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Movies suffer worst box office slump in a decade
The Possession pulled in an estimate of $9.5 million in US and Canadian box office.
The next instalment of the Resident Evil horror franchise and the re-release of Finding Nemo in 3D, next week, will bring new hope. PHOTO: FILE
LOS ANGELES:
The North American box office hit a slump at the weekend with top earner The Possession taking in less than $10 million. That’s the first time since 2008 that no film took $10 million or more at the domestic box office.
With only a couple of new releases to tempt movie fans, horror movie The Possession pulled in an estimated $9.5 million in the United States and Canada.
Early September is historically sluggish. After blockbuster releases over the summer, Hollywood studios reserve their big films for the November and December holidays. But revenues for the three-day movie-going weekend were particularly low, with the total gross for all films expected to be $65-$68 million.
If the numbers hold when final figures come in on Monday, it could make the weekend the worst since September 21-23, 2001 — two weekends after 9/11 — when revenue topped out at $59.7 million.
“It is pretty scary when the top movie comes in at only $9.5 million,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at Hollywood.com.
“This is one of the worst-grossing weekends of the last 10 years. In the summer, single movies had opening weekends bigger than this entire weekend gross,” he added.
However, Dergarabedian said hope was on the way next week with the next instalment of the Resident Evil horror franchise and the re-release of Disney/Pixar’s 2003 family film Finding Nemo, this time in 3D.
This weekend’s lows follow a mixed summer that saw blockbusters like The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers but a number of flops that led to a five per cent drop in summer ticket sales in North America compared to summer 2011.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2012.
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But bollwood is Rocking this year !!
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@Rahul Yes, Third class movies like “Bol Bacchan” are doing good Business. This shows how much the your viewers & Bollywood are “Rocking”!!!
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@Saim Baig:
have you not heard of a movie called Ek Tha Tiger which is rocking the box office all over the world?
It’s got a better plot than those psychological thrillers that Hollywood is looking to do business with.
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@Ahmed:
Are you serious man?
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pakistan’s movies are doing trillion of business in zimbabwean dollars :) we are the no.1
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@saim Baig ..Dude first stand on your own legs and then comment about others. Yes we make movies like Bol Bacchan for masses, But there are also movies like ‘Kahaani’,'Paan Sigh tomar,’Gangs of wasseypur’,'Shangai,’Barfi’ and many more which are gr8 movie.You cannot do anything on our own.People from your country come running to India for work.You can only beg infornt of US,IMF.
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@Saim Baig who writes “Yes, Third class movies like “Bol Bacchan” are doing good Business. This shows how much the your viewers & Bollywood are “Rocking”!!!”
I agree with you. Really third class movies like Ek Tha Tiger, Bol Bachan, Dabang, Golmal are rocking.
This also shows how intellectually bankrupt are we Indians.
I suggest you to look to your western neighbors to learn about what is good cinema. This stupid Bollywood need to look at Iran as well to learn film-making. Asghari, Majidi, Panahi, Kiorastami…what directors they are.
Now compare them with Akthar (can’t recollect his first name), Akbar whatever, Rohit Shetty etc.
It’s like comparing Lions with Hyenas.
Now my fellow Indian brothers will start preaching me the meaning of entertainment. Of course would they know?!!! Recommend
@Rahul who writes “But there are also movies like ‘Kahaani’,’Paan Sigh tomar,’Gangs of wasseypur’,’Shangai,’Barfi’ and many more which are gr8 movie”
My dear Rahul. You need to first understand the meaning of the word GREAT. Since the only cinema you have been exposed to mindless bollywood, even mediocrity feels like great to you.
At least watch Satyajit Ray, Gopalakrishnan, Kasaravalli, Sathyu.
The films you have mentioned are just banal fest for bourgeois just like yourself.
These Indians need a lifetime of coaching on film appreciation. Recommend
@Rahul who writes “Yes we make movies like Bol Bacchan for masses, But there are also movies like ‘Kahaani’,’Paan Sigh tomar,’Gangs of wasseypur’,’Shangai,’Barfi’ and many more which are gr8 movie.You cannot do anything on our own.”
You know, your arrogance is mind boggling.
Watch a Pakistani movie called BOL. It’s 10 times better than all the movies you have mentioned above, combined.
I know BOL was a great script let down by its director with inane songs and an absurd ending to satisfy philistines.
However, the last time such a mature plot was found in Bollywood was about 30 odd years ago in a film called GARAM HAWA. Bollywood has not produced such a meaningful original screenplay in the last several decades.Recommend
@mr. righty rightist I laugh at your ignorance. Making a movie in 20 years if its a gr8 achievement, then you can consider it. This is the exact reason why your country is a failed state because you do want to accept facts. Even countries like Iraq makes gr8 movies and we are happy and proud of our film industry .They have entertained us for the last 100years and will continue next 1000years.I am not interested and dont care about BOL or another movie.
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@mr. righty rightist One thing you have to understand is movies are mostly meant for entertainment. People like you think watch some cinema we can change the world , then you are wrong.People like you only want themselves entertained and don’t care about people who don’t have a good life.For a labourer, if movie like ‘Dabangg’ makes him happy then the purpose of film is satisfied.You can sit and download “so called gr8 movies’ and watch them.
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@Rahul
Your arrogance is not only mind boggling but mind numbing. I am an Indian.
I cannot believe how ignorant you are, Iraq does not make great movies.
You say “One thing you have to understand is movies are mostly meant for entertainment.”
This is the problem with my fellow Indian, who happen to be ignoramus. Movies are never meant for entertainment. Movies are meant to tell stories. I doubt you are cultured enough to understand this.
A good story is always, invariably, uniquely original.
You say “For a labourer, if movie like ‘Dabangg’ makes him happy then the purpose of film is satisfied.”
Yes. for daily laborers even a MacDowell’s rum or Original Choice whisky or a bottle of Knock Out is entertaining. That doesn’t make a work of art.
You write “You can sit and download “so called gr8 movies’ and watch them.”
Of course I will, because I cannot expect the arrogant and ignorant Rahuls of this world to understand art. For them, even wearing moods is art. Recommend
Holywood is producing same old stuff over and over again. I am watching Korean movies for clean & quality entertainment :).
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hahahaha Mr. righty rightest are you a writer? If so I surely want to read some of your work. I really enjoyed the choice of words in your comments. Fun to read. cheers
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@Sid
Trust me, you won’t like what I have to write. Because it’s mostly anti-Pakistan.Recommend