All articles by Jeremy Kay – Page 1419
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Bridget is big fat hit in first six territories
Universal and Working Title scored their biggest opening weekendof all time in the UK as Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason opened top through UIP on an estimated$19.1m (£10.3m) on 496 screens including previews of $5.9m (£3.3m).The record UK opening applies to US$ and pounds sterling, and beatBridget Jones's Diaryby ...
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Hotel Rwanda books second major audience prize at AFI FEST
Having already scored the prestigious audience award at theToronto International Film Festival this year, Terry George's Hotel Rwanda won the same prize at AFI FEST, the LosAngeles International Film Festival, which wrapped up this weekend.It beat out such crowd-pleasers as A Very Long Engagement,House Of Flying Daggers, Bad Education and ...
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Polar Express opening is less than Incredibles
Pixar's The Incredibles, distributed in the US through Buena Vista, beat off thechallenge of Warner Bros' The Polar Express to stay top with an estimated $51msecond weekend haul that raised its running total to $144.1m.Polar Express, a 50/50 co-venture between Warner Bros and Steve Bing'sShangri-La Entertainment that cost $165m to ...
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The Incredibles maintains super-hero pace
Pixar's The Incredibles, distributed in the US through Buena Vista, beat off thechallenge of Warner Bros' The Polar Express to stay top with an estimated $51msecond weekend haul that raised its running total to $144.1m.Polar Express, a 50/50 co-venture between Warner Bros and Steve Bing'sShangri-La Entertainment that cost $165m to ...
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Schumacher, Prieto to be honoured at Bangkok fest
Joel Schumacherwill receive the Golden Kinnaree Award for Career Achievement and Alexander cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto willcollect theCinematographer's Crystal Lens Award at the BangkokInternational Film Festival's (BIFF) awards gala ceremony on Jan 21, 2005.Festival-goerswill get a chance to see the regional premiere on Jan 20 of Schumacher's latestpicture, Andrew Lloyd Webber's ...
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Bridget, Incredibles begin international rollout
Universal'sromantic comedy sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason goes out in its first major marketsthrough UIP this weekend, beginning with Australia on Nov 11 on 300 prints andthe UK a day later on 750.Strong resultsare on the cards given the performance of the 2001 original. Bridget Jones'sDiary opened top ...
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+Entertainment's Tunnel sold to Tartan, Artport
Pejman Partiyeli's BeverlyHills-based international sales house +Entertainment has closed multipleterritory deals at AFM on horror title Death Tunnel and its companion documentary Spooked, which are attracting strong interest for domesticrights.The two-tile package sold toArtport in Japan, Tartan for the UK, Imagine Entertainment for Australia, TotMedia for Spain, and Movie Bank ...
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Saw producers Twisted sign up with Lions Gate
Twisted Pictures is movingfast in the wake of its horror hit Saw and has signed a nine-picture distribution deal with Lions Gate Filmsfor its upcoming slate of horror and thriller titles.Twisted executives arelooking for writers and directors with existing scripts and will considerworking with outside producers willing to work within ...
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Longtime Fox international executive Mars dies at 77
Harold Mars, theformer vice president of 20th Century Fox International, died of complicationsfrom pneumonia on Nov 1. He was 77.Born inBrooklyn, Mars started out in the film business with MGM International in 1946and moved to Fox in 1964, where he became the first director of operations forLatin America.He relocated toLos ...
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Leigh to get lifetime achievement award at Gothams
IFP/New York hasannounced nominees for its inaugural best feature and best documentarycategories at The Gotham Awards and named Mike Leigh this year's recipient ofthe Filmmaker Award for Lifetime Achievement.Officials added that DanTalbot will receive the Industry Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition ofhis work at New Yorker Films in introducing classic ...
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Palm acquires domestic rights to graffitti drama
ChrisBlackwell's Palm Pictures has acquired North American and Caribbean rights toAdam Bhala Lough's feature debut Bomb The System.Palm plans aspring 2005 release for the picture, which chronicles the lives of a group ofgraffiti artists who wage graffiti war on New York after the police beat up oneof their gang.Mark Webber,Jaclyn ...
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IFC takes US rights to Turtles Can Fly
IFC Films has acquired USrights in all media to Bahman Ghobadi's award-winning Iranian best foreignlanguage Oscar entry Turtles Can Fly.Set in Ghobadi's nativeKurdistan on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq, Turtles Can Fly follows the fortunes of a 13-year-old satellite dishinstaller who falls for an orphan girl.The picture, ...
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Trade groups act to boost Mexican industry
Moving to galvanise whatdelegates described as a desperate Mexican film industry yesterday (9), leadingfilmmakers and trade groups from the US and Mexico signed the Declaration ofSanta Monica.The declaration was issuedat the 10th meeting of the US-Mexico Bilateral Film Industry Committee andresolved to pull the Mexican industry out of crisis by ...
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Douglas, Lewis win honor for supporting Blacklist victim
Kirk Douglas and producer Edward Lewis received the Freedom ofExpression Medal last night (8) for their support of blacklisted writer DaltonTrumbo during McCarthy-era America in the 1950s.The pair defied Senator Joseph McCarthy and his Communistwitch-hunt by crediting "Hollywood Ten" writer Dalton Trumbo as one of the writerson the 1960 epic ...
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New York Critics sets announcement date for Dec 13
The New York Film CriticsCircle will announce its 70th annual awards winners at New York's Muse Hotel onDec 13.Results will be postedonline immediately. On Jan 9 2005 the group will host its awards dinner at theRoosevelt Hotel in Manhattan."2004 has been a solid ifnot spectacular year,' newly elected vice chair ...
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BVI's King Arthur crosses $150m international mark
King Arthur became the seventh Jerry Bruckheimerpicture released by the Walt Disney Company to pass $200m at the worldwide boxoffice at the weekend.The epic actionadventure added $795,000 through Buena Vista International (BVI) for a $149.7minternational running total, and has grossed $51.9m in domestic ticket sales.Miramax'sromantic comedy remake Shall We Dance ...
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Shrek 2 DVD and video sales gross $185m since Friday
DreamWorks Animation reported yesterday (8) that domestic homevideo sales of Shrek 2grossed approximately $185m from 12.1m sales on DVD and VHS.Of the 12.1m units sold sincethe title was released on Nov 5, a record 11m were DVDs.The results dwarf those of the original, which sold more than 7min the first ...
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2% increase in buyers at AFM from Feb event, says IFTA
The number of buyers attending the 25th AFM climbed 2% against theprevious market in February, AFM organising body the Independent Film &Television Alliance (IFTA) reported.The final tally released yesterday (8) put the number of buyers at1,459 compared to 1,434 in February 2004. Buyers came from 637 companies.Several countries showed significant ...
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Travolta to be 20th honouree at MOMI
John Travolta will be the 20th honoree to receive theMuseum of the Moving Image salute in New York City on Dec 5."John's stardomis based not only upon his enormous talent, but an irresistible combination ofunpretentious appeal, innate skill, intensity, humor and grace," museumdirector Rochelle Slovin said in a statement.The museum ...
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AVP takes another $8.7m for Fox International
Fuelled by a respectabledebut in Germany and several smaller markets, Fox International's Alien VsPredator added $8.7m on 2,249 screensat the weekend to pass $50m at the international box office.The action horror opened on$3.1m on 561 in Germany, while Austria yielded $447,000 on 65 and Belgiumproduced $582,000 on 50.All three results ...