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BOP Answers Its Mail
By Calvin Trager
June 12, 2004
BOP loves its readers. And BOP's readers love BOP. But some of BOP's readers don't love certain things that BOP does. But others do. This is the enigmatic nature of feedback: It doesn't often let you know what you are doing well, but it very nearly always lets you know what you're doing wrong, or at least what others think you're doing wrong.
And while we at BOP are self-aware and confident enough to follow our own muse even in the *gasp* face of negative feedback, from time to time we will use this forum to respond to our readers, to further clarify, to enlighten, to entertain.
Here then is some selected feedback and response from May 16-24, 2004
Anonymous feedback makes baby Jesus cry:
Does "Never get outta the boat" have a distirbutor? Do you know if Lot47 Films is still in business? Thanks
I contacted Lot 47 and indeed they are still in business, but they are not the distributor for Never Get Outta the Boat, despite what the IMDb listing says. According to the source I contacted, BOP favorite John Cusack currently owns the rights and is looking for a distributor. Meanwhile, Lot 47's next project is Ghostlight, which is scheduled for a limited rollout in about five or ten cities later this summer. No thanks for the anonymous feedback. So there.
Ant implores us to look at the big picture:
Hey Tim, read your summary and think you were way off base regarding TROY. This is a film which opens on more screens than GLADIATOR, and OPENS with a $2000 HIGHER per screen average. It also exceeded the international preems for GLADIATOR, VAN HELSING and LAST SAMURAI in ALL Intl markets. It's taken $100,000,000 in one weekend so far and you make out a doom and gloom scenario for Warners because of that ridiculous multiplier standard? Warners are probably very happy with the TROY numbers. I'm disappointed in such an analysis from a so-called BO Prophet. Come on man. If you're gonna base theories on the numbers, at least look at the big picture. cheers, ant
You guys have to keep our analysis and commentary in perspective. We don't often look at a film's box office performance in absolute terms. If we did, then Troy's opening would certainly have received a different slant. However, simply turning a profit isn't the benchmark for epic, tentpole releases like Troy. For those, you have to think in terms of maximizing potential. After all, WB is only going to spend $200+ million to tell this story once, so whether they eke an extra $5, $10, $50, or $100 million out of the exercise is significant. Simply put, that is the big picture right there, ant.
It is true as you state that Troy opened larger than Gladiator, as it was clearly expected to do. But then what happened? Well, as Tim Briody correctly pointed out, Troy's poor internal multiplier opening weekend was a sign that the film lacked box office staying power. And lo and behold, looking at total US gross, Troy will finish well short of Gladiator's inflation-adjusted tally of $209 million. Let's give Tim some credit for what was at the time a fairly bold call in light of Troy's otherwise solid opening. Anyone could (and some did) look at Troy's full weekend number, observe that it was larger than Gladiator's, and immediately conclude that Troy was a $200 million play in the States. Tim didn't, because Tim is smart and the internal multiplier is far from ridiculous but instead a useful tool in the hands of smart people.
So what we have in Troy is a film that is desirous in terms of scope and themes of comparisons to Gladiator, opened on nearly 500 more screens than Gladiator, and drew opening weekend grosses that were 18% higher than Gladiator's inflation-adjusted opening. Yet when all is said and done at the US box office, Troy will wind up with about 30% less than Gladiator. You think WB is ecstatic about that kind of collapse?
Switching perspectives for a moment, on the global stage Troy has indeed surpassed expectations. With a total sitting at $385 million right now, that leaves it needing only about $71 million more in worldwide box office to catch the Best Picture winner, a likely scenario at this point. Of course, Troy has 2004 ticket prices working in its favor, so one could argue it would have to outstrip Gladiator's take by about 12% (for total receipts of $510 million, a less certain proposition) in order to be considered "as successful" as the film that paved its way.
So realizing that we're quickly approaching "angels dancing on pinpoints" territory here, ant, you are correct when you say Warner Bros was happy with Troy's opening. What we were pointing out was their grins looked like this \___/ instead of this \______/, because a stronger opening in the US would have put Troy on a trajectory to compete, globally, with some of the highest profile releases of the last decade. While no one is going to lose their job over it, the fact that Troy is not a $600 million movie is disappointing someone over at WB. Given all the positive elements it had going for it, we are right to call Troy a disappointment relative to our admittedly lofty expectations. We set our expectations high because the studios do. Thanks for the feedback.
Arezo is ready for her/his close-up:
Hi, I am wondering if you had any idea when "Walk The Line" starring reese witherspoon will be holding auditions for local extras? --That would be a great help as I cannot find this info anywhere...Thanks again....
You're in luck my friend. There is an open casting call being held at Overton High School in Memphis on June 5th. So head on over there last week and knock 'em dead. What? Don't have a time machine!? Well in that case you are screwed. You should have asked someone who knows stuff about stuff instead of randomly posting messages at movie-related Web sites. Thanks for the feedback.
Chad leaves out a lot of important details:
I was looking forward to seeing Gwyneth Paltrow in Proof, but I live in North Carolina and I see that the release is Limited. Will I be able to see this movie?
Chad, I'd like to answer your question but there are a few too many unknown variables making that impossible. Do you own a car? Are you blind? Are you related to Gwyneth Paltrow?
Seriously, your best bet is to contact the theaters nearest you that regularly schedule the more limited releases, and ask if they are planning to book Proof. Since the film doesn't open until December 2004, you also have plenty of time to lobby them to book it if they weren't otherwise planning on doing so. Also, isn't it about time you started your Christmas shopping? Thanks for the feedback.
Lisa gets the right answer to the wrong question:
Hi I was wondering if you guys have heard any news about actor Travis Fimmel in the movies?
As a matter of fact we have, Lisa. The big news we heard is that he saw Harry Potter last weekend and had a rocking good time. Have you heard any news about Alanis Morissette in the movies? Thanks for the feedback.
Andrew has something wrong with his keyboard:
I just wanted to write and applaud BOP`s love of the phenomenal show, Sports Night. Have you ever considered having a special column devoted to y´ts alumni, keeping the public informed on their careers and informy´ng them of the pasts of actors like Josh Charles and Sabrina Lloyd? It would be a useful thy´ng to do as we all know that these actors wy´ll someday be huge stars....y´n any case, keep up the name droppy´ng, many of us love y´t.
That's.....not gonna happen. It's intriguing, I assure you, but not really in our wheelhouse. We do love Sports Night, though, a lot. Still friends? Thank you for the feedback.
Roh tips us to something of grave importance:
You are missing something important. Sandra Bullock's torrid affair with Monster Garage guy Jesse James has decimated her fanbase. The people who put down their money to see "the girl next door" might not be so willing to see "the biker chick next door." MC2 may not do well at all.
My reaction to this feedback, in order: What the hell is Monster Garage? Who the hell is Jesse James? Sandra Bullock has a fanbase? They're making a Miss Congeniality 2?!! For the love of Mike why? Why that and not, say, Exit Interview: Two More Weeks Notice or Floater: Hope Floats 2?
Roh, I think you're missing something important. Miss Congeniality was all about Sandra Bullock playing against type. And that did pretty well, apparently. My guess would be people will line up to see Sandra Bullock play against type again in the sequel. And hey, if a pair of buttless chaps are involved, I'm there, too. Thanks for the feedback.
Chris's new favorite column is Feedback:
Whatever happened to the Trailer Hitch articles? That used to be my favorite column on the site but there have been no updates. Just wondering wy not. Chris ps-cool new site design
Our man Zach was on extended leave and we hadn't found a suitable replacement, what with everyone else being really, really busy trying to find out casting information, distributor information and other pieces of information for people who have never heard of a search engine. Seriously, expect Trailer Hitch to make a triumphant return at some point in the very near future. Knowing people dig the column gives us significant motivation to get it up and running again. Thanks for the feedback.
Luke is one of those people that writes "persay" instead of "per se", undermining his fervent desire to come across as an intellectual:
In your weekend wrap-up, you listed that one of Shrek 2's feats this weekend was: "Largest five-day opening total ($125.3 million, just ahead of Return of the King's $124.1 million if the estimates hold)" While this is true, persay, it would be more accurate to report that if estimates hold, Shrek 2 will have the largest 5-day opening figure, just ahead of Passion of the Christ's $125,185,971 5-day opening (Return of the King would come in third place, not second place).
Nice catch, Luke. Thanks for the feedback.
Gloria just might be a communist:
Hello, I was wondering if you know which casting agency is doing the actors for the Production of Che the Movie? Thank you so much, Gloria
We don't, sorry. But don't be mad; no one else does either. The project appears to be in its early stages, with all the big names currently attached (Benicio Del Toro, Franka Potente, Javier Bardem, hey what do you know, Benjamin Bratt was available. What, no Antonio Banderas?) apparently recruited personally by Stephen Soderbergh, who will direct. Since they are scheduled to start shooting in August 2005, I would imagine that decision will be made soon and if you do some periodic Googling, it will turn up on Variety or one of those other publications that use annoying abbreviations like "preem", "repped", and the mother of all annoying abbreviations, "skedded". Way to save two keystrokes, jackass! Anyway, good luck, comrade. Thanks for the feedback.
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