Large MPU – Page 805
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News
Warner posts number two in Japan with $5.3m for Hero
ZhangYimou's action film Hero scored an excellent Japanese bow through Warner EntertainmentJapan at the weekend, grossing an estimated $5.3m from 360 screens.The epic drew433,786 admissions and ranked second behind holdover local title, BaysideShakedown 2.According to thedistributor Hero'sopening was 158.6% better than Die Another Day and 289.4% better than The Sum ...
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Universal's Wedding tops UK chart, stays top in Australia
Universal'sAmerican Pie: The Wedding enjoyed a strong number one UK opening through UIP at theweekend, grossing $6.9m from 432 theatres including paid previews.The comedysequel scored the eighth best opening for a Universal film in the UK, accordingto the distributor, taking double the opening gross of American Pie ($3.3m in 1999) ...
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T3 vaults past $200m, CTFDI cracks $150m
With no majoropenings at the weekend, Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines added $16.1m from approximately 6,400screens in 50 territories to raise its international running total (alldistributors) to $219.2m.In territories handled by Columbia TriStar FilmDistributors International (CTFDI) the sci-fi sequel has grossed $150.3m todate. The film will open in China ...
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Pirates seize audiences across the world
Pirates Of The Caribbean ran riot at the weekend, plundering $24.1m in internationalbox office treasure including four European number one openings.The film grossed $5.5m on646 screens in France and scored a superb $4.3m on 343 in Spain for Buena VistaInternational's biggest ever opening there.The distributor said the Spanishbow was also ...
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Andreen, Kim swell Warner Independent senior ranks
Warner Independent Pictureshas named Michael Andreen as executive vice president of production andpublicity veteran Laura Kim as executive vice president of marketing andpublicity.Andreen's appointment iseffective immediately. He most recently served as senior vice president ofproduction at 20th Century Fox and returns to Warner Bros Pictures, where hepreviously served as vice ...
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US, German titles take top honours at Berlin
Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, was awarded the Golden Bear at the 50th Berlin International Film Festival on Sunday night (Feb 20), a choice that proved popular among critics and audiences alike. US films also picked up Silver Bears for best actor and director, but for the second year ...
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Deauville unveils American film line-up
The Deauville Festival of American Film (Sept 5-14) has announced its line up and jury for this year's event.The Deauville line-up comprises: Greg Marcks' 11:14; Sundance hit American Splendor from Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini; Robert Duvall's latest directing effort Assassination Tango; Wayne Kramer's The Cooler; Dot The ...
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German cinema admissions plummet
Admissions and box-office takings in German cinemas fell year-on-year by 11.3% and 12.5% respectively in the first half of 2003, according to the latest figures from the country's Federal Film Board (FFA).However, German films recorded their highest market share -16.1% - for six years thanks to the huge success of ...
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Kitano joins Mikado's bumper Venice slate
Italian arthouse distributor Mikado has acquired local distribution rights to Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi, bringing to four the total number of competition films at the upcoming Venice International Film Festival (Aug 27- Sep 6) which the outfit will release in Italy.Kitano directs and stars in Zatoichi, playing the title role of ...
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ProSiebenSat.1 strikes Paramount output deal
Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 Group has concluded an exclusive output deal with Paramount Pictures for the free TV rights to the US major's films from 2002-2005.The package includes such feature films as Mission: Impossible 3, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Star Trek - Nemesis, The Core, and Changing Lanes ...
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Bond writers pen thriller for Raggy Boy team
The team behind Song For A Raggy Boy - director Aisling Walsh and Danish producer Michael Lunderskov - are linking up again on thriller Return To Sender, which is penned by the two James Bond/Johnny English-writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The cast has yet to be set, but director ...
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Russia's Return racks up pre-Venice sales
Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's debut feature The Return has struck two international sales in advance of its competition screening in this year's Venice International Film Festival. All rights for the film have already been sold to distributor Lucky Red for Italy and to Frenetic for Switzerland. Moscow based international sales ...
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Reviews
Antarmahal: Views From The Inner Chamber (Antarmahal)
Dir: RituparnoGhosh. India. 2005. 118mins.Returning to thelate 19th century, Rituparno Ghosh spins another sumptuous, yet intimate familystory with Antarmahal: Views From The Inner Chamber, playing once morein the same register he successfully used two years ago for fellow Locarnocompetitor Chokher Bali.Less enticing andnot as rich as his previous effort - ...
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Via Digital boards Spanish prod'n
Spanish digital satellite platform Via Digital has boarded Spanish title Tercavida (working title) as a co-producer alongside Madrid's PHF and Karma Films. The film, a comedy set in Madrid under second-time director Fernando Huertas, begins shooting this week. Via takes free and pay-TV rights to the project.Although the entrance of ...
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Reviews
Serenity
Dir/scr: Joss Whedon. US.2005. 117mins.Nine successful StarTrek movies and one X-Files outing on the big screen are ampletestimony to the enduring attraction of cult sci-fi television. That factoralone should be enough to ensure muscular box-office for Serenity, afeature spin-off from the short-lived Joss (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)Whedon sci-fi western series ...
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Reviews
Love + Hate
Dir/scr: Dominic SavageUK. 2005. 86mins.A timely call forracial tolerance set in an unnamed town in northern England with a large Muslimcommunity, Love+Hate will be energised, for UK distributors, by thecurrent debate on the resurgence of Islamic identity among apparentlywell-integrated second- and third-generation immigrants.Ona simpler level, though, this is a classic ...
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UK online rental service shut as High Court seizes assets
Online rental serviceBoxchoice.com has shut after UK High Court enforcement officers seized itsstock.The move was part of theRental Rights Protection Programme (RRPP) against copyright infringement.The RRPP, an organisation launchedlast year by the Federation Against Copyright Theft and distributors, obtaineda High Court injunction in March ordering Boxchoice to stop renting out ...
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San Sebastian announces Films in Progress contenders
Seven projects chosen from 80applicants from across the world will compete for completion funding in thisyear's Films in Progress initiative.The contenders will screenbefore a range of cinema professionals on September 20 and 21 at theDonostia-San Sebastian International Film Festival.Each is hoping for finance to completetheir features, which are either still ...
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Toronto lineup completed with Frears, Ritchie
The Toronto InternationalFilm Festival has added four major world premieres to its line-up: StephenFrears' Mrs. Henderson Presents,starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins; Guy Ritchie's Revolver, starring Jason Statham and Ray Liotta; JackieChan-starrer The Myth, directedby Stanley Tong all to be presented as Galas -- and Martin Scorsese's documentary No ...
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The Rising shatters box office records in India
Hindi blockbuster, MangalPandey - The Rising has broken boxoffice records for a Hindi film in India, taking $5m in its first week onrelease the highest ever on record.The film opened on Aug 12 on600 screens in India and grossed $3m in its first three days; so far in itssecond ...