Monday Morning Quarterback Part I

By BOP Staff

September 24, 2012

I was wondering how your family is doing! Jerk!

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Edwin Davies: This is a perfectly fine result for a film that would be of little interest were it not for the fact that Jennifer Lawrence went from being an unknown to a huge star in the time between when it was filmed and when it was eventually released. There's an argument to be made that the film demonstrates that Lawrence is not a draw outside of her two franchises, but personally I think it more strongly demonstrates that these kind of cheap, crappy horror films will generally do okay with the right marketing and release, whilst the actual star is pretty much irrelevant.

Matthew Huntley: When I first saw the preview for this movie, and then learned it was rated PG-13, I pretty much knew it would perform just as it did this weekend (I think we all probably did). There are absolutely no surprises here and Bruce hit the nail on the head when he outlined the general flow of cheap, shock-inducing horror movies that are chiefly meant for teenage girls. And even though Halloween is approaching, I don't think House will show any type of reasonable legs, likely ending up between $30-35 million overall, which simply means we'll see another one just like this time next year, or maybe a few in between. Another sure thing: this is probably the last we'll see of Jennifer Lawrence in a movie like this, at least for a while. By now, her asking price is probably too high.

Felix Quinonez: I think anytime a movie makes back its budget on opening weekend, it should be a win. I really don't think it'll have any legs but it should make real profit by the end of its run and definitely when it's out on home video. I also think it was smart of them to try and capitalize off of Jennifer Lawrence's rise to fame, which couldn't have hurt at all.

Jason Barney: am not the biggest horror film fan in the world, but in the lead up to Halloween, there certainly is a market for these films. Just in the last couple of weeks we have had The Apparition, (which bombed) The Possession (which has made almost three times the cost of making it) and now The House at the End of the Street, which is already making money. The leaves are starting to turn, nights are getting colder, and the Halloween candy is in the stores. If it is a money maker, it is a win.




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David Mumpower: Matthew is absolutely correct that all of us could tell that this would be a profitable winner for Relativity Media now that they have finally cleared up (at least some of) their financial woes. Sometimes, a production like this catches a break. Without Jennifer Lawrence, this may still be sitting on the shelf if not being considered for a straight to video release. With her, the movie earns double digits on opening weekend and temporarily laid claim to being the number one film for the weekend. Kim and I mentioned in the Weekend Wrap-Up that House at the End of the Street becomes one of those weird horror flick footnotes a la Leprechaun and Nightmare on Elm Street because it features a legit A-list actress in an otherwise wholly forgettable film. And yes, slasher nerds, Nightmare on Elm Street is otherwise forgettable. Dream Warriors, on the other hand...

Kim Hollis: Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the least forgettable films I've ever seen. I saw it in the theater on opening night in a double feature with The Terminator and both films have stuck with me over those long years. I still have Freddy Krueger nightmares occasionally and it sure isn't because of Dream Warriors, because I have never seen that movie.

As for House at the End of the Street, I am having trouble distinguishing it in my mind from The Last House on the Left, Silent House or House on Haunted Hill. The studio has to be pretty pleased with the result, because without Jennifer Lawrence attached, it'd be the most ordinary of horror titles.


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