Marquee History
Week 6 - 2017
By Max Braden
February 6, 2017
BoxOfficeProphets.com
This week’s film anniversaries include February record setter Dante’s Peak, and the 25th anniversary of Medicine Man.
Here are the movies that premiered on theater marquees this week…
10 YEARS AGO (weeks 5 & 6)
The Messengers - February 2, 2007
Kristen Stewart was still a year away from becoming a household name with Twilight, but she was featured in this ghost story. Hong Kong directors The Pang brothers previously directed The Eye trilogy. Stewart’s teenage character and her family move into an old rural house and begin to experience poltergeist activity, which seems to be especially drawn to their toddler son, Ben. Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller co-star. Reviews weren’t great but The Messengers took down the previous week’s openers for the #1 spot with $14.7 million from 2,528 theaters. Steep drops in the following weeks led to a $35.3 million domestic gross.
Because I Said So - February 2, 2007
This romantic comedy from director Michael Lehmann stars Diane Keaton as the meddling mother of three girls, played by Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham, and Piper Perabo. Moore’s character Milly finds herself juggling two guys, played by Tom Everett Scott and Gabriel Macht. Counter-programming against The Messengers and the Super Bowl, Because I Said So came in a close #2 with $13.1 million for the weekend and a total of $42.6 million during its run.
Norbit - February 9, 2007
As in his two Nutty Professor comedies, Eddie Murphy relies heavily on makeup to star against himself here: the shy and awkward Norbit Rice, and his large and domineering wife, Rasputia. Norbit reunites with his childhood friend and true love, played by Thandie Newton, and has to get rid of his wife and her scheming lover, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. Murphy had just earned an Academy Award nomination two weeks earlier for Dreamgirls, which was in theaters at #9 this weekend. Norbit would later earn a nomination itself for Makeup, but it also won a Razzie Award for Murphy as Actor, Actress, and Supporting Actor (Mr. Wong, an orphanage owner), along with nominations for Worst Picture, Director (Brian Robbins), and Screenplay (Murphy). Still, audiences made Norbit #1 this weekend with $34.1 million from 3,136 theaters - the seventh best February opening at that time. Norbit made a decent $95 million in the U.S., but fell short of the $128 million earned by The Nutty Professor a decade earlier.
Hannibal Rising - February 9, 2007
This was technically the fifth Hannibal Lecter film, preceded by: Manhunter (1986) with William Peterson and Brian Cox and based on Red Dragon; The Silence of the Lambs (1991) with Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster; Hannibal (2001), a sequel to Lambs, with Hopkins and Julianne Moore; and Red Dragon (2002), a prequel to Lambs, with Hopkins and Edward Norton. Hannibal Rising is the prequel’s prequel, and happened to be released among other notable origin stories like Casino Royale and Batman Begins. Gaspard Ulliel stars as a younger Dr. Lecter, who sets out to avenge the killing of his sister during WWII. Hannibal Rising drew some audience interest and opened at #2 over last week’s openers with $13 million, but finished its theatrical run with a dismal $27.6 million (contrasted to the series peak of $165 million for Hannibal in 2001). Mads Mikkelsen picked up the franchise with the television series Hannibal in 2013, which was set between Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon.
15 YEARS AGO (weeks 5 & 6)
Slackers - February 1, 2002
Jason Schwartzman’s next role after his debut in Rushmore was this college comedy, in which he competes for Jaime King’s affections against Devon Sawa. Jason Segel plays a supporting role, having concluded his role on Freaks and Geeks, and Laura Prepon appears in one of her early film roles while starring in That ‘70s Show. To date, this is the only directorial effort by photographer Dewey Nicks. Slackers had little audience support in theaters, opening at #11 with $2.7 million and leaving theaters after just two weeks with barely $5 million.
Birthday Girl - February 1, 2002
Nicole Kidman makes a rare appearance as a dark brunette in this crime drama, playing the perfect Russian mail order bride for an English banker (Ben Chaplin). Vincent Cassel co-stars as the bride’s apparent cousin, who forces the unwitting husband to rob a bank. The Miramax film debuted at only 1,000 theaters, dropped to limited release, and left theaters in mid February with just $5 million.
Collateral Damage - February 8, 2002
In this thriller from director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive and Under Siege), Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a firefighter (sans secret military background) who loses his family to a terrorist bombing in Los Angeles. Both working with and against the CIA and FBI, he travels to Colombia in a solo attempt to get revenge against “The Wolf” (Cliff Curtis). Francesca Neri plays The Wolf’s wife, and an apparent ally to Schwarzenegger. The film was initially scheduled for release the previous October, but moved back due to sensitivity to the attacks on 9/11 and scenes in Washington, DC. Collateral Damage opened at #1 with $15 million from 2,824 theaters but failed to make back its budget with only $40 million from the domestic box office. That’s somewhat understandable given that this was his first career release outside the May-November frame, but it was also the third sub-$100 million release in a row for Schwarzenegger, following The 6th Day ($34 million) and End of Days ($66 million).
Big Fat Liar - February 8, 2002
Malcolm in the Middle’s Frankie Muniz and Nickelodeon Channel star Amanda Bynes play friends who torment a Hollywood producer, played by Paul Giamatti, who has made an unauthorized movie out of one of their school essays. This teen comedy was the film debut for both Bynes (who won a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress) and director Shawn Levy. Big Fat Liar opened at #2 with $11.5 million, had decent legs at the box office, and eventually earned $48.3 million.
Rollerball - February 8, 2002
A remake of the 1975 film based on the short story, this thriller features Chris Klein and LL Cool J as teammates in a violent sport rigged by their coach, played by Jean Reno. Geared toward teens not even old enough for its R-rating, the film received poor reviews and a Razzie nomination for co-star Rebecca Romijn. To top it off, director John McTiernan later spent a year in federal prison for wiretapping one of the film’s producers over a dispute about the project. Rollerball opened at #3 with $9 million and saw steep drops at the box office, ultimately earning just under $19 million.
20 YEARS AGO
Dante’s Peak - February 7, 1997
Pierce Brosnan stars in this special effects driven disaster thriller as a scientist working alongside a mayor, played by Linda Hamilton, as they try to save a small town in Washington state from a surprise volcanic eruption. In one of those suspicious Hollywood coincidences, Dante’s Peak was one of two big ash lava thrillers in the same year: Volcano (with Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche) was released just two months later. Dante’s Peak was the box office winner, opening at #2 (behind Star Wars Special Edition) and taking the February opening record from Broken Arrow with $18.4 million from 2,567 theaters, eventually grossing a total of $67 million (compared to $49 million for Volcano). Moviegoers saw another disaster duo just one year later, with Deep Impact and Armageddon released in the summer of 1998.
The Beautician and the Beast - February 7, 1997
While in the fourth season of her sitcom The Nanny, Fran Drescher starred in this King-and-I style comedy as a beautician from New York hired to look after the children of an Eastern European leader. Brosnan’s 007 predecessor Timothy Dalton plays Boris, the stiff President of “Slovetzia.” Opening at #3 far behind Dante’s Peak, Drescher’s beautician took in $4 million this weekend and finished at $11.4 million.
Two other releases celebrate their 20th anniversary this week, though they were seen by few audiences in theaters: John Leguizamo’s comedy The Pest bombed at the box office with just $1.8 million from 1,205 theaters, and Eric Bogosian and Richard Linklater’s SubUrbia appeared in limited release, earning less than a million dollars during its run.
25 YEARS AGO
Medicine Man - February 7, 1992
The other John McTiernan film in this week’s Marquee History was far superior to Rollerball. Sean Connery plays a reclusive medical researcher in the Amazon who is racing to recover a natural cure for cancer before the rainforest ecosystem is destroyed. Lorraine Bracco plays a highly educated lab scientist from their corporate sponsor who struggles to deal with his abrasive demeanor and her first real field assignment (played for comic relief). Both actors had career highlights two years earlier; Connery with the box office hit The Hunt For Red October, and Bracco with an Oscar nomination for Goodfellas. The pairing managed to take down The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and put Medicine Man at #1 with $8.4 million - the third best February opening to that time - from 1,304 theaters and push it up to a total of $45 million.
Final Analysis - February 7, 1992
Richard Gere stars as a psychologist in this steamy noir, with Kim Basinger and Uma Thurman. The film received moderate reviews and also Razzie nominations for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Actress (Basinger). Final Analysis opened at #3 with $6.4 million and held steady up to $28.5 million.
In limited release this weekend, Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury starred in the romance Mississippi Masala, receiving strong reviews and ultimately earning $7.3 million.
30 YEARS AGO
Now two months into its release, Platoon added more theaters and actually set the February weekend box office record (previously held by Pretty in Pink) with $8.1 million for the #1 spot. Outrageous Fortune repeated in the #2 spot with $5.4 million.
Light of Day - February 6, 1987
Nice guy Michael J. Fox takes on a more series role as Midwest rock band singer alongside his sister, played by Joan Jett in her first film role. Gena Rowlands plays their mother, source of the family's conflict and their self-destructive tendencies. The screenplay was written by Paul Schrader (who also directed this film), known for Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. Bruce Springsteen wrote the film’s title song, which was a Billboard hit. Light of Day opened at #3 with $3.5 million from 1,041 theaters and eventually took in $10.4 million.
Black Widow - February 6, 1987
Theresa Russell stars as a femme fatale, moving from city to city, marrying rich men and poisoning them. Debra Winger plays the agent on her trail, who gets too close and too involved. Opening closely behind Light of Day, Black Widow took in $3.4 million for the #4 spot with 300 fewer theaters and went on to gross $25.2 million.
From the Hip - February 6, 1987
Judd Nelson stars as a new lawyer who uses unconventional and erratic tactics to win cases for shady clients until he encounters one (John Hurt) who is truly guilty. Elizabeth Perkins co-stars. Nelson of course had become famous as part of the Brat Pack in 1985 with The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire, but wasn’t able to turn that into box office material as a lead actor. From the Hip opened at #5 with $2.6 million and finished with $9.5 million.
Come back next week for another installment of Marquee History!