin ( ourriei 

November. W01 (K-II7)

. 


NINE QUEENS •••1/2 

where Juan and Marcos team up for a ruse 

Starring Gaston Pauls, Ricardo Darin, to obtain a counterfeit collection of some 

extremely rare stamps known as the Nine 

Leticia Brediee and Tomas Fonzi. Directed 

and written by Fabian Bielinsky. Produced Queens. Since they have a buyer already in 

by Pablo Bossi. A Sony Pictures Classics mind, their plan seems airtight—until 

release. Drama. Spanish-language; subtitled. 

other scam artists and derailed strategies 

send their promising racket into comic 

Rated R for language. Running time: 

115 min. Opens 1111102. 

episodes of misadventure. 

"Nine Queens" is a polished and vastly In "Nine Queens," the performances 

entertaining caper film that puts the sting turn out to be just as smartly deceptive as 

back into the con. Fabian Bielinsky, in his 

award-winning 

the story. Ricardo Darin demonstrates some 

of the same suave 

feature debut, 

malevolence that 

smoothly amuses 

Alan Rickman displays 

in his charming 

the audience with 

a deftly elaborate 

villainous roles. 

shell game. He 

Gaston Pauls also 

provides a divertingly 

sharp character 

shows a sly discernment 

as the supposedly 

innocent 

study that 

examines the 

Juan. The stunning 

question of honor 

Leticia Brediee 

among thieves. 

struts alluringly 

Juan (Gaston 

with a fiery confidence, 

Pauls) is a smalltime 

never over- 

Nine Queens" puts a new perspective on the caper genre 

crook who 

playing her hand. 

"Nine Queens" doesn't turn cute, or 

gets caught conning a convenience store 

clerk. Marcos (Ricardo Darin), a big-time pander to the audience, in the way director 

George Roy Hill did in "The Sting." The 

swindler, steps in to "arrest" him—with the 

hope of recruiting him for a bigger job. 

Soon Marcos' sister, Valeria (Leticia 

Brediee), contacts him from a luxury hotel 

movie may lack some of the shivering malice 

of "The Grifters," but it still manages 

to play a winning hand. 

— 

Kevin Courrier 

— 

MONSOON WEDDING 

•• 

Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Lillet 

Dubey and Vasundhara Das. Directed by 

Mira Nair. Written by Sabrina Dhawan. 

Produced by Caroline Baron and Mira 

Nair. A USA release. Drama. English- and 

Hindi-language, subtitled. Not yet rated. 

Running time: 115 min. Opens 2002. 

Crowd-pleasing in the worst way, Mira 

Nair's "Monsoon Wedding," which won the 

Best Film in Competition award at the 

Venice Film Festival. is a failed 

"Nashville"-like look into the modernancient 

traditions co-existing uneasily in 

present-day India. Set in the period leading 

up to the New Delhi wedding of Aditi 

(Vasundhara Das), a reluctant Indian bride 

preparing to marry Hemant Rai (Parvin 

Dabas), a Houston-based Indian engineer, 

"Monsoon Wedding" has a broad sweep 

but not much depth. There are a few trite 

scenes revolving around globalization versus 

specific cultural attributes and all manner 

of family dynamics playing out 

onscreen, but little of what ensues is memorable, 

affecting or surprising. Compared to 

the films of the late Indian master Satyajit 

Ray ("Days and Nights in the Forest") or 

even a recent Indian set film like Deepa 

Mehta's lesbian romance "Fire," "Monsoon 

Wedding" brings nothing new to the 

table. Shlomo Schwartzherg 

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Response No. 55

LANTANA 

— 

— 


•••• 

Starring Anthony LaPaglia, Rachael 

Blake, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey and 

Kerry Armstrong. Directed by Ray Lawrence. 

Written by Andrew Bovell. Produced by Jan 

Chapman. A Lions (kite release. Drama. Not 

yet rated. Running time: 1 20 nun. Opens 1 212 1. 

Like "The Ice Storm" and "Magnolia." 

the psychological thriller "Lantana" is a 

movie that examines the emotional torpor 

and malaise of an ensemble. Leon (Anthony 

LaPaglia) is an unhappily married detective 

who is having an affair with Jane (Rachael 

Blake), a recently divorced woman. Leon's 

wife. Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), is seeing a 

psychiatrist. Dr. Valerie Somers (Barbara 

Hershey). because she suspects that Leon is 

seeing someone else. Dr. Somers, meanwhile, 

is still recovering from the shock of 

the murder of her daughter. She even has 

her own suspicions that her emotionally 

remote husband (Geoffrey Rush) is being 

unfaithful. The only happy couple appears 

to be the unemployed but genial Nik (Vince 

Colosimo) and his sturdy wife Paula 

(Daniela Farinacci). But when a disappearance 

and possible murder takes place, everyone's 

life is affected. 

"Lantana," which is named for a spiky 

weed that covers Australia, is a tangled 

drama about how false assumptions get 

built on mistrust. But what helps unravel the 

Rachel Blake is ensnared In "Lantana s" tangled web 

labyrinth structure of the story is the deeply 

absorbing performances of the actors 

Anthony LaPaglia has never shown the rag 

ing emotions, or the deep regret, that': 

buried under his beefiness. Rachael Blake a: 

Jane is sensually captivating as an emotion 

ally-scarred woman who feels debauched 

and in desperate need of human contact 

Kerry Armstrong goes deep into the humil 

iating rage of a wife betrayed by her hus 

band's lack of faith in their marriage 

Geoffrey Rush, after his astonishing work in 

"Quills" and "The Tailor of Panama," continues 

to be both enigmatic and compelling. 

While "Lantana" is a little too cleverly 

woven together, the film still casts a spell 

that draws one into the murky waters of 

transgression Kevin Courrier 

. 

THEFLUFFER 

**l/2 

Starring Michael Cunio, Scott Ciurney, 

Roxanne Day and Deborah Harry. Directed 

by Richard (ilatzer and Hash West. Written 

by Hash West. Produced by John Sylla and 

Victoria Robinson. A First Run' release. 

Comedy IDrama. Notyet ruled. Running time: 

95 min. Opens November, 

Sean (Michael Cunio) is an out-ofwork 

gay actor in Los Angeles. One night, 

he rents what he believes to be the video 

"Citizen Kane," but it turns out to be a 

gay porno flick titled "Citizen Cum." The 

star of the film is the beefy, hyper-masculine 

Johnny Rebel (Scott Gurney I. and 

Sean becomes obsessed with him. 

Applying for work at the film's production 

studio in order to be close to his idol. 

Sean ends up not only shooting Johnny's 

videos, but he also becomes Johnny's personal 

"fiuffer." who prepares him (so to 

speak) for the shoot. Problems arise when 

Sean discovers that Johnny is actually 

straight, and has a stripper girlfriend, 

Babylon (Roxanne Day). 

For the first half of "The Fiuffer," 

directors Glatzer and West create a sharply 

funny parody of the porn industry, and the 

romantic innocent who has invaded it. but 

by the time the film turns Johnny into a 

degenerate, the movie collapses along with 

him. Kevin Courrier 

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Response No 89

— 


L'ANGLAISE ET LE DUC 

(THE LADY AND THE DUKE) 

•••• 

Starring Lucy Russell and Jean-Claude 

Dreyfus. Directed and written by Eric 

Rolmier. Produced by Francoise Etchegaray. 

A Sony Pictures Classics release. Drama. 

French-language, subtitled. Not yet rated. 

Running time: 129 min. 

Master filmmaker Eric Rohmer 

("Autumn Tale") returns with a change-ofpace 

film, miles removed from his usual 

sunny take on the human condition. Based 

on the memoirs of Grace Elliott, a Scottish 

woman who moved to France in 1 786, not 

long before the Revolution. "L'Anglaise et 

le Due" begins one year after that violent 

event with a civilized conversation between 

Grace (Lucy Russell) and her friend and 

former lover, the Duke of Orleans (Jean- 

Claude Dreyfus). Grace is loyal to the king 

of her adopted country but the Duke is on 

the side of the people, whom he feels are ill 

done by their undemocratic monarch. 

Those differing views don't seem insurmountable 

but in the next scene, there is an 

attack on the Palace and Grace is forced to 

flee Paris to her country home. Those long 

sequences as Grace tries to escape the city 

convey the fear and terror that the 

Revolution wrought in a unique manner 

and more effectively than any other film on 

the subject. But Rohmer goes a step further, 

showing the inexorable fallout from the 

fighting that followed, from the brutal murders 

of aristocrats and Royals to the threat 

to Grace, who is suspect because of her 

friendships with many enemies of the state. 

Rohmer's likening of the viciousness of 

the French Revolution to the excesses of 

Stalinist Russia makes for heightened drama, 

which is perfectly interpreted by his skilled 

cast. Russell is especially fine as the stranger 

in a strange land. Shlomo Schwartzberg 

PAULINE ET PAULETTE 

***l/2 

Staning Dora \ an Der Q-oen, Ann Peterson, 

Rosemarie Bergmans and Idwig Stephane. 

Directed by Lieven Dehrauwer. Written by 

Lieven Dehrauwer and Jacques Boon. Produced 

by Dominique Jaime. A Sony Pictures 

Classics release. ComedylDrama. Rated PG 

for brief language. Running time: 78 min. 

"Pauline et Paulette" is a charming 

and poignant tale of the irrevocable ties 

that bind. It tells the story of four elderly 

sisters and the family crisis that arises 

around the care of the childlike Pauline. 

Writer/director Lieven Debrauwer thankfully 

prevents the film from descending 

into mere domestic melodrama, skillfully 

lacing his narrative with glimpses into 

Pauline's unique worldview. 

The crisis begins when Martha, who 

has been taking care of Pauline, passes 

away. Her will states that one of the othei 

two sisters must take care of Pauline, on 

both lose any claims to her estate. Paulette. 

an amateur opera singer and shop owner, 

and Cecile, who has just embarked on a 

new love affair, reluctantly work out a system 

to share the burden of dealing with 

their sister. 

Pauline has basic needs and is unnervingly 

straightforward when she wants themj 

met. Often in the film, this leads to comic 

misunderstandings and misadventures, 

and results in no end of trouble when she 

lives with Paulette. the person she wants to 

be with most. Even when Martha was 

alive, Pauline would constantly wander: 

over to Paulette's shop, despite Martha's 

stern warnings and Paulette's almost cruel 

dismissals. 

Initially treated as a burden, Pauline 

eventually prevails through her endearing 

innocence and amiability. It is Pauline's 

character that creates the film's 

— 

irrepressible 

appeal. Her pleasures are refreshingly 

simple— she loves to care for flowers and 

collect their pictures. It is in these scenes 

that we are privy to Pauline's wondrous 

vision of life—an important reminder of 

the joys in the most basic of elements, and 

one that raises the film above a quotidian 

account of bickering families. Barbara 

Goslawski 

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132 (R-120) BOXOFFIC1

THE GREY ZONE 

— 


••••1/2 

Starring David Arquette, Steve Buscemi, 

Harvey Keilel and Daniel Renzali. Directed 

and written by Tim Make Nelson. Produced 

hy Pamela Koflier, Christine Vachon, Tim 

Blake Nelson, Avi Lerner and Danny 

Lerner. A Lions Gate release. Drama. Not 

yet rated. Running time: 108 min. 

One of the little noted about but most 

disturbing —and controversial —realities of 

the Holocaust was the presence in the concentration 

camps of the Sonderkommando 

units, squads of Jews who were designated 

by the Nazis to help exterminate their coreligionists. 

They were the ones who convinced 

their fellow Jews that they were 

going to be taking showers when they were 

really going to be gassed. And they were 

then utilized as the clean-up crew who 

shoved the bodies into the crematoria and 

swept up the ashes afterwards. In return for 

doing the Nazis' dirty work, they were 

rewarded with special privileges of food. 

drink and cigarettes. Actor-director Tim 

Blake Nelson has chosen to 

focus on the 

1 2lh Sonderkommando. which staged a 

heroic revolt in Auschwitz in late 1944 and 

destroyed half of the camp's ovens. "The 

Grey Zone." which is a brutally tough—and 

difficult to watch- film, was first written as 

a stage play b\ Nelson and is based in part 

on the diaries of Miklos Nyiszli. a Jewish 

ments for the infamous Na/i Josef Mengele, 

The movie concentrates on several 

Hungarian Jews, including Hoffman (David 

Arquette). Schlermer (Daniel Benzali) and 

Abramowiez (Steve Buscemi), who are 

planning the uprising. Knowing they will 

soon be liquidated themselves, they feel 

they have nothing to lose. Nelson emphasizes 

the horrible actuality of the camps. 

David Arquette ponders his fate in "The Grey Zone " 

such as the constantly humming machinery 

of death and the billowing smoke from 

the crematoria, but also movingly probes 

the difficulty of retaining one's humanity 

amidst such horror. 

There are stylistic touches that don't 

work, such as the distraction of having one 

officer speak with an accent while everyone 

else converses in unaccented 1 nghsh. but 

these are minor Haws. Overall, the claustrophobicalh 

effective "(ire> /one" is one of the 

finest, most humane and important I lolocausl 

mo\ ies ever made Shlomo Sckwortzberg 

THE DIARIES OF VASLAV NIJINSKY 

• •* 

Starring Sir Derek Jaeohi. Directed and 

written by Paul Cox. Produced by William 

Mars/tall and Kevin Lucas. A Winstar release. 

Biography. I mated. Running time: V5 nun. 

Returning to his experimental film roots 

in "The Diaries o\' Vaslav Nijinsky," Paul 

Cox presents his most audacious film to 

date: an impressionistic portrait ol Russian 

dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, 

( 'ox mined the 

depths of Nijinsky s diaries to reveal the 

passionate and often tortured soul of this 

consummate artist. Sir Derek Jacobi expertly 

reads these excerpts the closest portraj - 

al of the artist the film provides displaying 

a skill with inflection matched only by 

Cox's fulsome imager) poetic and 

abstract— which underscore Nijinsky's 

points. The film becomes a rich interplay of 

Jacobi's reading. Cox's visual associations, 

and the various recreations of Nijinsky's 

ballet performances. This is a comprehensive 

and provocative film- one that pushes 

the boundaries of biography, and challenges 

its audience. Barbara Goslawski

— — 


*••• 

BUFFALO SOLDIERS 

Saad (Sheik Mahmud-Bey). The line 

Stalling Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris, between good guys and bad guys is a bit 

Anna Paquin, Scott Glenn, Elizabeth 

blurred, however. This lends an aura of 

McGovern, Gabriel Mann, Sheik Mahmud- ambiguity to the proceedings, which culminate 

with an unexpectedly satisfying 

Bey, Michael Pena, Leon Robinson and 

Dean Stockwell. Directed by Gregor 

Susan Green 

twist. 

Jordan. Written by Gregor Jordan, Eric 

THIRTEEN CONVERSATIONS 

Alex Weiss and Nora Maccoby. Produced 

by Rainer Grupe and Ariane Moody. A ABOUT ONE THING **l/2 

Miramax release. Black comedy. Not yet Starring Matthew McConaughey, Alan 

Arkin, Clea Dul John Turturro and 

rated. Running time: 97 min. 

all, 

A kind of Milo Minderbinder for our Amy Irving. Directed by Jill Sprecher. 

Written by Jill and Karen Sprecher. 

time, U.S. Army Specialist Ray Elwood 

wheels and deals with relative impunity Produced by Beni Atoori, Gina Resnick, 

from his supply battalion on a base in Colin Bates and Sabrina Atoori. A Sony 

West Germany. Like his industrious predecessor 

Pictures Classics release. Drama. Not yet 

time: 94 min. 

rated. Running 

in Joseph Heller's "Catch 22," 

the young conscript in "Buffalo Soldiers" Like film director/author John Sayles, 

Sprecher ("Clockwatchers") has something 

is a wizard at redistributing consumer Jill 

of a literary feel for dramatic ideas 

goods in a bustling black market. 

Everything from gallons of Mop 'n' Glo and characters. In "Thirteen 

to hard drugs passes through his hands. Conversations About One Thing," she creates 

a broad canvas that examines the 

As played by Joaquin Phoenix, Elwood's 

a crafty Cold War profiteer just before the paradox of what it means to be happy. In 

fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. 

much the same style as the weaving narra- 

_ tive of a novel. Sprecher 

spells out a number of 

criss-crossing stories about 

people in who are caught 

Joaquin Phoenix gels out the big guns in Miramax's "Buffalo Soldi 

This very black comedy, by Australian 

director Gregor Jordan, is full of surprises. 

He depicts the military as a haven for heroin, 

with Elwood consistently managing to 

fool his naive but essentially decent commanding 

officer. Colonel Berman (Ed 

Harris) fails to confront all the illegal 

activities because he*s too concerned with 

a potential promotion that his two-timing 

wife (Elizabeth McGovern) pushes him to 

pursue. Then three new people arrive on 

the scene: Robyn (Anna Paquin), who falls 

for Elwood; her father Sergeant Lee (Scott 

Glenn), a hard-nosed Vietnam veteran 

who immediately zeroes in on Elwood's 

corrupt practices; and Knoll (Gabriel 

Mann), a bookish young recruit with a 

hidden agenda. 

"Catch 22" satirizes the grim, frequently 

inane bureaucratic arm of government 

that sends Americans into combat. 

"Buffalo Soldiers" has much the same 

dark comic Hair, intensified by the fact that 

many o\' the characters are dope fiends or 

drug lords. Consequently, another nemesis 

for Elwood is a thugeish MP, Sergeant 

exploring this philosophical 

query. 

Walker (John Turturro) 

is a middle-aged physics 

professor who has his 

ordered view of the world 

shattered by a mugging. 

He's also feeling a loss of 

affection for his deeply 

lonely wife, Patricia (Amy 

Irving). Troy (Matthew 

McConaughey) is a young 

attorney who's happily 

built for success until an 

accident drives him into a 

crisis of conscience. Gene 

(Alan Arkin) is a hard-working manager in 

an insurance company. But Gene develops 

a rueful spite for a cheerful employee with 

a carefree quality that Gene can never 

attain. Beatrice (Clea DuVall) is a cleaning 

woman with a contented optimistic air 

who later finds herself in desperate need of 

assurance. 

"Thirteen Conversations About One 

Thing" gleams with intelligence, and 

there's also a very thoughtful understanding 

of human frailty. But Sprecher has 

yet—like Sayles—to show a truly imaginative 

movie-making sensibility that would 

dramatically lift 

her characters out of the 

tight grip of her ideas. 

Despite some nimble work by Alan 

Arkin, who's a master of the doubletake, 

or the look of profound disbelief 

on John Turturro's face, the generally 

solemn tone tends to flatten everything 

out. "Thirteen Conversations About One 

Ihing" could use a lighter touch of irony 

because, after all, the idea o\' life being 

unfair is as much a cosmic joke as a 

human tragedy. Kevin Courrier 

COMMENT J'AI TUE MON PERE 

• ••1/2 

Starring 

— 

Michel Bouquet and Charles 

Berling. Directed by Anne Fontaine. 

Written by Anne Fontaine and Jacques 

Fieschi. Produced by Phillipe Carcassone. 

No distributor set. Drama. Not yet rated. 


In "Comment j'ai tue iron pere." Anne 

Fontaine indulges her signature style, creating 

a carefully measured film—the kind 

whose impact slowly sneaks up on its audience 

and haunts them long after leaving the 

theatre. Fontaine is a master of subtlety and 

nuance, building her desired effects through 

the most subtle of cinematic elements 

namely performance, gesture and tone. 

Jean-Luc is a successful doctor whose 

carefully controlled life begins to unravel 

with the reappearance of his long-absent 

father, a doctor himself, who abruptly and 

inexplicably left for Africa years before. 

The son clearly resents his father's return 

but remains the model of courtesy and 

restraint—much like his own father. The 

subtle tension between these two similarly 

icy but unnervingly polite characters 

builds to its necessary and ultimately 

heartbreaking climax, made all the more 

effective by the understated yet intricate 

performances of the two lead actors. 

— Barbara Goslawski 

LAST ORDERS 

•••• 

Starring Michael Caine, Tom 

Courtenay, David Hemmings, Bob Hoskins, 

Ray H instone and Helen Mirren. Directed 

and written by Fred Schepisi. Produced by 

Fred Schepisi and Elisabeth Robinson. A 

Sony Pictures Classics release. Drama. Not 


Based on Graham Swift's Booker 

Award-winning novel, director Fred 

Schepisi ("Six Degrees of Separation") has 

fashioned a moving ensemble drama, featuring 

some of England's greatest 

actors, 

to tell a tale about the cost of friendship. 

When one of a circle of buddies dies, 

the remaining friends carry out one of his 

"last orders": to take his ashes and scatter 

them off the pier at the seaside town of 

Margate. As the group makes the trip, they 

take stock of their friend's death. But 

rather than provide nostalgic relief, or sentimental 

remembrances, the journey 

uncovers unresolved wounds, lost opportunities, 

and once buried secrets. 

Although Swift's novel sets forth a 

neatly-tied pattern that gradually unveils 

the psyche of the characters. Schepisi 

favors more spontaneity. Along with the 

dramatic flashbacks (using younger 

actors) for a view into their younger days. 

Schepisi sometimes cuts forwards and 

back in the middle of a sentence, or a 

thought. 

The cast is also near perfect. Michael 

Caine. as Jack, is a simple man for whom 

perspective comes late. Bob Hoskins is 

extraordinary as Jack's best friend, Ray, 

134 (R-122) BOXOFFICE

— 

TORONTO 

whose compassion grows from awkward 

circumstances. David Hemmings has never 

been a stronger presence on the screen 

even it" his character is the least developed. 

But it's Helen Mirren who gives her richest, 

most poignant performance yet as 

Jack*s wife. Amy. While the men make 

their journey to bury their friend. Amy 

makes a different journey to resolve a 

whole other kind of death. 

"Last Orders" is a subtly powerful 

drama that finally tells us that not only is 

death not the end. sometimes it makes for 

new beginnings. Kevin Courtier 

SECRET BALLOT •••1/2 

Starring Nassim Ahdi, Cyrus Ah, 

Youssef Hahashi, Farrokh Sho and 

Gholbuhar Janghali. Directed and written 

by Bahak Payami. Produced by Marco 

Muller and Bahak Payami. A Sony 

Pictures Classics release. Drama. Iranianlanguage; 

subtitled. Sot yet rated. 


"Secret Ballot." which won a Special 

Prize for Best Director at the Venice Film 

Festival, is an absurdly funny and sharply 

evocative political allegory. It's also something 

of a rarity for an Iranian film: a 

deadpan comedy. Director Babak Payami 

gives this quirky drama a very formal, subdued 

tone, but the engaging ironies provide 

the movie with some real pop. 

The story begins with a huge wooden 

box that's dropped from an airplane. It 

lands at an army outpost where two soldiers 

appear to be guarding a deserted 

beach. The package contains election ballots, 

and not far behind that is the pollster. 

The pollster has been sent to gather up 

every vote in the region for the current 

election. But what the soldiers haven't been 

told is that the election representative is a 

woman. Not used to taking orders from a 

lady, one officer initially balks at her suggestion 

that he drive her around. Soon, 

however, he reluctantly takes her from 

town to town, where the days' events eventually 

have an indelible effect on both of 

them. 

Most of the humor in the plot comes 

from Payami contrasting the personalities 

of the two characters. The pollster is a liberal 

idealist who believes that, given the 

opportunity to vole, people will automatically 

open themselves up to democratic 

principles. Meanwhile, the soldier has the 

harsher, more cynical view. He thinks that 

being free means not allowing yourself to 

be swindled by anybody. One example 

occurs when they spot a man running 

across the desert: She sees him as a potential 

voter while he thinks the man's a thief 

he Deeds to bring into custody. Payami 

doesn't take sales or simplif) ihen views. 

As the} travel across the fiat landscape, 

both have their belief systems challenged 

"Secret Ballot" might He a little plodding 

at times, but Payami still fills Ins picture 

with the kind of pleasures that sneak up 

on you.— Kevin Courtier 

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BIG BAD LOVE • 

Starring Arliss Howard, Debra Winger, 

Paul Le Mat, Rosanna Arquette and Angle 

Dickinson. Directed by Arliss Howard. 

Written by Arliss Howard and James 

Howard. Produced by Debra Winger. An 

IFC release. Drama. Not yet rated. Running 

time: 120 nun. 

"Big Bad Love" is a big bad movie. 

Although it's not your ordinary failure, 

"Big Bad Love" is that rare case where talented 

people on a labor-of-love project 

indulge themselves with no clear perspective 

on what they're doing. In this instance, 

actor Arliss Howard, in his first effort as 

director, attempts to bring Mississippi 

author Larry Brown's short stories to life. 

Leon Barlow (Howard) is a down-on-hisluck 

Vietnam vet, an aspiring writer desperately 

trying to get his manuscripts published. 

He lives alone, now separated from 

DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS ***1/2 

Starring Jeff Ho, Stacy Peralta, Jay 

Adams, Tony Alva, Skip Engblom, Craig 

Stecyk and Henry Rollins; Narrated by 

Sean Perm. Directed by Stacy Peralta. 

Written by Stacy Peralta and Craig Stecyk. 

Produced by Agi Orsi. A Sony Pictures 

Classics release. Documentary. Not yet 

rated. Running time: 89 nun. 

Even people clueless about skateboarding 

can enjoy "Dogtown and Z-Boys," a 

200 1 Sundance award-winner that chronicles 

the hidden history—to those who 

remain earthbound, that is—of how the 

sport took off in the early 1970s. What 

American town doesn't have kids zooming 

into the air courtesy of these seemingly 

insubstantial pieces of wood on wheels? 

They owe it all to the Southern California 

youth culture that, three decades ago, 

developed the extreme angles now taken 

for granted in this popular activity. 

Director Stacy Peralta is himself seen as 

one of the rough-and-tumble adolescents, 

often the children of divorce, who gather 

in the Dogtown section of Santa Monica 

and Venice dubbed "the last seaside slum." 

Surfer dudes with attitude, they need some 

form of recreation when the waves are not 

up to snuff. Many of them join the Zephyr 

Skating Team, so named for a surf 

shop/teen hangout owned by board 

designer Jeff Ho and two friends. 

Who better to narrate the documentor} 

than Sean I'enn, whose role in "Fast Times 

al Ridgemonl High" nailed the 

— 

school playgrounds before discovering 

empty backyard swimming pools; sometimes 

the kids do the emptying with clandestine 

efficiency. The group has its own 

"stars," such as Tony Alva, Jay Adams and 

Peralta, who each push the vertical envelope. 

The Z-Boys captivate the country at a 

1975 national championship by demonstrating 

far more daredevil physicality 

than the mainstream competition. Fame 

and riches beckon; some find success, but 

others discover how elusive it can really be. 

We see them all on camera, then in youth 

and now in middle age, pioneers in a seriously 

thrilling game. Susan Green 

***• 

THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE 

Starring Mira Sorvino, Fiona Shaw, 

Ben Kingsley, Jay Rodan and Rachel 

Stirling. Directed by Clare Peploe. \\ ritten 

by Bernardo Bertolucci, 

Clare Peploe and Marilyn 

Goldin. Produced by 

his wife, Marilyn (Debra Winger), and his 

two kids—a sickly daughter who has a respiratory 

illness, and a pre-adolescent son. 

Howard isn't satisfied simply dramatizing Bernardo Bertolucci. A 

the themes of Brown's work; he also wants 

enter imagination. The 

Paramount 

release. Comedy. 

Classics 

Not yet 

to the writer's 

rated. Running time: 107 

result is a chaotic panorama that's too 

busy flying a lot of metaphoric flags. min. 

— Kevin Counter 

"The Triumph of 

Love" is a lush and sensually 

charged comedy that's 

infused with some of the 

buoyantly uplifting operatic 

spirit of Mozart's "Le 

nozze di Figaro." Director 

Clare Peploe ("High 

Season"), in adapting the 

18th-century play by 

Pierre Marivaux, transforms 

the seductive power 

of language into a highly romantic romp 

about sexual deception. 

The story centers on Leonide (Mira 

Sorvino), the Princess of Sparta. She occupies 

a throne that has been usurped by her 

father, when it belongs instead to a young 

man named Agis (Jay Rodan). One day, 

when Leonide spots Agis bathing in a lake, 

she falls deeply in love with him" She then 

comes up with a scheme to marry him. In 

doing so, Leonide gets what she wants, and 

he gets what is due to him because of his 

birthright. The problem, however, is that 

Agis is being raised by the enlightened 

philosopher Hermocrates (Ben Kingsley). 

and his sister. Leontine (Fiona Shaw), who 

have not only schooled the boy in 

Enlightenment principles, they've also 

taught him to hate the princess. With her 

maid by her side. Leonide disguises herself 

as a male student and verbally seduces the 

brother-and-sister pair in order to buy 

time to win the love of Agis. 

Peploe brilliantly balances the comedy 

and cruelty in the play without losing the 

romantic spirit of the material. Mira 

Sorvino also shows a whole new side of 

carnal mischievousness. leonide is a rationalist 

who may feel pangs of love, but she 

methodical!} uses reason as a tool to cause 

— 

pain as well. Ben Kingsley as the 

pompously foolish Hermocrates gives one 

of his most enjoyable performances. He's 

also matched by Fiona Shaw as Leontine, 

whose preening is disguised by a show of 

self-deprecating charm. They make perfect 

targets of the Princess' scam. "The 

Triumph of Love" is a sublime comedy 

with an emotionally rich texture. Kevin 

Courrier 

Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (AND YOUR 

MOTHER TOO) ••** 

Starring Maribel Urdu, Gael Garcia 

Bcmal and Diego Luna. Directed by 

Alfonso Cuaron. Written by Carlos Cuaron 

and Alfonso Cuaron. Produced by Jorge 

Vergara and Alfonso Cuaron. An IFC 

release. Drama. French-language; subtitled. 

Not yet rated. Running time: 101 min. 

IFC's "Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too)' 

Alter charming audiences with the 

sophisticated and lyrical fairytale "A Little 

Princess" and the sumptuous and satisfying 

"Great Expectations," director Alfonso 

Cuaron returns to his Mexican homeland 

to make the sexually rowdy and wildly 

funny road movie "Y tu mama tambien." 

The tone of this energetic and boldly 

provocative film, which won the Best 

Screenplay Award at the Venice Film 

Festival, has little in common with his previous 

two outings. Try imagining a more 

delinquent version of Truffaut's "Jules and 

Jim," or, perhaps, some of the roughhouse 

friskiness of Bertrand Blier's "Going 

Places." 

While their girlfriends are on holiday in 

Italy, two 17-year-old friends. Julio (Gael 

Garcia Bcmal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna), 

look forward to a summer of sexual frolic. 

I'licy get sidetracked, however, by Tenoch's 

cousin's 28-year-old wife. Luisa (Maribel 

Verdu), who has just discovered that her 

husband has had an affair. The boys, who 

meet her at a wedding, devise a plan to 

seduce her by asking her to join them on a 

trip to an imaginary beach on the Oaxacan 

coast. Surprisingly, she agrees to lake part. 

But while they revel in their adolescent 

fantasies, Luisa is using to deal with very 


TORONTO 

adult sexual and emotional yearnings. So 

rather than the boys getting the better of 

Luisa. she separately seduces both of 

them, which not onlj reveals the fragility 

of their friendship, but the underpinnings 

— 

of their masculine bravura. 

"Y tu mama tambien" has some of the 

same combustible comic elements that 

made hits of movies like "American Pie." 

or "Road Trip." but Cuaron shows a far 

more restless intelligence that rehabilitates 

the genre. He goes far inside these characters 

so that we see how sex. and the character's 

feelings about sex, are an intricate 

part of their inner drives and anxieties. "Y 

tu mama tambien." with a cocky smile, 

puts the fear and lust back in sex. Kevin 

Counter 

PROZAC NATION * 

Starring Christina Rica, Jessica Lange, 

Jason Mat's, Anne Heche and Michelle 

Williams. Directed h\ Erik Skjoldbjaerg. 

Written hy Gait Niederhofer and Alex 

OrtovskY. Produced hv Gait Niederhoffer, 

Brad Weston and R. Paul Miller. \o distributor 

set. Drama. Not yet rated. Running 

time: 98 mitt. 

"Prozac Nation" is like a drug unto 

itself. Pop journalist Elizabeth Wurtzel's 

memoir becomes the basis for such a 

campy and narcissistic tear-jerker that it's 

the audience that ends up in a complete 

stupor. VVurtzel. an award-winning student 

from a wildly dysfunctional Jewish family, 

cracked up during her college years in the 

late '80s, leading her to a dependency on 

the wonder drug Prozac. Eventually 

pulling herself together, she wrote a memoir 

on which Norwegian Erik 

Skjoldbjaerg 's film is based. 

Whether it's an unfamiliarity with 

American culture or a perverse attraction 

to hyperbole. Skjoldbjaerg encourages 

some of the actors to whip up a storm. 

Christina Ricci. who plays Wurtzel as the 

most misunderstood young woman on 

the planet, is embarrassingly self-conscious 

in the part. Ricci makes Wurtzel so 

obnoxiously conceited and reckless in 

hurting those who truly care for her that 

we can't possibly worry about what happens 

to her. We're also supposed to see 

her as the ultimate victim of a narcotized 

world, but the only real victims here are 

her friends. 

Jessica Lange. who played a scorned 

woman with .1 Storm.) brilliance in films 

like "I ranees" and "Blue Sky." turns in .1 

howler of performance as Elizabeth's 

mother. Lange. who's completely miscast 

as ,1 frantically neurotic Jewish mother. 

chews up so much scenery that it's a wonder 

there was any set left for the camera to 

shoot Only Jason Biggs ("American Pie") 

I lizabeth's verj as sane boyfriend, ami 

Michelle Williams as her beleaguered 

roommate, ground tins movie in reco jni 

able human behavioi "Prozat Nation'Msa 

movie desperately in need ol medication 

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EDINBURGH REVIEWS 

CQ •**• 

Starring Jeremy Da vies, Angela 

Lindvall, Gerard Depardieu, Giancarlo 

Giannini, Billy Zane, Jason Schwartzman 

and Dean Stockwell. Directed and written 

by Roman Coppola. Produced by Gary 

Marcus. A United Artists release. 

ComedylDrama. Rated R for some nudity 

and language. Running time: 89 min. 

"CQ" sees Roman Coppola following 

in the footsteps of father Francis and sister 

Sofia. One of the highlights of the 

Edinburgh International Film Festival, his 

eagerly anticipated feature debut is a joy 

from start to finish—as unpredictable, stylish 

and original as his celebrated pop promos 

and commercials. 

Paris at the fag end of the '60s. Paul 

("Spanking The Monkey's" Jeremy 

Davies) is a self-absorbed American 

cinephile who spends his spare time working 

on an ultra-serious black-and-white 

study of his own existence, to the frustration 

of his tempestuous French girlfriend. 

Jeremy Davies and Angela Lindvall have creative differences 

Funding for the film comes from his disillusioning 

day job as an editor on 

"Dragonfly"—a kitsch sci-fi flick about a 

kick-ass Barbarella-style secret agent 

startlingly (played by beautiful model 

Angela Lindvall, making her screen 

debut). The director of "Dragonfly" is the 

temperamental auteur Andrzej (Gerard 

Depardieu). Fiercely devoted to his "art," 

Andrzej falls out with his producer before 

filming a suitable ending and finds himself 

kicked off the set. With two days to go 

until the shoot is set to wrap, Paul is swiftly 

promoted and saddled with the task of 

finishing the film. 

Coppola's modish debut rivals those of 

two of his ads 'n' promos contemporaries 

Spike Jonze and Jonathan Glazer. It is as 

witty as "Being John Malkovich" and as 

assured as "Sexy Beast." As a film about 

filmmaking, il even rivals "Le Mepris" 

(Godard has had a clear influence on 

Coppola's use of color) and TrufFaut's 

"Day for Night" (with which it shares a 

similar joie de viva-). "CQ" is also full of 

the kind of in-jokes favored by the luminaries 

of the Nouvelle Vague, paying tribute 

lo a host of '60s camp classics. A love 

— 

for films shines through each frame and 

the era is recreated with obvious affection, 

scored to perfection with some tasty 

boogaloo beats. Chris Wiegand 

TROUBLE EVERY DAY ***1/2 

Starring Vincent Gallo. Tricia Vessey, 

Beatrice Dalle and Alex Descas. Directed 

bv Claire Denis. Written by Claire Denis 

and Jean-Pol Fargeau. Produced by Georges 

Benayoun, Jean-Michel Rey and Philippe 

Liegeois. A Lot 47 release. Drama/Horror. 

French-language; subtitled. Not yet rated. 


How do you follow up a film like the 

internationally acclaimed "Beau Travail?" 

For Claire Denis, the question must have 

been a daunting one. With her answer— 

the iiber-original "Trouble Every Day"— 

the increasingly diverse French director 

has created a film that one can honestly 

describe as looking, sounding and simply 

feeling like no other film in recent history. 

American doctor Shane Brown 

("Buffalo 66's" Vincent 

Gallo, appearing in his 

fourth film for Denis and 

confirming his status as 

king of cool) arrives in Paris 

with his new bride June 

("Town & Country's" Tricia 

Vessey). Supposedly on 

honeymoon, Shane moonlights 

as a detective—desperately 

trying to track 

down an old colleague to 

assist him with a mysterious 

affliction. As Shane carries 

out his search, we are witness 

to the actions, and 

monstrous appetite, of the 

beautiful yet troubled Core 

(Betty Blue herself, Beatrice 

Dalle), who proves to be a 

man-eater in more ways than one. The 

fates of Core and Shane seem strangely 

entwined and it appears to be only a matter 

of time before their connection is 

explained. 

An altogether different view of France 

through American eyes (Roman 

Coppola's "CQ" and Jesse Peretz's "The 

Chateau" present similar perspectives), 

"Trouble Every Day's" Parisian streets are 

shot by dp Agnes Goddard with a fine 

appreciation of color and texture, the sensuous 

camerawork creating an experience 

both hellish and harrowing, yet supremely 

stylish. After the successful score for 

— 

1996's "Nenette Et Boni," Denis chose to 

work once again with acclaimed British 

orchestrators Tindersticks on "Trouble 

Every Day," and their moody, mournful 

music perfectly encapsulates the escalating 

tensions experienced by both characters 

and viewers Ai the center of it all is 

the magnificent Gallo, haunted and horrified 

by Ins increasingly insatiable urges. 

Following "Trouble Every Day" now 

that will be the real test for Denis. Chris 

Wiegand 

LUCKY BREAK ***l/2 

Starring James Nesbitt, Olivia Williams, 

Timothy Spall and Christopher Plummer. 

Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Written by 

Ronan Bennett. Produced by Peter Cattaneo, 

Uri Fruchtmann and Barnaby Thompson. A 

Paramount release. Comedy. Rated PG-13 

for brief strong language and some sexual 

references. Running time: 107 min. 

Peter Cattaneo's eagerly awaited followup 

to the Oscar-nominated comedy "The 

Full Monty" strikes a musical note, as the 

lead characters sing instead of strip and 

find happiness in the strangest of circumstances. 

After a bank robbery that is bungled 

beyond belief, the brilliantly named Jimmy 

Hands (James Nesbitt) and his partner-incrime 

Rudy (Lennie James) find themselves 

banged up in HM Prison Long 

Rudford. But Jimmy and Rudy's love of 

liberty is such that they soon set about 

devising a plan to escape. An exit route 

suggests itself when Jimmy overhears the 

prison's governor Graham Mortimer 

(Christopher Plummer) indulging in his 

love for "South Pacific." Seeing that 

Mortimer has in fact written his own musical, 

Jimmy suggests that the inmates put 

on an amateur production to raise morale 

(not to mention provide a smokescreen for 

Jimmy and Rudy's escape). But as the 

rehearsals progress, Jimmy finds himself 

falling for Prisoner Support Officer 

Annabel Sweep (Olivia Williams) and. 

when the curtain goes up for the musical, 

he is faced with a real dilemma. 

As a portrait of prison life, this isn't 

exactly "Animal Factory." In fact, 

the film's 

crackling script and predominantly light 

tone mean that 

— 

the occasional attempts at 

realism are often unsuccessful. Nevertheless, 

like "The Full Monty," this is sure to raise 

audience's spirits and leave them singing long 

after the credits roll. Chris Wiegand 

•*• 

THE BELIEVER 

Starring Ryan Gosling, Summer 

Phoenix, Billy Zane and Theresa Russell. 

Directed and written by Henry Bean. 

Produced by Chris Roberts and Susan 

Hoffman. An IDP release. Drama. Not yet 


The nervy, adrenaline-fueled opening 

minutes of Sundance success "The 

Believer" suggest that Henry Bean, a 

proven screenwriter on "Internal Affairs" 

and "Enemy of the State," also has an 

accomplished directorial style all of his 

own. While his unflinching and uncompromising 

portrait of anti-Semitism never 

quite lives up to the promise of its intra, it 

is nevertheless an intelligent feature debut 

that promises great things for both its 

director and its young lead. 

The central character is Danny Balint 

(Ryan Gosling), a young New Yorker who 

embodies the film's central contradiction. 

A former Yeshiva student with a wide 

knowledge of Judaism and the Hebrew 

language, he is 

also an antagonistic skin- 


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— 

EDINBURGH 

head who believes the modern world to be 

a Jewish disease. Through a series of (for 

once in the movies, effectively employed) 

flashbacks, we witness Danny's religious 

upbringing, seeing a precocious student 

turn into a dangerously articulate 

spokesman. At an underground meeting of 

a Fascist movement, this eloquence 

impresses Lina (Theresa Russell) and 

Curtis (Billy Zane). who take him under 

their wing. Soon Danny is part of a violent 

group of terrorists, placing dynamite 

beneath synagogues and planning highprofile 

assassinations. However, his faith 

comes to the fore when his occasional lover 

(Summer Phoenix) professes a desire to 

study Judaism herself. 

As Danny, Ryan Gosling ("Remember 

The Titans") gives an intense performance 

easily comparable to Tim Roth's in "Made 

In Britain" and Edward Norton's in 

"American History X." He dominates the 

film. Sadly, this is where "The Believer" 

comes undone, as the supporting characters 

are too thinly drawn. Nevertheless, as 

a portrait of the complexities facing a 

young Jewish Nazi, this is compelling 

stuff. Chris Wiegand 

HAPPY NOW? *1/2 

Starring loan Gruffud, Paddy Considine, 

Richard Coyle, Susan Lynch, Om Puri, 

Alison Steadman and Jonathan Rhys- 

Meyers. Directed by Philippa Cousins. 

Written hy Belinda Bauer. Produced hy 

David M Thompson, Anat Singh and Paul 

Trijhits. So distributor set. Drama. Sot yet 


With her debut feature "Happy Now?," 

which received its world premiere at the 

55th Edinburgh International Film 

Festival, BAFTA award-winning filmmaker 

Philippa Cousins assembles the considerable 

talents of Alison Steadman, Om Puri, 

Paddy Considine and numerous others and 

somehow still manages to create a film that 

is almost entirely devoid of appeal. 

Set in a small Welsh village, the film 

opens with a tragedy. Local beauty queen 

Jenny (Emmy Rossum) is killed in a hitand-run 

accident by drunken teenagers Joe 

(Richard Coyle) and Glen (Paddy 

Considine). Horrified by what they have 

done, the lads keep quiet as amiable tramp 

Tin Man ("Hast Is East's" Om Puri) is mistakenly 

sentenced and sent to jail for the 

crime. Fourteen years later, the sleazy, golfloving 

Glen has buried the past and is 

preparing a career in politics, while the wellmeaning 

Joe is still dogged by Jenny's death. 

When Tin Man is released and a new girl 

looking just like Jenny arrives in town, the 

past rears its ugly head and forces both 

Glen and Joe to lace l hen demons. 

"Happy Now'.'" fails primarily through 

its inability to deliver as comedy, thriller, 

mystery or drama Wanting to be all four 

and then some, it is rather a confused affair 

There is the occasional amusing one-liner 

and the odd inspired moment thai catches 

one unawares bul on the whole the film makes 

for frustrating viewing — Chris Hiegand 

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ATANARJUAT, THE FAST RUNNER THE CHATEAU ••• 

*•**• 

Starring Paul Rudd, Sylvie Testud, 

Starring Natar Ungalaaq. Directed by Romany Malco and Didier Flamand. 

Zacharias Kunuk. Written by Paul Apak Directed by Jesse Peretz- Written by Jesse 

Angitirq. Produced by Paul Apak Angilirq, Peretz and Thomas Bidegain. Produced by 

Norman Cohn and Zacharias Kunuk. No distributor 

set. Drama. Inuktikut-language; subtributor 

set. Comedy. Not yet rated. 

Robin O'Hara and Scott Macaulay. No distitled. 

Not yet rated. Running time: 165 min. Running time: 89 min. 

Attempting to find cinematic comparisons 

for the remarkable "Atanarjuat, the a former NYU student who cut his teeth 

Directed and co-written by Jesse Peretz, 

Fast Runner" is—for the most on commercials and pop promos before 

part—futile. 

Documentary maker Zacharias Kunuk's making his feature debut with 1 998's "First 

first feature film has more in common with Love, Last Rites," "The Chateau" is a farcical, 

partly autobiographical, and fre- 

"Beowulf," "The Odyssey" or Chinua 

Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" than anything 

ever before seen on the screen. The adventures of an odd couple abroad. 

quently hilarious comedy charting the 

first ever Inuktikut-language feature, Two adopted Americans, Rex ("The 

it is 

an extraordinary debut not just for a director 

but for an entire culture. 

Prime Gig's" Romany Malco) and Graham 

(Paul Rudd, in a welcome lead after supporting 

turns in "The Cider House Rules" 

Like all classics, the tale is a universal 

one. It is based on an ancient Inuit legend, and "Reaching Normal"), receive the news 

set in the north Baffin region of the that they have inherited a chateau in a 

Canadian Arctic, that has been passed on remote region of the south of France. 

for generations. Conflict is created in the Traveling together to Europe to assess their 

inheritance, they slowly become better 

acquainted. Rex is black and lives in 

Los Angeles; Graham is white and from 

Kansas. The chateau is probably the 

only thing they have in common besides 

their familial connections. When the 

brothers arrive to see it in all its decrepit 

glory, they are shocked to find a full 

team of servants still living there. The 

solution to the scenario seems simple 

enough to each of them at first but 

when they both fall for the pretty maid 

Sabine ("Karnaval's" Sylvie Testud), 

The title character literally runs for his life in "Atanarjuat 

things start to become less clear. 

small community of Igloolik when Shot on DV and set in drizzly climes, 

Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq) falls for "The Chateau" is never really much to 

Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu), who is already look at and relies primarily on the performances 

of the leads for its impact. 

promised to Oki (Peter Henry Arnatsiaq). 

Jealous at the emotions existing between Thankfully, these are all first-rate—boosted 

by Peretz and Bidegain's script and the 

the two, Oki plans an attack on 

Atanarjuat. His brother is slain but director's promotion of on-set improvisation. 

The familiar fish-out-of-water sce- 

Atanarjuat manages to escape across the 

ice, in an astonishing sequence in which he nario may be a simple one, but to his credit 

outruns a team of pursuers stark naked. Peretz succeeds in delivering scene after 

He finally takes refuge with a kindly family 

of hermits before returning to the comout 

ever seeming repetitive. The dialogue is 

scene of communication breakdown withmunity 

to face Oki. 

priceless— particularly the subtitles for 

A feature film of epic proportions, Graham's gaffe-laden brand of Franglais 

"Atanarjuat, the Fast Runner" succeeds in and Nathan Larson and Patrick Bartosch's 

depicting the specific customs, costumes, score keeps things moving along merrily. 

— 

traditions and beliefs of a particular Inuit Chris Wiegand 

community, while at the same time telling 

a timeless story of good versus evil. 

COOL AND CRAZY *** 

It is 

thus an exceptionally powerful drama with Starring the Berlevdg Male Choir. 

documentary-style detail. The cinematography 

is superb, the landscapes austere, the Tom Rcmlov. No distributor set. Documentary. 

Directed by Knut Erik Jensen. Produced by 

music incredibly moving, the performances 

(all of them) of the highest order. rated. Running time: 105 min. 

Norwegian-language; subtitled. Not yet 

Kunuk directs with a sensuous eye, offering 

one of the greatest chase scenes in the music in Knut Frik Jensen's irreverent and 

The Arctic comes alive with the sound of 

movies one minute and one of the most highly entertaining "Cool and Crazy." A 

erotic, realistic sex scenes the next. 

"Atanarjuat" will make you laugh, make 

you cry and keep you on the edge of your 

seat for nearly three hours. Isn't that what 

slung 

— Chris Wiegand s of 

140 (U-I2S) BOXOFFICE 

— 

— 

Finnmarka, a disparate group of 30 men 

from three different generations are united 

through their passion for singing. 

Together, they make up the soon-to-befamous 

(or it would be nice to think so) 

Berlevag Male Choir—a dedicated and 

impeccably dressed outfit who regularly 

meet up to belt out a variety of songs in 

their home village. The men vary wildly 

not only in age but in background, beliefs, 

and political and religious persuasions. 

Jensen focuses in particular on two elderly 

brothers; a straight-talking former 

amphetamine addict; and an agnostic 

organist. Keeping them all in tune is their 

long-haired, wheelchair-bound conductor. 

While the director occasionally dips into 

their individual private lives, taking his 

camera into their homes, he concentrates 

primarily on the extraordinary camaraderie 

that exists between the members as 

they perform together in rehearsal, in concert 

and on tour. 

Thanks to his obvious admiration for 

the self-effacing choir's dedication, not to 

mention their considerable talent, Jensen 

has created a film that is—like the songs 

themselves—amusing, moving, patriotic 

and powerful. Certain scenes have a surreal 

air, such as when the tuxedoed group 

sings their hearts out towards the Barent 

Sea, frost forming on their pinched faces. 

Like all good documentaries, this is an 

enlightening insight into a previously 

unexplored world, to which the viewer 

feels privileged to have been introduced. 

One only hopes that word of the choir will 

spread beyond Scandinavia and that we 

may see them perform in the flesh in sunnier 

vistas. Chris Wiegand 

GABRIEL & ME *• 

Starring lain Glen. David Bradley, Sean 

Landless and Billy Connolly. Directed by 

Vdayan Prasad. Written by Lee Hall. 

Produced by Marc Samuelson and Peter 

Samuclson. No distributor set. Comedyl 

Drama. Not yet rated. Running time: 85 min. 

Udayan Prasad's disappointing followup 

to "My Son the Fanatic" recalls a host 

of recent British features such as "There's 

Only One Jimmy Grimble" and "Billy 

Elliot." A trite and insubstantial feature, it 

was shown up at the Edinburgh 

International Film Festival by far more 

original fare like Andrew Kotting's "This 

Filthy Earth" and Asif Kapadia's "The 

Warrior." 

Like Jimmy Grimble, 11 -year-old 

Jimmy Spud (how do they think up these 

names?) has the weight of the world on his 

shoulders. He has few friends at school 

and lives in a cramped housing estate with 

his cantankerous father (a miscast lain 

Glen) and hardworking mother (Rosie 

Rowell). Something of an oddball to say 

the least, Jimmj jusl isn't like the other 

kids he knows. I his is mainly because his 

interests are more celestial than sportv. He 

doesn't want to be a footballer; he dreams 

of becoming an angel instead. So when the

— 

EDINBURGH 

Angel Gabriel himself shows up (played 

with typical charm by "Mrs. Brown's" Billy 

Connolly) he gets to work learning the 

angel's trade. Before long he is running 

around town in a feathery homemade outfit, 

using the school trumpet as a substitute 

harp and looking for people to save. 

Adapted by "Billy Elliot" screenwriter 

Ice Hall (from his own award-winning 

radio play "I Luv You Jimmy Spud"), 

"Gabriel & Me" does boast a certain offbeat 

appeal at times. Newcomer Sean 

Landless tackles the main role with considerable 

confidence and there are some 

amusing fantastical sequences and a couple 

of standout comic scenes involving 

Jordan Routledge, last seen in "East Is 

East." Hard as it may try. however. 

"Gabriel & Me" fails to steer clear of 

mawkish sentimentality. We never get to 

know Jimmy's family sufficiently and the 

relationship between the boy and his father 

is unconvincing, which renders the film's 

ending strangely unaffecting. One is left 

wondering how many more sub-TV-standard 

British films with the same grim setting 

will make their way onto cinema 

screens. Chris H iegand 

*•* 

MUTANT ALIENS 

Voiced by Dan McComas, Francine 

l.ohis and George Casden. Directed, written 

and produced by Bill Plympton. So distributor 

set. Animated. Not yet rated. Running 

time: 79 min. 

There can't be too many films that 

boast a credit for "pornographic sound 

advisor." Or that contain lines like "The 

president's being eaten alive by a nose" and 

songs such as "Can't Drag Race With 

Jesus." But we've come to expect such 

things from Portland-born animator Bill 

Plympton. Fans of the prodigious, Oscarnominated 

independent will not be disappointed 

by his "Mutant Aliens." which is 

ever) 

bit as schlocky. shocking and silly as 

its title suggests. 

When his ship loses fuel and ground 

control leaves him stranded in space, a distraught 

astronaut is left plotting his 

revenge. Twenty years after his launch he 

returns to Earth, desperate for a trip to the 

toilet and determined to get back at the 

powers that be. To help him out. he brings 

some of his new acquaintances with him 

a bunch of loyal mutant aliens. 

And that's about it. in terms of the 

film's plot. As you may well have already 

guessed, this isn't exactly Fellini. From its 

opening, which sees a news reporter mercilessly 

chewed apart, to its delightfully OTr 

conclusion, "Mutant Aliens" bears 

Plympton's unique trademarks satirical 

stabs at religion, politics and the media, an 

OVer-healthy interest in internal anil sexu.il 

organs, and scene after scene of startlingly 

original animation. One of these sees a 

L'l.inl tongue on legs giving a man a (quite 

literal) licking, another shows ,1 bored secretary 

acting out scenes of gratuitous fornication 

with her fingers. 

While "Mutant Aliens" scores high in 

terms of invention, it sadly struggles to 

justify its status as a full-length feature 

film. Rather than run out of steam—as is 

often the case with expansive animations—the 

film only really comes alive 

halfway through, with the arrival of the 

sympathetically drawn aliens themselves. 

Despite this slow start. Plympton's film is a 

great deal of fun and worth a look for 

those seeking an offbeat adventure. 

Wiegahd 

— 

Chris 

FRIENDS HAVE REASONS (LAS 

RAZONES DE MIS AMIGOS) * *i/2 

Starring Marta Belaustegui, Joel Joan 

and Sergi Callcja. Directed by Gerardo 

Herrero. Written by Angeles Gonzdlez- 

Sinde. Produeed by Gerardo Herrero and 

Javier Lopez Blanco. So distributor set. 

Drama. Spanish-language; subtitled. Sot 


A film about friendship and finance, 

"Friends Have Reasons" is a rare treat. 

Startling in its simplicity, ultimately devastating 

in its honesty, it is an intelligent and 

astute portrait of a group of three characters 

who are gradually torn apart from 

each other when two of them offer financial 

assistance to the third, whose computer 

business is faltering. 

Friends for almost two decades, 

Santiago (Joel Joan), Marta (Marta 

Belaustegui) and Carlos (Sergi Calleja) still 

manage to stay in touch, meeting once a 

month to remember their days at university 

together and to catch up on current 

news. The crux of the film is swiftly set up 

in the first scene, when—at one of these 

meals—Carlos asks the others for a hefty 

short-term loan to aid his struggling company. 

Marta immediately agrees and 

Santiago acquiesces a little nervously. 

Carlos promises to repay the money soon 

but his problems at work increase. 

Meanwhile. Marta and Santiago find that 

the loan has put them both in an awkward 

position. Marta's husband is pressing to 

buy a new house and start a family, while 

Santiago crashes his car and needs to 

replace it. This series of incidents places all 

three in an impossible position. 

Based on an original novel by Belen 

Gopegui. adapted by Angeles Gonzalez- 

Sinde I "Second Skin"), accomplished producer 

Gerardo llerrcro's film has a measured 

pace, moving month by month 

through the characters' lives, assisted by 

Lucio Godoy's soft, understated score 

Herrero does well to not onlj present three 

thoroughly believable central characters 

but also a crop of equally well-drawn supports 

in the shape of their partners \ son 

of Spanish " I hirtvsomelhing." "Friends 

Have Reasons" convincingly displays the 

key, I veryman issues at stake including 

love lives, employment and the othei 

marks bj winch we measure success. ,is 

well as presenting the ultimate, iinconilott 

able cost of friendship.—Chris Wiegand 

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DISCO PIGS 


***l/2 

Starring Elaine Cassidy, Cillian Murphy, 

Eleanor Methven and Geraldine O'Rawe. 

Directed by Kirsten Sheridan. Written hy 

Enda Walsh. Produced by Ed Guiney. No 

distributor set. Drama. Not yet rated. 


Boasting a dazzling screenplay, confident 

performances and a fantastic soundtrack 

featuring cuts from both Primal 

Scream and Death In Vegas, Kirsten 

Sheridan's feature debut "Disco Pigs," 

adapted by Enda Walsh from his own 

award-winning play, is one of the most 

unusual, affecting teen romances in recent 

years. 

A boy and a girl are born within seconds 

of each other in the same hospital. 

Laid side by side in their cots, they form an 

instant bond and become inseparable from 

that point onward. Growing up in adjoining 

houses (they hold hands during the 

night through a hole in the wall that 

Elaine Cassidy and Cillian Murphy are joined at the hip 

(and seemingly at the head in this photo) in "Disco Pigs: 

divides them). Pig (Cillian Murphy) and 

Runt (Elaine Cassidy) experience everything 

together. They are partners in crime, 

brother and sister, "King and Queen of 

Pork City." They live for each other and 

nothing—or no one—else. They even 

share their own unique language. Days 

before they turn 17, they kiss for the first 

time, and then the unthinkable happens: 

They are separated and forced to live life 

on their own. 

"Disco Pigs" is a distinctive debut, centred 

around the hypnotic partnership of 

the glassy-eyed Murphy (who played the 

same role in the original stage version and 

who also contributes a moving, selfpenned 

song to the film's soundtrack) and 

•** 

SEANCE (KO-REI) 

Starring Koji Yakusho, Jun Fubuki, 

Teuyoshi Kusanagi and Ittoku Kishibe. 

Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Written by 

Tetsuya Ohishi and Kiyoshi Kurosawa. 

Produced by Atsuyuki Simoda. No distributor 

set. DramalHorror. Japanese-language; 

subtitled. Not yet rated. Running time: 95 

the endearing Cassidy (previously seen in 

Atom Egoyan's "Felicia's Journey," and 

Nicole Kidman's co-star in Alejandro 

SCRATCH 

Starring Afrika Bambaataa, Jazzy Jay, 

Amenabar's "The Others"). 

Mix Master Alike and Q-Bert. Directed by 

The unique, obsessive relationship Doug Pray. Produced by Brad Blondhcim 

depicted is at times touching, at others and Ernest Maza. No distributor set. Documentary. 

I 'mated. Running time: SS min. 

troubling, in its intensity. With this fine 

balance between romance and danger. Give it up for Doug Pray's "Scratch," 

"Disco Pigs" gains an effective edge. Stars an enerj energizing, intoxicating documentary 

Murphy and Cassidy should be watched charting 

closelj and Sheridan's second movie is era] and 

awaited with unusually high expectations. lism) in 

— Chris Wiegand Gang's s 

.ill "Rapper's Delight' 


min. 

— 

"I can't shake this creepy feeling," murmurs 

one of the leads during prolific 

Japanese director and festival favorite 

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest feature. Once 

the credits role, you're likely to feel just the 

same: "Seance" is a minimalist, measured 

suspense with real spooky appeal. 

The story comes from a novel written by 

Mark McShane, which also inspired the 

'60s feature "Seance On A Wet Afternoon." 

Junco (Jun Fubuki) is a waitress with a special 

gift for communicating with spirits. She 

dreams of developing her talent and 

becoming a famous medium, but her gift 

has done a disservice to her 

relationship with her husband, 

Koji (Koji Yakusho), a 

TV and film sound recordist. 

When a young girl from their 

town is kidnapped, a psychology 

student requests 

Junco's help. Incredibly, the 

girl escapes her kidnapper 

and, fleeing through the 

woods, comes across Koji's 

equipment case (he is at 

work in the woods), which 

provides the perfect hiding 

later dis- 

place. When she is 

covered by the couple, ambition 

rears its head and Junco 

devises a plan that will bring 

her recognition for her powers. But the 

scheme falls apart and both she and Koji 

soon find themselves increasingly involved 

with a world neither can begin to fully 

understand. 

With a screenplay that was co-written 

by Kurosawa and Tetsuya Ohishi, 

"Seance" is a minor triumph—an intelligent, 

mature thriller with sympathetically 

drawn central characters. Displaying an 

apparent debt to both Nic Roeg's "Don't 

Look Now" and Hideo Nakata's "Ringu," 

"Seance" serves up some potent imagery. 

Impressively, as it twists and turns towards 

its painfully inevitable conclusion, it plays 

as much as a marital drama as a horror 

story. Chris Wiegand 

**• 

— 

its starting point, Pray's film follows the 

growing importance of the DJ at the tail 

end of the 20th century, doing well to 

place the expertise of luminaries like 

Afrika Bambaataa, Mix Master Mike, DJ 

Premier and Jazzy Jay within their proper 

historical context. 

Pray manages to maintain the pace of 

the film's upbeat opening throughout its 

full running time, intelligently using his 

medium to underline the message, as the 

scratching is married with some particularly 

schizophrenic editing. Plenty of time is 

devoted to the tricks of those DJs in the 

know and it is during the footage of the 

men at work (and particularly at competition 

with each other in the famed DJ battles) 

that the film really comes alive. 

The DJs reflect on their dedication to 

the art form, from their first mixing experiences 

through to the hours of rehearsal 

spent honing their craft on the wheels of 

steel. For hip-hop lovers, appearances 

from such a wide number of DJs (the 

Filipino legend DJ Q-Bert and DJ 

Shadow, the man behind the music for 

Marc Singer's "Dark Days," also appear) 

will no doubt be a selling point, but the 

film is far more than a "rapper's delight." 

For those more in tune with Classical or 

Country & Western, "Scratch" is nevertheless 

a fascinating portrait of an important 

American art—and one that demystifies 

the different roles played by the DJ and the 

MC, as well as accompanying phenomena 

such as graffiti art and break-dancing. In 

short, Pray delivers everything you ever 

wanted to know about scratching but were 

perhaps afraid to ask. Chris Wiegand 

THE STATE I AM IN (DIE INNERE 

SICHERHEIT) ***i/2 

Starring Julia Hummer, Barbara Alter, 

Richy Mutter, Bilge Bingiil and Rogerio 

Jaques. Directed by Christian Petzold. 

Written by Christian Petzold and Harm 

Farocki. Produced by Florian Koerner von 

Gustorf. No distributor set. Drama. 

German-language; subtitled. Not yet rated. 


A tense, slow-burning drama steeped in 

paranoia, Chritian Petzold's "The State I 

Am In" covers similar territory to Sidney 

Lumet's "Running On Empty." Like 

Lumet's film, it features strong performances 

from the younger cast members 

and also has an honest, cliche-free script, 

co-written by Petzold himself. 

Jeanne (newcomer Julia Hummer) is 

the 15-year-old daughter of two former 

terrorists (played by Petzold regular Richy 

Miiller, star of the director's previous features 

"Cuba Libre" and "Die 

Beischlafdiebin," and award-winning 

actress Barbara Auer). Constantly on the 

move, attempting to stay one step ahead of 

the authorities. Jeanne's parents are forced 

to deny her the kind of existence she 

dreams of that of a normal teenage girl. 

Their strict and distrusting nature leads 

her to seek solace in smoking and shoplift-

I 

I 

neb 

— 

EDINBURGH 

ing. She spends only the briefest of 

moments with others of the same age and 

is 

— 

tutored mercilessly in codes and translations. 

When her parents' plans for escaping 

to Brazil falter, the family is forced to 

use of music throughout from Stefan Will. 

Hans Fromm's photography equally captures 

this wistful tone. Petzold's film bene- 

in particular from an approach that is 

fits 

more personal than political, drawing 

truths from situations such as Jeanne's 

frustration at being dressed in the most 

unassuming outfits possible instead of the 

latest fashions. Essentially sympathetic 

and refusing to rely on stereotypes. "The 

State I Am In" tells a challenging and tragic 

tale. Chris \\ iegand 

POSSIBLE LOVES 

(AMORES POSSIVEIS) **i/2 

Starring Murilo Benicio, Carolina 

Ferraz, Emilia de Mello and Beth Goulart. 

Directed and produced by Sandra Werneck. 

H ritten by Paulo Halm. No distributor set. 

Comedyl Drama. Portuguese-language; subtitled. 

Sot yet rated. Running time: 92 min. 

This entertaining yet distinctly average 

Brazilian comedy-drama playfully 

employs a "Sliding Doors"-style conceit, 

following not just two but three possible 

fates for its central character. 

College student Carlos (Murilo 

Benicio. recently seen alongside—or 

rather, underneath -Penelope Cruz in 

"Woman On Top") waits for his date outside 

a Rio de Janeiro movie house. He 

lingers in the lobby restlessly, watching the 

rain fall outside. Will she show up? 

Director Sandra Werneck ("Little Book 

Of Love") cuts from this scenario to three 

very different set-ups 1 5 years later, showing 

Carlos in completely contrasting situations. 

The first 

sees him married, yet experiencing 

the urge to have an extramarital 

affair. The next has him in a happy homosexual 

relationship, with a child from a 

previous marriage. In the last, he is a total 

hedonist, dedicated to living la vida loca, 

yet at the same time still living at home 

with his disapproving (and somewhat 

bemused) mother. 

Wemeck slips ill and out of these alternate 

lives with relative ease, employing 

some imaginative camerawork and sensibly 

avoiding a more consecutive, straightforward 

structure. Playing multiple characters, 

Benicio and TV actress Carolina 

Ferraz do very well and create some 

real extremely chemistry. Paulo Malm's 

script has some lovely touches, notably a 

supreme dating service that comes complete 

with a "localizer" device for customers 

to find their perfect partner 

Musical director Nabuco—who previously 

collaborated with Werneck on her debut. 

"Little Book Of Love"—has compiled a 

return to Germany, where Jeanne's continued 

attempts to live like a typical adolescent 

have venous repercussions. 

Evans and Donna Summer alongside 

rich soundtrack, placing tracks from Bill 

As the unfortunate Jeanne, whose life is some upbeat, original additions. DP 

made up of a series of lies. Julia Hummer Walter Carvalho ("Central Station"), who 

gives an assured performance. Her melancholic 

world-weariness is echoed through film, delivers some sterling cinematogra- 

also worked with Werneck on her first 

Tim Hardin's recording of "How Can We phy, capturing a rainy night in Rio one 

Hang On To A Dream" (which opens and minute and a summer's afternoon the 

closes the film) and the sparing yet striking next. Chris \\ iegand 

STRUMPET •• 

Starring Christopher Eccleston, Jcnna 

G, Stephen Walters, David Crelin and 

Jonathan Ryland. Directed by Danny Boyle. 

Written by Jim Cartwright. Produced by 

Martin Can: No distributor set. Drama. 

Not yet rated. Running time: 72 min. 

More at home on the small screen for 

which it was made than in the theatre. 

"Strumpet" opens with an extraordinary 

rant from the always excellent Christopher 

Eccleston ("Jude") as the foul-mouthed 

performance poet Strayman. 

Lank-haired, dishevelled and unshaven, 

the enigmatic Strayman lives alone 

except for his dogs— in a dirty apartment. 

— 

Seeing a girl in trouble (Jenna G) in his 

local pub, he comes to her rescue. When 

she proves to be a competent guitarist, the 

two start performing together in the poet's 

den—an empty room with lyrics scrawled 

all over the walls. Their efforts are overheard 

by savvy neighbourhood crim 

Knockoff (Stephen Walters), who promptly 

decides to become their manager. The 

three travel to London to find their fortune, 

but when the record company takes a 

shine to the pretty girl instead of the 

increasingly awkward poet, the pop dream 

turns sour. 

"Strumpet" was screened alongside the 

superior "Vacuuming Completely Nude In 

Paradise" at this year's Edinburgh 

International Film Festival. A kind of DV 

double bill, these two decidedly grim slices 

of British life sadly show little of the verve 

and imagination that their director Danny 

Boyle displayed in the '90s success stories 

"Shallow Grave" and "Trainspotting." At 

the center of "Strumpet" is Eccleston. who 

came to audiences' attentions in "Shallow 

Grave" and who sinks his teeth into the 

role of Strayman with considerable enthusiasm. 

However, while the performances 

are spot on, Jim Cartwright's script is less 

successful than lor "Vacuuming 

( ompletely Nude In Paradise." parti) due 

to the noxious pop son.u that is irritating 

enough on the first airing, lei alone the 

manj repeats. I he main problem with 

"Strumpet" is thai the stor) told is so simply, 

so surprise-free, thai vim start to wonder 

whal kmd of spin Boyle will put on il 

\iiil just as you start to wondei ii ends 

Shame— Chris H iegand 

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Response No 1 

November. 2001 (R-131) u} 

7


VACUUMING COMPLETELY NUDE 

IN PARADISE **l/2 

Stalling Timothy Spall, Michael Begley, 

David Crelin and Katy Caranagh. Directed 

by Danny Boyle. Written by Jim 

Cartwright. Produced by Martin Can: No 

distributor set. ComedylDrama. Not yet 


The marvellously titled "Vacuuming 

Completely Nude In Paradise" comes 

across as a kind of British "Glengarry 

Glen Ross"—a quirky, comical look at the 

seedier side of salesmanship. 

In the film's opening a woman strips at 

a leaving party for a retiring salesman. She 

is surrounded by a group of enthusiastic 

onlookers and her boyfriend, a luckless 

and rather less enthusiastic DJ named Pete 

(Michael Begley). To escape any more of 

these unpleasant scenarios, Pete follows a 

lead from the party and takes up the salesman's 

trade himself. His initiation is supplied 

by the seasoned Tommy ("Secrets 

And Lies'" Timothy Spall), a man who 

starts the day with cigarettes and scotch 

and sells like his life depends on it. As he is 

— 

"Kids"— presenting depressing and disheartening 

material largely unseen onscreen 

in that nation's history. 

There are four teenagers at the center of 

the film. The sexually inexperienced and 

rather naive Han (Han-jun) leaves home and 

heads for Garibong-dong with Chang ( Bong 

Tae-kyu), a hell-raising thrill-seeker. He 

meets the tomboy Sari (Park Keun-young) 

and forms a close bond with her. while 

Chang sponges off Ran (Cho Eun-ji), with 

whom he shares an abusive relationship. 

Despite starting strong—all 

— screaming 

guitars and teen debauchery "Tears" 

soon falls flat due to ineffective characterization 

and a clearly discernible lack of 

structure. There is some atmospheric 

hand-held photography (the shots at night 

are often superb, the locale of Garibongdong 

coming across as an isolating, empty 

neon wilderness), and the frankness of several 

scenes (especially the sexual ones and 

the harrowing opening in particular) packs 

a considerable punch. However, watching 

these kids is a strangely unaffecting experience. 

The audience feels little sympathy for 

— 

A strikingly ambitious endeavour, "This 

Filthy Earth" is notable for its rich screenplay, 

co-written by Kotting and Sean Lock. 

The often comically grotesque collection of 

characters shares a Shakespearean bawdiness 

and are drawn in convincing detail. 

Kotting's distinctive, heightened style of 

direction— full of striking perspectives and 

especially sensuous imagery— is complimented 

by a marvellously eclectic collection 

of music, creating a world that it is hard to 

imagine outside the confines of the film 

itself. A unique effect is created by the coupling 

of the inventive techniques with the 

exposed, nightmarish landscape. What we 

see in the film is humanity stripped to the 

waist: characters battling the elements to 

the end. This is an atmospheric (to say the 

least), anarchic portrait of greed, suspicion, 

jealousy and superstition. Chris Wiegand 

WITH GREAT JOY 

*•• 

Starring Rene Soutcndijk, Jaap Spijkers, 

Jack Wouterse and Camilla Siegertsz. 

Directed by Lodewijk Crijns. Written by 

Lodewijk Crijns and him ran Kooten. 

Produced by Frans ran Gestel and Jeroen 

Beker. No distributor set. Drama. Dutchlanguage; 

subtitled. Not yet rated. Running 

those onscreen, and theirs is an often 

proud to admit himself. Tommy will do 

wearying journey that takes its time to 

anything for that all-important sale. Pete 

reach an unpleasant finale. The title, 

proves to be a slow learner but when his 

according to the director, represents the 

girlfriend refuses to sleep with him until he 

time: 91 min. 

tears he sheds as an adult for the teens 

flogs his first vacuum cleaner, he throws 

Lodewijk Crijns' melancholic, moving 

onscreen. But it could just as easily represent 

the audience's tears of boredom and 

himself into his new occupation. 

feature is above all a meditative character 

Like its companion piece "Strumpet," 

study that hinges on a series of unsettling 

frustration. Chris Wiegand 

Danny Boyle's dark comedy is dominated 

revelations. Part of the "No More Heroes" 

by the performance of its main star. As 

initiative from Motel films. VPRO TV and 

THIS FILTHY EARTH ***l/2 

Tommy, Timothy Spall is gloriously 

Starring Shane Atwooll, Rebecca Palmer, 

grotesque. Racist, sexist, unrelenting - 

Demelza Randall and Xavicr Tchili. Directed 

believing in self-motivation but ultimately 

directors who were each given the remit to 

by Andrew Kotting. Written by Andrew 

wrapped in self-delusion—Tommy is every 

depict individuals who have decided to 

hotting and Sean Lock. Produced by Ben 

household's bete noir—a man who won't 

turn their back on society. 

Woolford. No distributor set. Drama. Not 

take "no" for an answer, and a fantastic 

When his long-lost brother Ad (Jack 


comic creation. "Little Voice" screenwriter 

Wouterse) is sighted in a remote village in 

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah 

Jim Cartwright delivers a script which supplies 

Spall with some inspired, offbeat dia- 

look for him, accompanied by his heavily 

the mountains, Luc (Jaap Spijkers) goes to 

to relocate Emile Zola's epic 19th century 

novel "La Terre" to Yorkshire in Northern 

logue and he is ably supported by Begley, 

pregnant wife Mieke (Camilla Siegertsz). 

England. 

who 

And it takes a great deal of talent 

to pull it off. Thankfully, with Andrew 

gives a strong performance as the 

Arriving in the region, Luc learns that his 

amiable loser Pete. "Festen" cinematographer 

Anthony Dod Mantle gives this rat 

man" and is living with his wife Els (Renee 

brother is known by the locals as "the mad- 

Kotting (director of the marvellous 

"Gallivant") at the helm and Rebecca 

race its own sleazy sheen and altogether 

Soutendijk), with whom Luc once had a 

Palmer and Shane Atwooll in the main 

this is a far more substantial collaboration 

relationship. Luc and Mieke eventually find 

roles, "This Filthy Earth" is closer in terms 

than Boyle's "Strumpet," even if we never 

the couple's farm. It has been 1 5 years since 

of quality to Michael Winterbottom's 

get to see Spall vacuuming in the buff. 

they last saw Ad and the time has weighed 

— Chris Wiegand 

Hardy adaptations "The Claim" and heavily on him. He is unreceptive at first but 

"Jude" than, say, Alfonso Cuaron's illadvised 

update of "Great Expectations." evening and that night, the more they drink. 

Els persuades Luc and Mieke to stay for the 

TEARS (NUNMUL) •• 

Palmer ("Quills") plays Francine, the the more the truth is revealed. The next 

Starring Han-jun, Bong Tae-kyu, Park film's occasional narrator— a young, hardworking 

woman who struggles with her Lucdecides to stay on in order to discover 

morning, Mieke returns home but 

Keun-young, Cho Eun-ji and Sung Ji-ru. 

Directed and written by Im Sung-soo. sister Kath (newcomer Demelza Randall) what it was that led 

Produced by Oh 

Ad to lease so abruptly 

Jung-wan and Hang liongrae. 

No 

to keep their family's farm afloat. Their and mysteriously all those years ago. 

distributor set. Drama. Korean-language; 

subtitled. Not yet rated. Running the bullish local landowner Bluto (Shane to recent Dogme films such as "Milune." 

precarious existence is unbalanced when "With Great Joy" plays in a similar key 

lime: 101 min. 

Attwooll) proposes to the naive Kath in a using a small cast, a simple shooting Style, 

The kids arc definitely not all right in bid to control the land she is set to inherit. natural lighting 

this freewheeling drama 

and little music. With the 

from the writer and Fran is instantly suspicious of Bluto's action primarily concentrated 

director Im 

around Ad's 

Sang-soo ("Girls Night Out"). intentions and the marriage causes disruption 

within the village, The arrival of a credit to the director and the four players. 

remote cottage, the tension created is a 

His second film as a director, "Tears" is a 

sort of state-of-the-nation expose that was stranger from overseas (\a\icr Tchili) 

shot largel) on the streets on 

The secret, when it is revealed, introduces 

digital camera, 

important issues 

using non-actors 

of 

in the main 

shame and responsibility. 

roles. In some 

ways it comes 

This is a mature drama that demands 

across as a kind of Korean 

the audience's attention. Chris Wiegand 

the Dutch Film Fund, "With Great Joy" is 

one of five new features from five young 

144 (R-132) BOXOFFH

I i.nik 

Dern) 

I 

I 

In fact. "Life 

HEIST **l/2 

As a House" might be his be the office hygienist. One day. Susan 

Starring Gene Hackman, Delroy Undo, most listless work to date. Trying for a (Helena Bonham Carter), a punkish 

Danny De I ito, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay Capraesque spirit of self-affirmation. brunette, comes to his office complaining 

and Sam Rock well. Directed and written by 

Winkler creates a bogus piece of whimsy ^\ a toothache and in need of a root canal. 

David Mamet. Produced by Art Linson, about a man dying of cancer who builds Prescribing drugs to ease her pain, frank 

Elie Samaha and Andrew Stevens. A his dream house in order to reconcile the finds he has a sexual ache of his own. As 

Warner Bros, release. Crime thriller. Rated estranged relationship with his rebellious Frank gets caught up in a whirlwind of 

R for language and some violence. Running son. If only construction work were so sexual desire. Susan's hothead brother. 

ennobling. 

Duane (Scott Caan), and Prank's own 

time: 1117 min. 

The convoluted caper at the heart of George Monroe (Kevin Kline), a brother, Harlan (Elias Koteas). create carnage 

in his perfect life. 

"Heist" is a sure sign that writer/director 

divorced bohemian who lives in a dilapidated 

shack in a suburb overlooking Steve Martin, who can be a peppy and 

David Mamet has been trying way too 

hard. Although not as stilted as "House of 

California's Pacific Coast, is a veteran inventive actor, is so subdued here that we 

Games" or "The Spanish Prisoner," 

architect who's been laid off after 25 years don't really comprehend the depths of his 

the 

new film lacks credibility primarily of service. On that same day, he discovers discontent. Furthermore, given the choice 

because its protagonists are able to anticipate 

their opponents' every move. In addi- 

he has terminal brain cancer. George between the boisterous Laura Dern and the 

decides to spend his last months enlisting dowager Helena Bonham Carter (who 

his angry son, Sam (Hayden Christensen), 

tion, the classic Mamet thiefspeak is 

beginning to wear a little thin: Who wants 

to hear generations of characters referring 

again and again to "the thing"? Without 

such drawbacks, the generally solid cast 

might have made the thing work. 

Gene Hackman. Rebecca Pidgeon. 

Delroy Undo and Ricky Jay play a quartet 

of slick robbers that relies on an unscrupulous 

fence. Bergman (Danny DeVito), for 

the information required to launch any 

new operation. During a jewelry store 

break-in that goes awry, a witness spots 

Joe Moore (Hackman). So he and wife 

Fran (Pidgeon) are hoping to leave the 

country on their well-appointed yacht. But 

Bergman refuses to turn over the gang's 

share unless they commit to carrying out 

"the Swiss thing." an elaborate gold-grabbing 

scheme that involves impersonating 

law enforcement officers at an airport and 

commandeering a cargo plane. He insists 

on sending his nephew Jimmy Silk (Sam 

Rockwell) along to keep an eye on the 

home team. This being Mamet, both 

groups are busy trying to con each other. 

Another serious problem in "Heist" is 

the inherent scxlessness. An erotic edge is 

essential in any project reaching for even a 

glimmer of film noir. Pidgeon is simply too 

stiff an actress to deliver the sensuality 

that Fran should radiate when Joe asks her 

to seduce Jimmy as a diversion. Her scenes 

with Hackman, whose allure never seems 

to wavei as he ages, lack the sparkle that 

would make them a dynamic criminal couple. 

Savvy audiences want this genre to 

ooze with the carnal knowledge thing. 

— Susan (ireen 

LIFE AS A HOUSE * 

Starring Kevin Kline. Kristin Scott 

Thomas. Harden ( hristensen, Jena Malone. 

Mary Steenhurgen and Jumey Sheridan. 

Directed by Irwin Winkler. Written by 

Murk tndms. Produced by Irwin Winkler 

and Rob (owan. A Xcw Line release. 

Drama. Rated R for language, sexuality and 

drat; use. Running time: 121 min. 

Director Irwin Winkler ("Guilt) By 

Suspicion," "The Net"), who's also the 

prestigious producer of "Rocky," "Goodfellas," 

ami "'Round Midnight," has yet to 

show the same aplomb behind the camera. 

REVIEWS 

in tearing down his shabby abode. But as 

well as running into resistance from his 

prodigal kid. he also encounters difficulties 

with his taciturn ex-wife. Robin 

(Kristin Scott Thomas). 

Before long. George (who surprisingly 

hasn't informed his family of his condition) 

gets the co-operation of everyone 

while healing the rifts in his personal 

life. 

Somehow, none of the actors in "Life 

As a House" embarrass themselves. Kline 

uses some of his shaggy comic timing to 

give his role a little color. Christensen, 

who's playing a sociological construct 

rather than a real teenager, manages to 

provide a personable element. Jena 

Malone as a frisky teenager also has an 

unpredictably lively presence. But Kristin 

Scott Thomas is poorly cast as the earnest 

ex-spouse, while Mary Steenburgen is relegated 

to playing the middle-aged suburban 

eccentric. Yet how are we to believe a 

moment in this picture when we see 

George build a home without architectural 

plans, and using his family as inexperienced 

workers who don't even wear safety 

equipment'.' Put simply: "Life As A 

House" is a health hazard. 

— 


Atkins. Produced by Paul Mones and 

Daniel M. Rosenberg. An Artisan release. 

Comedy I Drama. Rated R for violence, sexuality, 

language and drug content. Running 

lime: 100 min. 

"Novocainc" is the kind of comic noir 

that freezes your responses, first-time 

director David Alkms simply glues together 

his connect-the-dots script without 

accounting lor the specific nuances that 

make for good thrillers. Not only isn'l there 

a gleam of sense or an inspired sense ol 

menace anywhere in the picture, there's also 

no hint of spontaneity \tkins nails everything 

down so that the plot fits togethei like 

a neatl) laid out jigsaw puzzle. 

Sangstei (Steve Martin) is a sue 

cessful dentisl who's engaged to leggy blonde 

in ii .mi. i 

who also happens to 

looks like she just walked ofT the set of 

"Fight Club"), there's no contest. One 

doesn't believe for a moment Frank's 

mounting desire for this delinquent patient. 

Only Scott Caan as a loose cannon and 

Kevin Bacon, in a hilarious cameo as an 

actor studying police work for a part he's 

playing, give "Novocaine" any real kick or 

distinction 

. 

— 


TREMBLING BEFORE G-D 

• •• 

Directed by Sundi Simcha Duhowski. 

Produced by Sandi Simcha Duhowski and 

Mare Smolowitz. A New Yorker release. 

Documentary. English- and Hebrew-language; 

subtitled. I mated. Running time: S4 

min. 

Filmed in the U.S, Europe and Israel, 

this documentary attempts to explore the 

dilemma of gay and lesbian Orthodox 

Jews. Born and bred into a fundamentalist 

culture that views their sexuality as a crime 

o\' the highest order. the\ struggle to find 

ways to stay connected with a faith that 

rejects them. 

The stories told some by subjects w ho 

are fully-lit. some obscured in anonymous 

shadows are very compelling, interesting 

and often moving, but they do not and 

cannot explain the religious belief that 

still those persecuted want comfort from 

even as they challenge its dictums. 

I 

NOVOCAINE •• 

Starring Steve Martin, Laura Dern, 

Helena lionham Carter, Llias Koteas and 

he documentary makes the choices. 

Scott Caan. Directed and written by David 

desires and needs easy to understand foi 

any viewer. I he loss the ga\s and lesbians 

feel, cut off from their families " I he real 

truth is. I want m> daddy," says one middle-aged 

gay man is easy to feel for any 

viewer 

But despite us talking-head 

interviews 

with rabbis and psychologists, it does not 

provide any real insight into the Orthodox 

faith foi those who are not familial with it. 

is acceptable t 

li.it a documentary 

can't provide answers, that it can only 

expose points of view, but nevertheless 

"Trembling Before G-d" is lacking thebal 

.nice needed to have resonance beyond the 

intimate crisis ol just these people 

embroiled in a s.ul hearts-and-minds con 

diet ovei the fate ol then souls Bridget 

Byrne 

iber, 2«mm (R-133) 145

FAT GIRL (A MA SOEUR) •••1/2 

Starring Altai's Reboux, Roxane 

Mesquida, Arsinee Khanjian and Libero de 

Rienzo. 

— 

Directed and written by Catherine 

Breillat. Produced by Jean-Francois Lepetit. 

A Cowboy release. Drama. French-language; 

subtitled. Unrated. Running time: 86 min. 

Catherine Breillats follow-up to 1999's 

ultra-controversial sexathon "Romance" 

proves that 25 years after her first film, 

"Une Vraie Jeune Fille," the veteran 

writer-director still has the power to shock: 

"A Ma Soeur" features an erect penis, a girl 

wetting herself and a vast amount of nudity—mostly 

from its young stars. 

Like her debut, Breillat's latest tells of a 

summer of sexual discovery. Beautiful 15- 

year-old Elena (Roxane Mesquida) and her 

younger, larger sister Anai's (Anai's Reboux) 

spend their vacation with their inattentive 

parents at the seaside. One languid afternoon, 

they meet handsome Italian law student 

Fernando (Libero de Rienzo) at a local 

cafe. While Anai's comforts herself with a 

banana split, Elena shares a passionate 

embrace with the stranger and a romance is 

born. It is to be short-lived, but lengthy 

enough for Fernando to persuade Elena to 

offer him her virginity, which she does with 

some initial resistance. Fernando professes 

love for her, as well as his fear of the nature 

of their relationship being exposed, as she is 

underage. 

Breillat's camera reveals a keen eye for 

detail, frequently capturing the leads in 

close-up, and her authentic dialogue displays 

the assorted anxieties and the alternating 

solidarity and rivalry that exists 

between the sisters. 

Notable in particular for the lengthy 

scene in which Elena gives herself to 

Fernando, and for a harrowing and violent 

conclusion that puts the whole summer into 

perspective, "Fat Girl" is 

a frank and startling 

feature that is hard to stomach but 

harder still to forget. Chris Wiegand 

***• 

FROM HELL 

Starring Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, 

Ian Holm and Robbie Coltrane. Directed by 

Allen and Albert Hughes. Written by Terry 

Hayes and Rafael Yglesias. Produced by 

Jane Hamshcr and Don Murphy. A Fox 

release. Drama. Rated R for strong violencelgore, 

sexuality, language and drug content. 


The murder by Jack the Ripper of five 

London prostitutes in Whitechapel in 1888 

remains one of the most enthralling criminal 

cases of all time. And because the 

Ripper was never caught or exposed, 

numerous theories have resonated as to his 

identity. Filmmakers Allen and Albert 

Hughes ("Menace II Society") have taken 

the tale and put an impressive, chilling spin 

on it, resulting in one of the best horror 

movies of recent years. 

Based on Alan Moore's highlyacclaimed 

graphic novel, "From Hell" 

blends Royal intrigue, political plotting 

and prejudicial views of the day to create a 


— 

REVIEWS 

gripping, sophisticated portrait of a 

London populated by despised whores and 

immigrants and run by the upper classes 

who do what they will with impunity. Only 

Inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp), 

a Sherlock Holmes with psychic visions of 

the murders, cares enough to do anything 

about the killings. To solve the murders, 

however, he will run up against secret societies, 

anti-Semitic beliefs, and his own feelings 

for one of the prostitutes, Mary Kelly 

(Heather Graham). 

Moore's comic is actually a spare blackand-white 

novel, with much background 

on all the characters and their relationships. 

The Hughes brothers have jettisoned 

much of the backstories but not their 

details—the 

19th Century London of the 

film feels eerily genuine—and with the aid 

of Peter Deming's ravishing cinematography, 

have actually captured the look of 

another Moore graphic novel, the stunning 

science fiction/super-hero tale, 

"Watchmen." 

The beauty of "From Hell," however, 

lies less in its rich appearance than in its 

intelligent subtext. As Abberline, who 

hides his inner pain behind a stoic mask, 

Depp is customarily superb, essaying a 

flawless Cockney accent. Graham is equally 

fine as the bewitching Kelly. (Only her 

porcelain prettiness rings false; she's not as 

ravaged as a Whitechapel working girl 

would be.) After the mindless, formulaic 

fluff of the summer's Hollywood offerings. 

"From Hell" is a remarkable breath of 

fresh air. Shlomo Schwartzberg 

FOCUS ** 

Starring Laura Dern, \\ illiam H. Maty 

and David Paymet: Directed by Meal Slavin. 

Written by Kendrew Lascelles. Produced by 

Robert A. Miller. A Paramount Classics 

release. Drama. Rated PG-li for thematic 

material, violence and some sexual content. 


Doubling as a civics lesson about the 

evils of intolerance, "Focus" is just too 

preachy to really register. It's the kind of 

heavy-handed message picture that's likely 

to grab some acclaim for tackling a "difficult" 

subject. 

Kendrew Lascelles' script is an adaptation 

of Arthur Miller's 1945 book about a 

couple (William H. Macy and Laura 

Dern) mistaken by their neighbors as 

Jewish. Harassed by a shadowy cadre of 

bigots led by Fred (Meat Loaf Aday). they 

turn to a Jewish newsstand owner (David 

Paymer) for solace and commiseration. 

Miller uses a small New York neighborhood 

as a metaphor for society at large 

in the same way the Salem witch (rials of 

"The Crucible" stood in for the McCarthy 

heanngs. To follow through on Miller's 

theme, Neal Slavin is much more overt. 

board trumpeting the "American Way" 

The movie is in the vein of "Crossfire," 

Ed Dmytryk's 1947 noir about three (ils 

who murder a Jewish hotel clerk. At the 

— 

time, that theme was radical—Dmytryk 

was blacklisted as "un-American" for his 

tense, claustrophobic masterpiece. Fiftythree 

years later, the topic is not only much 

less radical, it's downright dated. And 

cameraman Juan Ruiz-Anchia's romanticized 

visual style—he soaks the movie in a 

profusion of color—undercuts the stark 

subject matter. 

However, Miller's twist of putting a 

WASP couple into Jewish shoes—to forcefeed 

us the bigotry-can-happen-to-anyone 

message— gives Macy an opportunity to 

show his considerable skills. Macy's 

Lawrence Newman is a milquetoast 

Everyman; his go-along-to-get-along attitude 

eventually puts him at odds with the 

very people he hopes to placate. 

In her wife role, Dern drifts in and out 

of a nasally New York accent, never seeming 

to be comfortable with the way the 

movie blends political drama with cheery 

romance (in one ill-conceived scene, Dern 

and Macy splash around in a duck pond in 

Central Park). 

Composer Mark Adler's rich score, 

highlighted by the ringing tones of a 

bowed psaltery, keeps the movie from 

becoming unwatchable. Paul Clinton 

RAW DEAL: A QUESTION 

OF CONSENT **l/2 

Starring Lisa Gier King and Tony 

Marzullo. Directed by Billy Corben. 

Produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy 

Corben. An Artisan release. Documentary. 

Unrated. Running time: 98 min. 

Courting controversy from festival to 

festival, Billy Corben's documentary debut 

is an investigation of an alleged rape at a 

Florida frat house in 1999. An unusual 

case to say the least—mainly because 

many of that same evening's events were 

captured on not only one but two separate 

video cameras— it caused a massive media 

feeding frenzy at the time, so it is perhaps 

unsurprising that the video material has 

ended up being featured in a full-length 

documentary. 

Stripper and mother Lisa Gier King 

and another girl were hired to perform at a 

party held at a frat house at the campus of 

the University of Florida. King stayed the 

night with the students, emerging the next 

morning saying that she had been raped by 

one of those present, Michael Yahraus. 

Police subsequently seized the footage shot 

at the house that night by some of revelers, 

then—after viewing the material— actually 

arrested King herself, claiming that she 

had filed a false report, as the footage 

showed "clearly willing and consensual 

sex." 

— 

Offering more questions than answers, 

"Raw Deal" asks what kind of proof the 

video constitutes. Since so much of the 

film consists of the footage shot that 

evening— much of it extremely explicit and 

disturbing this is a difficult film to watch 

and near impossible to rate. Chris 

Wiegand

thrums 

]HOPSUEY ••• 

— 

— 

Starring Peter Johnson, Frances Fare, 

tickson Grade and Diana Vreeland. 

directed by Bruce Weber. Written by Bruce 

Weber and Maribeth Edwards. Produced by 

San Hush. A Zeitgeist release. Documentary. 

Not yet rated. Running time: W min. 

Part memoir, part gay-hunks calendar. 

'Chop Suey" is Bruce Weber's rambling 

et sweet-natured documentary about anyhing 

that interests him. The noted phoographer's 

last film, the Oscar-nominated 

Let's Get Lost." was a profile of jazz 

nusician Chet Baker. This time around. 

he focus is fuzzier. The late cabaret singer 

-ranees Faye shares the spotlight with 

ashion maven Diana Vreeland and a 

landsome teenage wrestler/male model 

rom the Midwest who agrees to pose 

indlessfy for Weber's Chop Suey Camera 

Dub. This is a gathering of unnamed, 

inseen shutterbugs that like to shoot cute 

bung fellows romping around in cute cosumes. 

The film makes pit stops to consid- 

:r other celebrities: Jan-Michael Vincent, 

lobert Mitchum (in a lovely duet with Dr. 

ohn). Brazilian jujitsu champion Rickson 

jracie. Dusty Springfield, and explorer Sir Joe Craven, Jim Kewin, Rob Bleetstein, 

Vilfred Thesiger. to name just a few. 

Y'assur Clements, Dave Dennison, Bela Fleck, 

Abetted by the fast-talking Weber's Deborah Koons Garcia, John Goddard, 

:ontinual explanations and commentaries, Monroe Grisman, Pamela Grisman and Sam 

he loopy autobiographical film zips along Grisman. Directed and produced by Gillian 

it such a rigorous pace that it's often 

Grisman. A Sony Pictures Classics release. 

diffi- 

:ult to digest the images or information. Documentary! Concert Film. Rated PG-13 

["his is a guy who has lived large publishing 

16 books, displaying his work in 

lozens of exhibits, snapping pictures for 

tlmost every top magazine, making music 

ideos and' shorts "yet he's still in a 

)reathless rush to create. Susan Green 

: IDEL •••1/2 

Starring Fidel Castro. Che Guevara, 

jahriel Gareia Marquez, Alice Walker, 

Sydney Pollack. Harry lielafonte, Nelson 

Mandela and Wayne Smith. Directed and 

vritten by Estela Bravo. Produced by 

Eiizabetb Beer. In I rbanworld release, 

documentary. Sot yet rated. Running time: 

13 min. 

Yankees beware: Estela Bravo 's "Fidel" 

s not a very balanced portrait of the conrovcrsial 

Cuban leader, who has conbunded 

American intelligence operatives 

jut to kill him ever since the 1959 revoluion. 

While it lacks opposing perspectives, 

he documentary presents remarkable 

botage. A rather flabby C astro swimming 

Mih his bodyguards in the warm waters of 

he ( arihbcan might just be the most starling 

image among many. Second place 

lUrel) goes to the moment, during a victo- 

•> speech lour decades ago. when hundreds 

of white doves were released over the 

ffowd ami one chose to land on his shoulder. 

Superstitious people saw il as a sign 

There's also an early Edward R. 

Vlurrou television interview with a chaining 

Fidel in pajamas, sitting next to Ins 

.ouii!' 

nappy 

.mi of the same name, who holds a 

REVIEWS 

— 

Warm and fuzzy gives way to the 

loquacious, angry guerrilla commander in 

a requisite military uniform. Are U. S. citizens 

ever provided with any information. 

visual or otherwise, that would suggest the 

human being inside the fatigues' 1 

Bravo's credentials stretch back some 

30 years, with extensive nonfiction work 

broadcast on PBS and CBC She had 

unique access to Castro, seen in a reflective 

mood and displaying a keen sense of 

humor. World leaders such as Nelson 

Mandela warmly embrace him. There are 

also commentaries, generally disapproving 

of American foreign policy, from novelists 

Alice Walker and Gabriel Garcia 

Marquez. director Sydney Pollack, singer 

Harry Belafonte and former diplomat 

Wayne Smith. But the critical voice of the 

exile community is missing. At the very 

least, it would have been appropriate to 

once again hear the shrill cries of little 

Elian's infamous Miami relatives. Susan 

Green 

GRATEFUL DAWG ••* 

Starring Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, 

for some language. Running time: 81 min. 

As detailed in this enjoyable little fan 

film, the collaboration between legendary 

Grateful Dead founder Jerry Garcia and 

well-known musician/composer/recording 

artist and friend David Grisman began as 

early as 1964, when Garcia and Grisman 

were neophytes on Bluegrass circuit, hoping 

to open for their mutual hero. Bill 

Monroe. In the mid-'70s they joined again 

to perform as Old and In the Way. expanding 

and deepening their musical relationship. 

Grisman and Garcia culminated their 

musical odyssey during the five years prior 

to Garcia's death, recording and performing 

as Grateful Dawg. 

This documentary is a film by Gillian 

Grisman, David Grisman's daughter and 

Garcia's goddaughter Shot mostly on 

digital video (which provides that authentic 

documentatrian verile that used to be 

the province of the 16mm film!. "Grateful 

Dawg" is a loving chronicle intended to 

do oothing more than bung fans of 

Grisman and Garcia another facet of 

these two performers ami then unique 

collaboration. 

The film lakes fans of Grateful Dawg 

winch is named aiiei the two strands of 

musk Grisman and Garcia developed 

individually over theii careers into then 

inner-circle of friends, family and process 

rhere are inten iews ol band members and 

family, along with < rrisman and ( rarcia 

themselves, "< (rateful )awg" is also a con 

l 

cerl film, capturing performances at San 

Francisco's Warfield fheatre and the 

— 

Sweetwater m Mill Valley. But the best performances 

are in Grisman's home studio, 

where the band plays everything with an 

enthusiasm only found during the process 

of learning something new. 

The interview segments of the film tend 

toward the overly reverent nothing but 

praise and admiration for Grisman and 

Garcia— while the portions of the film 

involve the these two men talking to 

that 

and playing alongside each other are 

extraordinary. They reveal a couple of old. 

fat, overly-hairy rockers, content to play 

their songs, sing their melodies and lose 

themselves in the satisfaction and sheer 

bliss of what they create: absolutely amazing 

music Tim Cogshell 

••• 

SERENDIPITY 

Starring John Cusack. hate Beckinsale 

and Jeremy Piven. Directed by Peter 

Chelsom. Written by Marc Klein. Produced 

by Simon Fields, Peter . and Robert 

L. Levy. A Miramax release. Comedy! 

Drama. Rated PG-13 for a scene of sexuality, 

and for brief language. Running time: 

K6 min. 

As predictable as romantic comedies 

go, "Serendipity" is nonetheless a fun ride, 

mostly because the actors give it their all. 

The always reliable John Cusack ("Being 

John Malkovich") plays Jonathan Trager 

who, while Christmas shopping for his 

girlfriend, meets up with Sara Thomas 

(Kate Beckinsale). also shopping for her 

significant other. They spend some time 

together and make a connection, but nisi 

as Jonathan reaches for the slip of paper 

with her phone number on it. il blows 

away. As Sara believes in serendipity, she 

decides to let fate take its course and has 

them each write their names on specific 

objects and send those objects out into the 

world. If each finds the other's name, she 

says, then they are meant to be together. 

flash forward a few years later, with the 

pair on the verge o\~ commuting to new 

mates hut unable to forget each other 

That's when the story clicks in. as 

Jonathan, accompanied by his best friend 

Dean (Jeremy Piven), decides to track Sara 

down. 

"Serendipity" is. ol course, an utterly 

preordained movie in terms o\' whether the 

pair will get together, but while contrived, 

n nevei feels calculated. Director Peter 

Chelsom ("Hear My Song") has a pleasingly 

light touch, and he orchestrates the 

coincidences and little moments when 

ion. ah. in and s.ua iic.nK meel with style 

and panache Ihcy'ic believable and SUSpenseful 

in equal measure 

Cusack and Beckinsale throw themselves 

into then roles. giving conviction to 

characters who would have been cardboard 

cutouts in anothei movie, and 

they're ablj aided bj a strong supporting 

cast, iiu hiding Piven, who is .> real-life 

chum of Cusack's, and I ugene I evy, who 

nearl) steals the show as an anal store 

clerk Sklomo Schwartzberg

— 

REVIEWS 

LARGE-FORMAT REVIEW 

CHINA: THE PANDA ADVENTURE ••1/2 

Starring Maria Hello, Xander Berkeley and Xia Yu. Directed by Robert M. 

Young. Written by Jeanne Rosenberg. Produced by Antoine Compin and Charis 

Horton. An IMAX release. Documentary. Unrated. Running time: 50 min. 

Shot in the lush green landscape of China's Wolong Nature Reserve and the 

rocky turf along the Yangtze River, "China: The 

Panda Adventure's" most gratifying moments 

are the larger-than-life depictions of these 

breathtaking settings, unseen by most Western 

eyes. Unfortunately, the spectacle provided by 

the large-screen format is largely wasted on 

the movie's schmaltzy storyline about Ruth 

Harkness' ("Coyote Ugly's" Maria Bello) 

search for the Giant Panda, with far too little of 

the already limited screen time devoted to the 

wondrous animal. 

Based on the true-life tale of American 

dress designer Harkness, who in 1936 was the 

first person ever to bring a live Giant Panda to 

the West, the movie opens with the desolate seamstress' arrival in Shanghai to 

retrieve the ashes of her deceased adventurer husband William Harkness. In his 

journals, William had left detailed accounts of having glimpsed the elusive and 

gentle Giant Panda, inspiring Ruth to continue her late husband's quest to study 

the creature up close. Time, however, is not on the couturier-turned-explorer's 

side, since she must race hunter Dakar )ohnston (Xander Berkeley), whose goal 

is 

to hunt down the beautiful black-and-white creature. 

Children, who seem to be the target audience of "China," are less 

likely to 

mind the simplistic narrative than their parents, but all age groups are sure to 

take note of the minimal amount of time that's actually devoted to the Great 

Panda. It's quite a shame, too, considering how much the frolicsome and loving 

cubs and their doting mama bear light up every inch of the 70-foot-high 

screen during their fleeting scenes. Nonetheless, families could do a lot worse 

than spending an afternoon catching momentary views of China's awe-inspiring 

forests and the endangered species that lives deep within them, forgiving— if 

only temporarily—the silly, though, entirely harmless drama that ends up dominating 

the movie. Francesca Dinglasan 

•• 

TRAINING DAY 

Starring Denzel Washington, Ethan 

Hawke, Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray. 

Directed hy Antoine Fuqua. Written by 

David Ayer. Produced hy Jeffrey Silver and 

Bobby Newmyer. A Warner Bros, release. 

Drama. Rated R for strong brutal violence, 

pervasive language, drug content and brief 

nudity. Running time: 1 16 min. 

Antoine Fuqua's "Training Day" is an 

intense yet frustrating study of the notion 

of street justice. Fuqua ("The 

Replacement Killers"), working with 

David Ayer's script, uncovers the fine line 

between undercover police tactics and corruption, 

but is otherwise unable to present 

any further scrutinj leaving the film and 

itsael.irscoastinyc.ua shallow plane. 

"Training Day" follows idealistic rookie 

Jake Hovt (Ethan Hawke) through his 

first day as an undercover narcotics squad 

officer. 

He's being trained by the head of 

the division himself, veteran Detective 

Alon/o Harris (Den/el Washington), a 

man of lew words, and a formidable presence. 

The initial training scenes are quite 

funny, with Alonzo relishing his superiority 

and indulging his gruff demeanor to 

play mind games with his rookie. Alonzo 

likes to be blunt both in what he says and 

what he does, but eventually his actions 

become inexplicably unnerving. 

The problem arises when the elements 

of the story switch over into mind-boggling 

extremism. Alonzo's wicked plans 

unfurl abruptly, without a carefully constructed 

intensification. Alonzo's character 

exists 

to represent an idea, to make a 

point, and subtlety is not often included in 

such an equation. Had Alonzo's character 

been less bipolar—the crazed bully and the 

teasing jokester— the tension building 

between the two main characters would 

have been electrifying. The same could be 

said for the film itself—eventually it just 

rises to the level of a veil and remains 

there. 

Jake, on the other hand, spends most of 

the film in a state of distrust and disbelief 

one that the audience is meant to 

share. This is the most interesting aspect of 

the film, the confusion between duty and 

morality, but Fuqua cannot surpass the 

script's superficiality. In a film that introduces 

such potentially powerful situations, 

its level of predictability and its misuse of 

its talented cast is simply disappointing. 

— Barbara Goslawski 

VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST 

• ••1/2 

Voiced by Andrew Pltilpot, Mike 

McShane, John Rafter Lee, Wendee 

Lee, Julia Fletcher, Matt McKenzie, 

John Dimaggio, Alex Fernandez, 

Jack Fletcher, Pamela Segall, John 

Hostetter, Dwight Schultz and Mary 

Elizabeth McGlynn. Directed by 

Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Written hy 

Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Mataichiro 

Yamamoto and Masao Maruyama. 

Produced by Mataichiro Yamamoto 

and Masao Maruyama. An Urban 

\ision release. Animated!Horror. 

Rated R for violencelgore. Running 


With the 1985 release of the original 

"Vampire Hunter D." the gothic romanticism 

of author Hideyuki Kikuchi's series 

of classic vampire novels met the graphic 

action of Japanese Anime. It was a smash 

video hit, scoring again with its release to 

DVD in 2000, whetting the appetite of 

goth/anime fans for more. "Vampire 

Hunter D: Bloodlust" is adapted from 

Volume 3 of the series, and it does not disappoint. 

In the middle of the night, the beautiful 

Charlotte Elbourne (voiced by Wendee 

Lee) is kidnapped by the notorious 

Vampire, Meier Link (John Rafter Lee). 

Her rich family immediately hires bounty 

hunters to bring her back. First they set 

the infamous Markus Brothers on the 

trail; then they offer the legendary 

Vampire Hunter D (Andrew Philpot) S20 

million to bring Charlotte home—or kill 

her if she has been turned into one of the 

undead. 

The Markus Brother's crew includes 

BorgolT (Matt McKenzie). the oldest and 

leader of the clan: Nolt (John Dimaggio). 

the largest brother; Kyle (Alex Fernandez), 

an expert with knives; Grove (Jack 

Fletcher), whose ghost does his fighting 

for him; and Lelia (Pamela Segall), a girl 

on a mission to kill every Vampire she can 

find. D, as he is referred to in the film, is a 

special kind of Vampire Hunter, a 

Dunpeel half-vampire, half-human. No 

one trusts him. and his only companion is 

a parasitic entity in the shape of a face on 

his left hand. Nevertheless. Dunpeels have 

a code by which they live: Don't kill anybody 

who's not trying to kill you, unless 

it's 

a vampire. 

This is an extraordinary film: A gothic 

romance with vampires, monsters, magic. 

graphic violence of every possible stripe, 

stunning visuals an operatic score and a 

Shakespearean plot-line. Not bad for a 

cartoon.— Tim Cogshell 

148 (R-136) BOXOFFN

HEARTS IN ATLANTIS • ** 

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Anton 

Yelchin, Hope Davis, Mika Boorem and 

David Morse. Directed by Seott flieks. 

Written by William Goldman. Produced by 

Kerry Hey sen. A Warner Bros, release. 

Drama. Rated PG-13 for violence and thematic 

seenes. Running time: 100 min. 

Steeped in nostalgia. "Hearts in 

Atlantis," based on a Stephen King eollection 

of short stories, draws on the same 

thematic elements as the author's last 

bigscreen 

adaptation. "The Green Mile." 

Here, again, a stranger with a curious gift 

changes forever the lives of those around 

him. Unlike that modern classic, however, 

"Hearts in Atlantis" sometimes relies too 

that these enigmatic figures aren't real, but 

he plays along with the game anyway. 

Gradually and rather reluctantly, Ted 

becomes the father figure Bobby never 

had. while his mother grows skeptical of a 

man who would voluntarily spend so much 

time with a little kid. 

Ultimately it becomes clear that Ted 

has a certain insight bringing up Bobby's 

beloved bike before the boy mentions it. 

driving away the neighborhood bully by 

— 

alluding to his "dark secret." betting on the 

underdog in a boxing match and winning 

big. And thai he can pass it on to others: 

After embracing Ted. Bobby takes a card 

shark at the local fair to town, even though 

his mother has warned him repeatedly 

against playing cards for money. 

But Ted's insights soon weai thin with 

the help of an overbearing camera and 

core And eventually Ted is taken away, 

and. in predictable coming-of-agc fashion, 

the grown-up Bobby claims the summer he 

spent with Ted has changed Inni forevei 

But the viewer has to ask: How'' Bobby is 

now a photographer, shooting pictures 

through prisms to create unique images 

The argument could be made thai now he 

sees the world differently more clearly, ii 

REVIEWS 

— 

distortedly. But his window ot prescience 

was open only momentarily— Bobby 

shared Ted's power just that one time and 

it is unclear what lasting effect the strange 

old man actually had. Annlee Elhngson 

DON'T SAY A WORD **l/2 

Starring Michael Douglas, Sean Bean, 

Brittany Murphy, Jennifer Esposito, Famke 

Janssen and Oliver Piatt. Directed by Gary 

Fleder, Written by Anthony I'eckham and 

Patrick Smith Kelly. Produced by Arnold 

Kopelson, Anne Kopelson and Anion 

Milchan. A 20th Century Fox release. 

Thriller. Rated R for violence, including 

some gruesome images, and language. 

Running time: 1 14 min. 

heavily on cinematic cliches to convey the As kidnapping-themed thrillers go. 

purity of youth and the tragedy of lost "Don't Say a Word" largely stays the 

innocence. 

course, adding a few innovative wrinkles to 

Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin) is what is still a predominantly formulaic 

let 

down once again on his 11th birthday story about a Hitchcockian Everyman 

when his mother (Hope Davis) gives him a pulled into circumstances beyond his con- 

his wife Aggie (Famke Janssen) awaken to 

find that their daughter has been kidnapped 

by a vicious bank robber named 

Koster (Sean Bean) as ransom to persuade 

the good doctor to extract a certain "sixdigit 

number" from Elisabeth's head. This 

number, presumably, is key to locating the 

loot which Elisabeth's father stole from 

Koster some 10 years earlier. 

All of this makes for an engaging 

premise, even if some of the details seem 

unnaturally forced. The unrealistic oneday 

deadline thai Koster imposes on 

Nathan is especially troublesome, a gimmick 

seemingly intended to add an extra 

layer of tension which, ironically, nevei 

really materializes given how easily 

Nathan is able to win 

I lisabeth's confi 

dence \nd a parallel storj involving an 

NYPD detective, played by Jennifei 

Esposito, struggles to pace with the resl of 

the film despite Esposito's verj appealing 

nun ( ulicr contrivances, though, are con 

structive. such as the "Real Window" tac 

tic of confining Aggie to hei bed with leg 

in traction from a skung injury 

Derivative, 

to be sure, hut a wonderful catalyst foi 

some ol the film's mosl suspenseful 

moments. 

Despite the picture's shortcomings, 

director Gary Fleder ("Kiss the Girls") 

looks to get substantial mileage out of the 

effort, lake his past work. "Don't Say a 

Word" is crisply-edited, well-acted and 

impressively stylish in lils and starts 

enough to enhance the commercial 

clearly 

prospects of a movie that might otherwise 

have fallen through 

cracks — Wade Major 

the autumnal 

LACIENAGA 

• •• 

Starring Mercedes Moran, Graciela 

Borges, Martin Adjemian and Diego 

Baenas. Directed and written by Lucrccia 

Mart el. Produced by l.ita Stantic and Jose 

Maria Morales. A Cowboy release. Drama. 

Spanish-language; subtitled. I nrated. 


Winner of the Sundance/NHK 

Filmmakers Award. Lucrccia Martel's 

screenplay for "La Cienaga" is set over a 

sweltering summer in northern Argentina. 

La Cienaga (The Swamp) is the name of 

library card instead of the bicycle he really trol and forced to rise to the occasion. 

wants. She reminds him that his father left Though the stated source material for the sun-beaten town where Tali (Mercedes 

them with next to nothing to survive on "Don't' Say a Word" is the novel of the Moran) lives in cramped quarters with little 

yet. as his best friend points out, she same name by Andrew Klavan. the most 

money and little room available for 

always manages to afford brand-newdresses 

obvious model is Hitchcock's own "The modesty among her young children. 

for work. 

Man Who Knew Too Much." a story that Despite the oppressive climate and filthy 

A gift of an entirely unexpected kind the master of suspense himself deemed so environs. Tali's children share a vibrant 

shows up on his doorstep instead: the mysterious 

good he made it twice. Of course. "Don't resilience. As they sweat it out in the urban 

Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins), Say a Word" is nowhere near that level of jungle. Tali's disillusioned cousin Mecha 

who appears out of nowhere to rent the intelligence or suspense, although it 

(Graciela Borges) and her own family 

is sufficiently 

empty room upstairs. Ted quickly 

well-crafted to make the lulls less retreat to La Mandragore. a once-famed 

befriends Bobby and offers to pay him a obvious. 

and now faded country estate, where 

dollar a week to read the paper out loud, Michael Douglas stars as noted psychiatrist 

Mecha soaks up the sun and knocks back 

thus sparing his failing eyesight. Of course, 

Dr. Nathan Conrad, a happy, secure red wine. These two locations may only be 

at that price, there's more to it than that: family man whose tranquil life takes a horrific 

a matter of kilometers apart but thev seem 

turn after he agrees to help treat a like separate worlds indicative of the dif- 

Ted also wants Bobby to keep an eye out 

for "low men"—men who wear dark clothing 

seemingly catatonic girl named Elisabeth ferent classes to which the cousins belong. 

Burrows (Brittany Murphy). It's The worlds finally collide when an accident 

and drive flashy cars and cast long 

shadows. Bobby is bright and understands Thanksgiving morning when Nathan and 

reunites Tali and Mecha 

The characters in "La Cienaga'' 

rather like those in Andrew Kdtting's " I his 

Filthy Earth" are at the mercy of the elements, 

opposed by forces o\' nature more 

hostile than hospitable. While Kdtting's 

film powerfully emits the palpable sense of 

an earthy, dirty climate. Martel's swiftly 

creates and maintains a stifhngly hot and 

humid atmosphere that will leave you 

reaching lor your soda. Successfully recreating 

the worlds of both adults and children 

particularly the games each play 

with each other and the rumors ihat dominate 

then lives "I a Cienaga" has a line 

ensemble cast, the charismatic Juan Cruz 

Borden is especially strong Martel draws 

impeccable, physical performances from 

hei actors, wiiii the kind ol confidence 

rarely displayed by First-time directors, and 

her documentary background shines 

through in hei depiction "i the two primary 

environments, both >>t winch are well 

siiot by dp Hugo ( olaee "I a ( icnaga" is 

flawed "iiK In us freewheeling structure, 

which refuses the audience sufficient time 

know each o\ the characters, thus 

hi impress], misik view i.uhei than 

a specific one Still, this 

Wiegand 

debut— ( hri\ 

is an intriguing 

iber. 2001 

(R-I.V7)

REVIEWS 

— 

— 

FLASHBACK: January 3, 1972 

What BOXOFFICE Said About... 

HAROLD AND MAUDE 

[Leelee Sobieski and Albert Brooks star as unlikely friends whose eccentric personalities 

and significant age difference cause consternation in Paramount Classics' 

"My First Mister" (due out November 2). When "Mister" screened at Sundance 

earlier this year, comparisons were inevitably made to the central duo in the black 

comedy "Harold and Maude," whose relationship 

could only be described as "May-December" if the 

calendars used were from two different centuries.] 

The love of a 20-year-old boy for an 80-year-old 

woman is the basis for a macabre comedy that borders 

on the distasteful but always manages to be entertaining 

in the hands of veteran Ruth Cordon and young 

Bud Cort. Director Hal Ashby, formerly an Academy 

Award-winning editor, displayed a similar flair for offbeat 

humor with "The Landlord" and doesn't let the 

situation get out of hand very often. 

Rich Harold (Cort) stages elaborate "suicides" to stir 

some emotion from his mother (Vivian Pickles). Fond 

of attending funerals of strangers, he meets and is 

befriended by Maude (Gordon). Also a funeral fancier, 

Maude is almost 80 and believes in living life to its 

fullest. 

Harold's mother's attempt to find a suitable mate 

for her son end in disaster when each date is frightened off by another fake suicide. 

His uncle tries to have the boy drafted, but decides otherwise after Harold and 

Maude stage a violent scene for his benefit. A psychiatrist can't penetrate Harold's 

world, either; only Maude gets through, her antics delighting and confusing the boy 

at the same time. 

Cordon fans will delight in her performance as an elderly lady with a youthful 

vitality. Cort's lack of emotion nearly makes his character non-existent at times, but 

his talent brings off many scenes credibly. The casual way in which he pretends to 

chop off an arm with a meat cleaver is a particularly outstanding example of this. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Lippincott Books has published a novelette in hardcover of the Colin Higgins scenario. 

A&M Records is releasing an album of the Cat Stevens score. Both are good 

promotional aides. Initiate a tree-planting drive in honor of the Maude character. 

CATCHLINES: 

An Unconventional Story About Unconventional People 

Doing Conventional Things— Living, Loving, Laughing, Crying and Dying. 

SHADOW GLORIES 

**l/2 

Starring Marc Sandler, Sarah Rachel 

henberg, Linda Amendola and Michael 

Denney. Directed by Ziad Hamzeh. 

Written by Marc Sandler. Produced by 

Ziad Hamzeh, Bert Brown and Marc 

Sandler. A Hamzeh Mystique release. 

Drama. Rated R for strong brutal violence 

and language. Running time: 11)9 min. 

To learn how to fight so you never have 

to is not a coneept that works for 

American audiences. "Shadow Glories" 

suffers from having this idea as ils foundation. 

Ultimately, it ends up a broken, fractured 

version of what it might have been, 

rather than the intelligent, poetic drama it 

aspires to be. But that doesn't mean it's not 

a tough, strong-minded and at times well 

executed film that gives ils director and 

cast a chance to strut then stuff with confidence 

and conviction. 

15(1 (R-138) BOXOFFICE 

Marc Sandler's script fluctuates— at 

times the doubts, despairs and hopes of its 

characters are aptly exposed, but at other 

moments it comes across as pretentious and 

overwritten. Sandler plays Simon Penn, a 

retired kickboxing champ left only with the 

legacy of having mischanneled his talents at 

the expense of a happy life and a contented 

soul. He is not just discontented because 

he's past his prime in the ring; he is 

deeply 

troubled by what he was doing there ail 

along. He runs a school that leaches a more 

idealized version of his brutal sport in the 

hopes the activity will channel emotions 

that are dangerous if let loose. But C.J., his 

partner at the school, is a woman who 

needs a real outlet for her rage and hostility. 

She focuses on beating the current champion 

a man with the nickname "Killer" who 

has no doubts about what his sport is all 

about. Penn is lorn between trying to find 

helping the determined C.J. hone her skills 

to take on "Killer." Naturally, a form of 

madness ensues. 

To an amateur eye, the kickboxing 

sequences seem very well executed. The 

actors are well cast and up to their tasks, 

but still the impression remains that it's all 

just a showcase exercise full of a sound 

and fury within which better qualities can't 

find their true footing—shadow glories 

indeed. Bridget Byrne 

ZOOLANDER 

••• 

Starring Ben Stiller. Owen Wilson, 

Christine Taylor and Will Ferrell. Directed 

by Ben Stiller. H ritten by Drake Sather & 

Ben Stiller and John Hamburg. Produced by 

Scott Rudin, Ben Stiller and Stuart 

Cornfeld. A Paramount release. Comedy. 

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and drug 

references. Running time: H9 min. 

Ostensibly a spoof of male models and 

the fashion industry, "Zoolander" also 

takes broad swipes at everything from spy 

and action films to the entire modern cult 

of celebrity. Ben Stiller stars in the title 

role as Derek Zoolander, a legendary male 

model of equally legendary stupidity 

whose swollen ego suffers a fatal blow 

when he fails to win a fourth consecutive 

Male Model of the Year award, the trophy 

instead going to his golden-locked archrival 

Hansel (Owen Wilson). Believing that 

there must be more to life than "being really, 

really good looking," Zoolander briefly 

retires and makes an unsuccessful attempt 

to return to his family's coal-mining roots. 

Behind the scenes, however, a diabolical 

plot is being hatched to which Zoolander 

will be integral. The new president of 

Malaysia has vowed to put an end to child 

labor sweatshops, thereby threatening the 

entire fashion industry and jeopardizing the 

diabolical machinations of evil fashion 

mogul Mugatu (Will Ferrell). Mugatu 

knows that to assassinate the president he 

will need a trained, brainwashed assassin 

an empty shell that can be programmed, 

configured and triggered. Basically, someone 

just like Derek Zoolander. 

As if that weren't enough, there's also 

a love angle involving a Time Magazine 

reporter (Stiller's real-life wife Christine 

Taylor), a catwalk parade of celebrity 

cameos and an endless stream of pop culture 

references so fast and furious that 

even repeat vicwings may not reveal them 

all. Some of the references are so 

obscure— such as the naming of Ferrell's 

character after a "Star Trek" monster 

that many viewers may not get them at all. 

Ordinarily, the greatest challenge with 

broad comedy is simply sustaining the 

energy. In the case of "Zoolander." that 

task goes to the other extreme; by the end, 

audiences ma> be too exhausted to laugh 

any more. It's a minor flaw in a movie that 

has so much going for it and which pays 

o\\' a much highet percentage of its gags 

than even the simihiiK ambitious "Austin 

Powers" pictures.— Wade Major

•• 

GLITTER 

Starring Motion Carey, Max Beesley, 

Da Brat, Tiu Texada, Terrence Howard and 

I 

dlarie Pettiford. Directed hy \ ondie Curtis 

Hall. Written hy Kate Lanier. Produced hy 

Laurence Mark. A Fox release. Dramal 

Romance. Rated PC- 1.1 for some sexuality, 

some language and brief violence. Running 


Pop diva Mariah Carey makes her first 

bigscreen star turn in 

"Glitter." a thinlyveiled 

biographical rags-to-riches tale 

about an impoverished, biracial little girl 

who grows up to become the singing sensation 

of New York City. Although production 

notes insist that the film's Billie 

Frank is not in fact the same high-note 

hitting, microminiskirt wearing Glitter 

gal as Miss Mariah. fans and observers of 

Carey are likely to notice that the 

chanteuse-turned-actress bears more than 

just a passing resemblance to her 

onscreen incarnation. 

Set in 1983- minus the era-appropriate 

hairstyles, clothing and general ambience—the 

film unfolds the tale of club 

dancer Billie, who finds it hard to trust 

people, having grown up a social services 

ward after her loving but drugged-out 

mother (Valarie Pettiford) neglects to 

retrieve the girl as promised. Billie and 

her fellow ghetto childhood pals Louise 

(Da Brat) and Roxanne (Tia Texada) get 

discovered by an unscrupulous producer 

(Terrence Howard), who uses Billie's 

voice to dub over the recordings of one of 

his protegees. Coming to the rescue is celebrated 

club deejay Julian Dice, aka DJ 

Dice (Max Beesley), who takes over as 

Billie's manager and producer—and 

lover. 

As Billie's star begins to rise, eventually 

outshining Dice (who once upon a 

time was proclaimed "DJ of the Year," as 

a framed cover of Spin Magazine 

announces), he becomes increasingly controlling, 

possessive and jealous, 

threatening 

not only their relationship, but Billie's 

career as well. 

Though unintentional laughs are there 

to be had—a brokenhearted Billie spontaneously 

writing lyrics to a tune being 

composed by Dice across town is particularly 

memorable "Glitter" never quite 

crosses into the so-bad-it's-good realm to 

make the film worthwhile. Part of this can 

be attributed to the fact that Care) isn't 

downright awful, managing to carry out 

her tearful scenes with eyes that actually 

brim. That's little compensation, however. 

for an entirely predictable plot thai would 

surely crumble under the weight of its 

cringe-inducing dialogue if it weren't for 

the numerous musical interjections from 

the pic's accompanying soundtrack. 

Perhaps whal "(Hitter" represents 

more than Carey's real-life mad in fame 

are the spoils that come Willi her achieved 

celebrityhood, considering that the film 

takes the notion of "vanitj piece" lo 

another level. Willi the sole exception n( 

REVIEWS 

— 

the demure, modest Billie herself, basically 

am character with speaking lines seems 

required to heap lavish compliments upon 

the songbird's voice. And Carey's voice, as 

her award-winning recording career and 

string of number one singles prove, is 

exceptional. It's her albums, however, and 

not "Glitter," that's gold. Francesca 

Dinglasan 

•*• 

THE IRON LADIES 

Starring Chaichun \impoonsatvas, 

Sahaparp lirakamin, Giorgio Maiocchi, 

Gokogorn Benjathikul, Jessdaporn 

Pholdee, Ekachai Buranupanit and 

Siridhana Hongsophon. Directed hy 

Yongyoot Thongkongtoon. Written hy 

Visuthichai Boonyakarinjana, lira 

Maligool and Yongyoot Thongkongtoon. 

Produced by I isute Poolvoralaks. A 

Strand release. Drama. Thai-language; 

subtitled. Unrated. Running time: 105 min. 

Based on a true story, "The Iron 

Ladies" is funny and unapologetic about 

its point of view, the gist of which is it's 

good to be gay. The film tells the story of 

the 1996 Thai national championship volleyball 

team. It begins when a female 

coach is assigned to a regional squad and 

all but one member of the team dismisses 

her has a lesbian and quits. Coach Bee 

(Siridhana Hongsophon) holds new tryouts 

and what she finds is a number of 

very talented players who happen to be 

gay. transvestite or transsexual. 

Her first recruits are Mon (Sahaparp 

Virakamin). a gay man who's been turned 

down for several teams because of his 

homosexuality, and Mon's best friend, 

Jung (Chaichan Nimpoonsawas). a flamboyantly 

gay man who turns out to be 

pretty good at the net. 

Mon and Jung set about recruiting 

several of their friends for the team, 

including a buff transvestite Army captain; 

a beautiful transsexual with a handsome 

straight boyfriend (and a wicked 

spike); and a set of gay triplets who 

together make one pretty good volleyball 

player. 

Tensions flare when the only straight 

player on the team. Chat (Jessdaporn 

Pholdee), has a difficult time with the 

outrageous behavior of his teammates. 

not to mention always being mistaken for 

a gay man. When it comes down to it. 

though, the "boys" all realize that the) 

have at least one thing in common: a 

desire to win. 

"The Iron Ladies" wears its ideals "n 

its sleeve. It isn't very coy. but it avoids 

individual stereotypes; rhe"men"oi lion 

Ladies represent the breadth of homosexuality, 

from the "he doesn't seem gay" gas 

man to the "That's a guy?!" type of gay 

man. which is noi onl> a realistic reflection 

of the actual 1996 I hai national 

champions, but true oi the ga) community 

in general. The) are much maligned, 

i>ui the lion Ladies persevere, rhe) not 

onh survive, the) win and everybod) 

loves a winnei Tim Cogshell 

MAU MAU SEX SEX **1/2 

Starring Dan Sonney and David 

Friedman. Directed and produced hy Ted 

Bonnitt. Written by Fddie Mutter and Ted 

Bonnitt. A 7th Planet release. Documentary. 

Unrated. Running time: SI min. 

Called "America's oldest independent 

filmmakers." graying, pudg) granddadd) 

figures Dan Sonne) and David Friedman 

arc also brightly described as two of the 

original "peddlers of smut" in the cheerfully 

ribald "Man Mail Sex Sex." a history 

of exploitation films. Although the documentary 

glows with jocular reminiscences, 

sincere moments of friendship and devoted 

family portraits, the prevailing sense of 

good-ol'-boy lightheartcdness can't overcome 

the unsettling unpleasantness of its 

heroes' grungy trade and its stinging victimization 

of women. 

The men warmly bitch at one another 

and readily relate the early days of the 

exploitation films that, due to industry 

censorship restrictions of the early 1950s, 

were shrouded in the guise of "education" 

films, covering topics ranging from miscegenation 

to child-brides to abortion, purporting 

to serve as a warning against these 

social evils. These cheap quickies gave way 

to more frankness with the burlesque or 

"hooch" films, which allowed partial nudity 

(all women's, naturally), frequently 

filmed at nudist camps, that appear 

remarkably mild and even silly when compared 

to the pair's later fascination with 

"roughies," in which women are tortured 

and assaulted for no better reason than to 

arouse men both on and off-screen. 

It's startling to see a younger version of 

the teddy-bear Dave appearing m man) o( 

his own films (Dan only made one film 

appearance in a somewhat stilted bit-part). 

The filmmakers' assertion that the roughies' 

torture scenes were so inadequate!) done 

that it was clearly all faked in good "fun." 

and their sincere despair at how the 

exploitation film has now become all 

raunchy, never adequatel) addresses their 

part in 

perpetuating heinous behaviors. 

It is Dan who bluntly explains the documentary's 

title, which came in part from a 

low budget "serious" documentary, "Mau 

Man." made b) another production company 

on the African native uprisings. 

Because of the partial nudity of the native 

women, the film couldn't be approved foi 

television broadcast, vet it was too short 

tor feature distribution Dan and Dave 

added approximak'lv three minutes ol 

staged murder, rape -uk\ mayhem in a 

native village, then successful!) marketed 

the film wilh that footage '"Mail Man' 

don't mean nothing." Dan remarks, "but 

add 'sex sex' and vou got something." 

While exploitation Minis certain!) 

deserve as much examination as an) olhci 

genre, .>i\^ producer/first-time directoi red 

Bonnitt presents Dan and Have mall their 

glorious contradictions, aftei the chuckles 

and suipns,-s. all that is uallv left is the 

i'i line Luisa I . Ribeiro 

November. ZOO! (R-139

ROCK OPERA 

**l/2 

— 

Starring Jerry Don Clark, Ted Jarrell, 

Chad Holt, Paul Wright, Luis Olmeda, Rob 

Gasper, Mike Guihan and Bob Ray. 

Directed and written by Boh Ray. Produced 

by Barna Kantor. A Crashcamfilms release. 

Comedy. Unrated. Running time: 90 mitt. 

There is a sub-culture in and around 

the outskirts of Austin, Texas. It involves 

guys between the ages of 17 and about 25, 

lots of beer and even larger quantities of 

marijuana—one nickel bag at a time 

unemployment and a particular kind of 

rock music: The sort played by bands that 

have names like Butthole Surfers, Uncle 

Cracker and Nashville Pussy. These are the 

things that native Austin filmmaker Bob 

Ray's "Rock Opera" are about. 

Strung together by several low-end 

music videos and a loose storyline, "Rock 

Opera" is funny, insanely violent and profoundly 

stupid. The film has the production 

value of a junior college class project: 

It's shot on 16mm film stock (what's the 

point of that in a digital world?) and is 

populated by a number of local bands and 

what are likely buddies of writer/director 

Bob Ray. It's the kind of movie that might 

best be described as a "hoot." Terms like 

"good" or "bad" just don't apply. 

"Rock Opera" is a slacker/stoner caper 

fiick about a band called PigPoke that tries 

raising money for a tour by selling weed. It 

doesn't work out. The film's lead, played 

with deft incompetence by local actor 

Jerry Don Clark, loses the weed, then 

botches a second assignment intended to 

make up for losing the weed—all because 

he's constantly smoking weed. 

If this were the early '70s, "Rock 

Opera" might be a sleeper hit like the 

Cheech and Chong classics "Up in 

Smoke" and "Nice Dreams." As it stands, 

it's a neat little rock-a-billy dark comedy 

that'll mostly play in the basements of 

loser kids who smoke too much weed and 

start rock bands of questionable quality. 

— Tim Cogshell 

•** 

HARDBALL 

Starring Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, 

John Hawkes, Trevor Morgan, D.B. 

Sweeney, Michael Jordan and Stephen 

he agrees to coach a I iltlc League baseball 

team, the Kckambas, from I he infamous 

Cabrini Green housing project. Yes. it's the 

"Bad New Bears" meets the "Mighty 

Ducks," Willi a touch of "Dangerous 

Minds" all embarrassingly dumb movies. 

REVIEWS 

Yes, there's the requisite love interest, trite 

story arc and more than a few cliches 

about poverty, discrimination and reactionary 

liberal angst. But it works. 

The half-dozen young African 

American actors who are the real stars of 

the film manage to avoid the trap of 

sounding like they're reading dialogue 

written by a 35-year-old white man, even 

though they are. That's just plain good acting. 

For that matter, one of these days 

we're going to have to stop making fun of 

Keanu Reeves' wooden acting style. The 

fact is, Mr. Reeves has acquitted himself 

very well in his last several films: From 

"The Matrix" to "The Gift" and even "The 

Replacements," he's been very good, and 

he's good here as well. The film moves 

Keanu Reeves is on the Irn, , m h'.ii.iinounfs "Hardball. 

deftly from drama to comedy and back 

again. Director Brian Robbins manages to 

keep the film's edae despite having to cut it 

for a PG-13 rating.— Tim Cogshell 

THE GLASS HOUSE *l/2 

Starring Leelec Sobieski, Diane Lane 

and Stellan Skarsgard. Directed by Daniel 

Sackeim. Written by Wesley Strick. 

Produced by Neal H. Moritz. A Columbia 

release. Thriller. Rated PG-IJ for sinister 

thematic elements, violence, drug content 

and language. Running time: III min 

The victim in this movie is first seen 

munching theatre snacks with her teen 

Cinahro. Directed by Brian Rohhins. friends as they watch a standard slasher 

Written by John Gatins. Produced by Mike fiick in which a cutie in a prom dress is 

menaced every which way she turns. It 

Tollin, Brian Robbins and Tina Nides. A 

Paramount release. Drama. Rated PG-13 

for thematic elements, language and some 

doesn't excite them much. They are weary 

of the cliches, disappointed that they didn't 

violence. Running time: 1 15 min. 

get much of a thrill ride scare out of 

Keanu Reeves plays Conor ()' Neil, a watching the rubbish on the screen. But 

"The Glass House" is also nothing more 

ticket scalping, chain-smoking, alcoholic 

gambler whose life is passing him by. As 

his debts catch up with him, 

than unpleasant rubbish another example 

of the low moral standards, paucity of 

start to he 

turns lo a wealthy friend for a loan. What imagination and sheer nastiness which 

he gets is a deal: He can have the money if Hollywood throws up on the screen week 

after week with little thought of its impact 

on those who watch it. 

dies 

it's

IRON MONKEY 

• ••• 

Starring Donnie Yen, Yu Rong-Guatlg, 

Jean Wang, Tsang Sze-Man, YuenShun-Yi 

and James Wong. Directed hy Yuen Hoping. 

Written by Tsui Hark, Elsa Tang and 

I. an Tai Mok. Produced hy Tsui Hark. A 

Miramax release. Action. Cantonese-language; 

subtitled. Rated PG-13 for martial 

arts aetionlviolence and brief sexuality. 


es and join forces. 

Many of the scenes will strike viewers 

as uncannily similar to portions of 

"Crouching Tiger. Hidden Dragon," a 

clear indication of Yuen Wo Ping's signature 

on both pictures. Comparisons only 

work, though, on the most superficial 

level. Where "Crouching Tiger" pursued a 

more classical, romantic approach to traditional 

Chinese lore. "Iron Monkey" owes 

its allegiance to the great Shaw Brothers 

films of the '60s, pictures in which the 

purity of the fighting and the exactitude of 

the martial arts were as important as their 

effect on the audience. 

Fans of the genre have long appreciated 

"Iron Monkey" lor casting a light on the 

figure t\\ Wong Kei-Ying, too. Historically, 

Wong Kei-Ying has been overshadowed bj 

his equally famous son. Wong Fei-Hong. 

Hundreds of I long Kong movies have told 

and retold the exploits of the younger 

Wong l.lcl I I ami Jackie Chan have both 

portrayed him. respectively, in the "Once 

Upon a I line in (lima" and "Drunken 

Master" films), but rarely focused on the 

accomplishments ol the eldei Wong Fei- 

Hong does, of course, figure in the plol ol 

"Iron Monkey." but appears as a young 

bo) (played by a girl: the wonderful Tsang 

Sze-Man) slill under the linn tutelage l 

REVIEWS 

his lather. Thai twist, along with the visceral 

relish with which Yuen Wo Ping 

stages the action and the dazzling performances 

from both Donnie Yen ("Blade 2") 

and Yu Rong-Guang ("Shanghai Noon"), 

help account for the passion that "Iron 

Monkey" continues to arouse in fans to 

this day.— Hade Major 

WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP 

• •• 

.\arrated by Ian Holm. Starring Jo 

Cheating husbands and wives, jilted lovers 

and unrequited advances, all of whose 

conflicts ended in death most often double 

homicides. There's the death attendant 

to disease a diphtheria epidemic that 

mostly killed babies; suicides to escape the 

despair of abject poverty: and. of course. 

death resulting from insanity, including 

more suicides especially deliberate exposure 

to the Wisconsin winter. 

Director James Marsh ("Burger & the 

Originally made in 1993 when the socalled 

lukelich, Jeffcry Golden, Marilyn White, 

"Hong Kong New Wave" was at its John Schneider and Marcus Monroe. King: The Cuisine of Elvis Presley") uses 

Directed and written by James Marsh. the archives of the source newspaper, read 

peak, "Iron Monkey" is a quintessential 

example of the kind of filmmaking to Produced by Maureen A. Ryan A BBCI by Ian Holm, along with several period 

which American audiences have onlj Cinema Reel Life release. Documentary. photographs taken by a Charles Van 

I 

recently begun to spark. Produced and cowritten 

mated. Running time: 75 min. 

Schaik. as the primary frame of his 

by Tsui Hark ("Once Upon a Time 

in China") and directed by the great Yuen 

Death, as its title suggests, is the focus 

of "Wisconsin Death Trip." as it occurred 

macabre little film. He also uses produced 

segments to recreate certain events. The 

Wo Ping (of "The Matrix" and in the small town of Black River Falls. footage (often extraordinary with beautiful 

"Crouching Tiger. Hidden Dragon" fame), Wisconsin, between the years of 1890 and 

cinematography by Eigil Bryd and 

"Iron Monkey" is both a dazzling martial 

1900. All this death was documented by Frank DeMarch), though inappropriate 

arts action film and a rousing period the paper of record—unnamed in the for a traditional documentary, is very 

adventure not entirely unlike Tsui's own film—edited by one Frank Cooper, formerly 

effective here. It's minimalist and unobtrusive, 

of the United Kingdom. Frankly, 

Time in China" series to 

it's this 

which "Iron Monkey" is vaguely linked. 

without suggesting that it is the 

The Iron Monkey himself (Yu Rong- stuff down. There's the man who purposely 

Though its episodic recitation of the 

Guang) is a kind of Robin Hood/ blows his own head off with a stick of litany of death in a small town during an 

providing a sense of the 

"Once Upon a 

a good thing somebody was writing 

moment 

moment. 

Zorro/Lone Ranger figure, a masked hero dynamite, which, it turns out. is a fairly arbitrary period of time doesn't seem to be 

the oppression of corrupt Ching complicated undertaking. Then there's the about anything (other than the morose 

fichtina 

Dynasty officials in 1860 China. When the deaf boy who shoots his sister through the spectacle itself), one might take "Wisconsin 

famous real-life herbalist and Rung Fu mouth with the family handgun while giggling 

senselessly; the brothers who kill a human condition. Much of what the film 

Death Trip" as a treatise on the unchanging 

master Wong Kei-Ying (Donnie Yen) 

comes to town, officials falsely accuse local farmer and use his body for target documents could come from today's headlines. 

It's creepy, but proves that there is 

Wong of being the Iron Monkey as part of practice before eluding a posse for several 

days, killing a deputy in the process; and 

Tim 

indeed nothing new under the sun. 

a scheme to get him to help track the 

Monkey down. It's a rather infantile ruse 

that lasts just long enough for Yen and Yu 

some 

myriad murders involving infidelity. CogsheU 

to deliver staggering one-on-one 

fight scenes before they come to their sens- 

PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER FILMS 

The alphabetical list below notes the issue of BOXOFFICE 

upcoming film appeared, the star rating and the distributor 

"Amelie" *•*•: Miramax, 1 112; see September 2001. 

"The Annihilation of Fish" •: Regent, 1112; see November 1999. 

— 

information. 

"Better Than Sex" ••1/2: ID P. Fall undated; see November 2000. 

"The Business of Strangers" •••: IFC, Fall undated; see April 2001. 

"Dancing at the Blue Iguana" ••1/2: Keystone, 10119; see December 2000. 

"Donnie Darko" •••••: Newmarket, 10126; see April 2001. 

"Focus" •••: Paramount Classics, 10121; see .Inly 2001. 

"Go Tigers" ••1/2: IFC, Full undated; see October 2001. 

"Intimacy" •••1/2: Umpire, 10119; see April 2001. 

"Joy Ride" ••: Fox, 1015; see October 2001. 

"Maelstrom" ••••: Arrow, October undated; see December 2000. 

"The Man Who Wasn't There" • ••: I St. 1112: see September 2001. 

"Mulholland Drive" ••••1/2: I niversal Focus, 1018; see September 2001. 

"My First Mister" ••••: Paramount (lassies, 1 112; sec April 2001. 

"No Man's Land" ••••1/2: MCM, November undated; see September 2001. 

"Plata Qucmada (Burnt Money)" •••: Strand, 1015; see September 2001. 

"Tape" ••••: Lions Gate, 1112; see April 2001. 

"The Town is Quiet" ••••: New Yorker. 10120; see October 2001. 

"Vulgar" •: Lions Gate, 101 1 2; see November 2000. 

"Waking Life" •••1/2: Fox Searchlight, 10119; see ipriJ 2001. 

"Haydowntown" •••1/2: Lot 4~, 1015; see November 2000. 

"The Hay He Laughed" ••: \ew Yorker, 1 1121; sec ipril 1999.

l 

THE MUSKETEER *l/2 

Starring Justin Chambers, Tim Roth, 

Catherine Deneuve, Stephen Rea, Mena 

Suvuri, Steven Spiers, Jan Gregor Kremp, 

Nick Moron and Jean-Pierre Castaldi. 

Directed by Peter Hyams. Written by Gene 

Quintano. Produeed by Rudy Cohen and 

Moshe Diamant. A Universal release. 

Adventure. Rated PG-13 for intense action 

violence and some sexual material. Running 


If "The Musketeer" sounds like it 

might a few musketeers short, it is. And 

that's only the beginning of its troubles. 

So desperate is this umpteenth adaptation 

of Alexandre Dumas' "The Three 

Musketeers" to find any angle that some 

half-dozen previous versions haven't yet 

exploited, that it actually resorts to nothing 

less than cutting Athos, Porthos and 

Aramis out of their own story. 

The Musketeers aren't entirely absent 

from the film—Nick Moran's Aramis. Jan 

Gregor Kremp's Athos and Steven Spiers' 

Porthos float in and out of several key 

Stephen Rea and Tim Roth play blackhats in 

scenes and do get their share of swash- 

far bolder and more proactive and the 

Musketeers vastly more impotent than 

anyone but D'Artagnan himself might 

have dreamed possible. As cocky as this 

conceit may seem, it's hardly the film's 

undoing. What ultimately wrecks "The 

Musketeer" is really nothing more than a 

case of misplaced priorities— lavish production 

values and elaborate action 

sequences at the expense of script and performance. 

The look of "The Musketeer" is undeniably 

impressive. Shot on location in 

Luxembourg (and partly in France), the 

ambitious European co-production has a 

vibrant authenticity clearly designed to 

echo that of Richard Lester's definitive 

1974 films, "The Three Musketeers" and 

"The Four Musketeers." Action sequences 

designed by renowned Hong Kong fight 

choreographer and sometime actoi \in 

Xin Xiong (best known for his work with 

producer/director Tsui Hark on such films 

REVIEWS 

'The Musketeer 

Matrix" and "Charlie's Angels" to a minimum. 

But the attention to technical detail 

only serves to illuminate the picture's glaring 

dramatic shortcomings—the disastrously 

ham-fisted screenplay by Gene 

Quintano and staggeringly stilted performances 

from Chambers and Mena Suvari 

that are more leaden than lead. 

Best known as a writer of television 

movies and lowbrow comedies (he's credited 

on two "Police Academy" films). 

Quintano is clearly an odd choice for the 

task of adapting Dumas, a mismatching of 

writer and material that yields a predictably 

awkward melange of contemporary 

phrases and misbegotten mixed period 

metaphors that even veteran actors like 

Tim Roth and Stephen Rea can't seem to 

manage. Roth and Rea, however, fare better 

than the rest of the pan-European supporting 

performers (including a 

horrifically miscast Catherine 

Deneuve as the Queen), relying 

on the reliable cloak of villainy 

to inject their characters with a 

modicum of life. Rea, as the conniving 

Cardinal Richelieu, is 

nicely understated, while Tim 

Roth as Richelieu's evil henchman 

Febre produces yet another 

colorful sadist in the vein of his 

popular "Rob Roy" scoundrel. 

That Universal are proudly 

touting the participation of 

Xiong in the film's marketing 

materials—even to the exclusion 

of the actors—says much about 

the Hollywood ascendance of 

Hong Kong action mavens. It 

also, however, suggests a per- 

buckling licks—but it's clearly a revisionist ceived softness among the film's target 

take on the story with the youthful audience—a softness that Universal 

D'Artagnan (newcomer Justin Chambers) apparently hopes to remedy by catering to 

154 (R-142) BOXOFF1CE 

— 

ROCK STAR **l/2 

as the "Once Upon a Time in China" 

series) supply the requisite level of swordplay 

and dazzling stunts, wisely keeping 

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer 

Aniston and Timothy Spall. Directed by 

any overt resemblance to Hong Kong-style 

"The 

Stephen Herek. Written by John Stockwell. 

martial arts scenes like those in Produced by Toby Jaffe and Robert 

Lawrence. A Warner Bros, release. Comedyl 

the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" 

fan base. But here, too, "The Musketeer" is 

not without its shortcomings. Xiong's 

work, like that of his colleagues, is 

designed with editing and photography in 

mind—and neither director Peter Hyams 

(again acting as his own cinematographer) 

nor the redoubtable Terry Rawlings (an 

ace editor with such films as "Chariots of 

Fire" and "Alien" to his credit) are sufficiently 

schooled in the Hong Kong way of 

doing things to do justice to Xiong's choreography. 

Portions of some action scenes 

shine while most suffer from overcutting, 

poor coverage and disorienting camerawork. 

On a positive note. "The Musketeer" 

serves the memory of Dumas less disgracefully 

than the two other recent 

Musketeer-themed efforts: Disney's sloppy 

1993 "The Three Musketeers" and I998's 

horrendous "The Man in the lion 

Mask." Wade Major 

Drama. Rated R for language, sexuality and 

some drug content. Running time: 106 min. 

Mark Wahlberg just might be able to 

make a serial killer likable. 

Wahlberg brings his good-natured playfulness 

to "Rock Star." instilling some 

charisma and energy into a routine showbusiness 

movie and giving it much more 

resonance than Cameron Crowe's fussedover 

"Almost Famous." 

Wahlberg is Chris "Izzy" Coles, the 

singer of a 1980s heavy metal tribute 

(don't say cover) band. His melodious 

voice and spot-on imitation of lead singer 

Bobby Beers (Jason Flemyng) help land 

him in the megaband Steel Dragon after 

Beers storms out, complaining that other 

members aren't sensitive to his homosexuality. 

For the first hour of "Rock Star." John 

Stockwell's script satirizes Chris' fanaticism 

for his favorite band. But once 

Wahlberg is on the inside, we get a parade 

of rock 'n roll cliches: Easy-to-bed 

groupies, drug use and, ultimately, artistic 

disillusionment. 

Filled with a lot of hokey lines about 

"following your dreams," the movie isn't 

much more than "A Star Is Born" on a 

rock-arena stage. 

And Stockwell, in the mangled second 

half (was this a three-hour movie at an earlier 

stage of development'?), fails to connect 

major story points. For example, how 

could it possibly take Chris' girlfriend 

Emily (Jennifer Aniston) six months to figure 

out he's sleeping with nearly every 

groupie who crosses his path? 

Stockwell skips over a lot of the things 

that would help explain what's occurring, 

including supplying a single credible reason 

why the movie ends the way it does. 

The concert scenes do pack a punch, 

with Wahlberg (aka early '90s pop star 

Marky Mark) singing the original songs. 

The actor's stage presence is one of the 

movie's undeniable pleasures. 

Stephen Herek's passable direction 

really doesn't bring out the nuances of the 

story. Rather, Herek ("Mr. Holland's 

Opus") smoothes out the edges with a lot 

of moist close-ups. Herek does cleverly 

splice in excerpts from some of wellknown 

hard rock songs (including a daring 

use of Kiss' "Lick It Up"). 

Herek uses a bundle of real life rockers—including 

Ozzy Osbournc guitarist 

Zakk Wylde. Dokken bass player Jeff 

Pilson and drummer Jason Bonham to 

give the movie authenticity. 

The movie is loosely based on Judas 

Priest, who hired office-supply salesman 

Tim "Ripper" Owens in 

l)% after Rob 

Halford left the band.—Paul Clinton

and 

SOUL SURVIVORS *l/2 

Starring Melissa Sagemiller, Wes 

Bentlev, Eliza Dushku, Angela Feathcrstonc, 

Casey Affleck and Luke Wilson. Directed 

and written by Steve Carpenter. Produced by 

Stokely Chaffin and Neat H. Moritz. An 

Artisan release. I lorrorl Thriller. Rated PG- 

13 for terror/violence, sexuality and some 

substance abuse. Running time: 85 min. 

"'Soul Survivor" is a sub-par entry in the 

purgatory subgenre. retreading territory 

covered by much better films like "Carnival 

of Souls" and "Jacob's Ladder." 

Technically, that's giving it away, though the 

"twist" is obvious in the first 10 minutes. 

Here, four friends, Cassie (Melissa 

Sagemiller ), Annabel (Eliza Dushku). 

Matt (Wes Bentley) and Sean (Casey 

Affleck), spend one last night out together 

before scattering for college. Cassie is 

involved with Sean, though she and Matt 

were once an item—feelings Matt has yet 

to resolve, though he's ostensibly with 

Annabel. After an intense emotional 

encounter that leaves them at odds, there is 

an accident. For the balance of the movie 

we follow Cassie through a series of nightmarish 

visions and time-lapses. She seems 

to see images of her "dead" boyfriend; 

she's comforted by a young priest (Luke 

Wilson) who appears to be a guardian... 

yada yada. Not only is this storyline obvious 

from frame one. it continues to overstate 

itself throughout. And what's worse, 

after forcing the audience to sit through 

80-odd minutes of over-stylized, oblique 

metaphors and foreshadowing, the filmmakers 

explain, in excruciating detail, 

exactly what's going on. just in case it eluded 

you somehow.— Tim Cogshett 

JEEPERS CREEPERS •• 

Starring (Una Philips, Justin Long and 

Eileen Brennan. Directed and written by 

Victor Salvo. Produced by Tom Luse and 

Barry Opper. An MGM release. Horror. 

Rated R for terror riolencelgore, language 

and brief nudity. Running time: 90 min. 

"Jeepers Creepers" sacrifices a fairly 

intriguing set-up—two teenagers stumble 

into the lair of a flesh eating, backwoods 

stalker -at the altar of mindless gore. 

Cruising down an isolated road in their 

powder blue Chevy, siblings Trish (Gina 

Phillips) and Darrj (Justin Long) eye an 

odd-looking figure dumping bodies down 

a corrugated sewer pipe. They decide to 

investigate, after a battered ominous truck 

tries to force them off the road. 

Trish and Darry return to the pipe, 

which leads to the basement of a deserted 

church, and stumble into the laboratory of 

a demented lunatic who cuts up his victims 

and preserves their body parts. Once 

they've witnesses the grisly scene, the two 

become targets for the creature a cross 

between a redneck biker, vampire and the 

Creature from the Black Lagoon. 

REVIEWS 

— 

Victor Salva ("Powder") is a much belter 

director than he is a writer. Salva's 

smooth camera \u>rk accentuates the ominous 

atmosphere, giving the movie an 

appropriately creepy tone. But Salva falls 

into nearly every cliche of the rural-horror 

sub-genre: black crows, old ladies with 

shotguns and medieval torture devices. 

Essentially, the movie is "Motel Hell" 

without the clever twist or tongue-in-cheek 

humor. 

Philips and Long make a good team, 

however: Philips sinks her teeth into a fairly 

paltry role, and Long uses a good range 

of facial expressions to telegraph Darry 's 

terrified reactions. The two have an 

appealing and natural rapport as they needle 

each other like brothers and sisters do. 

Eileen Brennan. as a shotgun-wielding 

cat lady, shows up in a bizarre cameo 

whose absurd dialogue is guaranteed to 

cause some snickering in theatres. 

The blaring soundtrack and overly cute 

title are other examples of the movie's tendency 

to overplay its hand. Paul Clinton 

SUMMER CATCH *V2 

Starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel, 

and Matthew Lillard. Directed by Mike 

Tollin. Written by Kevin Falls and John 

Gatins. Produced by Mike Tollin, Brian 

Rohhins and Sam Weisman. A Warner 

Bros, release. Romantic drama. Rated PG- 

13 for sexual content, language and some 

drinking. Running time: 108 min. 

"Summer Catch" doesn't even rate as 

minor league. This movie is a dropped fly 

ball, a missed tag, a foul bunt. It's almost 

any botched play analogy you can think 

of. though never exciting enough to be 

compared to a strike-out or even to a wild 

pitch. The cliche-riddled script is falsely 

sentimental about baseball, hopelessly off 

the mark about true love and woefully out 

of touch with any known truth. 

A weakly delineated poor-boy-rich-girl 

romance set against the backdrop of summer 

league ball, the script hands its goodlooking 

leads only silhouettes to fill. 

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel as Ryan 

and Tenley are pretty, but that's all. Their 

cute mannerisms— particularly Prinze's 

eye-rounding focus when stuff is meant to 

matter—soon wear thin. Brian Dennchy 

and Fred Ward sidestep the pitfalls of the 

equally poorly sketched coach and Ryan's 

hard-done-by gardener dad Dennchy 

doesn't rant like the typical diamond boss; 

Ward has the innate complexity to match 

his weathered looks but Bruce Da\ ison is 

stuck with absurd moments as Tenley's 

snobby dad, and too few of them to have 

any hope of finding any truth in a dissatisfaction 

about his daughter's romance with 

"the lawn boy." (Hey, if the lad's reallj thai 

good a lefty pitcher, he'll be worth millions 

two summers from now!) 

I he backup cast of Ryan's hometown 

pals and teammates are stuck with lame 

lock humor mosl of il crudelj sexual 

and bad attitudes to women It's l.isleless 

and embarrassing and counterproductive 

to Hue romance, which might have been al 

the heart ol the stoi\ il onl} we'd been 

— 

able to witness just one little flicker o( passion 

between the leads. Bridget Byrne 

HAMLET **i/2 

Starring Campbell Scott, Jamey 

Sheridan and Blair Brown. Directed and 

written by Campbell Scott and Eric 

Simonson. Produced by Mary Francis 

Budig, Jonathan Filley and ( umpbell Scott. 

A Cowboy release. Drama. I 'mated. 

Running time: 1 79 min. 

Many an actor has tried his hand at 

putting onto celluloid one of Shakespeare's 

greatest stage protagonists. Hamlet—from 

the classically trained Sir Laurence Olivier 

in 1948 to the tragically hip Ethan Hawke 

last year. In this latest version, actor and 

sometime writer/director Campbell Scott 

adapts the Dane for the screen both big 

and small, as this appeared on TV originally—and 

plays him rather well. He does a 

good job bringing out the conflicted character's 

sarcastic, humorous side that pointedly 

suggests his emotional and psychological 

unraveling after the ghost of his dead 

father ( Byron Jennings) shows up to inform 

his son of his murder at the hands of his 

brother Claudius (Jamey Sheridan), now 

married to Hamlet's mother Gertrude 

(Blair Brown). 

Though Scott acquits himself adequately, 

as do most of the players, there's a 

bit lacking in the overall telling. Not that 

Shakespeare's lines should be excised for 

the sake of brevity, but at three hours the 

movie should have a bit more oomph. Or 

maybe it's just that "Hamlet" has been 

adapted one too many times (at least 20 

since 1907). Most will be overly familiar 

with the story (although that doesn't stop 

them from gawking at plenty of 

Hollywood's blatant retreads), and seeing 

as Shakespeare's got so many great plays, 

it'd be nice to find one of the others at the 

multiplex. Someone should capitalize olT 

of the popularity of last summer's 

"Gladiator" and take a stab at the Bard's 

Julius Caesar" (last tackled in 1970), for 

instance, or perhaps do a darker version ol 

"The Merchant o( Venice," taking a closer 

look at the anti-Semitic bent o\' that work 

Or. if they have to stick with Hamlet, follow 

the lead of Tom Stoppard 

("Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are 

Dead" I adapt writer John I pdike's 

novel "Gertrude and Claudius," winch 

gives a fictionalized account of the love triangle 

between Gertrude, Hamlet's father 

and Claudius before the murdei 

Bui "Hamlet" will probablj continue to 

be Hied, in large part because it's got some 

ol Shakespeare's best monologues, and 

egotistical actors love the fact 

that the title 

character is m almost ever) scene Foi 

whatevei reason, Scott decided to gi\c it a 

shot, he almost pulls il off \nd while no 

sane person would waul this limeless standard 

to die, maybe il should sleep lor 

awhile, perchance to be that much more 

refreshed and refreshing when it 

awakes Jordan Reed

REVIEWS 

*• 

OSMOSIS JONES 

Stalling Bill Murray. I oiced 

by Chris Rock. David Hyde 

rote high-school science material? 

Pierce and Laurence Fishburne. 

Directed by Bobby Farrelly and As far as the Farrellys are 

Peter Farrelly. \\ ritten by Marc concerned, the answer seems to 

Hyman. Produced by Dennis lie in their need to offer a lecture 

Edwards, Bobby Farrelly. Peter 

about staying healthy and 

Zak Penn and Bradley 

eating right. 

Farrelly, 

Thomas. A Warner Bros, release. While the animated 

Animated!Comedy. Rated PGfor sequences are involving, the 

bodily humor. Running time: 95 

min. 

With "Osmosis Jones," the 

Farrelly Brothers have reached role as a prop, a setup for the 

their purest form of expression—an 

animated movie that wanders in, shrieking on cue, to 

animated stuff. Molly Shannon 

takes us through the back door play the stooge victim of 

of their Comedy of Bodily Murray's body-fluid outbursts. 

— 

Functions. It can be a scary Paid Clinton 

place. With its lovingly rendered 

green mucous and bubbling bile, 

the movie is another example of 

just how little interest the 

Farrellys have with what motivates 

people. "Osmosis Jones" is 

inspiration for a shower. 

The movie, a hybrid of animation 

and live action, is set in 

two worlds: the dreary, realworld 

life of Frank (Bill 

Murray), a junk-food-addicted 

slob, and the inner, animated 

world of Frank's body. 

When Frank gobbles down 

a hard-boiled egg he has just 

grabbed out of the mouth of a 

monkey at the zoo, the 

Immunity Police, led by a 

streetwise white blood cell 

named Osmosis Jones (Chris 

Rock), go into red-alert mode. 

Riding that toxic egg is 

Thrax (Laurence Fishburne, in 

a silky villainous mode), a 

.boxoffice.c 

every Friday for the 1 

latest movie revie- 

tid 

advance test 

- 

drawn is always front and center. 

And it begs the question: 

What's the point of jazzing up 

real-world scenes thud on the 

screen. A disheveled Murray 

sleepwalks through his slovenly 

BORN UNDER LIBRA 

• ••1/2 

Starring Mohammad Reza 

Foroutan and Mitra Hajjar. 

Directed and written by Ahmad 

Reza Darvish. Produced by 

Ahamad Reza Darvish. Romantic 

drama. An Iranian Film Society 

release. Romantic drama. Farsilanguage; 

subtitled. Unrated. 


"Born Under Libra" is a 

romantic drama in the tradition 

of Persian romantic dramas, 

which is to say it's about repression—individual, 

social and 

religious. The story centers 

around Daniel (Mohammad 

Reza Roroutan ), a boy from 

the rural south of Iran who 

goes north to Tehran to attend 

college. There he falls in love 

with a feisty and sophisticated 

young woman, a classmate 

nasty virus intent on bringing 

named Mahtab (Mitra Hajjar). 

the City of Frank, as the animated 

community is called, to 

They want to marry, but political 

and social turmoil get in the 

an end. Jones, who says he is 

way, along with Mahtab's very 

from "the wrong side of the 

traditional father. 

digestive tract," teams up with a 

Daniel decides that things 

cold tablet (David Hyde Pierce) 

are never going to work out and 

to stop Thrax. 

leaves. Mahtab, unwilling to 

As far as the style of the animation 

in concerned, the movie 

give up on their relationship, 

heads south in search of him, 

is fun to look at. The animators 

braving the rising unrest and 

use sensuous, rounded shapes 

the possibility of becoming as 

and deep colors. But the constant 

reminder of what's being 

social outcast. 

"Born Under Libra" continues 

a recent trend in exceptional 

films from Iran, including 

last year's "A Time for 

Drunken Horses." Director 

Ahamad Reza Darvish directed 

"Kimia" and composed the 

score for "The Day I Became a 

Woman," two other recent 

Persian films worth seeking 

out.— Tim Cogshell 

= 1 

Review Digest 

i. (Ac) Action; (Ad) Adventure; (Ani) Animated; 

D) Drama; (Doc) Documentary; (F) Fantasy; (Hor) 

Musical; (My) Mystery; (R) Romance; (Sat) Satire; 

Fiction; 

w > U & a. 

American Outlaws PG-13 

(Sus) Suspense; (Th) Thriller (W) Western. 

s e b s 

i i i 

2 QB > X J Z 3 

1-01 !.5 3

ADVERTISER 

ADVERTISERS INDEX

ADVERTISERS INDEX 

ADVERTISER PHONE/FAX E-MAIL/WEBSITE PAGE 

JBL PROFESSIONAL 

LARGO THEATRE CONSTRUCTION 

8500 Balboa Blvd. 

Northridge, CA 91329 

Chuck Goodsell 

LAVEZZI PRECISION 

Glendale Heights, IL 60139-2281 

8487 8th Ave. 

Montreal, QCH1Z 2X2 CANADA 

MARBLE COMPANY 

marblecompany@home.com 

MAROEVICH, O'SHEA & COGHLAN 

bcamacho@mobiliarioseatlng 

www.mobiliarioseating.com 

com Benito Camacho L. 

NATIONAL CINEMA SERVICE 

14499 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., #201 

Tampa, FL 33618 

100 Highland Ave. 

Cheswick, PA 15024 

nickmul@aol.com 

DATA TECHNOLOGY Edward S. Coman 

OSRAM SYLVANIA 

PEPSI-COLA COMPANY 

peter.leyh@pepsi.com 

info@pikeproductions.com 

POT 

GOLD PRODUCTIONS 

READY THEATRE SYSTEMS 

RETRIEVER SOFTWARE 

REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS 

RICOS PRODUCTS 

SENSIBLE CINEMA SOFTWARE 

SMART THEATRE SYSTEMS 

SOURCE ONE THEATRE SUPPLY 

rcozad@source-one-now.com 

SPECO (SYSTEMS & PRODUCTS 

ENGINEERING COMPANY) 

infomspeco-usa.com 

15S 

Bo\ohki

ADVERTISERS INDEX 

ADVERTISER PHONE/FAX E-MAIL/WEBSITE 

949-629-4310 

jlefler@birtcherconst.com 

STEIN INDUSTRIES 

(St. 

Omaha, NE 68112 

SLINSTAR THEATRES 

SUPERIOR QUARTZ PRODUCTS 404 Route 519, P.O. Box 618 

a, nj i 

denjr@sqpuv.com 

techni-briteahome.com 

TECHNIKOTE SCREEN 

Mitchell M. Schwam 

THEATRE SERVICE & SUPPLY 

www.theatre-servlces.com 

TICKETPRO SYSTEMS 

TOOTSIE ROU. INDUSTRIES INC. 

7401 South Cicero t 


MEDIA SERVICES 

jmoultonatribune.com 

(THEATRE & VIDEO PROOUCTS) 

921 NE 79th St. 

Miami, Fl 33138 

UNIVERSAL CINEMA SERVICES 1205 Corporate Dr. E. 

Arlington, TX 76006 

CustomerServlce@goUCS.i 

www. goUCS.com 

952-896-4328 

WAGNER ZIP-CHANGE 

BOXOFP1CE

AD INFO FAXBACK FORM 

NOVEMBER 2001 

To receive more information on any of the products advertised in BOXOFFICE, 

check the appropriate box(es), fill out the requested information 

and fax the form to (626) 396-0248. 

Company. 

Title _ 

City 

Phone 

Street 

Fax 

State 

Zip 

G aicp 

AMERICAN LICORICE CO. 

ATLAS SPECIALTY LIGHTING 

AVICA TECHNOLOGY 

BARCO DIGITAL CINEMA 

BEAVER MACHINE 

BERG HENNESSY OLSON 

BOSTON LIGHT AND SOUND 

CADDY PRODUCTS 

(A DIV. OF MTS) 

CAMATIC SEATING 

CHRISTIE DIGITAL SYSTEMS 

CINCOM 

G CINEMA CONSULTANTS & 

SERVICES INTL. 

G CINEMA EQUIPMENT 

G CINEMA LIGHTING 

G CINEMA SUPPLY COMPANY 

G CINEMECCANICA U.S. 

G CINEVISION 

G COMPONENT ENGINEERING 

G DECLERCQ'S THEATRICAL 

SPECIALTIES 

G DEEP VISION 3-D 

G DOLBY LABORATORIES 

G ECI-TICKETING SYSTEMS.COM 

G EDIFICE 

G FILMACK STUDIOS 

G FRONT ROW MARKETING 

G GLASSFORM 

Q GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS 

G GREAT WESTERN PRODUCTS 

G HADDEN THEATRE SUPPLY 

G DARKNESS HALL 

HIGH PERFORMANCE STEREO 

HURLEY SCREEN 

G INDEPENDENT 

PUBLISHERS GROUP 

G INTERNATIONAL 

CINEMA EQUIPMENT 

IRWIN SEATING COMPANY 

G JARCO INDUSTRIES 

G JBL PROFESSIONAL 

G LARGO THEATRE 

CONSTRUCTION 

G LAVEZZI PRECISION 

G LESNA 

MAG NORTH 

MANUTECH 

MARBLE COMPANY 

G MAROEVICH, O'SHEA & 

COGHLAN 

MARTEK CRS 

MCRAE THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

MOBILIARIO S.A. DE C.V. 

G MOVIEFONE 

G NATIONAL CINEMA SERVICE 

G NCSCORP. — HQ 

G NESTLE USA 

G NICK MULONE & SON 

G ODELLS 

G OMNITERM DATA TECHNOLOGY 

G OSRAM SYLVANIA 

G PACER/CATS 

G PEPSI-COLA COMPANY 

G PIKE PRODUCTIONS 

G POT OGOLD PRODUCTIONS 

G PROMOTION IN MOTION 

COMPANIES, THE 

G QSC AUDIO PRODUCTS 

G READY THEATRE SYSTEMS 

G RETRIEVER SOFTWARE 

G REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS 

G RICOS PRODUCTS 

G ROBERT L. POTTS ENTERPRISES 

G SENSIBLE CINEMA SOFTWARE 

G SMART THEATRE SYSTEMS 

G sos 

(SYSTEM OPERATING SOLUTIONS) 

G SOURCE ONE THEATRE SUPPLY 

G SPECO (SYSTEMS & PRODUCTS 

ENGINEERING COMPANY) 

G STADIUM SEATING ENTERPRISES 

G STEIN INDUSTRIES 

G STRONG INTL. 

G SUNSTAR THEATRES 

G SUPERIOR QUARTZ PRODUCTS 

G TECHNI-BRITE 

G TECHNICOLOR 

G TECHNIKOTE SCREEN 

G TEMPO INDUSTRIES 

G THEATRE SERVICE & SUPPLY 

G THEATRE SERVICES INTL. 

G TICKETPRO SYSTEMS 

G TOOTSIE ROLL INDUSTRIES 

G TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES 

G TVP 

(THEATRE & VIDEO PRODUCTS) 

G UNIQUE SCREEN AD 

PRODUCTIONS 

G UNIVERSAL CINEMA SERVICES 

G VOGEL POPCORN 

G WAGNER ZIP-CHANGE 

www.boxoffice.com 

I 

MM——— 

CINEMA SUPPLY COMPANY, INC. 

502 S. Market Street, Millersburg, PA 1 7061 

A Theater Equipment Company Specializing in 

Concession, Projection, Sound and Seating 

Telephone 800-437-5505 or 717-692-4744 Fax 717-692-3073 

www.cinemasupply.com 

16(1 BOXOFFICE

' : ' 

Miami 

' "'I 

ind 

fiei 

mi. 

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 

i.i < '.in 

us 

r 1 

1 

-. He 

11)1111 

toil 

.1)2) 

111 

ee's 

till) 

RATES: $1.00 per word, minimum $25, $ 1 5 

extra for box number assignment. Send 

copy with check to Boxoffice, P.O. Box 

269030, Chicago, IL 60626, at least 60 days 

prior to publii ation 

BOX NUMBER ADS: Reply to ads with box 

numbers In writing to Boxoffice, P.O. Box 

269030, Chicago, IL 60626; put ad box number 

on letter and in lower-left corner of your 

envelope. 

HELP WANTED 

FXPFKIFNCED MULTIPLEX MANAGERS wanted 

for Midwest locations. We offer competitive 

salaries, five-da} workweeks, lull benefit package 

and 401k. Relocation a must. Send resumes in care 

of: Manager Training Program. CKC Theatres, Inc. 

755 Apple Orchard St.. Springfield, IL 62703. 

Iinnion-'gkc llnMlers.com . 

MANAGER NEEDED for a new 1 6-plex in Florida. 

Must have leadership qualities, great people 

skills, be able to motivale employees and have 

previous management experience of at least a 1 4- 

plex. Send resume to: R/C Theatres, 231 W. 

Cherry Hill Ct., Reisterstown, MD 21136: or e- 

mail to R/C Theatres.com . 

YOU SHOULD BE IN MOVIES. GENERAL CINEMA is 

auditioning for energetic, career-oriented individuals 

with a love for the movies to fill theatre management 

positions. The big screen is waiting for you in many of 

our major markets including I Angeles Chicago, 

Boston, New jersey. New York, Seattle and Wash 

ington, DC/Baltimore. These positions offer excellent 

benefits, competitive salaries, advancement opportunities 

and a state-of-the-art entertainment environment. 

Previous management/supervisory experience 

and strong interpersonal skills are required. 

Responsibilities include attention to guest services, 

cost control, concession and film operations, and 

employee motivation. Prepare for your audition by 

emailing your resume and salary requirements to 

Nancy Englander at ncngl,)nd»i'genc in .com or fax 

(617)264-8481. 

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 

AUTOMATICKETS— (a. forv refurbished. Fifteen 

in banks three 5-drawer cases. No missing buttons. 

Bullet for all. 

proof. $1500 Also 8" Wagner 3-D black 

plastic letters (252). Nice mix. Like new. $150. Call 

Paul (20 )) 778-3100. 

BOX OFFICE TICKETING AND CONCESSION 

EQUIPMENT. Stand alone ticketing or fully integrated 

theatre In keling and/or concession systems are available. 

These fully tested, re-manufactured Pacer Theatre 

Systems c ome with a one-year warranty. Call layson at 

(800)434-3098. 

il" ' 

I 

". urn : I 

nail 

able. These fully tested, re-manufactured Pacer Theatre 

Systems come with a one-year warranty. Call layson at 

BOO 134 1098. 

CENTURY, SIMPLEX, AND CINEMECCANICA pro 

jectors and soundheads, Kneisley lamphouses. 

Century consoles, Speco platters and makeup tables, 

lenses and Doll >\ .ind I) I S sound systems Boxotlu e 

and ( on< ession equipment ,1111(1 seals illtll .'I, , 

0188: lax 1801 1 265-0558. 

tOMI'llll IMIAIKI ECJUIPMENT Sew. Use, I 

Rebuilt ' entury SA, k#. R< a 9030, 1041 

or 

Plattei ! i Xenon Systems 1000 4 1 

Watt, Sound Systems mono and stereo, automations, 

ticket i 

ma< hine mm motors, elei Irii rewinds 

i 

lenses, larg ill i. tors Plenty ol used 

chairs PROFESSIONAI si rvk I and INSTALLA- 

TION AVAIIAHII l)i)IB1 ( I Kill II I) ( all Kill 

si . 

.in-ill i 

I i|iii|imenl in , 

I .'•! II S.W I HI 

It 13186 PI I05 132-8182. Fa> 

105 132-81 

SIU MV.NI IK DUS1 REMOVING MIS \ |S( (,] 

PROIFC HON ( OlORLFSS PORTHOLF CLASS Iron, 

lees riioio Products. You can't buy a finer quality 

grade ol glass to project color images through than 

S( ( .i glass and not lm the pine Lee's Magnetic Dust 

Removing kils |usl one quit k wipe while the movi e 

is miming Will do I |'|„,|,, I'rodui Is iHI. '. 

ORC 1600 WATT LAMP CONSOLES (7) with 

Automations, very good condition, $2500 each, (2) 

less power supply, $1000. Baltimore, Maryland. 

Metro Tei hnii al Sorvu es lit 44 1-4960. 

REBUILT CENTURY SA & R3 projector/soundhead. 

$4450. Simplex XL. $4750. Xenon lamps, platters, 

many lenses, excellent line of other used projection 

and sound equipment. TANKERSLEY ENTERPRISES, 

P.O. Box 36009, Denver, CO 80236. Phone (303) 

"II. 11884, lax "11.-0)189. 

i 

WWW.CINEMAEQUIPMENT.COM New and used 

pro|eition and sound equipment, theatre sealing, 

drapes, wall panels, FM transmitters, popcorn poppers, 

tiiin ession counters, Xenon lamps, booth supplies, 

cleaning supplies, more ( all Cinema Consultants and 

Services International, Inc. (412) 343-3900, Fax (412) 

14 1-299 J. e mail into'cx inoniaoquipment i nn 

EQUIPMENT WANTED 

PROIECTION BOOTHS—Century Projectors- 

Christie platter, Christie consoles, etc. Seats also 

available. P&C Theatres (established 1970). Phone: 

(101) '149-4761, tax HOD 149-4763. 

. (800)251-5454. 

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: We will purchase 

Century projectors or soundheads, new or old, complete 

or incomplete, for cash. Also interested in XL and 

SI I ( all 499 (in .11 I I. ix 1,(12) 499-0052. 

Hadden Theatre Supply Co vim. Louis. 

WE WILL BUY OR TRADE lor used/new equipment on 

any projectoi soundhead/platter/lamphouse/console/ 

speakers 'lens .mil mm ession equipment. We can 

remove or pick up anywhere in the U.S. or overseas. 

TANKERSLEY ENTERPRISES, P.O Box 16009, Denver, 

i ( I 18(12 II, Phone li "It. 1188-1, lax i 711. 1111(19 

THEATRES FOR SALE/LEASE 

FOR SALF: 4IHI-C AR DRIVE-IN THEATRE. Popular 

Indiana landmark since 1955. April-Oct. season. 

200,00(1 population. Consistent high grosses. Call 

i8I2i 871. " I r e 

in. nl lkapp\ "iMitlilink net 

DRIVE-IN CONSTRUCTION 

CENTURY, SIMPLEX, AND CINEMECCANICA pro 

tEEN TOWERS 

jectors and soundheads, Kneisley lamphouses. 

Century consoles. 5pe< o platters and makeup tables, 

lenses and Dolby and DTS sound sy , terns. Boxoffice 

and concession equipment. 5000 seats. (801) 265- 

0188: fax (801) 265-0558. 

THEATRE SEATING 

BOX OFFICE TICKETING AND CONC ESSION 

EQUIPMENT. Stand alone ticketing or fully integrated

1< I 

T5S3HS5 

FAXBACK SURVEY 

At BOXOFFICE, we love to receive reader response, pro or con, about the contents of our pages. As in previous 

convention issues, we're asking you to take a few moments to share your thoughts with us about 

the feature sections and news departments with which we compose your magazine's contents. 

All respondents will be entered in a drawing for a complete set of our limited-edition posters, which include 

Tom Cruise for "Mission: Impossible," Pierce Brosnan for "GoldenEye," Tommy Lee Jones and Will 

Smith for "Men in Black," Patrick Stewart for "Star Trek: First Contact," Antonio Banderas for "The 

Mask of Zorro," Will Smith and Kevin Kline for "Wild Wild West," and Mel Gibson for "The Patriot." 

To enter, complete the form below and fax it to us at 626-396-0248 by Dec. 1 . We will contact three winners 

before Jan. 1 . We thank you in advance for your extra effort to help us provide the best editorial focus 

for your needs. — the editors 

VALUE OF FEATURE ARTICLES 

VALUE OF NEWS COLUMNS/DEPARTMENTS 

Cover Story Profiles high moderate low 

Sneak Previews high moderate low 

of Future Releases 

Table Of Contents high moderate low 

Mailroom (Letters) high moderate low 

Reel Deals (movie pacts) high moderate low 

Exhibition Profiles high moderate low 

of Large Circuits 

Independent Showcases high moderate iow^ 

of Indie Operators 

Close FOCUS Profiles high moderate low 

of Theatre Execs 

VALUE OF ANNUAL SPECIAL REPORTS 

Jan.: Giants/North Amer. Exhibition 

Feb.: Sight & Sound high moderate low 

high moderate low 

Mar.: Barometer (year in review) high moderate low 

Cinema Design/Architecture high moderate low 

Apr.: ShOWest hi 9 h moderate low 

Independent Cinema high moderate low 

May: Canadian Exhibition high moderate low 

June: Concessions 

h| 9 

h moderate_ iow_ 

Drive-In Exhibition high moderate low 

July: European Exhibition high moderate low 

Aug.: Australian/NZ Exhibition h '9 h— moderate— low 

Sep.: Buyers Directory high moderate low 

Oct.: New Technologies high moderate low 

Great States Conv. (U.S. Exhibition) m n i 

Nov.: Showeast/Eastern Exhibition high moderate_ low 

Dec: Asian Exhibition high moderate low 

Hot Set (movies in production) high moderate low 

Studio Release Chart high moderate low 

Independent Release Chart high moderate low 

Trailers (next month's movies in depth) high moderate^ iow_ 

Exhibition Briefings high moderate low 

NATO Regional News high moderate low 

New! Local Exhib News high moderate_ low_ 

Hill News (legislative/judicial) high moderate_ low_ 

Tech Talk h '9 h moderate low 

Supply Side (supplier news) high moderate low 

Digital Cinema high moderate low 

Large Format high moderate low 

Wired World (WWW news) high moderate low 

9 on the Net (exhib website profile) high moderate^ iow_ 

Northern Exposure high moderate low 

EurOViews high moderate low 

Pacific Overtures high moderate low 

Film Reviews high moderate low 

Festival Reviews high moderate low 

MovieFone Moviegoer Survey/Chart high moderate iow_ 

Home Release Chart high moderate low 

Expanded Advertiser Index high moderate low 

Classifieds high moderate low 

new topic suggestions: 

new topic suggestions: 

162 Boxoi 1

JHf THUHB IS UGtHUm. 

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DCA1222 215W 375W 600W 

DCA 1622 350W 600W 800W 

DCA 2422 475W 825W 1200W 

tri-amp and subwoofer applications 

• DataPort interface for DCM 

DCA 3822 

DCA 3422 

625W 1050W 1500W 

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22 Sprague Avenue, Amityvillc.New York 11701-0536 tel 631- 789 2222 fax 631- 789 8888 e-mail: steinl(

Boxoffice-November.2001

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