Snapshot: August 1-3, 1997
By Joel West
March 27, 2009
The weekend's other big debut was then TV-star Jennifer Aniston's Picture Perfect. While she had appeared in some films (She's the One, Leprechaun), Aniston was still the last Friend to open a film with her name above the title. Unfortunately, the other Friends had not been very profitable at the box office. David Schwimmer flopped in 1996's The Pallbearer ($5.6 million) as did Matt LeBlanc in the same year's Ed ($4.4 million). Matthew Perry fared a tad better in 1997's Fools Rush In ($29 million) which was identical to Lisa Kudrow's success in Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion (also $29 million). Courteney Cox had only really appeared in an ensemble and she picked a winner in Scream ($103 million). Despite Cox, the Friends' cast had largely taken their respective sitcom characters and gave them the big screen RomCom-treatment. Aniston was no different as her Picture Perfect character was a dead-ringer for Rachel Green (come on, you know who I am talking about). The only RomCom competition was the two month old My Best Friend's Wedding ($127 million), so fans of the genre were ready for something new. Would her romantic comedy debut be in line with Ross/Joey numbers, Chandler/Phoebe numbers, or a Monica breakout?
Tapping the kids' demographic for the weekend was Air Bud, a film about a Golden Retriever that plays football. Luckily for parents, Hercules ($99 million) and George of the Jungle ($105 million) were still in theaters.
Clearly being released in the wrong season were 187 and In the Company of Men. Granted, it is admirable that the studios released films with a social commentary during the summer, but these were both pretty grim fare. Please don't misinterpret my view of the films' quality (this isn't that type of column and I actually really like both), but audiences are supposed to feel bad around the holidays, not summer.
Regardless, 187 was Kevin Reynolds' (Waterworld, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) low budget (i.e. Costner-less) return to the big screen. Samuel L. Jackson starred in this anti-Dangerous Minds where the teacher battles the students as opposed to teaching them. Since Jackson's success three years prior in Pulp Fiction, he had largely appeared in either ensemble pieces (Kiss of Death, A Time to Kill) or as the sidekick in action romps (The Long Kiss Goodnight, Die Hard with a Vengeance). His one lead role was 1996's The Great White Hype and it died a quick painless death at $8 million. Clearly, Jackson wasn't just yet the unpredictable box office draw he is today (Lakeview Terrace - $39 million, The Spirit - $19 million).
In the Company of Men told the crowd pleasing tale of two men who conspire to exploit the affections of a deaf woman. Never expected to be a cross-over hit, this uncompromising satire did introduce us to the talents of LaBute (Nurse Betty, The Shape of Things, The Wicker Man?!) and Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Thank You for Smoking). Good reviews were both these original films were hoping for to propel them to moderate box office (and some year end consideration).
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