You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
4 BOXOFHCE<br />
—<br />
.<br />
FADE IN...<br />
Even before the film industry reaches the newcentury<br />
mark, it might be entering a new epoch.<br />
Ahhough other announced circuit itiega-deals<br />
either evaporated or have yet to close, the Regal/<br />
UATC/Act III merger, if consummated later this<br />
year, could herald a new way of doing the theatre<br />
business. If and when the trinity becomes one,<br />
BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE will provide our readers<br />
with an analysis of that brave new landscape<br />
of exhibition. If nothing else, one can expect that<br />
geography's mountains, valleys and oceans to be<br />
of jovian rather than terrene dimensions, which<br />
seems appropriate for the age of 2001<br />
Perhaps matters aren" t looking to be as radically<br />
different on the producer/distributor side. Bigbudget<br />
films, thanks to "Titanic." remain in, as<br />
will be obvious to ShoWest attendees of a certain<br />
studio event: Even if its eponymous .star creature<br />
in reality fits on a microchip. "Godzilla" hardly<br />
counts in the micro-budget category. Neither does<br />
Buena Vista's "Armageddon" nor Warner's "Lethal<br />
Weapon 4," proving that the tentpole strategy<br />
launched in the mid- '80s at Paramount remains<br />
the industry standard. But there are some newwave<br />
changes. Off-balance sheet financing is becoming<br />
more popular on the filmmaking side, and<br />
marketing efforts—as Christine James' story on<br />
New Line's "Lost in Space" website show.s—are<br />
becoming more savvy on the film-selling side.<br />
And so is our coverage of the biz. BOXOFFICE<br />
ONLINE (http://www.boxoffice.com) with this<br />
ShoWest launches its electronic coverage of the<br />
convention. After all, even giant Microsoft seems<br />
to acknowledge this gathering's standing in the<br />
film world. If you run a spellcheck on the word<br />
"ShoWest," Microsoft's Word program will suggest<br />
"showiest"—which is exactly right.<br />
We're cheered by the latest praise for our online<br />
offerings. The folks at Dow Jones, publisher ofThe<br />
Wall Street Journal, tout BOXOFFICE ONLINE<br />
in its select group of movie sites on its online<br />
business directory (businessdirectory.dowjones.<br />
com), giving us an industry-high grade of 32,<br />
thanks to across-the-board good marks on content,<br />
speed, navigation and design. We're at the top, but<br />
hardly alone: Paramount papa Viacom and Disney<br />
also receive 32s, with Fox and Miramax right<br />
behind at 31 and Universal and Sony at 30.<br />
And we're going to continue to expand our<br />
online services to our core readership, the exhibition<br />
community, so stay tuned. Of course, nothing<br />
will ever replace the convenience of use and depth<br />
of coverage that<br />
an annual print subscription to<br />
BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE provides. But look at<br />
it this way: You can have both.<br />
Kim Williamson<br />
BOXOFFICE ONLINE<br />
WEBSITE ADDRESS: http://www.boxoffice.com<br />
E-MAIL ADDRESS: boxoffice@ear1hlink.net<br />
APRIL, 1998 VOL. 134, NO. 4 SHOWEST<br />
UNQUOTE: I've never even looked around to go anyplace [else].<br />
It's the atmosphere—WMHER BROS.' BARRY REARDON<br />
PAGES 81—132 (SW-1—SW-52)<br />
SPECIAL REPORT:<br />
ShoWest 1998<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
10 LETTERS<br />
In this issue, BOXOFFICE<br />
provides its annual preview<br />
of the nnammoth Las Vegas<br />
convention. For an at-aglance<br />
overview of our<br />
ShoWest Intro contents,<br />
see page 83 (SW-3).<br />
Sllpsliding away; Hollywood IQ; snack attack<br />
12 HOLLYWOOD REPORT<br />
Dave Foley "Bugs" out, plus early word on 20 other productions<br />
14 MAY TRAILERS<br />
What's flowering in Hollywood<br />
74 MOVIEGOER ANNUAL CHART: 1 997<br />
The moviegoer year in review<br />
166 EXHIBITION BRIEFINGS<br />
LWE sets terms; Loeks-Star revs Detroit engines; MovieFone-speak<br />
1 68 NATIONAL NEWS/HOLLYWOOD UPDATES<br />
Omaha stakes; studio financials pass muster<br />
171 NORTHERN EXPOSURE<br />
On good Behaviour; Red Sky warning<br />
172 EUROVIEWS<br />
More top ticket numbers; DIP reap—RIP?<br />
174 PACIFIC OVERTURES<br />
Shockwave at Shochiku; no secret, Asian man<br />
176 FILM REVIEWS<br />
Sundance coverage heads our 129 reviews (see title list, P. 6)<br />
21 8 STUDIO FILM RELEASE CHART<br />
Major releases through June—and beyond<br />
220 INDEPENDENT FILM RELEASE CHART<br />
Specialized fare through December<br />
222 MOVIEGOER ACTIVITY CHART<br />
The latest ranking results for 30 markets<br />
223 HOME RELEASE CHART<br />
"Alien Resurrection" in May, "Scream 2" in June<br />
224 CLASSIFIEDS<br />
Including our index to advertisers in this Issue<br />
CIRCULATION INQUIRIES<br />
BOXOFFICE DATA CENTER<br />
725 S. Wells St., Fourth Floor<br />
Chicago, IL 60607<br />
(312) 922-9326; fax: (312) 922-7209<br />
-© The<br />
AudN<br />
Bureau<br />
OFFICES<br />
EOTOmAL AND ADVEHTBINQ CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS SUBSCRIPTION/CIRCULATION<br />
6640 Sunset Blvd., Suite 100 Mailing address: 725 S Wells St . Fourth Floor<br />
Hollywood, CA 90028-71 59 P.O. Box 25485 Chicago. IL 60607<br />
(213)465-1186 Chicago, IL 60625 (312)922-9326<br />
Fax:(213)465-5049 (773)338-7007 Fax:(312)922-7209
Change language