Boxoffice-June.1997

KIEPfftrSUTHERLAND • QH^BDCKER • PROFILE: NAC
PRESIDENT-ELECT NORMAN CHESLER • CONCESSIONS'
BIG AD-VEND-TURE • BLUE RIBBON RESULTS
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
r^-j^'r-s;;»iEi*

!
Junior & Dot Together At Last
Two Concession Classics - Junior Mint^ and
Mason Dot^ - are appearing together at theatres
around the country. Dots' super assortment of five
of movie goer's for years. Make sure your conce:
sion features the double selling power of these
two favorites - Junior and Dot together at last!
fruit flavors and Junior Mints' creamy
combination of cool mint and dark
milk chocolate have been the choice
o^

lune. 1997 3
OPENING CREDITS
to the delightful but very
Thanks
busy period ushered in
by the ShoWest convention, a bit of business we meant
to share with you last month fell by the wayside. Those
of you who've been reading us regularly since June of 1994
already know all about our website BOXOFFICE ONLINE.
The very first and, to our minds, still the most complete
website launched by any film trade publication,
revamped and
BOXOFFICE ONLINE was dramatically
"relaunched" in March 1996. The "new and improved"
BOXOFFICE Online is an astonishing success story. In its
first year of operations, it has already reached well over
500,000 discrete, individual users, logging many millions of
"hits" and receiving multiple awards in the process.
The big surprise, though, came a few months back, when,
right in the middle of the ShoWest editorial crunch, we were
informed by our website design team at Marlin Software that
THE NET, a leading, nationally distributed print magazine
dedicated to trends on the internet, had analyzed thousands
of websites in order to compile a list of "THE TOP 100
WEBSITES OF ALL TIME." Despite the proliferation of
movie-themed info sites on the web, only four film-related
websites made the final, 100 Website cut.
And guess who came in at number one.
We point this out to you partly to crow about something
we're proud of, but also for a more important reason. Unlike
many of the other awards BOXOFFICE ONLINE has
grabbed in the past year, THE NET's considered opinion of
our editorial content demonstrated not only a shrewd and
intelligent analysis of BOXOFFICE ONLINE' s
underlying
aesthetic, but an outsider's appreciation of a sampling of the
kinds of materials we struggle to bring to our readership each
and every month. We know from the letters and calls we
receive from our readers how much BOXOFFICE means to
you, and we're deeply grateful. It was nice to get some
between BOXOFFICE
additional validation from a prestigious and impartial third
party—one which nevertheless seems to have recognized
some important points about the relationship
and its loyal audience.
So here, in full and verbatim, is
what THE NET had to say in
the
review which accompanied its naming
of BOXOFFICE ONLINE as the
single best film content provider on
the World Wide Web:
the most
What's
we can hope
for from most film sites? A
few tired reviews as impartial
as a press kit, a couple of hackneyed
'star' profiles, maybe some
sound bites or a few stills. Well,
BOXOFFICE, the online version of
a magazine that's been around for
75-plus years, goes well beyond
those expectations. It delivers the densest collection of intelligent
film writing on the Web, with readable interviews of
film personalities and timely scoops on soon-to-be-released
movies. Surfers who spend some time here will no doubt
come away with a long list for the comer video rental.
"The site has three searchable indexes. This Just In is
updated every Friday, and offers previews of upcoming
films, as well as reviews of all current releases (and I do mean
all). The Classic Review Archive includes reviews dating
back to 1 93 1 . Finally, there's an archive for just the last year.
The range is impressive; scrolling the list of 400 reviews in the
'95-'96 archive can overwhelm even the most avid moviegoer.
"A trip to the BOXOFFICE Classic Archives is a study in
film history. Reviewing 'Frankenstein' (1931), a correspondent
wrote, 'It is one of those weird and gruesome stories that
brings shrieks and ejaculations from the feminine fans.' In
those days, BOXOFFICE included a 'Selling Seats' footnote
to reviews, providing helpful promoting tips to theatre owners:
'Use large cut-outs of "The Monster" in the lobby.
Arouse public curiosity by stating: "To have seen
'Frankenstein' is to wear a badge of courage.'"
"An industry guide as much as a filmgoer's resource,
BOXOFFICE ONLINE keeps the sensationalism to a minimum.
Features run the gamut from actor profiles to regional
updates of filmmaking internationally, from analyses of key
directors to industry insider production notes. Also worth
browsing are the extensive industry links to everything from
popcorn popper distributors to the big Hollywood studios.
It' s a great read and a great resource for film buffs: intelligent,
useful and on top of things, all at the same time."
s
A'
"BOXOFFICE ONLINE keeps
the sensationalism to a minimum,
delivering the densest collection
of intelligentfilm writing on
the Web. It's a great read and a
great resource forfilm buffs:
intelligent, useful and on top
of things, all at the same time.'*''
—from "The 100 Best Websites of
All Time," The NET Magazine
you can imagine, we were pretty excited about a
write-up like that. We disagree only with that reference
to "the comer video rental," for an important
reason: Though it might increase consumer traffic, we have
intentionally organized the materials BOXOFFICE ONLINE
contains without the slightest reference to video release
dates. BOXOFFICE ONLINE, like BOXOFFICE itself, is
dedicated to the art of the theatrically exhibited feature film,
and nothing else.
One last piece of unfinished business has to do with the
1997 Academy Awards. As you may have figured out from
our May '97 Oscar coverage, BOXOFFICE was once again
backstage at the ceremony this year. You may also remember
that we had a few choice words in these pages for the
Academy's 1996 decision to deny BOXOFFICE Academy
credentials for the first time in this
magazine's long history. For the record,
the Academy treated
BOXOFFICE with great promptness
and courtesy in 1997, and so we now
consider the issue closed. We
couldn't let that sought-for outcome
pass, however, without remarking on
the great outpouring of love and affection
so many of you demonstrated
by contacting the Academy on our
behalf after last year's misunderstanding.
As we said in our June '96 Oscar
editorial, we feel it's our job to be
there because we are fortunate
enough to act as exhibition' sjoumalistic
voice to the powers that be. Your
actions on our behalf proved that
point in the most powerful way possible. And not incidentally,
touched all of us deeply in the process.
Until next time,
^Sjum^
Ray Greene
Editor-in-Chief
BOXOFFICE

By
DEPARTMENTS
JUNE, 1997 VOL. 133 NO. 6
UNQUOTE: / aspire to be Lucy Ricardo's...pinky. She was
so genius. So genius.— JULIA ROBERTS
SPECIAL REPORT: CONCESSIONS '97/
NAC EXPO AND SNACK BAR UNIVERSITY
The National Association of Concessionaires' annual gala offers ttie perfect
opportunity for our special report on the state of the concessions arts. PLUS:
Our regular introductory show contents. SNACKBAR UNIVERSITY/NAC EXPO:
June 2 - 5, 1997, Marriott Hotel, Anaheim, Calif. Call 312-236-3858.
SECTION I:
CONCESSIONS '97/NAC EXPO
28 CONCESSIONS '97: FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The cream of the concessions crop offers up a wide-ranging
symposium on the state of the industry. By Pat Kramer
30 CONCESSIONS '97: NORMAN CHESLER, NAC'S NEW MAN AT THE TOP
The NAC torch passes to president-elect Norman Chesler, whose
NAC roots go back to his father's presidency. By Kim Williamson
34 NAC EXPO/SNACK BAR U '97: SBU'S EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
NAC president David Scoco on the NAC Snack Bar University's
editorial mission. By David R. Scoco
36 NAC EXPO/SNACK BAR U '97: BACK TO THE FUTURE
NAC president-elect Norman Chesler charts the many ways his
personal and professional history and the NAC's have
intertwined. By Norman Chesler
38 NAC EXPO/SNACK BAR U '97: THE FORCE OF DIVERSITY
Chuck Winans, Executive Director of the NAC, on NAC's expanding
range of member services. By Charles A. Winans
40 CONCESSIONS '97: GLOBAL GOODIES
From chicken feet in China to betel nuts in Polynesia, regional
concessions items prove the old adage "there's no accounting for
"
taste Susan Lambert PLUS: Boxoffice taste tests the
mysterious Guarana from Brazil.
42 CONCESSIONS '97: AN AWFULLY BIG AD-VEND-TURE
Concessions lines can mean lost sales. Here's how a new generation
of vending machines is picking up the pace. By Pat Kramer
44 CONCESSIONS '97: SMUGGLERS BLUES
How big a problem is food smuggling for the theatrical concessions
industry? Some surprising answers. By Jon Matsumoto
SECTION II: JUNE FEATURES
10 COVER: JULIA ROBERTS, "WEDDING" BELLE
The superstar actress returns to comedy with "My Best Friend's
Wedding." Also: Julia's take on "Conspiracy Theory," her summer
action-thriller, co-starring Mel Gibson. By Ray Greene
24 SNEAK PREVIEW: KIEFER SUTHERLAND, DARKNlMi
Kiefer Sutherland goes in a new direction with New Line's "Dark
City," a moody new thriller from "The Crow" director Alex Proyas.
By Wade Major
26 SNEAK PREVIEW: CHRIS TUCKER, MONEY MM
is "Money Talks" star Chris Tucker the funniest comedian you
never heard of? By Bridget Byrne
46 1997 BLUE RIBBON POLL RESULTS
The readers of Boxoffice pick the Best, Worst and Most Popular
Films of the Fall/Winter play period.
74 THE BIG PICTURE: MODEL CITIZENS
As "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" makes it to market, we celebrate
the original dinosaur kings: model animators Ray
Harryhausen and Willis O'Brien. By Ray Greene
BOXOFFICE (ISSN 0006-8527). Published monthly by RLD Communications, Inc., 203 N. Wabash
Ave., Suite 80C "' " ~ '
'^ --•-
• -
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mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes
Chicago, IL 60607.
O Copyright 1997 RLD Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part
without permission is prohibited.

vvneii d pdiion calls your theatre he generally knows whafflWIShts to see. He may have;
jisten to 5 minutes of messages, direction, senior citizens specials, and what is playing in
Isach auditorium before he gets what he is looking for ... What times does the show start! \
The new SMART Citi-Tell system cuts directly to the information the caller wants with an '
interactive touch tone command.You can hear the show times again, go to the main menu
hear alternate movie choices, or even get film reviews of the movie. It's similar to a voice
mail system, but without the computer and hard disk that can CRASH. The Citi-Tell uses
advanced FLASH memory that will not accidentally be erased and you can change any pa
can even be programmed with
of the message without recording the whole thing over. It
new shows and messages from a remote professional voice service from thousands of mile
laway.
This exciting new product allows you to handle many more calls with fewer phone lines. I
expandable structure can handle 40 or more lines by adding the appropriate modules or
additional controllers.The package can be used on-premises in a single multiplex, or hand
lall the calls for all your screens in a small city.
This digital message server provides the clearest sound quality of any machine. The Citi-Te
has the highest throughput capability because selecting a message from the message "tree
is
instantaneous.
When your patron calls and continues to get busy signals, he may call your competitor! Th
system could pay for itself in no time with added business.

A
Ri\\ftt.t.ifc
1
HOLLYWOOD
UPDATES
Walt Disney Studios and Pixar Animation
Studios have agreed to jointly produce five
movies over the next 10 years. The two
conripanies first teamed on the smash hit "Toy
Story," which brought computer animation
to the next level with its strikingly detailed
3-D appearance. Disney and Pixar will be
equal partners on the fiv.e pictures and related
products, including home videos, merchandise
and interactive media products. A
feature called "Bugs" will be the first picture
under the deal, due out Christmas 1998.
Al Pacino and his production company,
Chal Prods., have signed a first-look deal
with Castle Rock Entertainment. Pacino
starred in Castle Rock's "City Hall" and will
the company's upcoming remake of
star in
"The Cincinnati Kid."
Oscar-winning writer Michael Blake
("Dances With Wolves") and his partner,
writer/director/producer William Morgan,
have announced the formation of a new
independent film company. Last Stand Pictures,
which will output three to five films a
project for the company will
year. The first
be an adaptation of the Douglas C. Jones
novel "Winding Stair," a courtroom thriller
set on an Indian reservation in the 1 890s.
Blake will script the adaptation.
"Scream" scripter Kevin Williamson has
pacted with Miramax to write two sequels to
the satiric horror film (which has grossed
more than $86 million to date) for Dimension,
Miramax's horror genre banner. The
film will reunite stars Neve Campbell and
Liev Schreiber and director Wes Craven.
Craven signed on as part of his new threefilm
deal with Miramax and Dimension. Williamson
will also write a treatment for the
next "Halloween" slasher flick, due for an
October 1 998 release.
Filmmaker Spike Lee ("Get On the Bus")
has signed a three-year, first-look deal with
Columbia Pictures. Under the deal, Lee will
write, direct and produce films for the studio.
He'll also be setting up an office on
Columbia'sCulverCity, Calif, lot, in addition
to his offices in New York, which house his
production company, 40 Acres and a Mule
Fllmworks.
Scripter Zak Penn, who helped develop
the story for the upcoming animated comedy
"Ants" for DreamWorks, has signed an exclusive
two-year, first-look deal with the studio.
DreamWorks is currently developing his
script "Fish Out of Water," another animated
feature. Penn has also penned "Last Action
Hero" and "P.C.U."
Disney-based Jerry Bruckheimer Films
has made a deal with Mike Sager, a writer for
CQ, The Washington Post, and Rolling
Stone, among other publications. Bruckheimer
and Disney's Touchstone recently optioned
Sager's "The Martyrdom of Veronica
Guerin," an article he wrote for GQ about an
Irish journalist killed last summer. Under the
deal, Bruckheimer will get first look at Sager's
articles, and he'll suggest ideas to the scribe.
"The Adventures of Pinocchio" helmer
Steve Barron has signed a two-year, firstlook
deal with Jim Henson Productions to
develop family-oriented feature film and
television projects. Barron's other credits include
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and
"The Coneheads"; he also produced "While
You Were Sleeping" and "The Specialist."
Under a new alliance between Merchant
Ivory Prods, and Capitol Films, the team of
writer-director James Ivory and producer
Ismail Merchant will make films to be co-financed
by the two companies. The first project
under the deal will be the drama "A
Soldier's Daughter Never Cries," which will
star Nick Nolle (who starred in Merchant
Ivory's "Jefferson in Paris"). Merchant Ivory's
most recent production was "Surviving Picasso."
Their alliance with the Walt Disney
Co., forged in 1992, will end with the upcoming
Bruce Beresford ("Paradise Road")-
helmed "The Playmaker."
Phoenix Pictures has entered an agreement
with Pioneer LDC, the entertainment
division of the Japanese company Pioneer
Electronic Corp., giving Pioneer exclusive
distribution rights in Japan to nine of
Phoenix's films over the next 15 years. Under
a deal Phoenix made with Sony in 1995,
Sony distributes ail Phoenix films worldwide
except for Japan. The first film under the
Phoenix/Pioneer pact will be "Amy Foster,"
based on Joseph Conrad's classic romance
novel, followed by Oliver Stone's Sean Penn
starrer "U-Turn."
Actor/writer/director Ben Stiller ("The
Cable Guy") has signed an exclusive twoyear,
first-look deal to write, direct and produce
films for Fox 2000. Stiller made his
directing debut with 1994's "Reality Bites,"
and he recently starred in the well-received
"Flirting With Disaster." He's currently
scripting for Warner Bros, an adaptation of
the Budd Schulberg novel "What Makes
Sammy Run," which he may also star in and
direct.
Paramount Pictures and Polygram Filmed
Entertainment are negotiating a three-year
co-financing deal for 10 to 12 big-budget
films. Under the terms of the agreement,
whichever company originates a project will
get domestic distribution rights, with the
other taking foreign rights. Paramount and
Polygram have teamed before on the Holly
Hunter comedy "Home for the Holidays";
the recent horror thriller "The Relic"; and the
upcoming Christian Slater starrer "The Flood,"
with Paramount distributing domestically
and Polygram internationally.
DreamWorks will be opening an office in
New York to handle East Coast distribution
and marketing. The studio has signed a 10-
year lease with Hiro Real Estate Co. for the
22nd floor of 650 Madison Ave. The new
office will house a staff of 1 0.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ray Greene
MANAGING EDITOR
Kim Williamson
SENIOR EDITOR
Christine James
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Susan Lambert
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Linda Andrade
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alex Albanese
John Allen
George T. Ghronis
Pat Kramer
Ann Kwinn
Wade Major
Joseph McBride
Lea Russo
Shiomo Schwartzberg
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT
Melissa Morhson
e-mail: tomelis@bohem-net.cz
BOXOFFICE ONLINE WEBSITE ADDRESS:
http://www.boxoff.com
email: boxoff@earthllnk.net
Online sen/ice provided by Marlin Software
FOUNDER
Ben Shiyen
PUBLISHER
Bob Dietmeler (773)338-7007
NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Robert M. Vale (213)465-1186
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT
Morris Schlozman (816)942-5877
EAST COAST ADVERTISING REP.
Mitchell J. Hall (212)877-6667
WEST COAST ADVERTISING REP.
Owen Campbell (370) 792-901
BUSINESS MANAGER
Dan Johnson (773)338-7007
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Chuck Taylor (312) 922-9326
OFFICES
Editorial and Publishing Headquarters:
6640 Sunset Blvd.. Suite 100, Hollywood, CA
90028-71 59 (21 3) 465-11 86, FAX: (21 3) 465-5049
Corporate: Mailing Address: P.O. Box 25485,
Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 338-7007
i6 The
Audit
Bureau
Circulation Inquiries:
BOXOFFICE Data Center
725 S. Wells St., 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
(312)922-9326
FAX: (312) 922-7209

CONTACT YOUR IMERICAN LICORICE SUPPLIER OR CALL US AT 510-487^5500

R
nrnfOFrtni!
HOLLYWOOD
REPORT
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
"Boxer" Heavyweight
TEA LEONI
Makes "Impact"
STANLEY TUCCI
"Ship" Shape
"THE BOXER" Daniel
Day-
Lewis ("The Crucible") will reunite
with "My Left Foot" and
"In the Name of the Father"
helmer )im Sheridan in this
drama about a professional pugilist
who returns to the ring
after completing a 13-year jail
sentence. He also seeks out his
former lover, who has been raising
her teenage son by herself.
Emily Watson, hot off her Best
Actress nomination for "Breaking
the Waves," co-stars. (LJniversal)
"MUSIC FROM ANOTHER
ROOM" Brenda Blethyn (recently
nominated for Best Actress
for "Secrets & Lies"), Jude
Law ("Shopping"), Jennifer Tilly
("Bound"), Martha Plimpton ("I
Shot Andy Warhol"), Jon Tenney
("Fools Rush In"), Jeremy
Piven ("Crosse Pointe Blank")
and Gretchen Mol star in this
film about a man (Law) who's
searching for his true love
(Mol)—a woman whose birth
he assisted when he was five
years old. Charlie Peters
{"Passed Away") directs and
scripts. (Orion)
"THE ODD COUPLE 2" Walter
Matthau and Jack Lemmon,
who starred as Oscar Madison
and Felix Unger in the 1968
bigscreen "Odd Couple," will
reunite for a sequel in which
Felix's son and Oscar's daughter
get married. The soon-to-be
in-laws must tolerate each other
agai n as they drive to the desert,
where the ceremony is to take
place. Howard Deutch, who directed
the duo in "Grumpy Old
Men," will helm. Neil Simon,
who wrote the original, will
script. (Paramount)
"THE RED VIOLIN" Samuel L.
Jackson ("A Time to Kill") and
Greta Scacchi ("Jefferson in
Paris") are set to star in this film
that centers around a red violin,
which is passed from person to
person over the course of 400
years. Francois Girard ("Thirty-
Two Short Films About Glenn
Gould") will helm and co-wrote
the script with Don McKellar.
(New Line)
"OUT OF SIGHT" This adaptation
of "Get Shorty" author
Elmore Leonard's best-selling
novel will star "Batman and
Robin's" George Clooney, who
will play a charming bank robber
who escapes from prison
and takes a female federal marshal
hostage. Complications
arise when the two fall
Steven Soderbergh ("sex, lies
and videotape") will direct.
(Universal)
in love.
"ARIGO" A journalist ("Crosse
Pointe Blank's" John Cusack) is
sent to Brazil to cover the trial
of Arigo, a man being tried for
witchcraft, in this drama, which
is based on a true story. Alan
Arkin, who co-starred in
"Crosse Pointe Blank," will take
a supporting role and will also
direct. (Distribution is to be set)
"DEEP IMPACT" This sci-fi
thriller, to be directed by Mimi
Leder ("The Peacemaker"), executive
produced by Steven
Spielberg and scripted by Michael
Tolkin ("The Player") and
Bruce Joel Rubin, is inspired by
the film "When Worlds Collide"
and Arthur C. Clarke's book
"The Hammer of God." Following
the disaster film trend, it's
about a comet on a deadly collision
course with Earth. Endangered
are Tea Leoni ("Flirting
With Disaster") and Elijah
Wood ("The Ice Storm"), along
with the rest of the human race.
(Paramount)
"PALMETTO" Woody Harrelson
("The People vs. Larry
Flynt")and Elisabeth Shue ("The
Saint") will star in this mystery
crime thriller, which is based on
James Hadley Chase's novel
"Just Another Sucker," about a
good guy who tries to go bad.
Michael Rapaport ("Metro"),
Angela Featherstone ("Con
Air"), Chloe Sevigny ("Kids")
and Tom Wright ("Gridlock'd")
will co-star. Volker Schlondorff
("The Ogre") will helm. (Distribution
is to be set)
"WRONGFULLY ACCUSED"
Continuing his legacy of starring
roles in action genre spoofs,
Leslie Nielsen ("Spy Hard,"
"Naked Gun") will head the cast
of another parody film, this time
a send-up of "The Fugitive." Pat
Proft, scripter of the "Naked
Gun" and "Hot Shots!" films,
will make his directorial debut
on the comedy, in which Nielsen
plays a man accused of murder!
ng a wealthy porta-potty
tycoon. Meanwhile, the real
killer, a one-armed, one-legged
man, escapes. (Warner)
"WISHMASTER" The stars
of
three '80s horror classics—Robert
Englund (Freddy Krueger of
"Nightmare on Elm Street"),
Kane Hodder (Jason of "Friday
the 1 3th") and Tony Todd (Candyman
of "Candyman")—will
appear in this Peter Atkins
("Hellraiser")-scripted film
about an evil force called the
Djinn, which grants people's secret
desires in exchange for their
souls. Robert Kurtzman ("The
Demolltionist") will helm. (LIVE)
"SHIP OF FOOLS" Stanley
Tucci ("Big Night") will write,
direct and star in this comedy,
which is about two actors in the
1930s who mistakenly stow
away on a boat. The project will
reunite fellow "Big Night" cast
members Tony Shalhoub,
Isabella Rossellini and Campbell
Scott. Oliver Piatt ("Funny
Bones") also co-stars. (Fox
Searchlight)
"GOOD WILL HUNTING"
Robin Williams("Father's Day")
will play a therapist who tries to
help a troubled young prodigy
from the wrong side of the tracks
live up to his potential. Matt
Damon ("Courage Under Fire")
and Ben Affleck ("Chasing
Amy") will co-star, and also cowrote
the script. Minnie Driver
("Crosse Pointe Blank") has also
signed on. Gus Van Sant ("To
Die For") will helm. (Miramax)
"THE SPARROW" Antonio
Banderas ("Evita") will play a
Jesuit priest leading a secret mission
to outer space in this film,
which is based on Mary Dorias
Russell's best-selling novel.
Geoffrey Wright ("Romper
Stomper") will direct. (Distribution
is to be set)
"SPECIES 2" The space creature
supermodel who gave new
meaning to the phrase "tough
love" in 1995's "Species" is
back for more in this sequel.
Natasha Henstridge returns as
Sil, the human/alien hybrid obsessed
with breeding—to the
fatal misfortune of the mates she
selects. Peter Medak ("Romeo Is
Bleeding") helms. (MCM)
ET CETERA: The 18th film in
UA's James Bond franchise has
been titled "Tomorrow Never
Dies." in the film. Bond (Pierce
Brosnan) must stop a villainous
media mogul (Jonathan Pryce)
who manufactures news to
change the outcomes of vital
world events. Michelle Yeoh
plays Bond's ally. ..Kristin Scott
Thomas will star opposite Robert
Redford in Buena Vista's
"The Horse Whisperer," in
which a woman becomes entwined
with a horse tamer after
her daughter ("Home Alone 3's"
Scarlett Johansson) is severely
injured in a riding accident
...Parker Posey will take the title
role in "The Misadventures of
Margaret," to which laneane
Garofalo was previously attached.
..Hugo Weaving ("The
Adventures of Priscilla, Queen
of the Desert") will star in "The
Interview," a thriller in which a
man plays cat-and-mouse with
two interrogators.

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in
tltwfwpit^t:
•
Cover
JULIA ROBERTS on Fame, Fortune, Woody, Mel, and
Making It to "MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING" by Ray Greene
shriek of schoolgiri pleasure resounding through the open door
Theof an editing room on the Sony Pictures lot is loud, full-throated,
even musical. The popular (and often all too true) assumption is
that filmmaking is an arduous process—as painful in its own way as
giving birth is said to be, with perhaps even more opportunities for
something critical to go wrong. But the work-in-progress threading its
way through a flatbed editing machine in the next room must be
different. From the sound of things, somebody watching those freshlyassembled
images on that dimly-illuminated screen must be having the
time of her life.
That someone is, of all people, Julia Roberts—superstar, accomplished
actress, and national fetish object. After some jovial goodbyes
and a few giddy compliments to the editing team, she hurries into the
hall, that quicksilver smile playing across her lips, her moist eyes still
creased with laughter. "Oh! Nice to meet you!" she says, her hand
extending gracefully. "Would you mind ifwe did this in my car? There's
a yam store I want to get over to if it's still open! Give me a second, 1
just have to make the call."
In a blur of movement, Roberts disappears, her blonde, female
assistant chasing at her heels like a well-trained housepet. A moment
passes, just long enough to contemplate the earth-shattering news
possibilities in the revelation that Julia Roberts is a closet.. .knitter!
Almost immediately, she's back, looking crestfallen. "Wouldn't you
know? They're closed. Oh well..." She brightens in an instant. "We'll
just have to do it here, then."
"Here" ends up being a deserted dialogue
editing room—the most comfortable private
space available in what is, after all, a full-scale
post-production facility, and therefore a place
more amenable to work than it is to the prerequisites
of a quiet chat. Roberts settles down onto
the sofa amidst trim bins and editing tables
filled with neatly labeled spools of what the pros
call "elements"—bits of 35mm film and magnetic
tape which are in the process of being
assembled into a "first cut" of "My Best
Friend's Wedding," Roberts' new summer
comedy, and the subject of so much of the
activity swirling around her.
She doesn't sit so much as splay—majestically,
it's true—and she still has about her much
of that quality which made America fall in love
with her back in her "Steel Magnolias"/"Mystic
Pizza" period. In life as on film, she perfectly embodies the awkward,
Everygiri grace of the gangly duckling, newly emerged as a magnificent
swan. Her trademark flowing tresses have been cut back into a more
fashionable and "mature" shag, but to look at her, it's still hard to believe
that the 21 -year-old naif who took America by storm when "Pretty
Woman" earned $178 million and became the top-grossing picture of
1990 is now all of 28. Time, as they say, flies.
She looks radiant and unchanged. The only detail indicative of the
growth and the distance is her absolute mastery of the Art of the
Interview. It's a skill nobody is bom with, but Roberts has it down pat.
She seems absolutely spontaneous and totally in control, all at the same
time.
"I'm so proud of everybody in the movie," she gushes about "My
Best Friend's Wedding." "Everybody worked so hard, and they were
all so charming. [Supporting player] Rupert Everett is the funniest thing
to ever hit the planet. Tmly. I mean, so funny that there were scenes
where we'd be doing stuff and I would be laughing so hard that you
can't even understand what I'm saying! 'Cause I'm trying to get through
the scene, but I'd just be peeing in my pants!
"I'm gonna take so much credit for this," she says, her voice gone
suddenly wondering and little-girlish. "Even though—heh heh—
there's no reason I should. I was actually teasing [director] P.J. [Hogan]
today about all the ways in which I'm gonna take full and complete
credit for the movie." She laughs, then turns mock-.serious on a dime.
"If it's funny. But if it sucks, it's all PJ."
A. s
"I don't search for
specific scripts. I
just
look for good scripts.
If they're good scripts
that are funny, then
terrific.
If they're good
scripts that are tragic,
then terrific as well."
ou can tell by Roberts' contagious sense of accomplishment that
the possibility of"My Best Friend's Wedding" sucking has never
so much as entered her mind. Nor, on the basis of the film's
pedigree, is there any obvious reason it should have. In addition to
British character man Everett (an actor she calls "our secret weapxan"),
her co-stars include Dermot Mulroney as the "best friend" of the title
and "The Mask's" Cameron Diaz as his too-good-to-be-true intended.
The screenplay is an original by Ron Bass, who wrote the Roberts-starring
"Sleeping With the Enemy," but is most
famous for his Oscar-winning "Rain Man" script
and for his screen adaptation of Amy Tan's "The
Joy Luck Club." The director is a hot young
comedy "find:" P.J. Hogan, whose uproarious
Australian effort "Muriel's Wedding" was easily
the most engaging knockabout amusement of
1995.
Hogan's experience with the farcical treatment
of matrimonial material must have come in handy
on "My Best Friend's Wedding," a film which,
like "Muriel," promises to do a great deal of
comedic violence to the sanctity of the marital act
"The long and short of it is that my best friend is
getting married," says Roberts. "He's someone
who I've known for 10 years, and we were once
lovers, and then that sort of didn't come to pass.
And so we're best friends, and we've been best
friends forever. Upon discovering that he's getting miuricd. 1 sort of
realize that, 'Weil, he can't marry someone else because I'm in love
with him, and he should be in love with me.'"
So far, "My Best Friend's Wedding" sounds like a poignant relationship
film, about a situation more than a few people could pmbably relate
to: the closing off of romantic possibilities when those we've loved
commit to someone else. But then comes the comedic kicker, accompanied
by a devilish variation of that tixithy grin:
"And so I set off to this wedding to destroy it, so he'll be with me."
THE BOXOFFICE
INTERVIEW
3

—
Objectively, there are at least two leaps
of faith required by a set-up like that.
It is pointed out that that's a pretty high
standard to aspire to.
The first is the idea that Julia Roberts
"It is a high standard," says Roberts. "But
one of the most sought-after women of our it's also a very specific concept of things that
time—^wants a guy, you know, that way. but he are funny."
passionate on the popular obsession with scoring
star salaries and film budgets like ball
games, and it's hard to deny that she has a
point.
"You know, when people walk around talking
about how much they get paid and stuff
like that, or if a movie costs $170 milhon to
make, then you're making it about that, you
know? But our movie has no colossal budget.
And I'm not, you know, mnning around with
and stuff.
a little banner with my salary on it
So that's not what it's about in this scenario.
When actors do that, or when movies cost the
MEMBER OF THE WEDDING: Roberts plays at being a bridesmaid, witti Cameron Diaz.
doesn't want her back. Hardly a character the And Roberts is a redhead of course, which
average American male is going to have an may mean she has a genetic predisposition for
easy time identifying with. "Well thank you.
That's a compliment," is Roberts' no-nonsense
response to that.
The other leap of faith comes from the fact
that Roberts will be playing someone who is
both the heroine of the piece and a character
who is, well, not entirely aboveboard. Or, as
Roberts says: "Oh, well she's horrible. I mean,
I used to make jokes when we were working,
you know, RJ. would cut, and I would turn and
say, 'EVIL.. .has a FACE.' That's what the
one-sheet will be, a big picture of me that'll
say, 'EVIL...has a FACE.'"
Just how horrible is Roberts' character,
Julianna Potter? Well, it's safe to say that most
people who face a situation similar to
Julianna's have dealt with it wistfully, perhaps
by ruminating a while on "things that might
have been." Julianna takes a more active approach.
"A lot of times" her character is "boldfaced
lying," she says. "She's sooooooo
manipulative, and she's trying to be so.sneaky
and devious. That's why it's really a delicate
balance. Because hopeftilly, people shouldn't
hate her, they shouldn't say, 'Oh, she's horrible
and terrible, and I hope someone catches her
and they send her off to be banished.' But [at
the same time) she does cross the line."
What mitigates all that romantic treachery
is the comedy, which Roberts describes as
"madcap stuff. There's a lot of physical comedy
in this movie, I mean I'm not the only one
who's doing silly stufflike that. We sort ofpush
the limits of comedy to just farce, to hilarious,
Lucy Ricardo stuff."
this sort of thing. After all, Lucille Ball, aka
Lucy Ricardo, was a redhead too.
Roberts' smile goes limpid with pleasure at the
analogy. "I aspire to be Lucy Ricardo's...pinky,"
she says. "She was so genius. So genius."
having all that fun
Imagine and getting paid
for it, too. For "My Best
Friend's Wedding,"
Roberts is reputed to have
been paid quite a lot: $ 1 2.5
million was the reported
amount, though
Roberts
says that "as I sit here, 1 can
put my hand to God and
say 1 don't know if that's
the exact number. I can tell
you that you're in the right
Comiskey Park of it all, but
I can't truthfully tell you
what the number is. Nor
would 1 neces.sarily if 1
could remember."
To an indu.suy watcher,
twelve and a half million
seems a likely figure if for
no other reason than thai
such a sum would put Roberts just .5 million
past the salary commanded by previous record
holder Demi Moore for "Striptease." In Hollyw(xxl,
where numbers sanctify, such details
arc what good agenting is all about. But Roberts,
who has often taken a fraction of her
market value to do work she believed in, waxes
exorbitant amounts to make, then 1 can understand
the interest, because you're courting it.
You're saying, 'Look at the money that's
going on here.' But 1 don't sort of subscribe to
that philosophy. Obviously. 1 don't even know
exactly how much 1 made on this picture." She
laughs. "I'll find out. I'll make a call."
Releasing "My Best Friend's Wedding" in
June, the traditional month for summer nuptials,
is perfectly in keeping with the film's
wicked sense of fun. As a romantic comedy
with "heart," "MBFW' also seems poised to
become the answer to the increasingly shrill
cries of "Let Julia be JuUa!" which have
sounded from some quarters in the last few
years. As Roberts has gone about the business
ofexpanding her range in offbeat and arthouse
fare like "Pret-a-Porter." "Mary Reilly," "Michael
Collins" and Woody Allen's recent postmodem
musical "Everyone Says 1 Love You,"
industry
watchers who should know better
have measured the grosses of these "niche"
titles against "Pretty Woman," one of the most
popular comediesof all time. Armed with such
specious comparative data some have publicly
bewailed the fact that, according to certain
narrow criteria, Julia Roberts has never
been one to mind her place.
The ai^ument goes like this: Roberts first
achieved mega-success in "Pretty Woman," a
'Tm not, you
know, running
around with a little
banner with my
salary on it and
stuff. So that^s not
what it's about in
this scenario,'^
light romantic comedy with fairytale overtones.
Since that
time, she has tried
her hand, often with
quite a bit of distinction,
at an almost unimaginably
wide
range of roles—few
of which could be
comfortably fit
under the genre
heading of the
film
that made her a
household name.
Film pundits, who
usually salivate like
Pavlov's dog at the
sight of a major star
brave enough to
rebel again.st a prefabricated
persona,
have instead repeatedly bemoaned Roberts'
obvious ambition to be something more than
great hair attached to a luminous smile.
This supposed preference for "dark" material
purportedly has to do with Roberts' alleged
difficulty in accepting her own celebrity. With
the fact that she was once married and, like 50
percent of the once-married U.S. population.

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Response No. 56

isn't any longer. With the omnipresence of
paparazzi and scandal sheet journalists in her
public life. Such pop-psychology from supposedly
reputable journalists is the perhaps
inevitable outcome of the fact that Roberts'
in finding good comedic material. "You don't
want to go backwards, you want to do something
that's better than what you did and different
and has more to offer in some way.
They're really the hardest scripts to find intact
"OUR SECRET WEAPON:" Rupert Everett and Roberts share a laugh on the set
popularity makes her the easiest headline for
tabloid journalists since the heyday of Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis. Writers who would
never dream of accepting a byline from the
National Enquirer have to stand in supermarket
check-out lines like the rest of us, after all.
Kenneth Turan of the L.A. Times helped to
launch the "Let Julia be Julia!" viewpoint in an
August, 1995 mash note/commentary, plaintively
entitled "Give Us Something to Smile
About." The lead went like this: "The big
question for Julia Roberts' career is: when is
she going to realize that it's okay to smile
again?' Entertainment Weekly, in its inimitable
attraction/repulsion relationship with the
rich and famous, went so far as to publish a
"chart" last July which purported to show
conclusively that the more Roberts smiles, the
better herfilms do at the boxoffice. ("This isn't
just a vague generalization," EW scribe Tom
Rasso solemnly intoned. "It's a fact!")
Roberts professes to be immune to such
coasiderations. "I love all my movies," she
says simply. "I don't search for specific scripts.
I just look for good scripts. If they're good
scripts that are funny, then terrific. If they're
good scripts that are tragic, then terrific as well.
It's really ju.st the quality of the piece, it's not,
'Okay, let's goout and find... ."Cause you can't
do that, 'cause you'll never find it that way. It's
like a needle in a haystack."
Roberts does admit that the success of
"Pretty Woman" in some ways raised the bar
for her where similar types of material
are
concerned. "For me, it's so hard," she says.
"Especially to have had a mmantic comedy be
really sixxessful the way 'Pretty Woman' was,
becaase it's very difficult to then find other
films of that genre that can compete with that."
But the larger point, she iasists, is the difficulty
and with great quality, the sort of romantic-ish
comedies. [With "My Best Friend's Wedding"],
I just thought, 'Well hell! Finally!
Something that's funny and fi"esh and has all
these great relationship elements to it.'"
So Kenneth Turan should be pleased —^not
to mention millions of moviegoers if all
goes to plan. After all, Roberts really is a
master of light comedy—it isn't like she
shouldn't be doing it just because a few curmudgeons
want her to. And it won't be long at
any rate until she moves back into a more
"serious" role—^"I mean to the point where it's
shocking to me just how completely serious I
was the whole movie. I'm like, 'Jesus!'"
Less than a month after "My Best Friend's
Wedding" hits the bigscreen, Roberts will be
at it
again, this time opposite Mel Gibson in
director Richard Conner's action-thriller
"Conspiracy Theory." Gibson plays a paranoid
anti-government loony who inadvertently
stumbles onto an actiml evil government plot;
Julia is the young Justice Department lawyer
who may be the cabal's unwitting target.
So what do you know? It sounds like someone
finally got around to doing a screen adaptation
of that popular old bumper sticker from
the 1980s that read, "Just because you're paranoid
doesn't mean they're not out to get you."
With "Lethal Weapon" director Donner at the
helm and Gibson as hot as he'll ever be following
"Braveheart" and "Ransom," tagging
"Conspiracy Theory" as a smash-in-the-making
is among this summer's easiest calls.
Among other things, "Conspiracy Theory"
al.so makes Julia Roberts the first actress in film
history to play the oascreen love interest of
both Mel Gibson and Wcxxly Allen in a single
year. Which opens up all sorts of interesting
lines of serious joumalistic inquiry. Like:
who's a better kisser?
"Ummmmmmm...," she says, drawing it
out. Then she warms to the subject. "I kissed
Woody more. 1 only did a little smooch on Mel.
Just a little smooch, the way, you know, I kiss
my mama or something. Just a little smooch.
Sol had much, you know, my kiss with Woody
was a bit longer, 1 was able to assess more. And
it was veddy nice. But the Mel smooch was
good, you know. They 'rejust different. It's like
an apple and an orange. One's a smooch and
one was more a kiss."
Making "Conspiracy Theory" was "rowdy
in a completely different way from 'My Best
Friend's Wedding,'" Roberts says. "Dick and
Mel have made a slew of pictures together, and
they've got their whole repartee, and they're
big pranksters and they're very lighthearted
and jovial, and both really loving and kind. So
I was sort ofjust fascinated and enamored and
a little terrified going into it. In this movie [ 'My
Best Friend's Wedding'], I'm pratfalls and I'm
mad and running around and doing all these
things. In 'Conspiracy Theory,' I'm the
straight man, all the way down the line."
Given the high profile and different market
skews that "My Best Friend's Wedding" and
"Conspiracy Theory" are sure to occupy, it's
tempting to see Roberts' busy summer season
as something of a "master plan." In contrast to
the "little" movies she's lavished hertalents on
recently, which are created for a small segment
of the audience and therefore designed to blossom
and die, Roberts is very likely to prove
inescapable to the average summer moviegoer,
perhaps even into the early fall.
"Well, honestly, I wish there was more distance
between the two. Because this is,
like,
over a year of my life that will come and go in
a season. So it's kind of like..." She crumples
in comedic anguish. '"Oh, spread it out a little
bit! 1 worked really hard! I can't get another
one out there before fall!'"
That said, is one of the two films perhaps a
bit nearer to her heart?
"These are, um, I think they're both really
entertaining movies," she says carefully.
"Completely, utterly, completely difterent.
[But] I have to say, if there's any lost soul in
the worid who I love and would send Christmas
cards to, who's looking for, you know, 'I
just want to go see Julia Roberts in a movie...'
If there's that person in existence on the planet,
then I would hafta urge them more towards
'My Best Friend's Wedding.' Just because, I
mean, if you're looking for me, that's where
you'd be far more inclined to find me."
She smiles, a picture-perfect parody of a
little-giri-lost. "But I don't know if that (x>rson
exists other than my mommy." She laughs. "If
there is that person, I ui^ge you..."
Then Julia Roberts lilts her head back,
smiles that million-dollar smile, and laughs
and laughs and laughs.
"My Best Friend's Wedding." Starring
Julia Roberts, Canwron Diaz and Dermot
Mulroney. Directed by P.J. Hogan. Written by
Ron Bass. Produced by Ron Bass and Jerry
Zucker. A TriStar Pictures Release. Romantic
Comedy. June 27.

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©The Promotion In Motion Companies, Inc., Closter, NJ 07624 All Rights Reserved
Response No. 192

1 a nnvfmrir-t-
")
JULYi
TRAILERS
Can the movie biz match last July's
'^ID4"'powered take? It's gonna try.
Taking dead aim on the season's July 4th v/eekend—
and, wfii7e it's at it, the rest of the summer
as well—is Columbia's "Men In Black" (see photo
belo'w), openina July 2. Although it's been a while
since a Sony title had films moving aside for it, the
other studios—with the possible exception of Paramount,
should "Titanic" not surface later—have
programmed their schedules around "MIB."
But July is hardly a one-title month. Hot on
"MIB's" heels come 7/1 1 is another sci-fi entrant,
Warner Bros.' "Contact," bearing an impressive
Jodie Foster/Robert Zemeckis imprimatur. On July
m:
18, two big movies arrive, but thanks to genre differences
they don 't collide: the Paramount actioner
"Face/Off, "pairing John Travolta and Nicolas Cage
with helmer John Woo, and Buena Vista's comic
adaptation, "George of the Jungle. " July 25 is also
a two-fen Warner Bros.' event picture "Conspiracy
Theory, " starring Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts, and
Columbia 's "Air Force One, " with leading man Harrison
Ford. Althouqh both titles are thrillers, "Conspiracy
Theory" leans toward romance, while
"AFO" flies into the action zone.
Of course, a date voyage by "Titanic"—post-production
special effects work looms as a delaying
iceberg— could cause a constellation of date
chanaes, so stay tuned. Yet, regardless, to borrov^
a titfe from Universal's July-undated release, it
looks like exhibitors are going to get a simple
wish granted: a huge turnout at their turnstiles.
IULY4
en In Black
"The Client's" Tommy Lee
nes and "Independence
y's" Will Smith are the "Men
Black"—two government
ents (named K and J, respecely)
of a top-secret federal ornization
that handles imgration
for alien beings jourying
to Earth. When they disver
an alien terrorist plan to
stroy the planet, the Men In
ack must search out and deoy
the otherworldly evildoers.
s sci-fi adventure comedy is
sed on Lowell Cunningham's
arvel comics of the same title.
nda Fiorentino ("Unforgettae")
co-stars. Barry Sonnenfeld
et Shorty") directs; Ed Solon
(who helped write both
II and Ted's..." adventures)
ripts; and the "Twister" team,
alter Parkes and Laurie Maconald,
produce for Steven
ielberg's Amblin production
mpany. (Columbia, 7/2)
Exploitips: Both Paramount
hich moved its "Face/Off" to
18) and Fox (which moved
•peed 2" to June) have cleared
e 7/2 decks for what at the
oment is shaping up to be a
itanic" battle between "Men
1 Black" and the James Cameron
film (see P. 17). As with
June's clash of the titans
(avoided when "Speed 2" reswerved
to 6/13, leaving 6/6 to
"Con Air"), one competitor—
"MIB"— will pull the action/scifi
male demo, while the
other— "Titanic," which has romantic
elements— should get
additional response from the distaff
side. Advantage: "Men In
Black." When it's a battle between
space epic and period
piece, the corsets lose to lasers.
Wild America
Set ill 1967 and based on the
true travels of wildlife documentarians
Mark, Marty and Marshall
Stouffer, "Wild America" follows
the young brothers as they head
across country with their camera,
meeting ferociousanimalsand interesting
characters along the
way. Jonathan Taylor Thomas
("Tom and Huck"), Devon Sawa,
Scott Bairsfow, Jamey Sheridan
("A Stranger Among Us") and
Frances Fisher (also in "Titanic")
star. William Dear ("Angels in the
Outfield") directs; David Michael
Wieger scripts; Morgan Creek
head )ames C. Robinson produces
with Irby Smith and Mark
Stouffer, (Warner, 7/2)
Exploitips: Winner of the
month's invisibility award, given
the attention being accorded the
dreadnoughts "Titanic" and
"MIB," "Wild America" is best
sold to the family audience. Or
so one would think; but, as
shown by that demo's support of
"Liar, Liar" (rather than "Turbo"
and "Cats Don't Dance"), when
faced with a choice between taking
the tykes to pure kids stuff
and enduring the two hours or
taking them along to older-skewing
fare adults will find more
satisfying, the ones that buy the
tickets (i.e., mom and dad) will
often do the latter. Best bet: Emphasize
the Taylor Thomas
name plus the animals and aim
for the single-digit age group.
JULY 11
Contact
Based on the late Carl Sagan's
novel, "Contact" starsjodie Foster
as an astronomer who discovers
radio signals transmitted from
outer space. As countries around
the world try to decode the message,
she hopes to take her rightful
place as leader of the scientific
investigation and the first person
to make contact with the extraterrestrials.
"A Time to Kill's" Matthew
McConaughey co-stars as a
fop-level government advisor
who supports her in her efforts.
James Woods ("Ghosts of Mississippi"),
Tom Skerritt, Angela
Bassett ("Strange Days"), John
Hurt ("Michael"), David Morse
("The Crossing Guard"), Rob
Lowe and William Fichtner ("Albino
Alligator") co-star. Robert
Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump") directs;
Michael Goldenberg ("Bed
of Roses") adapts Sagan's novel;
Steve Starkey (also "Forrest
Gump") produces. (Warner, 7/1 1
Exploitips: while industry attention
has been focusing on
"MIB" and "Titanic," only weak
signals about the approach of
"Contact" have been transmitted.
That's surprising because, despite
her paucity of acting turns in the
'90s, Foster remains an A-level
star— and the Zemeckis name has
to shine like pure gold in
moviegoers' minds after the
boxoffice of "Forrest Gump"
(which in 1 994 opened 7/6). Still,
as a more serious sci-fi take,
"Contact" will have a tussle with
weekend #2 of the rowdy "MIB.
Star Maps
An ambitious 18-year-old son
named Carlos (Douglas Spain),
who dreams of breaking into
showbiz, jumps at the chance to
sell star maps in Hollywood for
his corrupt, estranged father,
Pepe. But his involvement in the
business, a front for prostitution,
makes Carlos rethink his com-

June, 1997 17
mitment to family as well as his desire to
become a silver-screen star. Efrain Figueroa,
Lysa Flores and Kanner Jensen co-star. Making
his feature film debut, Miguel Arteta directs
and scripts; Matthew Greenfield
produces. (Fox Searchlight, 7/1 1)
Exploitips: Given its no-name cast and
crew, "Star Maps" has the Hollywood setting
as its most obvious salable element. As an
arthouse entry, however, the draw of that
element is diminished; performance here
will ride on reviews and word-of-mouth.
Also, especially in those theatres where the
likes of "My Family/Mi Familia" have performed,
aim for Hispanic audiences.
JULY 18
Face/Off
lohn Travolta ("Michael") reteams with
helmer John Woo (who directed Travolta in
"Broken Arrow") in this action/thriller. But
this time he's the good guy—or is he? Travolta
stars as an FBI agent who trades identities
with a terrorist ("Con Air's" Nicolas
Cage) in order to catch him. Joan Allen ("The
Crucible") and Alessandro Nivola ("Reach
the Rock") co-star. Michael Werb and Michael
Colleary script; David Permut ("Surviving
the Came") produces with longtime
Woo associate Terence Chang, Christopher
Godsick and Barrie Osborne ("China
Moon"). (Paramount, 7/18)
Exploitips: Early trailers make "Face/Off"
look more like a Woo-type action product,
but American audiences (unfamiliar with his
Hong Kong films) already voted for Woo's
Titanic
Writer/director James Cameron ("True Lies") recreates the ill-fated 1912
maiden voyage of the luxury liner Titanic in this epic action/romance. Using
historical ancT fictional characters, this joint-studio production (Paramount fios
domestic distribution rights. Fox has foreign) follows the onboard love story
between aristocratic Rose ("Sense and SensTbility's" Kate WinsletJ and steerage
passenger Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio of "Romeo & Juliet"). Biljy Zone ("The
Phantom"), Kathy Bates ("Dolores Claiborne"), Frances Fisher ("Female Perversions"),
Bernard Hill, Jonathan Fiyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner and Bill
Paxton ("Twister") co-star. Cameron and Jon Landau produce. (Paramount, 7/2)
Exploitips: Althouqh the "film-won't-be-ready" explanation for major-movie
date moves (e.g.: "Volcano, " "The Flood, " "Speed 2 might have already been
']
overworked this year, it might come into play again if "Titanic" sails for a new
7/18 berth. That date is already occupied by the same studio's "Face/Off, " so
it's just the sort of move that could cause a cascade of other changes. Still, studio
execs might look to last year's Independence weekend opening of "IDA" against
"Phenomenon," both of which did huge business, and decide that "Titanic" will
skew like that Travolta title. (Of course, "Phenomenon " didn 't cost a phenomenal
$180-t- million.) If so, exhibitors should play up the romance of the
DiCaprio/Winslet pairing as much as they do trie adventure element of the
sinking liner. "Blasting away this 4th" could be an "MIB" catchline; here,
something like "a voyage into love— and legend" would work better.
work with their pocketbooks, giving "Broken
Arrow" a $71 million takeoff. The sell here,
though, is certainly Travolta and his teaming
with Nicolas Cage, perhaps even hotter as an
action draw after "Con Air." Unless other
movies move (see "Titanic," above),
"Face/Off" is nicely positioned, with the key
date competition being comedic and earlyweekend
crowds now sated with "Titanic"
and "MIB" looking for fresh excitement.
George of the Jungle
This Disney event picture follows the
comic antics of the late-'60s cartoon hero,
here made carnate by "Mrs. Winterbourne's"
Brendan Fraser. In this live-action adventure/comedy,
George returns to the jungle in
orderto defend his friends against evil poachers,
thereby relinquishing all the comforts of
modern-day life and the love of beautiful
Ursula ("The Cable Guy's" Leslie Mann).
Thomas Hayden Church co-stars. Sam Weisman
("The Mighty Ducks M") directs; Dana
Olsen (who wrote Fraser's "Encino Man") and
Audrey Wells ("The Truth About Cats and
Dogs") script; David Hoberman, Jordan Kerner,
and jon Avnet ("Fried Green Tomatoes")
produce. (Buena Vista, 7/18)
Exploitips: The Jay Ward series plays on
Turner's Cartoon Network, so a tie-in with
your local cable TV operator would help attract
younger audiences newly familiarized
with George's dumb-but-lovable ways. To
pull the 40+ crowd who watched "George of
the Jungle" as teens in their parents' houses
during its original Saturday morning run three
decades ago and now have homes of their
own, a cross-promo with a local nursery—
with prize winners being awarded with greenery
re-genused as Watch-Out-For-That-Tree
Trees— could generate amiable interest that
should lead to boxoffice response. A yell-like-
George contest could draw the media.
Nothing to Lose
Advertising exec Nick Beam ("The
Shawshank Redemption's" Tim Robbins) is
having a very bad day when he discovers his
lifeisatotal lie. But, when fast-talking carjacker
T. Paul ("Bad Boys'" Martin Lawrence)
attempts to rob him, Nick turns the tables on
the mugger and takes him hostage. An unlikely
friendship emerges between the offbeat
pair. John C. McGinley ("Hard Eight"),
Giancarlo Esposito ("Fresh") and Kelly Preston
("Addicted to Love") also star. Steve
Oedekerk ("The Nutty Professor") directs and
scripts; Martin Bregman and Michael S. Bregman
(who partnered for "Gold Diggers: The

Secret of Bear Mountain") produce with Dan
Jinks for Touchstone. (Buena Vista, 7/1 6)
Exploitjps: Like last summer's "Eddie," this
comedy has been ambling about Buena
Vista's early-season schedule, and its move
here seems to be targeting Lawrence's urbanaudience
fans— given that the studio's
"George of the Jungle" will uproot suburban
comedygoers two days later. Given the widedemo
support for Oedekerk's "The Nutty Professor,"
Robbins' presence and the films'
shared genre, however, that separation might
not be so clean. Given that chance, and now
that New Line's black/white buddy-buddy
comedy "Money Talks" has exited 7/16 for
fall, perhaps Disney will decide it has everything
to gain by re-moving "Nothing to Lose. "
Mimic
"Mighty Aphrodite's" Mira Sorvino and Jeremy
Northam ("The Net") star in this adaptation
of a Donald A. Wollheim short story as a
scientist couple who use genetic engineering
to save New York from a deadly disease. But
their genetic dabbling leads to the threat of
annihilation for Gotham's populace when
something beneath the city begins to "mimic"
the most dangerous predator of all: humans.
Alexander Goodwin, Josh Brolin and Charles
Dutton co-star; Guillermo del Toro ("Cronos")
directs; Miramax co-head Bob Weinsfein,
B.J. Rack and Ole Bornedal (director of
Miramax's "Nightwatch" and of its Danishlanguage
predecessor) produce; and with six
you get a screenplay: del Toro, Steven Soderbergh
("Cray's Anatomy"), John Sayles ("Lone
Star"), Matthew Robbins, Matt Greenberg and
Peter lliff script, (Miramax, 7/18)
Exploltlps: Once upon a time, monster
movies were indie (e.g., AlP) fare; from "jaws"
through "Lost World, " they've gone studio
upscale. In another back-to-the-past move
that hopes to repeat its "Scream" success,
Miramax ventures offits usual arthouse terrain
with this sci-fi thriller, so a more mainstream
response can be expected here—if "Face/Off"
lets it. As for the specialized crowd, the script
teaming of Sayles, Soderbergh and del Toro
should generate expectations of something
more than a genre entry.
"If Lucy Fell's" Eric Schaeffer's latest
romantic comedy stars Schoeffer as Michael,
a New York City cab driver who
begins a passionate affair with a married
supermodel named Sarah (Amanda de
Cadenet). Schaeffer directs and scripts,
and he produces with Terence Michaeifor
Capella. (Orion, 6/20 NY/LA)
Exploitips: Despite calling Schaeffer
(who here as in 'If Lucy Fefl" pairs himself
onscreen with an uberbabej "everirritatinq,
" our Slamdance reviewer
(April '97] gave "Fall" a three-star review,
saying that Schaeffer "has a gifted
ear for dialogue and directs with style
and flair" and that he "has bared everything
in this sexually obsessive reworking
of the beauty and the beast myth. "
Head Above Water
In this black comedy/thriller, a married
couple— a respected judge (Harvey Keitel)
and his young wife Nathalie ("The
Mask's" Cameron Diaz)—are vacationing
on a tiny island shared by Nathalie's
childhood friend (Craig Sheffer). While
the two men are on a fishing trip,
Nathalie's ex-lover ("The Phantom's" Billy
Zone) arrives; when he's found next morning
naked and dead in the bedroom, the
vacation begins to unravel. Frequent
Kevin Costner producer Jim Wilson makes
a return to directinq, and he produces
with John Jacobsen ("Shipwrecked"); Michael
Blake ("Dances With Wolves")
scripts. (Fine Line, 6/20)
Exploitips: Held from Fine Line's 1996
slate, "Head Above Wafer" has an eclectic
cast whose names will attract arthouse
attention with Sheffer newly prominent
after "Bliss." The black comedy/thriller
genre remains popular, if the film in question
delivers, of course. Blake's "Dances
With Wolves" credit is also a plus.
Things I Never Told You
This
bittersweet comedy/romance tells
the story of a suicide hotline volunteer
("Weekend at Bernie's" Andrew McCarthy)
who falls in love with a young woman
("I Shot Andy Warhol's" Lili Taylor) who
LATE MOVIE MOVES..,
calls the line by accident. Debi Mazar,
Seymour Cassef and Alexis Arquette costar.
First-time filmmaker Isabel Coixet directs
and scripts; Dora Medrano and Javier
Carbo produce for Spain's Eddie Saeta
production company and
U.S. outfit Carbo Films.
(Seventh Art, June)
Expioitips: What to do
when foreign-language
fare isn't pulling in America,
and dubbing is detested?
Make your local
fare (Canal Plus Spain,
Catalan Films and
Televisio de Catalunya
funded here} in the easily
accepted English language.
And easily transported:
"Things I Never
told You" czechmated the
grand prize at last year's
Prague test. Actress Taylor
is one of the reigning
queens of the indie world, and the genre—
romantic comedy— is an audience favorite.
Gone Fishin'
Best friends Gus and Joe decide to leave
their wives and problems at home and go
fishing. But, before reaching water, they
meet two goraeous detectives and find
themselves tracking a dangerous criminal.
Joe Pesci, Danny Glover and Rosanna
Arquette star. Christoper Cain ("The Next
Karate Kid") directs; Jeffrey Abrams and
Jill Mazursky (the "Taking Care of Business"
pair) script; Caravan head Roger
Birnboum produces the Hollywood Pictures
release. (Buena Vista, 5/30)
Exploitips: Disney held this from last
summer and re-slated it for Jan. '97—and
then perhaps wisely, decided to hold it for
angling season again. The buddy/buddy
teaming of Pesci and Glover should work
to draw diverse demos, although the subject
matter might be a delimiter.
PONETTE
When four-year-old Ponette (Victorie
Thivisol, whose tykey performance won
Venice's Coppa Volpil loses her mother in
a car accident, and her father can't explain
the death in terms the little girl can
understand, she must come to acceptance
of the loss in her own way. Marie Trintignant,
Xavier Beauvois and Claire Nebout
co-star. Jacaues Doillon directs and scripts;
Alain Sarde produces the French-language
film. (Arrow, 5/23 NY)
Exploitips: In a two-star review (Nov.
'96 issue) our Venice critic — saying
"Doillon obviously never met a close-up
he didn't like"— said that, although the
director's ultra-realistic approach to the
material works well in scenes where children
interact, a more imaginative take on
childhood imagination was in order. But
the fest results— "Ponette" also won a
Fipresci critics prize— ore salable awards
that will draw specialized audiences.
18 BOXOFTICE

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JULY 25
Conspiracy Theory
This offbeat romantic thriller
stars Mel Gibson as a paranoid
taxi driver obsessed with conspiracy
theories who believes a government
attorney (Julio Roberts) is
the target of a deadly intrigue.
She thinks he's a nut— until she
learns that, this time, he's right.
Patrick Stewart co-stars. Richard
Donner (Gibson's "Lethal
Weapon" series) directs; Brian
Helgeland ("L.A. Confidential")
scripts; action honchojoel Silver
(another "Lethal Weapon" vet)
produces. (Warner, 7/25)
Exploitips: One can expect
Roberts' 6/27 rom/com "My
Best Friend's Wadding" (see this
issue's cover story) to have refound
her adoring audience, and
Gibson seems to draw regardless
of genre. This is star-ticket
fare v^ith star-ticket competition—
namely, Harrison Ford in
"Air Force One." Advantage:
"Conspiracy Theory. " It has two
stars playing a male/female duo
(to draw both genders], it's lighter
fare (good for summer crowds)
and Ford fans recently saw him
in the similar-genre "the Devil's
Own, " which fell off 50 percent
on its second weekend.
Air Force One
Harrison Ford stars in this action thriller as
the President of the United States, who has a
strict policy of refusing to negotiate with terrorists.
When Russian neo-nationalists hijack
the prez's plane, Air Force One, with the First
Lady and his child onboard with him, the
President is faced with a personal life-anddeath
situation. Glenn Close ("Paradise
Road") and Gary Oldman ("Murder in the
First") co-star. Wolfgang Petersen ("In the Line
of Fire") directs from an Andrew Marlowe
script; Petersen produces with Armyan Bernstein
("Princess Caraboo"), Gail Katz and Jon
Shestackfor Beacon. (Columbia, 7/25)
Exploitips: "The Devil's Own" lost half its
opening audience an weekend #2, but it did
open to $18 million. And, unlike that film's
foreign theme (the IRA), "AFO" is pure redwhite-&-blue
in its storyline, and the central
crisis—a family in peril— is one to which
American audiences often respond. (Especially,
as here, when the bad guy is all bad.)
As long as Creg Norman doesn't make a
cameo in it, "AFO" should have good legs.
Box of Moonlight
Proper, [punctual and precise electrical engineer
Al Fountain ("Girl 6's" John Turturro)
is in a mid-life crisis and revisits a childhood
haunt only to encounter Kid (Sam Rockwell),
a free-spirited eccentric who strikes a chord
in Al that resonates through his life. Catherine
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Response No. 467

22 BoxomfK Response No. 209
,
A Simple Wish
Little Anabel ("Matilda's" Mara
Wilson) knows her father
("Michael's" Robert Pastorelli)
longs to be a Broadway actor.
Wanting to help, Anabel wishes
for a fairy godmother—but she
gets Murray ("Mars Attacksl's"
Martin Short), the only male
spellcaster, and not a very good
one. Then an evil fairy godmother
(Kathleen Turner) hatches a plan
to rule (i.e. ruin) the world's
wishes. Michael Ritchie ("Cops
and Robbersons") directs; Jeff
Rothberg ("Hiding Out") scripts;
Sid Sheinberg produces witfi sons
Bill and Jon for their Bubble Factory.
(Universal, July)
Exploitips: This family-fare effort
fias elements that could entertain
both adults and children— a
combination that many studio
execs believe is the only way to
package theatrical kiddie tare
these days. In that light, "A Simple
Wish" seems like the strongest
entry yet to come out of
Bubble Factory, despite its lacking
the TV tie-ins of Bubble's
"McHale's Navy" and "Flipper. "
To maximize star wattage for
those two demos, emphasize
stars Wilson and Short.
Keener ("Walking and Talking"), Lisa Blount,
Annie Corley ("Free Willy") and Dermot Mulroney
("My Best Friend's Wedding") co-star.
Tom DiCillo ("Living in Oblivion," which
starred Keener and Mulroney) directs and
scripts; Markus Viscidi and Thomas A. Bliss
[jroduce. (Trimark, 7/25)
Exploitips: Our Venice fast critic accorded
this comedy/drama a 2 1/2-star review (l^ov.
'96 issue), citing its agreeably "loopy tone"
that, however, precluded having a clear ending:
"The result is similar to a carnival ride that
doesn't have a final, culminating thrill. " Still,
DeCillo's name will interest devoted
arthousers, as will the Turturro credit.
Good Burger
Based on a popular sketch segment from
Nickelodeon's "All That" cable TV series, this
buddy comedy follows two offbeat high
schoolers (Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson,
stars of "All That" and of Nick's "Kenan
and Kel") who help transform a failing burger
joint into a hot spot, only to find the unscrupulous
manager of the competing Megaburger
on their trail in hopes of stealing the recipe
of their secret sauce. Brian Robbins directs;
Dan Schneider, Kevin Kopelow and Heath
Seifert script; Nick vets Robbins and Mike
Tollin produce in association with Nickelodeon
Movies. (Paramount, 7/25)
Exploitips: "Good Burger" basically takes
the slot occupied last year (7/1 0) by Nick/Par's
"Harriet the Spy, " which made $26.5 million.
Given these films' modest budgets, that's a
success in studio terms (boxoffice/production
cost = profit), but not in terms of exhibition.
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a
where boxoffice = boxoffice. "Harriet the
Spy" had a book tie-in, whereas "Good
Burger" has a more immediate hook: TV.
Develop tie-ins with your local cable operator
and a local burger joint to target the singledigit
ages who think Kenan and Kel are cool.
187
Director Kevin Reynolds ("Waterworld")
switches to more intimate fare with this dramatic
thriller (pronounced "one-eight-seven")
about a deeply committed high-school
teacher ("A Time to Kill's" Samuel L. Jackson)
who returns to the classroom after a long
recuperation from a brutal knife attack by an
unruly student. A changed man, the teacher
now is willing to employ extreme measures
when dealing with student problems. John
Heard ("My Fellow Americans") and Kelly
Rowan ("Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh")
co-star. Scott Yagemann, who spent seven
years as a teacher inside the L.A. public
school system, scripts; "Braveheart's" Bruce
Davey and Steve McEveety produce for Mel
Gibson's Icon. (Warner, 7/30)
Exploitips: Opening on a Wednesday,
"187" has a two-day lead on its weekend's
competition— and it might need that edge.
The 8/1 slot is tentatively filled by Universal's
TV adaptation "Leave It to Beaver," Fox's
romantic "Picture Perfect, " Paramount's sci-fi
"Event Horizon" and New Line's "Mortal
Kombat: Annihilation" sequel. On the plus
side, that does mean that " 1 87" has the drama
genre to itself, but expect Warner to adopt a
platform strategy to allow time for review and
word-of-mouth strength to build.
JULY UtsIDATED
Alive and Kicking
This romantic drama (aka "Indian Summer"),
about endurance, style and survival,
tells the story of Tonio ("Stealing Beauty's"
Jason Flemyng), a dedicated dancer with
AIDS who buries his emotions beneath a witty
exterior. Jack (Antony Sher) is a driven AIDS
therapist who eventually becomes Tonio's
lover. Dorothy Tutin and Anthony Higgins
co-star. Nancy Meckler ("Sister My Sister")
directs; playwright Martin Sherman scripts;
Martin Pope produces. (First Look, July)
Exploitips: Given the month's paucity of
indie fare, "Alive and Kicking" can be promoted
as counterprogramming for the arthouse
set uninterested in the big blockbusters.
Expect special interest to come from the
movie-supportive gay demo in larger cities.
Meckler's eadier work was a
Seventh Art
release (i.e., small) and this film is virtually
starless, so the subject matter is the sell.
La Sentinelle
This French conspiracy drama about Cold
War politics follows Mathias, son of a German
border guard, who moves to France to
study forensics. When he receives a mysterious
package containing a shrunken human
head, Mathias is drawn into an equally mysterious
game of espionage as he dissects the
head in search of answers. Emmanuel Salinger
stars. Arnaud Desplechin makes his directorial
debut. (Strand, July)
Exploitips: As with First Look's "Alive and
Kicking, " this Strand release could be effective
counterprogramming for the season; here
the targets are fans of foreign fare, as this is
the month's only Euro-language offering.
Coffy
Pam Grier's biggest hit receives an almost
25th-anniversary reissue via Kit Parker Films.
In the 1973 effort, Grier stars as a nurse who
seeks revenge on the junkies who turned her
sister into an addict. Booker Bradshaw, Robert
DoQui and William Elliott co-star. Jack Hill
directs. (Kit Parker, July)
Exploitips: Orion's "Original Cangstas,"
contemporary variation on the blaxploitation
films, didn 't find a solid audience, so the time
for the genre might be past. But '70s nostalgia
remains strong, so emphasize that hook by
playing disco on the sound system and having
employees dress post-mod.
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Response hto. 1 14
June, 1997 23

Sneak Preview
it
DARK" MAN
Kiefer Sutherland takes on a new
persona in New Line 's ''Dark City "
What's
by Wade Major
Kiefer Sutherland and Rufus Seweli
star in New Line 's "Darl< City.
in a name? Quite a
lot, if your name is Kiefer
William Frederick
Dempsey George Rufiis Sutherland.
"I'm sure my father owed a
lot of people money," jokes the
star—better known simply as
Kiefer Sutherland—of such films
as "Stand by Me," "Flatliners,"
"Young Guns" and "The Lost
Boys." "He probably said, 'I'll
name my first son after you.'"
Either way, it's safe to say that,
having done almost three dozen
films in just 15 years, the 30-yearold
has more than met the expectations
of his famous name. (Dad
Donald still has the advantage,
with 90-plus turns onscreen.) As
did his father, Sutherland has
made his name with the kinds of
roles that aspiring stars usually
avoid: villains, miscreants and
anti-heroes. With "Dark City," a
New Line thriller coming in September,
that might change.
"My whole desire as an actor is
to keep doing different things," he
says. "But I kind of wedged myself
into a pattern for a while, and
I wanted to break it. This seemed
like the first effort to start the sidestep."
Sidestep, indeed. To hear
Sutherland describe it. "Dark
City" promises to be little like any
other film this year—or any year.
Directed by "The Crow's" Alex
Proyas fit)m a screenplay by Proyas,
"Kafka" scripter Lem Dobbs
"
and David S. Goyer ("The Crow:
City of Angels"), "Dark City"
boasts a narrative that's already
gaining a cult-like mystique.
Sutherland plays a doctor forced
by an alien race to participate in
experiments on human individuality
in which people "s memories are
stripped away and replaced with
artificial ones. One man (William
Hurt) starts to discover the truth
when his mind rejects the new
memories. "It's one of the most
complicated films to explain,"
Sutherland confesses. 'The
aliens are trying to find the
soul, that intangible quality
that makes humans individual.
And they're dying. They
share a common brain—they
have no self-identification. If
one has a thought, all eight
million of them have the same
thought. And their lack of individuality
is killing them."
Much of what attracted
Sutherland to his part was that
afforded him the chance to
it
explore traits that audiences
would least expect of him. He describes
his character as "a deeply
defeated, very sympathetic, frail,
frightened little man. He came
over with the others when they
were stripped of their memories,
and he is now the only human left
who knows what's going on. He
has had to live with the concept of
their holocaust in his head. And I
loved the idea of making a film
about the value of the soul instead
of trashing it all the time, about
another society that valued our
individuality. And yet it seems to
be the one thing that makes us
always fight."
Although they might seem bizaire
and disnjrbing
on the surface,
Sutherland finds
the themes of
"Dark City" provocative
and
comforting, a
shared perspective
that helped
ease cast and crew
through what
might otherwise
have been a grueling
shoot. "I have
never been a part of a picture diat
was this big in scope," he says. "We
had a quarter-mile river built on a
soundstage along with buildings.
We had 76 different sets like that."
Sutherland entered "Dark
City" almost immediately
after completing work on his
bigscreen directing debut, 'Truth
or Consequences, N.M.,"' a project
offered to him on the strength
of his made-for-Showtime movie,
"Last Light." But Sutherland is
quick to stress the difference between
it and his freshman effort.
Triumph's "Truth or Consequences,
N.M."—which began a
limited rollout in May—is anything
but the small, intimate piece
id */ kind of
wedged myself
into a pattern
for a whiley
and I wanted
"
to break it.
that "Last Light" was. '"Truth or
Consequences,' when I read it,
was more of an 'open' picture.
More than that, it was like a collage
of every film I'd ever loved,
from 'The Getaway' to 'Freebie
and the Bean' to 'Straight Time.'
There were all these little stylistic
things in the script that would
allow me to make a film about a
bunch of characters that reminded
me of characters fix)m that era,
namely the '70s and early '80s."
The story of a quartet of crooks
played by Vincent Gallo ("Palookaville"),
Mykelti Williainson
("Forrest Gump"), Kim Dickens
and Sutherland, 'Truth or Consequences,
N.M." begins like any
other heist-goneawry
film but
then
takes a left
when the
turn
gang kidnaps an
innocent couple
played by Kevin
PoUak ("The
Usual Suspects")
and Grace Phillips.
As the crisis
deepens, Pollak's
character is attracted
to his captors'
violent, reckless lifestyle,
horriiying his mate and jeopardizing
both their lives in the process.
"Here's a guy who pretty much
does everything right, has a regular
life. When confronted with
these jjeople who have stripped
him of his masculinity, he starts to
question himself. That was something
different in the piece, that it
did have that sidebar. And it's a
credit to Brad Mirman ["Body of
Evidence"], who wrote it. that it is
so balanced." Sutherland also
praises cinematographer Ric
Waite, first assistant director Lee
Cleary and each of his actors. "We
had only $8 million," he says,
"and for what we wanted to accomplish
that was not a lot. It's
thanks to everyone who
worked on it that the film
looks the way it does."
Admittedly bitten by the
directing bug for the long
temi, Sutherland doesn't intend
to give up acting any
time soon, particularly after
his experience on "Dark
City." "Somame just asked
me, 'Is it hard to do a film only
as an actor now?' And I said,
'No. I just made a film with
Alex Proyas that I wouldn't
have wanted to touch with a
hundred-fool pole. That would
have made my brain twitch."H
"Dark City. " Starring William
Hurt. Rufus Seweli. Richard
O'Brien and Kiefer Suihcrland.
Directed by Alex Proyas. Written
by Alex Prayas, Lem Dobbs and
Dax'idS. Goyer Produced by Andrew'
Ma.ion. A New Line release.
Thriller Opervt Sept. 12.
24 BOXOFFICE

|
'
,
0«IC,NAT0R5 OF NACHOS ,N CONCESSION'
f
TASTES GREAT
HOT OR COLD
««(*7J
consistent quality from coast to coast...
Our theatres realize increased staff
productivity through ease of preparation
and clean-up, as well as, a significant
decrease in product waste."
>J
John Sherley
Manager
Concession & Ancillary Revenue
Hoyts Cinemas Corporation
Thanks to Ricos new Portion Pack, We
have now added nachos to our menu
list. It's easier for our employees and
much neater for the patrons
Dan Vieira, Hoyts Cinemas
Vice President/Operations
mNN
*^^£
w.
Eliminates waste, easy preparation,
great customer acceptance,
consistent quality...
Wally Helton
Executive Director of Concession Operations
(^Metropolitan Theatres Corporation
'
Portion Pack gives us the control we are
looking tor throughout our circuit.
uiw^^
Deborah Clark, Metropolitan Theatres
Vice President/General Manager

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28 BOXOFFICR
SPECIAL REPORT: Concessions 1997
FOOD FOR THOUGHTI
The Inside Scoop on the Concessions Business:
Something to Chew On From 10 Industry Leaders
by Pat Kramer
RICHARD BIGGS
Director, Concession Sales
Ventura Foods/Lou Ana Foods
(Oils for concession and food service)
Career Highlights:
Since leaving the Air Force as a pilot, I have
spent my professional
career in
the edible oil industry
[margarine,
cooking and
salad oils and
concession oils].
I have worked for
such companies
as Anderson
Clayton Foods
[later bought by
Kraft], Standard Brands [now RJR Nabisco]
and the last 1 8 years with iLou Ana Foods [now
a division of Ventura Foods, LLC]. After a
short time in personnel, I moved into sales/
merchandising positions that included private
label and national brand retail, food service,
industrial, and, in 1989, concession sales.
Favorite Product:
Of course my favorite snack food is hot, fresh
popcorn, preferably popped in coconut oil.
Greatest Challenge Facing Company:
To determine customers' needs and meet
them profitably and prompdy. My personal
challenge is to keep my department focused on
the needs of the concession industry.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: To "win back" the 80 percent of
people who seldom go to the movies anymore.
MICHAEL BLOUT
National Sales Manager, Odell's
(Popcorn popping oil and toppings)
Career Highlights:
I spent 1 1 years in the banking industry, then
the last
17 years with Odell's in my current
capacity, representing the company to customers,
buying the oil and overseeing the
various manufacturers that we use.
Favorite Product:
Real buttered popcom.
Greatest Challenge Facing Company:
Keeping ahead of the new innovations in the
delivery system [packaging concepts for the
concession stands.) As the concession stands
get bigger, the packaging system that we use
now is probably not adequate for the multiplexes.
We're innovating by coming up with
the bag in the box to get away from the onegallon
jugs.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: The array of choices in concession
items may be an overwhelming concept for
those who don't get to the theatre that often. It
slows down consumers' decision making process,
which slows down the serving time and
then you have longer lines.
ROY GOMES
VP, Sales and Marketing
Nestle USA/Sunmark
(Non-chocolate confections)
Career Highlights:
From 1985-
'87, 1 worked in
marketing for
Proctor & Gamble,
and from '87
to '92, 1 worked
for Heinz USA.
Since 1992, I've
been with Nestle
USA. In '96, I
became manager
of trade
marketing and sales planning. I was promoted
earlier this year to vice president, sales and
marketing, for Nestle/Sunmark's special
markets division.
Favorite Product:
Willy Wonka's fruit-shaped Runts.
Greatest Challenge Fadng Company:
Unlocking the tremendous potential of the
brands this division markets.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: Concessions is more than just a
convenience, as it's been thought of in the past.
What we're going to see is a broader spectrum
of choices with higher quality.
R. EVAN GORDON
Sales Consultant, Nabisco
(Gummi Savers, Snackwells,
Now and Later)
Career Highlights: I have spent 24 years in
the concession business, [including] a 20-year
career with Coca Cola USA and the last four
years as an independent
consuluint,
primarily
for Nabisco.
Favorite Product:
Gummi
Savers
Greatest
Challenge Facing
Company:
Developing
and marketing a
product that will be received openly by theatre
consumers and by the moviegoing public.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: I think prices are too high. 1 understand
why prices are so high in the theatre
business—because of the revenue stream.
However, in order to continue to attract larger
groups at the concession stands, there needs to
be affordable products to keep consumers in
the habit of making a purchase when they go
to the movies.
JOHNKRETCHMER
VP, American Licorice Co.
(Licorice confections)
Career Highlights:
I come
firom a financial
background, [in
which] I spent
16 years with
Price Waterhouse.
Since
I've been with
American Licorice,
the highlight
has been
the explosive growth of the licorice category.
We've seen double-digit growth each
year in all channels of distribution.
Favorite Product: Red Vines.
Greatest Challenge Fadng Company:
Staying ahead of die growth curve diat
we've been experiencing in the licorice category.
It's been a big challenge for our company
to keep up with the marketplace and
it's also been rewarding to accomplish that.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessioas
Industry: To continue to provide superior
quality and selection and to provide value to
consumers.

,
June, 1997 29
FRANK G.UBERTO
President/CEO
Liberto Management Co., IncJ
Ricos Products Co.
(Nachos, snack foods)
Career Highlights:
While I'm very proud of many of my accomplishments
including owning and operating
chains of
retail
snack bars
and a coliseum, I
guess the finest
day of my life
was when I was
recognized by
my peers in The
National Association
of Concessionaires
(NAC)
as having brought
the concession industry its fourth greatest
concession item—nachos—in
1977 (following
popcorn in 1885, hot dogs in 1901 and
carbonated beverages in 1950.) Knowing that
your peers have recognized this creativity and
contribution and having it evidenced by so
many cash registers around the world—^with
nachos on the key—continues to be my greatest
sense of accomplishment.
Favorite Product:
Of course, nachos.
Greatest Challenge Facing Company:
Controlling rapid growth and strategic planning
to efficiently meet challenges of the technical
paperless world of the future.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: Continuing to meet ever-changing
consumer demands while at the same time not
abandoning the comerstones of successfiil
concession operations. In that regard, remaining
conscious of the consumers' threshold of
retail pricing while offering excellent quality
products and achieving a service level that is
driven by the engine of reducing transaction
time.
PAMELA MCGIHHESS
Sales Manager
Promotional Management Group
(Movie graphic and custom popcorn
buckets, cups, kids' trays, etc.)
Career Highlights:
I came on as controller of this company
about six \ caiN ago. My first sale was to Pacific
^w;^ 'ji^M^M Theatres about
Ir jflHK^x
^^^^ years ago,
^ ^P^^^^J^ and it's grown
from there.
Favorite Product:
The collector
popcom njb.
Greatest
Challenge Facing
Company:
Just to produce
as much
product as people are ordering right now.
The most important thing about our product
is that it's completely dated. We're always
on the hot seat. Each sale to a theatre chain is
an independent sale. Every movie is a completely
new sale.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: I think the industry is really faced
with a "keeping up with the Joneses" thing.
How can they get the hype, move the product,
and keep their margins low? How do
they make it attractive and package it, as
well as make people buy it?
MARGIE MERCER
Director of Marketing, Proctor Cos.
(Design and manufacture of concession
stands, concession equipment)
Career Highlights:
First of all, I grew up in the food service
industry— my parents owned a restaurant. I
started my career selling lumber and building
products for Georgia Pacific where I
learned to be a woman in a man's business.
From there I went to pharmaceutical sales; I
got promoted into marketing so I had both a
sales and marketing focus. Next, I went to
work for a medical ad agency in Manhattan.
I've been with
Proctorforabout
two years now.
Thisjob pulls together
my skills
in
construction,
advertising,
sales, and food
service. Besides
overseeing the
marketing, I
work with clients
to design, manufacture and install the
most effective food service and concession
operation.
Favorite Product:
Designing the optimal stand to minimize
transaction time.
Greatest Challenge Facing Company:
Keeping up with the demand. There is a
huge boom right now in the theatre industry.
We want to service all our clients as
best we can but lead times are extremely
short.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: Over 50 percent of all the patrons
who enter into a movie theatre never
purchase at the stand. The greatest
challenge is in trying to provide supplemental
offerings without impacting core
products, namely popcom and soda.
DAVID SCOCO
President, NAC
Managing Director,
Creative Concession Concepts
Career Highlights:
Prior to '9 1 1 was the national development
officer for a $300 miUion concession management
firm in Chicago. In '91,1 founded and
became the managing director of Creative
Concession Concepts. Since '94, I've also
been President of the National Association Of
Concessionaires.
Favorite Product:
I would
have to say delivering
outstanding
concession
experiences to
our customers at
entertainment
and leisure venues
Ġreatest
Challenge Facing
Company:
To continually deliver professional and
managerial solutions that meet the clients'
objectives to improve performance.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: I think the biggest challenge for
the industry is to continue to deliver excellent
quality and good value to ourconsumers
in an environment with significant issues
regarding developing the labor force and
efficiently employing capital assets.
ANDREWSTEIM
VP, Stein Industries
(Popcorn & nacho warmers, popcorn
poppers, butter dispensers; complete
concession facihties; theatre
lobby fixtures)
Career Highlights:
I grew up in this business, and have been
working here in the family business since I
was 1 8. [At first], I did a lot of drafting and
installation work in the field. Then my
dufies grew. I started selling, worked with
R&D, [and had] administrative [responsibilifies].
I've done many duties here. Currently I
run the company with my brother, Stuart
Stein. We grew to new facilities that are
really state-of-the-art. We do complete
woodworking, sheet metal fabrication,
electrical design—everything sold by our
company is manufactured at our facility.
Favorite Product:
One of my favorite products is a machine
we're making called the "Mr. Butter-Up
Plus," which is built exclusively for
Cinemex Theatre in Mexico City. It dispenses
butter flavored topping, lime juice
and taco sauce onto their popcom, all portion-controlled.
Greatest Challenge Facing Company:
We're always trying to keep up with our
customers' needs with the changes in the concession
industry. People have gone to putting
more and more food service into the cinemas
than ever before.
Greatest Challenge Facing Concessions
Industry: Right now, it's seeing if all these
new items that are being adapted really work
or make sense in a movie theatre.

30 \^(^\nru^v.
NAC/Snack Bar University & Expo '97
CANDY MAN CAN
Norman Chester Takes the Presidency ofNAC
With a Five-Step Strategy Toward Growth
by Kim Williamson
reason
The
I want to do this,
first of all, is tradition. My
father was a past president
[1973-75] of the association. Our
company has been involved in
NAC from the very, very beginning.
So there's that reason."
That's the primary explanation
that Norman Chesler, president
of Salt Lake City-based
jobber/distributor Theatre Candy
Distributing Co., gives for his
eagerness to undertake his new
role as president of the National
Association of Concessionaires.
Chesler takes the post on June 4,
the third day of the annua! NAC
convention, this year being held
June 2-5 in Anaheim, Calif.
Trim, fit and ebullient, Chesler is
eager to discuss his plans for
NAC after the completion of the
successful tenure of longtime
head David Scoco.
Secondly, says Chesler, there
are "professional reasons" for
taking the reins of the 53-yearold
organization, in that "my customers
will know that I'm a
professional, and that in order to remain a
professional I belong to an association that
keeps me educated, keeps me informed." But
there's also a third explanation: the fiin of it.
"I really don't look at this as a tremendous
responsibility," Chesler says. "I look at it as a
tremendous challenge. When you create a
challenge, it's fun, it's exciting. And having no
financial rewards as such to it makes it even
more exciting to do. I hope that I'll be happy
after my tenure as president in that I will have
created and accomplished some of the goals
that I've set for myself, and in that our membership
will be much better off for it.
"It might sound hokey, but I think it is true
that individuals must have something in their
lives that's not just monetary. They also mast
have something that they can accomplish, that
they can be proud of. So I don't see it as a
responsibility—I see it as a fun challenge."
For
someone interested in maximizing
the fiin aspects of NAC — "in order to
make an association successful, we all
have to enjoy it," he explains—Chesler has a
clearly targeted, five-part business strategy
that he wants to implement after he takes
office. The key elements: NAC's certification
program; member services; publication efforts;
crisis management; and international
growth.
"The first phase will be to revitalize our
certification program," Chesler says. "That's
schooling that we offer that instructs people in
our indu.stry on how to be a professional within
our indu.stry." The three most important avenues
with which NAC provides training opportunities
are a series of videotapes on
concessions practices, which managers can
use to instruct staff" as the need arises; the
Concession Manager Certification Program, a
3 1/2-day program offered frequently
throughout the year in
diverse parts of the country; and
the famed Snack Bar University
at the annual NAC gathering.
"We've created some excellent
tools for our members,"
Chesler adds. "What we have to
do is utilize these tools better
We have to make sure that our
members, or even nonmembers,
understand that NAC has
these wonderful pieces of merchandise
for them to use to educate
their employees. Our
major concern is that we want
to help everyone in our industry
be professional. It's not only
that we want the public to be
satisfied when they're at an entertainment
experience—not
only about what they're looking
at and enjoying, but what
they'reeating. And Ihope we'll
be able to create more of these
educational tools."
As the new century nears,
NAC is
considering taking its
tutoring efforts online. "Another
avenue we're looking into now with our
programming at Snack Bar University is the
Internet," Chesler says. "The electronic era is
here—but where do we fit into it as an association?
We know that the Internet is in its
infancy and that we don't quite understand it
yet. But we will understand it, and very shortly.
To what extent we'll be involved in it. we don't
know—as a lot of people in a lot of industries
don't know yet. But we're preparing for it."
Second
on Chesler's to-do list, "and just
as important." is maximizing and even
increasing NAC's services. "One very
simple thing we might have," Chesler says by
way of example, "is our own travel agency that
would be available to our membership." Bui
the new president has a wider-ranging take on
member services than just hotel and airiine
bookings, as is made obvious by Chesler's

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essay as president-elect for this issue. (See p.
56. j In the behefthat "membership services are
at the core of what NAC is all about," Chesler
plans to work with the board of directors, the
executive committee and the various board
committees to increase both the quaUty and the
quantity of services to NAC members.
That's made clear in his soUd support for the
new pubUcation endeavors undertaken by
NAC director of communications Susan
Cross, who has overseen the revamping of the
Concessionaire newsletter into the four-color
Concessionworks quarterly and the introduction
ofthe biannual Concession Profession, the
first magazine pubUshed exclusively for the
industry. "We've already contacted members
within our association and will draw upon their
resources so that we can pubUsh to our members
vital information they need to know,"
Chesler says. "And that will be done through
our pubUcations. And we're going to add new
features—^as a small example, a help-wanted
section. For someone in the industry who
needs an employee, or for somebody who is
looking for employment within the industry,
we will provide a conduit—a communication
system through which people can contact other
people or orgaiuzations."
Chesler's
fourth sector of attack is developing
a crisis team. Exhibitors certainly
are famiUar with crises, thanks to
the hit their popcorn sales took after 1994's
coconut oil controversy, generated by a Center
for Science in the PubUc Interest report. ' 'We' re
going to create a crisis team that wiU be available
to our members if, heaven forbid, they
have a crisis—be it a food-bome illness, or a
death within the organization, or a natural
disaster like the earthquake in California, or an
industry problem, such as the coconut oil controversy,"
Chesler says. "We admit that we did
not react properly and with speed to that debate,
and that will not happen to us again.
"We found out later that we had information
with which we could have answered,
and answered intelligently, by giving the
public a better understanding of what they
were eating and what were the ramifications
of what they were eating. We could have
given the theatres the information, which
they could have posted on the wall. Because
coconut oil is not so terribly bad for you,
especially given the amount of popcorn a
person eats at a theatre. And also it all comes
down to this: that the public will eat what
they enjoy, especially in
an entertainment
atmosphere."
Part one of Chesler's crisis management
plan will be accompUshed during the Wednesday
morning program at the 1 997 convention's
Snack Bar University, when Robert M.
O'Halloran, Ph.D. of the University of
Denver's School of Hotel, Restaurant and
Tourism Management, conducts a crisis communication
session for attendees. As a second
stage, NAC will be sending selected individuals
for day training at the University of Denver
"to be instructed in the proper way to handle a
crisis, at least in the first phase. So we will then
have resources that we can call upon, should
any of our members have a crisis."
Like
—
NATO, NAC is making a majormove
to go intemational, and Chesler wants to
accelerate that action. "A lot of the supplier
companies that belong to NAC are now
doing business internationally," he says. "And
they might even have products that they sell
overseas but not in the United States. What's
happening then is that intemational vendors desire
this information—and they want to have a
concessions stand that operates as effectively as
we do in the United States. So they are coming
to us, either at conventions or via corresfxjndence,
asking, 'How do I do this? How do 1 get ahold of
this information?' Well, NAC wants to take advantage
of this desire for information, and we
have the perfect vehicle in Snack Bar University.
It's very cost effective for our members, too
they have these people, their customers, coming
to them to see their merchandise.
"So that's another reason for manufacturers
or companies that are dealing internationally
to belong to NAC. I feel that we're now one
world, and we're very strongly going to try to
entice the intemational concessionaire to belong
to our association. We've already contacted
people, in Europe and Australia and the
Far East, and they've expressed deep desire to
belong to our association."
It's an aggressive agenda Chesler has developed
for NAC, but one that he thinks is not
only achievable but necessary. A comment on
the move into the intemational arena might be
emblematic of his presidency's philosophy:
"It's really our responsibility to take advantage
of this need and offer this to our members. And
so we are, and we will be."
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NAC/Snack Bar University & Expo '97
I
SBU: Educational Excellence
By David R. Scoco
President, National Association of Concessionaires
Information is power, and those that don't
have it will be left behind. To be successful,
let alone on the cutting edge, it's vital to
have the most comprehensive and current information
available. As businesspeople, concessionaires
and their suppliers must be
current on concession issues as well as those
relating to general management and marketing.
Enter Snack Bar University. For 16 years,
SBU has provided NAC members and other
attendees with timely, practical educational
offerings in a concentrated three-day setting.
For well over a decade, SBU attendees have
gone home safe in the knowledge that they
were taking back to their businesses information
and ideas they could put to use immediately.
The quality of these sessions has been constant.
Whether via a national speaker or a
panel of NAC members, SBU has offered a
range of educational opportunities that can't
be matched anywhere in the industry. Building
on that great tradition, the 1 997 business sessions
wiU cover issues relevant
to all concessions
professionals.
It's difficult
enough to keep pace
with the magazines.
newspapers, journals,
etc., in an effort (ji 1^ I -^^ I
to remain informed.
But now there's
cyberspace to contend
with. The explosion and growth of the
Internet and World Wide Web have opened
another avenue in which we are expected to
be proficient. But how do you find the information
relevant to your industry and how can
it make you more successful?
The opening session will deal with exactly
that topic. "Driver's Ed for the Information
Superhighway" will be exactly that—a road
map for SBU attendees on how to use the
Internet and World Wide Web in their businesses.
Scott Helmets of the Harvard Computing
Group will lead the session, and he has
been hard at work researching our industry
and surfing his way through cyberspace in
search of information and resources. The program
will consist of one large group session,
as well as several smaller hands-on training
sessions. These smaller sessions will allow
attendees to have actual experience in accessing
information on the Web.
The session will teach attendees how to find
new customers, suppliers and information on
the industry, and offer new ideas on how to
use the Web to augment their businesses.
Whether you're a Web veteran or have never
ventured onto the information superhighway,
we're confident you'll leave better informed.
Having the right information isn't enough
if you don't know how to use it.
And a crisis
situation is no time to try to figure it out.
Wednesday morning's sessions will be on
"Crisis Communication," presented by Robert
M. O'Halloran, Ph.D. of the University of
Denver's School of Hotel, Restaurant and
Tourism Management. The session will focus
on developing a crisis management plan for
your company. Certainly none of us wants to
think about a crisis in our business. But that'
precisely the point. Planning for the possibility
can mean the difference between weathering
that crisis intact or being destroyed by it.
The final day of SBU will be jam-packed
with information.
The morning begins
with a session entitled
"Dispelling the
Myth—No Need to
Promote Concessions."
The session
will be led by Jack
Leonard, formerly
of General Cinemas
and a former NAC
president. The program will focus on ways to
promote and market your concessions using a
variety of tools.
Following that will be two concurrent sessions,
one of which will be on "Alcohol
Awareness Programs," presented by Phil
Blavat of Miller Brewing and David Tomber,
CCM, of Multiplex. The session will include
info on programs dealing with this vital topic.
To close out the educational portion of SBU
will be the popular "Segment Breakout Sessions,"
in which attendees from various segments
and venues participate in an interactive
session relevant to their particular operations.
Many attendees say that this environment provides
some of the best practical information
they could receive about concessions.
So that's it. Timely, practical educational offerings
in a concentrated three-day setting, just
like we promised, and just like we will continue
to deliver at SBU. And that's a promise.
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.16 BflXOFFICF.
NAC/Snack Bar University & Expo '97
Back to the Future
By Norman Chesler
President Elect, National Association of Concessionaires
Whalholds trueforthepast holds truefor thefiiture^..
As
I
prepare to assume the presidency of
the National Association of Concessionaires
on June 4, 1 am mindful of the tradition
of the office within the association and within my
family. My dad was president of NAC from 1973
to 1975. The main emphasis in 1973 was membership
services. The same holds true in 1997.
Membership services are at the core of what
NAC is all about, and the benefits of NAC
membership are great. We've always had a tradition
of providing members with a variety and
breadth of products and services designed to
assist them in becoming more successful.
High on this list is Snack Bar University/Expo
'97, held this June 2-5 in Anaheim, Calif. This
annual convention and trade show is the highlight
of our year, bringing together the leaders in
recreational and leisure-time concessions for all
types of venues. SBU was conceived as an educational
conference specifically for the concessions
industry, and education is still the main
focus. This year's business sessions are alone
worth the price of admission.
The session on the Internet will provide information
on how you can use this technology in
your business. I'm very excited about this chance
to give our members hands-on training in accessing
the World Wide Web. The crisis management
session will focus on a topic many don't think
about. There are many types of crisis situations
in business, and this session offers the opportunity
to craft a crisis management plan for your
business. Thursday's sessions focus on concessions—how
to creatively promote your concession
stand; alcohol and draft beer awareness training;
and the popular Segment Breakout Sessions.
The Expo Trade Show brings the world of concessions
right to your door, showcasing all types of
products and services. This two-day show enables
the attendee to do "one-stop shopping" for all their
concessions needs. It' s a definite "don' t miss" show
and a valuable addition to NAC.
Apart from SBU, there are many other forms
of education available from NAC. Our highly
rated Concession Manager Certification Program
provides comprehensive training on how
to successfully manage your concessions operation,
no matter what venue you're in. The video
training tape series is a terrific way to teach the
basics to your front-line staff. And the Regional
Meeting Series brings a high-quality, low-cost
seminar out to members across North America.
And those are just the educational benefits!
This year is a very exciting one for our publications,
the communication to our membership and
to the industry at large. Our traditional membership
newsletter has received a new name, Concessionworks,
and a bright, snappy four-color
design that is already getting great reviews from
our members. But we're not stopping there. This
spring we roll out Concession Profession, the
only trade magazine specifically for concessions.
This magazine, which will be published
twice a year, will provide feature articles, industry
news, and advertising opportunities, all in a
four-color format. These two publications will
mean that NAC members will receive a quality,
colorful publication every other month!
But it's not just the tangible benefits that make
membership in NAC so valuable—and profitable.
The networking within our association
membership is one of the greatest benefits. Obviously,
there are wonderful opportunities at
SBU/Expo—in business sessions, at social functions,
on the trade show floor. But there are also
chances at regional meetings and at other industry
events to connect with other NAC members.
One of the things I love about NAC is being
able to pick up the phone and get information, a
product referral, or an answer to a question from
a fellow member. If I don't know who to call, I
simply contact the NAC office and they put me
into contact with the right person. Our members
are such a valuable resource—because they
come from such a variety of facilities, venues and
companies, they represent a broad base of contacts.
With e-mail and the Internet, new technology
connects us like never before.
If it seems like I'm overstressing our membership
benefits, you're right—I am. They're the
backbone of this association, and many of our
own members don't know what's available to
them. So I'll just keep telling them.
I
think the benefits to NAC membership are
great. But we're not resting on our laurels. As the
new president, I'll be working with the Executive
Committee, Board, and Board Committees to
increase the quality and quantity of services to
our members. A lot of ideas are under discussion,
including a way to connect our members and
companies with available employment opportunities.
We're going to keep expanding into the
international market, bringing our concessions
professionals together from around the world.
There are many opportunities, and many
challenges. In order to make an organization
successful, tradition is important, and tradi tion
will be carried on.
1^1

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Response No. 78

38 BnxofTKE
—
NAC/Snack Bar University & Expo '97
The Force of Diversity
By Charles A. Winans
Executive Director, National Association of Concessionaires
When
I
tell people I work for an
association that represents the
concessions industry, I usually
follow that statement with a short list to
explain— "...like hot dogs, candy, popcorn,
ice cream...." The people I'm talking to
invariably get wistful looks on their faces,
and I can see they're thinking about crunching
on some hot buttered popcorn or a candy
bar. The response is almost always, "That
sounds like fun."
I then begin to explain that the National
Association of Concessionaires represents
concession operators in all types of facilities
— "like stadiums, arenas, movie theatres,
zoos, amusement parks, colleges and
universities, convention centers, and so
on." I continue by noting that we represent
not only the operators but also the suppliers
to the industry
the ones that
food
make the
and beverage
products, the
equipment manufacturers,
popcorn
processors,
brokers, jobber
distributors,
:z:
T^1
h
NkVATI!
architects
and consultants.
By this time, their eyes have usually
glazed over and I know I've lost them
in the explanation.
It is precisely this broad definition of our
membership that makes it so difficult to
explain—and so wonderful to be a part of.
The diversity of our members makes it challenging,
yet the focus for all is the same:
making concessions successful and profitable.
As the executive director of NAC, I am
fortunate to be surrounded by staff and
board members who strive to build upon the
commonalities and celebrate the diversity.
It is an ongoing challenge for all of us to
choose the best ways to educate, train and
inform our constituency.
I'm particularly proud of our accomplishments
recently, and those to come in
the near future. Most of these relate to our
most important service—communicating
to our membership. Last year our Marketing/Membership
committee, under the
leadership of Bruce Proctor, developed a
plan to recruit new members to NAC
through a membership recruitment video
that could be sent to potential members and
used at industry gatherings. After approval
of the plan, the committee led the production
of the videotape, which has been receiving
great response. The video also won
two prestigious awards, one from the American
Society of Association Executives, and
the "Telly Award" for business videos.
^he success of this project led us to
look at our other communication vehicles
ESREm: :k
S I T Y-
for our membership and the
industry at large. After a lot of discussion
and planning, we
decided to make
major changes to
both of our association
publications.
The member
newsletter
known as The
Concessionaire
has been the
first to undergo
a metamorphosis. The name has been
changed to Concessionworks, and it has received
a major redesign, using four-color
photos and bright graphics. The first issue,
published in March, included feature articles,
industry and association news, and
practical tips for our members, who have
been giving it rave reviews.
Next up is our new magazine, Concession
Profession. As important as concessions
are to the recreational and leisure-time
industry, there is no industry magazine that
.specifically focu.ses on concessions. We felt
a $9 billion industry deserved one. Concession
Profession will be published twice a
year and will include feature articles, industry
news, and advertising opportunities.
The fall issue will include the NAC membership
directory in membership copies.
We are very excited about these major
changes to our communication efforts. In a

time when many associations are cutting
back their publications to members, we
are not only increasing our frequency
and size but also putting considerable
resources toward content and design.
And, although this is a significant expansion
in membership services, we are
embarking on this without an increase in
dues. In fact, we haven't had an increase
in dues for nearly a decade. We are proud
of the fact that we continue to give our
members a variety of education, communication
and networking benefits while
keeping dues at a very reasonable cost.
Providing
publications, as well as
other benefits that meet the needs
of our diverse membership, is not
easy. But we continue adding, changing
and refining our services so that we can
best represent and provide for our mem-
At every Snack Bar
University there is an
attendee who makes a
contact, learns a tip or
simply makes a friend
ofsomeone in another
aspect of the concessions
field that they would
have met nowhere but
at SBU. And that's what
makes diversity so great.
Collectively, we are a
force to be reckoned with.
bers. We are fortunate to have a board of
directors and active committees that devote
considerable time and energy into
making NAC the best association it can
be. Their leadership and direction have
kept NAC on a path that puts our members
first.
An association is only as good as its
members. If that is true, then NAC is
great. In our diversity are strength and
depth. At every Snack Bar University
there is an attendee who makes a contact,
learns a tip or simply makes a friend of
someone in another aspect of the concessions
field that they would have met
nowhere but at SBU. And that's what
makes diversity so great. It's not about
who isn't a part of our small aspect of
concessions; it's about who we are collectively.
And, collectively, we are a
force to be reckoned with. And, to paraphrase
that popular series of movies this
year, I guess NAC is "the keeper of the
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June, 1997 39

40 BOXOFFICE
—
Maipu.
SPECIAL REPORT: Concessions 1997
GLOBAL GOODIES
Movie snacks are a universal mainstay. But in some
countries, hot buttered popcorn and Raisinettes
take a backseat to dried squid and chicken feet
by Susan Lambert
Ahhh.
An afternoon at the movies. Settling
down in those plush red seats
with cupholders of course—ready to
embark on two hours of adventure-romancedrama-laughter-tears.
TantaUzed with
the shared experience of enveloping
darkness and the shimmering Ught of the
screen that will transport us to places
unknown. Of course, none of it would
be complete without a trip to the snack
bar, tempted by the cuhnary delights of
all those concessions. So sit back and
indulge: crunch down on that tasty dried
squid, wash it down with a popular
Guarana soda, and what movie experience
would be complete without that
perennial
Sugared popcorn?
favorite—sugared popcorn.
Indeed, as the cinema market continues
to expand throughout the globe, and
as many stateside chains move beyond
their borders attempting to bring the ultimate
American theatre experience to a
world audience, exhibitors find that
stocking their concession stands requires
a mix of traditional, typically
"American" snacks and drinks alongside
local favorites and food that would
seem somewhat unique, if not downright
unsavory, to domestic palates.
the market just didn't respond. We were forced
to adapt very quickly to local tastes. It is essential
that you do your local market research and
then adapt your concessions to the individual
Pickled squid is particularly popular
DELICIOUS IN
In fact accordine toTim
ANY LANGUAGE: Vogen Fmz ^frozen yogurt; /s
Warner
.
' JZ. ^^^^' in ^, ,
'
. offered at National Amusements
Cinemark's Kobe theatre. Other theatre
snacks include dried squid and rice
Chile site; patrons can
president ot Cmemark hitemaUonal, the select different fruits to be blended in with the non-fat frozen treat.
number one snack food for movie theatres
isn't our beloved popcorn, sugared or country's taste." For example, bringing nachos squid, but he has tried the sugared popcorn
crackers. Warner hasn't yet sampled the
and
salted, but chicken feet. "Chicken feet in
China—number one in the world." Warner
explains, "They have such a huge attendance
and that's the most popular snack food in
China." Cinemark International ha.s theatres
throughout South America, including Mexico,
El Salvador, Chile, Brazil and Peru, and it
recently opened the Movix theatre in Kobe,
Japan, in a joint venture with Shochiku. Warner
says that before Cinemark moves into a location,
it does local market studies to find out
specific tastes of the area to adapt its concessions
stands and CineCafes to the marketplace.
But that
wasn't always the case. "When we
first went into Mexico, we did go in with jast
our U.S. products. We really made a point of
it, and our concession sales reflected it because
into Mexican theatres may seem like a perfect
match. Not so, says Warner. "They weren't
really aware of what the product was because
it's more of a Tex-MexAJ.S. thing."
Each country requires special consideration.
In Chile it's sugared popcorn. Many locations
require a wider variety of drinks, including
coffees, teas and beers along with the standard
sodas. Warner adds, "In Peru there's a drink
called Inca Cola which is extremely popular.
In Brazil there's a l(x;al
soda, Guarana that
rivals Coke in that market, and it's very important
that you sell both prixlucts." Also in Brazil,
a cheese bread-like pa-suy is very popular with
coffee, and Halls cough drops, of all things, are
a favorite. That item surprised Warner.
"They're sold as a concession item in all the
concession stands. I'm sure we would never
think of seUing cough drops in the U.S."
Warner adds that coffee is a huge seller all over
South America. "It's almost as mandatory that
you have the coffee available as it is the
soft drinks." And each country has a
different way of serving coffee. "In Peru,
it's almost like a syrup. Coffee is served
very strong throughout South America,
but in some places you almost have to
serve it on a spoon."
In the United States, concessions are
traditionally a high-yield operation. Is
that so with overseas theatres? Warner
says yes and no, depending on the market.
"We're finding similar or even
higher cents per person in Japan." But
Cinemark's Mexico and South American
sites typically do about 50 to 60
percent of the business its United States
theatres do. Warner attributes much of
that to a lack of habit. "In most of the
South American countries that we have
gone into, the existing theatres did not
have concession operations, or if they
did they were very limited. So it does
take a while to establish the habit, and
you do have to build the audience for
it."
South America's popular Inca Cola and Guarana
sodas. "The two soft drinks are sensational.
In fact, 1 think the drinks would be well received
in the U.S."
Dana Wilson, director ofcorporate communications
for National Amusements, says there
isn't a dramatic difference between what moviegoers
like to eat at the movies in Chile and
what United States audiences enjoy, with the
exception of the sugared popcorn. The chain's
Showcase Maipu theatre features sweet and
salty popcorn as well as a popular ftozen desert:
Yogen Fruz. Wilson says it's one of the
foods the company definitely wants to bring to
the United States because it's so popular in
Chile. Yogen Fruz is a non-fat yogurt blended
with a choice of ftiesh fruit. Fruit choices in-

June, 1997 41
elude; raspberries, blackberries, mulberries,
pineapples, mangoes and bananas.
Says Wilson, "It's very
popular. And in Chile they
have such beautiful fruit. It's
wonderful."
According to BoxomcE
European correspondent Melissa
Morrison, most Czech
cinemas don't sell any concessions,
but when they do, it's
beer, wine, candy and chips.
Prague's first multiplex, the
Galaxie, keeps customers
happy with ham-flavored popcorn
and a full bar. Wallace
Theatre Corp. has theatres in
American Samoa, where favorites
include a rice cracker
called Mochi Crunch and the
are no crickets or squid in it. My first reaction is that it smells
Ki T7 Williamson
ever-popular dried squid. Poly-
and the Mystic Guarana.
exactly like Esaster-egg dye. I agree with Susan that we should
Jujubees. So sit back, enjoy the movie
and pass the chicken feet—^yum. have refrigerated it first, but other than that, it's kind of like a combination of cream soda and Slice.
GREENE: Thumbs up, thumbs down, thumbs sideways?
JAMES: I would say thumbs sideways. It might be more thumbs up if it had been cold.
GREENE: Would you like to refrigerate yours and trj- again later?
and they heartily indulge on both sweet JAMES: No, because then it will lose its caibonation.
and salty popcorn in fairly equal GREENE: It's just so difficult, boldly going where no man has gone before. What does this
amounts.
wonderful beverage product tell you about the people of Brazil?
AMC Entertainment International JAMES: Deep down we're all the same?
offers both sweet and salty popcorn at
Our intrepid Editor-in-Chief climbs into his canoe and paddles down the Amazon to the office of
its AMC Arrabida 20 in Porto, Portugal,
Associate Editor Suscui Lambert who has chained herself to a tree in protest against Rain Forest
but wound up cutting back on the deforestation. He hands her a cup of Guarana and...
salt flavoring for Japanese audiences at SUSAN LAMBERT: Smells like a Lifesaver.
the AMC Canal City 13 in Fukuoka. GREENE: Alright, Susan, give it a try. Honest reaction, what do ya thmk?
Gary Thyer, managing director of international
operations, say it's because of fruity flavor. Orange is too strong—it's um, it's like if you left a Lifesaver in a can of soda and it
LAMBERT: It almost tastes like a watered-down soda. Coke or Pepsi kind of thing, with a hint
the Japanese audiences prefer a blandertasting
popcorn. AMC has also found GREENE: Do you think this product has any future if it is unported into America?
fizzled away, it wore it out.
the Japanese are not prone to indulge in LAMBERT: (tning to be polite) Ah, as kind of a specialty item, 1 guess.
the huge American-size containers. GREENE: What does it tell you about the people of Brazil?
"We stepped down our drink and popcorn
LAMBERT: They like their soda.
sizes with the thought that at some GREENE: Thank you for those apocryphal comments. Anything else?
point [as moviegoing and concessions LAMBERT: No thanks.
habits grow] we'll probably introduce Meanwhile, BoxomcE Managing Editor Kim Williamson tuts been strapped by a tribe ofangry
larger sizes." Thyer says accommodations
native peoples to nvo pillars in a crumbling local temple, where he awaits ritual slaughter and the
to the foreign marketplace have ripping out ofhis entrails, which are to be used topredict the outcome of BoxoFUCE '.v / 998 Barometer
been minor. "Because we're bringing Star Poll. Not surprisingly, Mr Williamson is his usual chipper and well-dressed self...
an American experience to these countries,
GREENE: So what do you think, Kun Williamson?
we pretty much go off the Amer-
WILLIAMSON: It's rather good. It has a sweet, yet alcoholy-aroma of NyQuil, yet it goes down
ican product and 'localize' it." AMC's rather smooth.
expansion plans include Festival Walk GREENE: That was good. And w hat does the popularity of this product tell you about Brazil,
1 1 in Hong Kong and a 24-plex outside or does it tell you anything?
Barcelona, Spain. In each site, Thyer WILLIA^{S0N : They need more Dr. Pepper (laughs). Susan told me the folks who sent it thought
says, AMC thoroughly researches the
it was espiecially sweet, but it's not that sweet. It's smooth, sweet and likable.
location. "We do a lot of meetings, talk Snapping into Indiana Jones mode, BoxoFnCE Editor-in-ChiefRay Greene liberates Williamson
to as many local people as possible and and helps him to escape the restless locals by using the corkscrew in his Swiss Army knife in novel
get some market research going. Each and unspeakable wayi. He and Williamson snim upstream, where they rescue Susan Lambert as she
market has a uniqueness that you need
is about to be devoured by nameless, multi-colored reptiles. Our courageous explorers return to
to address." Much of the research includes
Christine James 'desk, where Greene celebrates a job well done with a taste ofthe mystic Guarana.
time spent in existing local the-
GREENE: (sniffing) The smell reminds me of my Dad's aftershave when I was a kid. Old Spice.
atres, finding out the good, the bad and
It does have kind of the aroma of like a fruity wine or a brandy or something. You can tell there's like
the tasteless.
real fruit in here. So now to taste it, with the proviso that 1 don't generally drink sweet things.
So although the flavor of the popcom
(He sips.) To me it tastes like one of those strange kinds of fruity watered-down things that you get
in Buenos Aires might seem bi-
in art-house cinemas where all the people are trying to stay svelte. I think it's fine for what it is, I don't
zarre to audiences from Kansas and the know if it will be my personal preference, but what can I tell ya, I'm a Diet Coke man. And as to what
idea of squid and sequels isn't appetizing
it tells me about the people of Brazil, boy do they like their fructose down there. Guess if you Uve in
to teenagers in Seattle, think what a country that exports a lot of fruit, this is the kind of stuff you drink. I don't know if it will work in
audiences in Bangladesh could possibly
think of Sour Patch Kids or
nesian theatregoers enjoy
packaged betel nut, which is slightly
narcotic and flavored with limes. The
British like their sodas served warm,
GUARANA: THE Boxoffice TASTE TEST
From
out of the misty, mysterious plains of the Rain
Forest comes GUARANA, an extremely popular Brazilian
soft drink that, according to Cinemark's Tim
Warner, outsells Pepsi there, aitd sells almost as well as Coke.
After caning our way through the Brazilian jungle with a
machete (actually it was more like a letter opener) and
locating tlie sacred temple (actually, the U.S. Post Office's
Hollywood Branch), a sample of this legendary nectar was
bestowed upon us by the Ancient Brazilian Gods (okay, so
Cinemark sent us one). Would our Americanized palates be
readyfor so magical a draft? Well, yes and no...
RAY GREENE: BoxomcE Senior Editor Christine
James, vour reaction to this beverage from BrazU?
CHRISTINE JAMES: First off. I'm very glad that there
the States, but somebody oughtta give it a try.
The sun .

SPECIAL REPORT: Concessions 1997
INVENDTIVE SOLUTION
As Concessions Offerings Grow, Vending Machines Could
Help Reduce Lines and Increase Profits by Pat Kramer
Wally
Helton, Mann Theatres' vice president of concession
operations, says, "In the theatres, we have a
motto: 'If the doors are open, we're popping com.'
There's nothing like the smell of popcorn to right the senses!"
But if popcorn stimulates the appetite of moviegoers, long
lines can have the reverse effect. That's why many theatres
are now tuming to vending machines to offer patrons quicker
sales, or in some instances, a different selection of snacks.
Helton notes, "I think that the place for vending machines
in this industry is for additional points of sale, where a
customer that just wants a candy bar and doesn't want to wait
in line at the concession stand has the opportunity to purchase
a candy bar or soda through a vending machine. It's never
meant to take over and become the concession sales part of
our business."
While oil-popped popcorn is still the preferred choice
among moviegoers, Mann Theatres has recognized that
some of its patrons prefer the option of helping themselves.
For those people, Mann Theatres last year installed airpopped
popcorn vending machines at some of its Los
"If people walk into a theatre
lovhy and we've got all the
kids we could possibly have
behind the concession stand
but it's just one of those
'Star Wars'-type weekends,
an additional vending
machine is helpful.'
C. T. Four Distributing s Silver Screen air-popped popcorn vending machine.
Angeles theatres. Distributed by C.T. Four Distributing of
Fresno, Calif.,
the Hollywood Pop "Grand Popper" delivers
air-popped popcorn in just 90 seconds, with a variety of
interesting flavors. At just 108 calories per 32 oz. cup (toppings
are an additional 1 1 2 calories), C.T. Four owner Teresa
Block says it provides a choice for the health-conscious moviegoer.
Describing how it works. Block says, "A patron puts money
[the competitive price of $2] into the machine, and the popcorn
drops into the popper where they can watch the cup fill up
before them." With the push of a button, the customers can
choose their favorite flavor: butter, white cheddar or caramel,
which is then mixed in by an automatic stirrer.
Recently, C.T. Four introduced its "cadillac" air-popped
model: the "Silver Screen." Larger than the Grand Popper, the
Silver Screen holds more popcorn and more cups and is fully
computerized. It also offers customers more choices of flavors:
butter, Jalapeno (mild and spicy), cheddar. banana cream
pie, strawberry cream pie, barbecue, caramel, caramel fudge,
chocolate hazelnut, vanilla and pizza pizzazz. With very little

i| Block
[ it
I
I
j
Helton
i
—
Tiinp. igQ7 41
•I
maintenance required, the machines enable
theatre owners who buy them to
hold onto their profits, says Block. For
most customers, though, C.T. Four leases
the vending machines, providing full maintenance
and restocking of the pof)com and
paying those clients a share of the profits.
With the opportunity present for the theatres
to put their logos on the vending machine's
cups, Block sees the enterprise as an appealing
supplement to standard popcorn sales.
Although Helton notes that air-popped com
contributes to only a small share of overall
concession sales, he believes it provides a
useful alternative to waiting in line. "We had a
market segment that we weren't hitting, or
if we were hitting it, we were dedicating
an entire serving station area to air popped.
When you're trying to accommodate the
masses and only 5 percent are going for the
air popped, it just made sense
to offer [the vending machines].
It was the freshest
way to go, too—instead of
getting air popped popcorn
that was being popped the
day before and supplied by
our concession supplier,
people could watch it popping
right before their eyes."
acknowledges that
air-f)opped com has gotten a
"bad rap" from previous attempts
to market it. "Some
I of the theatres had tried air
popping it in the morning,
then it was put in to a bin.
With air popped, you can't do
that. It doesn't stay very well;
gets stale very fast. With our air popped, it
uses no oils, and with the variety of flavors,
it reaches out to the public."
sees the value in terms of both
profits and customer convenience: "If people
walk into a theatre lobby and we've got
all the kids we could possibly have behind
the concession stand but it's just one of those
'Star Wars'-type weekends, an additional
vending machine is helpful." Besides airpopped
com, Mann Theatres also use vending
machines for Pepsi's 20-ounce "Quick
Slam," selling drinks in plastic bottles which
can be brought into the theatres.
While Mann is devoted to selling Pepsi
products, the United Artists Theatre Circuit
using vending machines to bolster their
is
Coca-Cola sales. Bruce Taffet, executive
vice president of UA, says 80 percent of the
400-theatre circuit now has Coke vending
machines in the back corridors by the auditorium,
where they don't conflict with hightraffic
concessions areas. Says Taffet, "We
found that putting our Coke concessions in
the back corridors, some of our customers
people who are in
a hurry as well as our
teenage market—tend to use them. [Teens]
happen to think it's not real cool to go up to
a concession stand; they usually hang out by
our Coke vending machines in the vestibule
or corridors on the way to the theatre auditoriums."
As evidence of the successful strategy, he
points to a survey done on the Proteus network
(a high-definition satellite TV link
within UA theatres that polls patrons and
gathers statistical information). "We can
link 60 theatres or as many as we want and
do surveys or introduce new product lines.
We found that some teenagers enjoy the look
of the Coke bottle—the 20 oz. plastic contour
bottles. From the test that we did, we
found that we had some definite incremental
sales from the vending machines that were
not cannibalizing sales from concessions. It
was definitely increasing."
With its success at using vending machines
for the full line of Coke products,
Taffet says UA is now moving forward with
bulk candy vending, which allows the customer
who doesn't want to make a large
candy purchase or who wants to taste a few
''The place for vending
machines in this industry is for
additional points of sale, where
a customer who doesn't want
to wait in line can purchase a
candy bar or soda through a
vending machine. It's never
meant to take over the concession
sales part of our business.
" ""
^i^^^^ggji^
different brands of candy a chance to do so
without waiting in line.
Taffet's vision is for a row of candy dispensers,
varying in height and color, artistically
arranged so as to catch the eye along
the back wall by the Coke machines. Says
Taffet, "It's location, location, location. We
have to make sure that we put the vending
machines in the right areas so they draw on
the right customers that we need them to."
W!
"-hile the future of concessions in
America remains geared to the sale
of food and drink, over in the United
Kingdom the UCI theatre circuit is leading the
way for new vending uses. Just before Christmas,
it began a pilot program designed to test
the marketing of food and drink along with
different combinations of merchandise.
Vending Intelligence, the vending machine
manufacturer UCI is working with, is headquartered
stateside in Culver City, Calif
Tony Brinsley, general manager of Vending
Intelligence, U.K., says, "UCI Cinemas
contacted us and decided to install hot
drinks, snacks and merchandising, with the
emphasis on soundtracks. We contacted
Gardner Merchant [a company that provides
vending services to large organizations],
then earmarked five sites at which we tried
vending services as well as selling over the
counter."
At each site, snacks, hot drinks (such as
coffee and tea) and candy are sold beside
vending machines stocked with soundtrack
merchandise. Three sites use CD
vending machines (two of which are converted
snack machines). Although the
company initially stocked the machine
with soundtrack CDs only. Vending Intelligence
has since expanded the merchandise,
at the circuit's request, to include Top
40 artists as well as some bargain price
selections.
Pete Folger, president of Vending Intelligence,
affirms that the machines can be used
for many different types of merchandise.
"Anything can be dispensed in the machines,
including a VHS box, a pager, CDs,
audio cassettes, T-shirts, softcover books or
video games. Currently [in England],
we're dispensing items that can be purchased
after the performance
as a memento."
Di
espite
Vending Intelligence's
efforts to provide
alternate sources of
income for exhibition circuits,
the company has received httle
response at this time. Says Folger,
"It's ironic that England is a
little behind us in architecture
but may be a little ahead of us in
unattended vending of merchandise."
He adds, "We'd like to see
someone step up to the plate and
try it."
UA's Taffet says vending merchandise
is something his circuit
is not aggressively pursuing at
this time. However, at Mann Theatres,
Helton is considering branching out in that
direction, although he comments, "We have
to be careful that we don' t violate our lease,"
referring to several competing retail music
stores in the area of Mann's theatres.
His idea for vending merchandise is
more along the lines of clothing; "We
found a company to pack a T-shirt or
painter's cap into the double-CD sized
compartments. We're trying to get more
of the merchandise lined up before we
just get a machine and vend CDs or
soundtracks out of it. Our preference
would be to own the machine and get
various types of merchandise, using Los
Angeles as the test market. I want to be
able to do something different and unique,
and this method of folding movie-related
T-shirts into a double CD looks kind of
interesting."
As exhibition continues to find itself in
an increasingly competitive arena, vying
for its share of the entertainment dollar,
savvy theatre owners must keep up with the
changes in audiences' tastes and make convenience
a priority. A vending machine
could be the mechanical employee exhibitors
have been hoping for—and one who's
never late and doesn't require lunch
breaks or overtime. You just have to know
how to push its buttons. ^H

AA
Kfwtinut;
SPECIAL REPORT: Concessions 1997
SMUGGLERS
BLUES
How Big a Problem Is Food Smuggling
to the Concessions Industry?
by Jon Matsumoto
could have been a small bag of peanuts, a
Itcanned softdrink or evenacontainer of fried
chicken.
Whatever the item, it's likely that most regular
filmgoers in North America have smuggled
food into a movie theatre at least once.
Of course, theatre chains don't like their
customers bringing in outside snacks or meals.
Their objections range from the obvious (it cuts
into their own concession business) to the not
quite so obvious (it increases cleanup
duties for their employees).
Most theatre chains have policies prohibiting
food smuggling. Toronto-based
Cineplex Odeon has signs posted at all of
its facilities clearly stating this rule.
Yet when push comes to shove, a number
of these theatres say they aren't about
to get militant to enforce these policies.
Ticket takers or ushers won' t search bulging
handbags or oddly shaped clothing
items, nor will they patrol the auditorium
looking for violators. Marci Davies, vice
president of marketing and communications
for Cineplex Odeon, says the
company's employees will not utter a word
even if they smell a Burger King Whopper and
an order of fries wafting from a patron's suspicious
looking backpack.
"It's really the kind of thing where we ask
people not to bring things in but wedon't search
people or harass people," states Davies. "We
don'tconfiscate food. It's acustomer courtesy."
"We're attuned to customer service," concurs
Fred Gable, vice president, concessions
for Loews Theatres. "We're not there to harass
people. If people bring something in, we're not
the police and we're not going to jump on
somebody. We think too much of our customers."
Davies points out that if a customer is
spotted walking into an auditorium eating a
non-theatre food item, he or she will be asked
to consume it in the lobby. But it seems film
patrons need only be discreet in order to get
away with enjoying their contraband while
viewing a film.
AMC is one theatre company that has a
particularly liberal food policy. It allows customers
to bring in outside food if it's similar to
''We're not there to harass
people. If people bring
something in, we're not the
police and we're not going
to jump on somebody.
We think too much of our
customers."
what's available at the concession stand.
"We take a little different tack than most
circuits," .says Phil Pennington, vice president,
concessions for AMC. It seems that if an a:;gument
were going to be made for customers
bringing outside food or beverages, it would be
because the theauie didn't offer the items the
patron prefers. But Pennington explains that by
only allowing outside food that's comparable
to what's sold at the concession stand, AMC
helps protect against patrons smuggling in
products that can be offensive or even dangerous
to other customers.
Lx)ews' Gable agrees that this can be a problem,
citing Chinese fo(xJ and hoagies as type.s
of items that have an odor that might be dis
tasteful to some and distracting to others.
"There are some foods that are more mal
odorous than others. Someone could walk ii
with [an item] that would give off a real pun
gent odor that would disturb other people,
says Gable.
Pennington adds that greasy food item
can stain theatre chairs, which increase
cleanup costs. Plus, there's additional litte
to be picked up after screenings. Accord
ing to Gable, smugglers aren't particular);
conscientious about disposing of thei
own food wrappings. "We don't mini
picking up our own merchandise,
Gable states. "But when you have t(
pick up other things brought in, it's ;
little disturbing."
There
is also a safety issue in
volved in theatre circuit fooc
policies. Bottles and cans, exhib
ition executives agree, can cause sig
nificant harm. There's the potential o
these containers being thrown at
thi
screen or at other patrons during a filn
presentation. Broken glass on the floor of i
darkened auditorium can also lead to serioui
cuts, Davies points out.
"[The presence ofoutside food] also raise:
insurance questions," adds Gable. "Then
have been cases where somebody hai
slipped on a product which [a theatre] didn'
sell."
There's no way to quantify just how
severe a problem food smuggling is for thcatn
circuits. Cineplex Odeon's Davies and Pen
nington of AMC don't feel there's been ;u
increase in such behavior. Conversely
Loews' Gable believes smuggling has gottcr

:
prove
''
dropped
!
keeping
June, 1997 45
worse in recent years. He says the growth in
non-theatre food wrappings and containers
left behind in theatres is evidence supporting
this claim.
Some circuits have attempted to ease the
flow of food smuggling by becoming more
consumer friendly. Clearly, there are some
patrons who simply do not appreciate the
food items being offered at
movie theatres. In an attempt
to appeal to healthconscious
customers,
Cineplex Odeon now offers
trail mix, bottled water
and several types of fruit
juices.
"Over the years, as the
population has gotten
older and the demographic
mix of the moviegoing
public has changed, we
have altered the offerings
accordingly," reveals Davies.
"Recently, we introduced
a very wide coffee
program, featuring our
own brand of Cineplex
coffee, which has been incredibly
successful for us.
We've got premium ice
cream products in most of
our locations. It gives us an
opportunity to serve people
who aren't traditional
popcorn and soft drink
customers."
Loews has also broadened its menu,
which now includes such items as buffalo
wings and french fries. In a few theatres, the
company has experimented with coffee bars
and lobby seating with tables. Cafes can be
found within concession areas at some
Cineplex Odeon theatres as well.
AMC has also experimented with different
food items. The chain has added
such products as bottled water and bulk
candy. But Pennington reveals that the
traditional core items sell the best. "[In
order of popularity] it's number one, soft
drinks; number two, popcom; number
three, candy. After that it's hot dogs and
nachos," he says.
Pennington says that AMC did experiment
with trail mix, but that it didn't
to be a "panacea." Pizza was also
from the menu. Problems
this item fresh contributed to its
ridownfall, he states.
A.
number of theatres have introduced
value pack programs. Taking a cue
from various fast food restaurants,
Loews and Cineplex Odeon combine various
items on the menu and then offer them at a
lower price than what they would cost if
bought individually.
"The combo offerings make your selection
a lot easier." says Davies. "So you can
order combo [number] one and that might be
two drinks, one large popcom and one candy
bar or two drinks, a popcom and a nacho.
Those offerings tend to change on a quarterly
basis."
AMC has a special value deal for children
but not adults.
Many theatre circuits have added larger
sized containers for some of their menu items
such as soft drinks and popcom. These servings
provide the customer with a better value
GRAB BAG: While the incidence of food smuggling is impossible to chart, it's been
found to occur within all demographics, but most predominantly with teenagers.
on a per-ounce basis.
But Davies isn't convinced that expanded
menus and value deals are enough to stop the
dedicated food smuggler.
"You can buy a pack of M&Ms at a con-
^'There are some foods that
are more malodorous than
others. Someone could walk
in with [an item] that
would give off a real
pungent odor that would
disturb other people."
venience store and it's a lot less expensive
than buying them at a theatre," she comments.
"If you're prone to that sort of economizing,
I don't think expanded offerings
will [make a difference]."
For the majority of food smugglers, smuggling
is most likely financially motivated.
There's no getting around the fact that theatre
food, even with a value pack reduction, is often
more expensive than what it would cost if
purchased at the grocery store.
Theatre chain executives defend their concession
prices by pointing out that they are no
higher than those found at other entertainment
venues such as sports stadiums and theme
parks, adding that concession revenue is a
vital part of keeping their theatres economically
viable. Pennington states that food sales
account for about 30 percent of AMC's earnings.
For Cineplex Odeon the figure is about
25 percent, according to Davies.
"I don't think consumers have an adequate
appreciation for the economics of our business,
like how much it
costs to rent a film and how
much it costs to build the
theatres we're building
today," says Pennington.
Si
o just who are the
main offenders when
it comes to food
smugghng in
movie theatres?
To Gable, it's difficult to
single
out one group for
blame. He says the transgressors
range from teenagers
to families with children
to senior citizens.
But Pennington says a
study conducted by Coca-
Cola in 1995 pegged teenagers
as the most frequent
moviegoing food smugglers.
"Something like 17 percent
of that age group was
smuggling something in
every time they came in,"
he reveals.
Pennington attributes this pattern to the
idea that teenagers have the least amount
of disposable income. Teens usually finance
their moviegoing experience out of
their own often limited allowances or
earnings.
FamiUes with young children are the
biggest buyers of theatre food products,
while senior citizens are neither heavy
consumers nor heavy smugglers. Pennington
says these observations were
supported by the Coca-Cola study.
Gable, Pennington and Davies all
believe that buying certain food items
at the theatre will always be a part of
the movie viewing experience for
many customers. Indeed, it would be
difficult to smuggle in popcom that
can match the taste of a bucket of the
fresh, hot-buttered variety available at
a theatre concession stand. And there are
many consumers— particularly in the
snack happy, couch potato American culture—who
undoubtedly still prefer convenience
over savings.
"People enjoy seeing a movie on a big
screen with a lot of other people," observes
Gable. 'There's a big difference between
watching a movie on TV and watching a
movie in a theatre. The comedy seems funnier
and the action seems more intense. Part
of that experience is having a really good
[theatre-made] tub of popcom, a soda and
something to munch on as you're watching
a movie."
^m

.
46 BoxofTifT.
.
Fall '96/Winter '97 Blue Ribbon Poll
''MAGUIRE" NEGOTIATES WIN/WIN;
BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD" SUCK meh-Heh)
Who'd
have thought that an energetic
love story about a frantic
sports agent finding his heart
would not only capture audiences and reviewers
alike, but also spark the most overused
catch phrase of the year? With the
exception of golden boy Tom Cruise in the
lead, "Jerry Maguire" was practically a
sleeper hit that surprised almost everyone
with its off-season success. But supported by
Oscar-winning Cuba Gooding Jr., "Maguire"
brought in the cash (domestic receipts near
$150 million and still going) and easily won
both the Most Popular and the Best Film
categories in Boxoffice's Fall '96AVinter '97
Blue Ribbon Poll.
"Ransom" kidnapped second place with
1 62 points, while the family puppy-fest "101
Dalmatians" collared third place with 101
plus 14 points (1 1 5 points). "The First Wives
Club (with 78 points) and "Michael" (with 65
points) filled the fourth and fifth spots respectively.
The comedy/horror film "Scream"
scared up 64 points to take sixth place. The
final four include "Space Jam" at number
seven (62 points); "Star Trek: First Contact" at
number eight (51 points); the explosive
"Dante's Peak" at number nine (43 points);
and "Evita" at number ten (28 points). The
films in this category ranged from hard-edged
1
Most Popular Film
Title
Jerry Maguire * (236)
(Points)
2. Ransom * (162)
3.101 Dalmatians* (115)
4. The First Wives Club * (78)
5. Michael (65)
6. Scream (64)
7. Space Jam (62)
8. Star Trek: First Contact (51)
9. Dante's Peak (43)
10. Evita (28)
* = gross of over $100 million
thrillers to raucous comedies and proved to
exhibitors that whether it be puppies, papas,
agents, ex-wives or earth-bound angels our
movie heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Several of the Most Popular awardees also
appear on the Best Film list, including "Jerry
Maguire" at number one (141 points); "Ransom"
at number three (1 07 points); "Michael"
at number six (42 points); "Dante's Peak" at
number seven (38 points); "Evita" at number
eight (34 points) and "Scream" at number nine
(31 points). Other films on the Best Film list
were multiple Oscar-winner "The English Patient"
at number two with 112 points;
Miramax's Australian import "Shine" at number
four (54 points); the controversial "The
People vs. Larry Flynt" at number five (43
points); and "The Ghost and the Darkness" at
number 1 with 29 points.
The resu Its of the Worst Film category were
proof that even if a film rakes it in at the
boxoffice, exhibitors don't necessarily think
The animated "Beavis and Butt-
much of it.
head Do America" may have brought in over
$62 million domestically, but it easily topped
the Worst Film slot with 84 points. As Dale
Haag of Cooper Theatres Mall Cinema in
Hays, Kan. queries, "How can a movie like
'Beavis and Butthead' make so much
money?"
Title
Best Film
(Points)
I.Jerry Maguire M1 41)
2. The English Patient (112)
3. Ransom * (107)
4. Shine (54)
5. The People vs. Larry Flynt (43)
6. Michael (42)
7. Dante's Peak (38)
8. Evita (34)
9. Scream (31)
10. The Ghost and the
Darkness (29)
In contrast, high expectations and low re
turns landed more films into the Worst Film;
department: Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks!'
took the number three spot with 60 point;
while "Turbulence" shook in at number foui
(51 points) and the Arnold Schwarzeneggei
comedy "Jingle All the Way" jangled into the
number five spot (50 points); Wacky comedies
that weren't funny didn't fare much better:
John Leguizamo's "The Pest" (68 points!
bothered exhibitors enough to nab the number
two slot; and "Meet Wally Sparks"
plugged into the number six position (46
points). "Booty Call" (with 35 points) anc
"Dear God" (with 32 points) came in at number
seven and eight while ninth place was i
three-way tie between "Beautician and the
Beast," "Bogus" and "High School High'
(each with 31 points). Although Tim Veno ol
Carmike Cinemas in Connellsville, Pa. commented
that there were "too many bad movie;
to choose from" many exhibitors felt overall
it was a good seasonss. An exhibitor from
Kings Drive In Theatre in Arrnona, Calif
summed it up best by saying, "I had thoughl
that 1996 would be a record boxoffice year.
Now it begins to appear that 1997 will surpass
it. The releasing companies seem to have
mastered the art of release patterns and excel
lent promotion and advertising."
1
Title
Worst Film
(Points)
Beavis and Butt-head
Do America (84)
2. The Pest (68)
3. Mars Attacks! (60)
4. Turbulence (51)
5. Jingle All the Way (50)
6. Meet Wally Sparks (46)
7. Booty Call (35)
8. Dear God (32)
^j
9. TRIPLE TIE: Beautician and the
Beast, Bogus, High School High,(3

.
1 007 rP-S^^ Al
FESTIVAL REVIEWS
••••• OUTSTANDING
•••• VERY GOOD
••* GOOD
•• FAIR
* POOR
(no stars) BOMB
REVIEWS
Anaconda R-90
B.A.P.S R-92
Breathing Room R-91
Cadillac Ranch R-90
Cats Don't Dance R-92
Double Team R-92
8 Heads in a Duffel Bag R-90
Inventing the Abbotts R-91
McHale's Navy R-89
H^urder at 1600 R-89
The Saint R-91
The 6th Man R-92
Sprung R-88
That Old Feeling R-91
Touch R-92
Turtjo: A Power Ranger Movie . .
R-92
Volcano R-88
DAY AND DATE: B/20
Dream With the Fishes R-88
FLASHBACK: 1959
Hercules R-90
SPECIAL FORMATS
Whales R-84
REVIEWS IN BRIEF
Kids of Survival R-93
Licensed to Kill R-93
Tango Feroz R-93
A True American R-93
BERLIN FEST REVIEWS
Conversation With the Beast .... R-83
Four Days in September R-84
Genealogies d'un Crime R-86
The Kitchen R-84
Le Jour Et La Nuit R-87
Lucie Aubrac R-83
The River R-85
The Soong Sisters R-86
The Stunt Woman R-86
Territorio Comanche R-87
Viva Erotica R-87
PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED
Coming films already reviewed . .
REVIEW DIGEST
Our monthly release overview .
R-89
. . R-93
Hit httpJhviviv.hoxofficejcom
every Friday for reviews
of the latest releases!
BERLIN
EXPRESS
Long-lead review^s from the
Cjerman film festival
LUCIE AUBRAC iririr
Starring Carole Bouquet and Daniel
Auteuil. Directed and written by Claude
Berri. Produced by Pierre Grunstein. A
Renn S.A. production; no stateside distributor
set. Drama/romance. French-language;
English subtitles. Not yet rated.
Running time: 106 min.
This taut, finely hued story is about the
Aubracs, husband-and-wife members of the
French Resistance—and that's about all it
is. Writer/director Claude Berri ("Germinal")
doesn't have much to add to the already
full-to-bursting oeuvre of WWII
Resistance films. The Aubracs were brave,
the Nazis were cruel; that about sums it up.
As a love story, the film has more heft.
While Raymond Aubrac ("The Eighth
Day ' s" Daniel Auteuil) works to undermine
the German occupation of France in the
traditional ways, such as blowing up trains
(a spectacular opening sequence) and attencling
secret meetings, his wife Lucie
("Grosse Fatigue's" Carole Bouquet) isn't
content to just tend the hearth. She's up for
spiking a traitor's jam with cyanide, if necessary.
But what really rousts her formidable
will is not love for France but love for
Raymond. When his arrest by Vichy police
threatens to conflict with the anniversary of
their first lovemaking, Lucie storms into the
state prosecutor's house and threatens him.
The sheer intensity of her glare does the
trick. The latter half of the film concerns a
pregnant Lucie's machinations to rescue
Raymond from a Nazi death sentence.
Auteuil, of the squashed nose and searching
eyes, is the more emotionally grabbing
of the pair. Bouquet's stem beauty makes
her determination convincing, less so her
passion. Her expressionless face saps several
scenes of their power. Plotwise, a hint
at what "Lucie Aubrac" could have been
comes when Raymond comments on his
life with Lucie amid the Nazi terror: "It's a
terrible thing to say, but I can't help being
happy." A film that explores the ambivalence
of living in heaven at home and hell
beyond the front door—now that would
have been truly interesting.
(Note: October Films had made an at least
oral agreement to acquire North American
rights for $1 million but has since said it was
nixing the pact. Paris-based Renn has filed a
$10 miUion breach of contract suit.)
by Melissa Morrison
CONVERSATION WITH
THE BEAST ••••
Starring Armin Mueller-Stahl, Robert
Balaban and Katharina Bohm. Directed
and written by Armin Mueller-Stahl. Produced
by Rudolf Steiner. A Rudolf Steiner
TV-Film production; no stateside distributor
set. Comedy/drama. English- and
German-language; English subtitles. Not
yet rated. Running time: 96 min.
In his directorial debut, German actor
Armin Mueller-Stahl (who played a Nazi in
"The Music Box") takes on Hitler and
comes up with this black comedy that manages
to maintain its precarious balance between
the bizarre and the morbid.
Mueller-Stahl plays the man himself, a 1 03-
year-old wacko who's trying to convince
the world via a fumbling American historian.
Dr. Webster ("The Last Good Time's"
Robert Balaban), that a double took the
bullet in that bunker with Eva Braun. This
Hitler lives in a dungeon-like Berlin apartment
with a perpetually young Teutonic
wife, Hortense (Katharina Bohm), and a
yappy dog named Jimmy. The dubious historian
interviews Mr. Hitler about his entourage
of doubles (one for each day of the
week), his hatred of women (he says his
weakness for them is why he lost the war),
and the "magic" that keeps him alive, despite
numerous suicide attempts.
One of the delicious ironies developed is
that Hitler's special hell is not death but an
eternal life in which he is a nobody. As star,
writer and director, Mueller-Stahl pulls off
this hat trick with aplomb. His aged Der
Fuehrer torments Dr. Webster with slingshot
pranks and then bursts into rages at
being kept, literally, in the dark. The actor
conveys the charisma that the real man had;
the writer doesn't overreach for big statements;
and the director keeps an odd commentary
on one of history's most analyzed
evildoers from dissipating into nonsense.
Among the highlights: a flashback in
which a Hitler double, a frustrated actor,
entertains the newlyweds with Hamlet's
soliloquy, showing his frustration with his
single successful role; and a scene in which
Hitler auditions incognito for a Hollywood
film about his life and is deemed too unnatural.
It seems Charlie Chaplin got the glory
Hitler thought he himself deserved.

Aa fo aA\ n..v/.i i.i

FEST
Brazilian young people who engineered the
kidnapping of American ambassador
Charles Elbrick ("Mother Night's" Alan
Arkin) in 1969 to protest the policies of
their country's military regime is indeed
well told by Bruno Barreto ("Carried
Away"); but its immediacy—the connections
with larger themes that make a good
movie a great one—is missing.
Most of the time, the Producoes Cinematograficas
LC Barreto production comes off
as a very well-made and well-acted TV cop
drama set in a tropical locale. In at least one
way, that's good: The kidnapping operation
is rendered thrillingly. But the kidnappers
are a collection of types: a humorless rebel
leader (Fernanda Torres); a zealot-in-training
(Calo Junqueira); an innocent destined
to be hardened by experience (Claudia
Abreu). Even Arkin as Elbrick is ever-stoic
in the face of execution, although there's a
nice touch in the respectful relationship that
develops between the ambassador and
some of his tormentors.
What the film lacks in depth, however, it
makes up for in breadth: Instead of focusing
solely on its collection of idealistic rebels,
notably the film's linchpin, Fernando
(Pedro Cardoso), the plot takes time to consider
the event's other aspects, such as the
personal toll being a torturer takes on a
military cop (Marco Ricca) investigating
the kidnapping, as well as the opinions of
Fernando' s friends from the old days, who
believe there are less violent methods of
change. The film also isn't content to end
with the resolution of the kidnapping; the
rebels are seen in an epilogue showing what
happens after their initial glory fades.
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Response No. 70
THE RIVER ^^^^1/2
Starring Lee Kang-sheng and Miao
Tien. Directed by Tsai Ming-liang. Written
by Tsai Ming-liang, Yang Pi-ying
and Tsai Yi-chun. Produced by Chiu
Hu-ping. A Central Motion Picture
Corp. production; no stateside distributor
set. Drama. Chinese-language; English
subtitles. Not yet rated. Running
time: 115 min. Won the Silver Bear.
Of the films screened in competition at
the Berlin fest, "The River" ("He Liu") was
one of the few that attempted to create the
scope and scale worthy of recognition as an
enduring and important film. Yet in that
attempt it succeeds only partially. Its story:
The young Xiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng) is
roaming around Taipei when he happens
upon a movie being shot. The director asks
Xiao-kang to play a corpse floating in a
polluted river; Xiao-kang agrees, not having
anything better to do.
Soon after, he's seized by mysterious and
seemingly incurable pain. Meanwhile, his
father, also drifting, is plagued by a ceaseless
water leak from an upstairs apartment.
The ennui and tedium with which Xiaokang
and his parents endure life is echoed
in the film's extended shots of characters
doing next to nothing and in the absence of
a musical soundtrack. Even the impact of
the shocking denouement is muffled by the
film's deadening tone.

—
FESTIVAL REVIEWS
•^^
THE SOONG SISTERS
Starring Maggie Cheung, Michelle
Khan and Vivian Wu. Directed by Cheung
Yuen-ting. Written by Alex Law. Produced
by Raymond Chow. A More Team Intl.
production; no stateside distributor set.
Drama. Chinese-language; English subtitled.
Notyet rated. Running time: 147 min.
A trio of Chinese stars play real-life sisters
who each embody a facet of 20th-century
China: Ai-ling (new Bond girl
Michelle Khan), the banker's wife, representing
capitalism; Ching-ling ("Irma
Vep's" Maggie Cheung), the first lady of
modem China' s founder, representing communism;
and May-ling ("The Pillow
Book's" Vivian Wu), the wife of Chiang
Kai-shek, representing nationalism. "The
Soong Sisters'" ambitious scope—the film
spans 1900 to 1949—means its political
points must be spelled out in capital letters.
Political intrigues that affected the largest
nation in the world occur here as controversial
marriages and sibling rifts.
The movie succeeds better as a lavish
soap opera, with the camera pausing lovingly
on the Chinese scenery and the dewy
stars. One possible reason: Hong Kong director
Cheung Yuen-ting said she was
forced to cut scenes featuring Chiang (Wu
Hsing-kuo) before China's censors would
release the film. What's left is a gorgeous
movie, if not a great one.
THE STUNT WOMAN V^^^
Starring Michelle Khan and Samo
Hung. Directed by Ann Hui. Written by
Chan Man-Keung and Chan Kin-Chung.
Produced by David Lau and Catherine
Hun. A Daca Entertainment production;
no stateside distributor set. Chinese-language;
English subtitles. Not yet rated.
Running time: 95 min.
With Jackie Chan' s ascendance in Hollywood
comes this film, a commentary on the
Hong Kong action genre that's itself an
action film. The hard-working Michelle
Khan (who co-starred in Chan's "Supercop"
and lately has reverted her name to
Michelle Yeoh) is Ah Kam, an aspiring
stuntwoman who fights on-the-job injuries
and ganglike rivalries with other stunt
crews to carve out a living. Structured in
three acts, the film focuses as much on Ah
Kam's personal life as it does on hyperreal
stunts, mcluding a cool one in which a bar
fight is interspersed with similar violence
playing on one of the bar's video games.
She also quits her job for the man in her
life and becomes a surrogate mother to her
murdered mentor's son. Both elements
action and plot—have a camivalesque artifice,
but the herky-jerky ride is fun. A side
note: Director Ann Hui apparently kept the
cameras rolling when Khan was injured
performing a stunt—footage that, Chanlike,
plays under the credits.
GENEALOGIES D'UN CRIME ^^
Starring Catherine Deneuve and
Michel Piccoli. Directed by Raoul Ruiz.
Written by Raoul Ruiz and Pascal
Bonitzer. Produced by Paulo Branco. A
Gemini Films production; no stateside distributor
set. Suspense. French-language;
English subtitles. Not yet rated. Running
time: 113 min. Raoul Ruiz was awarded a
Silver Bearfor lifetime achievement.
Catherine Deneuve seems to choose film
projects on the basis of how her character
subverts the actress's image as a glacial
beauty and Gallic icon. That would explain
the appeal for her of this strange project, in
which she plays two roles: a losing lawyer
investigating a psychoanalyst's murder,
purportedly by the victim's nephew; and
the twisted psychoanalyst, in flashbacks.
"Genealogies of a Crime" begins on a
dark and stormy night to appropriately menacing
music. The rest has all the suspense
of a game of Clue. Its fun comes instead
from sly digs at psychoanalysis; e.g., those
involving two professional archenemies,
Georges ("The Party's" Michel Piccoli),
who steals silverware, and Christian (Andrzej
Seweryn), whose fastidiousness begs
for his own therapy. There's also some
theme about reincarnation and revenge
from beyond the grave. Whatever. The best
to be said for Deneuve' s dual roles is that
she looks fabulous in her Yves St. Laurent.
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50 (R-86) BoxoFFKK
Response No. 202

FESTIVAL REVIEWS
VIVA EROTICA ••
Starring Leslie Cheung and Karen
Mok. Directed and written by Derek Yee
and Lo Chi Leung. Produced by Raymond
Chow. A Film Unlimited production; no
stateside distributor set. Comedy. Chineselanguage;
English subtitles. Not yet rated.
Running time: 97 min.
The opening scene is certainly attentiongetting:
struggling filmmaker Sing and his
girlfriend, pixiesh May (played by pop star
Karen Mok), having enthusiastic sex that
parodies the kind of soft-core pom that Sing
IS about to lower himself to direct, complete
with rain that looks great on writhing, naked
bodies—except the pair are indoors at the
time. The jokes appear regularly but with
varied success in this take on the filmmaker-struggles-to-keep-his-vision-amidmoney-grubbling-producerssubgenre.
In this case, the location is Hong Kong's
movie mill. Co-director Derek Yee makes
a brief appearance as a director who commits
suicide after his latest work, "A Streetcar
Named No Wheels," nosedives at the
boxoffice. Although the effects here are
cheesy and the plot is choppy, "Viva
Erotica' s" characters are appealmg; for example.
Mango (Shu Qi, a Chinese Jennifer
Tilly) is a twinkle actress who delivers her
lines in the film-within-a-film's obligatory
rape scene with the urgency of a bureaucrat
working unpaid overtime.
r
TERRITORIO COMANCHE ^
Starring Cecilia Dopazo and Imanol
Arias. Directed by Gerardo Herrero. Written
by Arturo Perez-Reverte, Salvador
Garcia and Gerardo Herrero. Produced by
Javier Lopez Blanco and Gerardo
Herrero. A Tornasol Films S.A. production;
no stateside distributor set. Drama.
Spanish-language; English subtitles. Not
yet rated. Running time: 90 min.
Version 4,381: Successful TV broadcaster
(Cecilia Dopazo) goes to a war zone and must
prove her mettle to hard-bitten male colleagues
(Carmelo Gomez and "The Flower of
My Secret's" Imanol Arias) while aghast at
battle's atrocity. Includes lines like: "They
don't even sell panties here—they sell horror."
Objects blow up. She has an affair with
a seasoned correspondent, their bodies Ut by
an exploding shell.. .the imagery! The camera
moves dispassionately across the bodies of
the recently dead and then upon one the cameraman
recognizes.. .he can't film!
What distinguishes this collection of
cliches is that the war in question is in
Sarajevo, where the bodies of the dead in
their graves have barely begun decomposing.
Using recent events to illustrate some
truths about the media and war has resulted
in one of the worst examples imaginable: A
real tragedy becomes moved even further
into the realm of fiction in the passive perception
of those who see it.
LE JOUR ET LA NUIT (no stars)
Starring Alain Delon, Arielle Dombasle
and Lauren Bacall. Directed by Bernard-
Henri Levy. Written by Jean-Paul Enthoven
and Bernard-Henri Levy.
Produced by Eric Dussart, Denise Robert,
Jacques de Clerq and Alfonso Gomez-
Arnau. A Les Films Du Lendemain production;
no stateside distributor set.
Drama. French-language; English subtitles.
Notyet rated. Running time: 112 min.
French celebrity-philosopher Bernard-
Henri Levy ' s latest attempt at cinema might
not have detonated like a methane bomb if
he had positioned it differently. He should
have pitched it, instead of as a metaphorical
exploring of a man's spiritual death and resurrection,
as a "Gilligan's Island" remake.
There's the Skipper (a grizzled Alain
Delon), a burned-out writer retreated to a
Mexican beach; Ginger ("Celestial Clockwork's"
Arielle Dombasle), a starlet eager
to land the lead in a film based on the
writer's first novel; the professor (Xavier
Beauvois), a sullen seismologist and parttime
rebel leader about as convincing as a
bamboo transceiver; Mrs. Howell (Lauren
Bacall), a well-dressed rich lady around a
lot but rarely involved; and MaryAnn (Julie
Du Page), who's ignored in favor of the
more glamorous actresses but who has a
pointless nude scene anyway. All that's
missing is a tiny boat named the Minnow.
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Response No. 197
June, 1997 (R-87) 51

52 (R-88) BoxoFFiCK
—
REVIEWS
PDREAM WITH THE FISHES
June 1997
DAY AND DATE: JUNE 20
^^1/2
Starring David Arquette, Brad
Hunt, Kathryn Erbe and Cathy
Moriarty. Directed and v/ritten by
Finn Taylor. Produced by Johnny
Wow and Mitchell Stein. A Sony
Classics release. Drama. Rated R for
pervasive strong language, some
drug content and sexuality. Running
time: 96 min. Opens 6/20 NY,
Within about the
first minute of the
audience's introduction
to Terry ("Johns'"
David Arquette), he
has his pants around
hisanklesand is using
binoculars to watch a
neighboring couple's
sexual encounter
(which, to Terry's disappointment,
aborted before it
is
begins).
It's not exactly
an endearing first impression,
but it instantly
reveals the
lonely and pathetic
life Terry leads and
helps explain his suicide
attempt that follows
shortly after.
Terry tries to muster
the courage to jump
David Arquette star$ in Sony
Classics' "Dream With the Fishes
off a bridge; his appointment with death is
postponed, however, when a young man
named Nick (Brad Hunt)—coincidentally,
the gent that Terry hoc) been spying on
earlier—intervenes. Nick, who has only a
few weeks to live due to on unnamed fatal
condition, offers to help Terry end it all in
a less painful way if Terry will help him
fulfill some of his lifelong fantasies. Among
these aspirations are a nude bowling
match with hookers; dropping acid while
driving; a visit to on aquarium; naked
armed robbery; and a return home to confront
old passions and demons.
Although "Dream With the Fishes" is
based on an intriguing idea, is well written
and boasts many humorous moments,
Terry is too repulsive and Nick is too much
of a jerk for the audience
to care about the
fates of these two people.
An interesting
character study, the
film would have been
more memorable had
the protagonists been
more likable. Also,
given Nick's live-onfne-edge
personality,
one would expect
more meaningful or
even just
more interesting
lifelong fantasies
tnan doing things
in the buff, me absence
of a wide variety
of wild activities
underserves the thematic
construct.
Cathy Moriarty has
a fun role as Nick's
cool ex-stripper aunt,
and Kathryn Erbe is strong as Nick's longsuffering
girlfriend, whose hard exterior
barely disguises her vulnerability. And, despite
their repellent roles, both Arquette
and Hunt do great jobs in fleshing out their
characters; as the more charismatic, commanding
and off-kilter Nick, Hunt is a
standout.—Chrisf/ne James
SPRUNG ***l/2
Starring Rusty Cundieff, Tisha Campbell,
Joe Torry and Paula Jai Parker. Directed
by Rusty Cundieff. Written by Darin
Scott and Rusty Cundieff. Produced by
Darin Scott. A Trimark release. Romantic
comedy. Rated Rfor some strong sexuality
and language. Running time: 90 min.
Packed with humor, wild sex and romance
nicely wrapped with a message, this
"romantical" comedy shatters urban stereotypes
by taking them to the extreme without
being offensive. Reality and humor are used
to colorize circumstances and the resulting
consequences for two different classes offolks.
Law-clerk Brandy (Tisha Campbell, of
Fox TV's "Martin") and photographer
Montel (writer/director Rusty Cundieff) are
in love and about to move in together. Feeling
their friends are making a big mistake,
golddigger Adina ("Tales From the
Hood's" Paula Jai Parker) and womanizer
Clyde (Joe Torry, also from that Cundieff
movie) plot diabolical and downright "ignant"
tricks to sever the duo's romantic tie.
Cundieff and Campbell look good together,
and their relationship is so perfect
the story unfolds like an urban fairytale.
"Sprung" also has a great supporting cast.
With each film topping his last, Cundieff
could soon merit comparison with A-list directors.
Moviegoers springing for "Sprung"
will find its mental and visual twists worth
the investment. Dwayne E. Leslie
VOLCANO iriri^
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Anne
Heche, Gaby Hoffman and Don Cheadle.
Directed by Mick Jackson. Written by Jerome
Armstrong and Billy Ray. Produced
by Neal H. Moritz and Andrew Z. Davis. A
Fox release. Action/drama. Rated PG-13
for intense depiction of urban disaster and
related injuries. Running time: 105 min.
The cliche movie-review phrase "a
roller-coaster ride of a film" comes to mind
here, not only because of the adrenalinepumped
way the plot races over peaks of
mounfing dangers and valleys of humorous
repartee, but also because it's the sort of
movie you are exhilarated while watching.
But when it ends you wonder, "Is that it?"
With today's astounding SFX, a finale
that's anytfiing short of the movie theatre
itself blowing up is bound to be considered
anticlimactic. But in "Volcano's" case the
build-up markedly exceeds the payoff.
Tommy Lee Jones stars as Mike Roark,
head of Los Angeles' Office of Emergency
Management, who realizes L. A. is in danger
from beneath. After advising several precautions
that are ignored by the predictably
short-sighted, self-concerned higher-ups.
Roark seeks out the advice of spunky expert
geologist Dr. Amy Barnes ("Donnie
Brasco's" Anne Heche), who soon deduces
that volcanic activity may be afoot.
A decimation of cultural monuments that
filmgoers have so enjoyed in such films as
"John Carpenter's Escape From L.A." and
"Indepenoience Day" ensues, but some serious
mayhem also transpires. As Roark
lakes charge in a race-against-time scenario,
the film keeps a harrowing pace, even despite
an out-of-place subplot involving an
altruistic emergency room doctor and despite
messages about racial hannony. But
the action, the effects and tough-as-nails

I
become
—
—
REVIEWS
[)
Tommy
Lee provide a worthwhile thrill
ride—even if the last drop wasn't as big as
you thought it would be. Christine James
McHALE'S NAVY •
Starring Tom Arnold. Directed by
Bryan Spicer. Written by Peter Crabbe.
Produced by Sid, Bill and Jon Sheinberg.
A Universal release. Comedy. Rated PG
for action/violence, mild language and innuendos.
Running time: 108 min.
The Bubble Factory seems to be producing
movies using the Savoy model, in which
each new release is even worse than the one
that preceded it. Thus, in the wake of "Flipper"
and "The Pest," arrives sinking-ship
"McHale's Navy," a comedy based on the
1960s TV series. There is one laugh, and
several good explosions. But boomers familiar
with the fitfully comic but always
comradely-toned small-screen series will
quickly realize that both the tone and usual
narrative flow of the original have here
so much flotsam, with director
Bryan Spicer ("Mighty Morphin Power
Rangers") and scripter Peter Crabbe ("Car
54, Where Are You?") tracking their own
Polaris. One might suggest acompass check.
Not satisfied with one new tone, Spicer
launches a flotilla, making adjacent
scenes—of Bond-like action, family emoting,
popeyed comedy and little-kids flickery—feel
as if they're doing battle in some
cinematic Guadalcanal. Rather than worry
about his story reaching shore, Crabbe acts
like a Wolf Pack raider, intent on sending
his narrative to the bottom. As for military
reality, a screen image that reads "aquire
[sic] target" says it all. Kim Williamson
MURDER AT 1600 icirir
Starring Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane,
Alan Alda, Daniel Benzali and Ronny
Cox. Directed by Dwight Little. Written by
Wayne Beach and David Hodgin. Produced
by Arnold Kopelson and Arnon
Milchan. A Warner Bros, release. Thriller.
Rated R for sexuality, violence and some
language. Running time: 106 min.
More cartoonlike, and more entertaining,
than Clint Eastwood's "Absolute Power,"
Dwight Little's "Murder at 16(X)" originally
was set to open ahead of that Castle Rock film
before Warner Bros, pushed it back, in what
could be interpreted as a favor to its resident
screen legend. But, with a winning performance
by Wesley Snipes as an honest D.C.
cop unraveling a White House murder coverup,
this Regency production more than
holds its own against Eastwood's muted,
muddled take on govemmental corruption.
With the added metaphorical nuance of
centering the story on an African-American
cop whose tenacious devotion to duty is all
that stands between the Republic and chaos,
"Murder at 1600" has a ballsy, up-yours
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Response No. 15
PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED MAY AND JUNE RELEASES
"Bliss" -kirifk: Triumph, S/I6 ltd; see May 1997.
"Brassed Off •••1/2: Miramax, 5/23 NY/LA, 5/30 top 10; see March 1997.
"Broken English" •••: Sony Classics, 5/2 NY; see April 1997.
"Brothers in Trouble" ••••1/2: First Run, 5/14; see Sept. 1996.
"Children of the Revolution" -k-k-k: Miramax, 5/1 NY/LA, May exp; see May 1997.
"Color ofa Brisk and Leaping Day" -kill: Artistic License, 5/2; see April 1996.
"Commandments" •••1/2: Gramercy, 5/2 ltd; see April 1997.
"The Designated Mourner" ••l/Z: First Look, 5/2 NY; see May 1997.
"Differentfor Girls" ••: First Look, June; see Feb. 1997.
"Fall" •••: Orion, 6/20; see April 1997.
"Fetishes" •••: Cinema Vilhtge, 5/9; see April 1997.
"For Roseanna" aka "Roseanna's Grave" •••: Fine Line, 6/18 NY; see March 1997.
"Gabbeh" *kk: New Yorker, 6/27 NY; see Feb. 1997.
"Gray's Anatomy" ••: Northern Arts, 5/9 LA; see April 1997.
"Guantanamera" •••1/2: CFP, 5/16 ltd; see April 1997.
"Intimate Relations" ••: Fox Searchlight, 5/9 ltd, 5/16 & 5/23 exp; see Sept. 1996.
"The Leading Man " • • • : Legacy, May; see April 1 99 7.
"Leo Tolstoy 's Anna Karenina" ••1/2: Warner Bros., 5/2 exp; see May 1997.
"Love Serenade" ••1/2: Miramax, 6/20 NY/LA; see Aug. 1996.
"Love! Valour! Compassion!" •••1/2: Fine Line, 5/16 NY/LA/SF; see March 1997.
"Mondo" •••1/2: Shadow, 5/23; see March 1997.
"Mouth to Mouth" •••1/2: Miramax, 6/6 NY/LA; see Sept. 1996.
"nowhere" •: Fine Line, 5/9 NY/LA; see May 1997.
"The PiUow Book" •••: CFP, 6/6; see July 1996.
"Ponelte" ••: Arrow. 5/23 NY: see Nov. 1996.
"Ripe" •: Trimark, 5/2 NY, 5/9 IJ^; see Jan. 1997.
"Rough Magic" ••: Goldwyn, 5/30; see April 1997.
"Shall We Dance?" •••1/2: Miramax, 5/16 NY/LA. 5/23 & 5/30 exp; see May 1997.
"Shiloh" ••••: Legacy, 5/23 exp; see April 1997.
"Temptress Moon " kk-kVl: Miramax, 5/2 & 5/9 exp; see May 1997.
"Timothy Leary 's Dead" ••: Strand, May; see May 1997.
"The Tit and the Moon" ••1/2: Strand, June; see Nov. 1995.
"Truth or Consequences, N.M. " ••: Triumph, 5/2 NY/IA, 5/9 exp; see May 1997.
"Twin Town" ••1/2: Gramercy. 5/9 NY, 5/16 LA, 5/30 exp; see May 1997.
"Vice's Gold" ••••: Orion, 6/13 NY/LA; see April 1997.
"Underworld" •: Ugacy, 5/9 ltd; see April 1997.
"The Van" ••: Fox Searchlight, 5/23 ltd, 5/30 exp; see Aug. 1996.
"When the Cat's Away" kk-k-k: Sony Classics, 6/20 NY; see Feb. 1997.
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Response No. 443
June, 1997 (R-89) 53

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54 (R-90) BoxoincE
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FLASHBACK: MAY 18, 1959
What BOXOFFICE said about...
HERCULES
[This June 27, Buena Vista makes a cartoon of the mightily thewed man/god with
its 35th animated film, ''Hercules. " But we thought we 'd travel backfour decades to
see what BOXOFFICE thought of the live-action costume drama that in July 1959
Warner Bros, imported to the States. This Italian
production (filmed in 1957 under the title "Le Fatiche
di Ercole") starred bodybuilder Steve Reeves, who
also played the hero in "Hercules Unchained" and
went on to star in such spectacles as "The Last Days
of Pompeii." Alan Steel took over for "Hercules
Against Rome" and "Hercules Against the Moon
Men" (in Cromoscope!). After a two-decade break,
the Italians relaunched the saga with another
bodybuilder, Lou Ferrigno, with the early 1980s'
"Hercules" and "Hercules H."]
An elaborately staged and splendidly photographed
costume spectacle packed with hair-raising
adventures of the comic book variety, this Italianmade
picture produced by Federico Teti is ideally
suited to the fast playoff of saturation bookings,
where the youngsters and action fans will "eat it up,"
or for the drive-ins. Joseph E. Levine, who had
tremendous success with "Attila," also an Italian
action spectacle, is planning a colossal exploitation
campaign to launch this film for its summer showings,
and the mass public is sure to make it a boxofRce
hit. But, because sophisticated patrons might scoff at
the early De Mille-type lavishness and pageantry, key city first runs should be
bypassed. The only selling name is Steve Reeves, a handsome "hunk of man"
who was Mr. Universe and whose weight and chest and waist measurements are
played up as much as are Marilyn Monroe's. Reeves, who plays the title role,
will never win any acting awards, and Sylva Koscina and some of the other
Italian players are less than adequate—except visually. Director Pietro Francisci
concentrates on the storybook action. Magnificently shown in Dyaliscope and
Eastman Color. Starring Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina and Fabrizi Mioni.
EXPLOITIPS
Joseph E. Levine's big selling campaign includes radio, TV and magazines, as well
as Vaughn Monroe's RCA Victor recording of the title song. Publicize Steve Reeves.
CATCHLINES
Immense and Immortal Was Hercules' Strength—Like the World and the Gods
to Whom He Belonged. ..Steve Reeves. Handsome Mr. Universe, in a Role That
Takes Advantage of His Strength and Courage.
attitude toward entrenched authority that
audiences will find refreshing. Still, the
movie would have been far more disturbing
if all the government honchos weren't such
caricatures of evil or ineffectuality. Ludicrously
overblown thriller music by Christopher
Young works against Little's
sharply paced direction. Snipes' thoughtful,
droll performance again shows his impressive
range, but he's not allowed even a
glimmer of sexual chemistry with white
leading lady Diane Lane, playing a Secret
Service agent who gradually becomes his
ally. As a result. Lane is stuck on one dourand-haggard
note. Joseph McBride
8 HEADS IN A DUFFEL BAG ••1/2
Starring Joe Pesci, Andy Comeau and
Krlity Swanson. Directed and written by
Tom Schulman. Produced by Brad
Krevoy, Steve Stabler and John Bertolli.
An Orion release. Comedy. Rated R for
language. Running time: 95 min.
Halfway between the laugh-meter results
for its "Dumb & Dumber" and "Kingpin,"
this latest effort from producer Brad Krevoy
and Steve Stabler' s MFCA mines the sporadic
gold nugget from its gumbah-comedy
terrain. The story, provided by debut director
Tom Schulman (Oscar winner for his
"Dead Poets Society" script), follows a mob
bagman (Joe Pesci, lowkey for him)—his
consignment: eight heads—as he travels to
Mexico to retrieve the duffel bag that holds
them, accidentally in the hands of medical
student Charlie (ineffective newcomer
Andy Comeau). Comic catastrophe occurs.
Or is meant to occur. One person discovering
heads in a bag might be funny, but the
audience quickly adjusts to that peculiar
scenario and goes looking for new laughs.
REVIEWS
Not until David Spade ("Black Sheep")
comes on the scene as a college chum do
matters really perk up. Had this abrasive
actor been paired against the abrasive Pesci,
"8 Heads in a Duffel Bag" might have had
real spark. As is, it's a modest
diversion that delivers only a
half-full (or half-empty) load of
comic cargo. Kim Williamson
ANACONDA ••
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice
Cube, Jon Voight and Eric
Stoltz. Directed by Luis Llosa.
Written by Hans Bauer and Jim
Cash & Jack Epps, Jr. Produced
by Verna Harrah, Leonard
Rabinowitz and Carole Little. A
Columbia release. Adventure/
horror. Rated PG-13for intense
adventure violence, andfor brief
language and sensuality. Running
time: 90 min.
Every preconceived notion audiences
might have about "Anaconda"
is correct. This supposed
serpentine shocker features
doomed adventurers wading
through murky water while a
deadly snake nears and "Jaws"-like music
throbs. Supporting characters die in a predictable
sequence; there's a bad guy with a
foreign accent, and the requisite romance of
handsome hunk with shapely babe.
But scary this movie isn't. The faux serpent
looks wholly unrealistic as it zips
through water and air like a Saturday morning
cartoon character. And such schlocky
touches as its penchant for regurgitation are
more gross (and funny) than frightening.
Director Luis Llosa ("The Specialist") shot
the film in Brazil, and the tropical setting
imbues it with much-needed authenticity
and cinematic richness. Llosa advances the
story at an absorbing clip that never bores
the audience, and he wisely eschews any
high-minded discourse about good and evil.
As cheesy, predictable horror flicks go,
"Anaconda" .squeezes considerable life
from its limited aspirations. Ian Hodder
CADILLAC RANCH •
Starring Christopher IJoyd,
Suzy AmLi
and Caroleen Feeney. Directed by Lisa
Gottlieb. Written by Jennifer Cecil. Produced
by J. Todd Harris and Harvey Kahn.
A Legacy release. Comedy. Rated Rfor language
and some nudity. Run time: 103 min.
Playing onscreen like a low-rent
"Thelma & Louise," with three sisters on
the run from a sadistic lawman, Jennifer
Cecil's first screenplay exhibits neither the
flair nor the feminism that fueled that 1991
movie. In their place, Cecil gives her grown
women a terminal father fixation that
proves a poor engine to drive the plot.
This BMG Independents effort— produced
by "Denise Calls Up's" J. Todd Harris—should
have been a showcase for
actresses, but it turns into an emoting fest.
The blame appears to lie less with director
Lisa Gottlieb ("Across the Moon"), who at

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REVIEWS
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I
least keeps matters moving, than with Cecil,
whose script approach is to give the actors
lots to blab about. Black-and-white flashbacks
repeat ad nauseum. Only sexy Amis
shows some winning fire. Carole Glines
comedy. Rated R for language and
BREATHING ROOM ^1/2
Starring Susan Floyd and Dan Futterman.
Directed by Jon Sherman. Written by
Tom Hughes andJon Sherman. Produced
by Tim Perell. An Arrow release. Romantic
some sexuality. Running time: 90 min.
The lame humor and artificial characterizations
in "Breathing Room" undercut the
film's intended truth and poignance. Perhaps
if the roles were not so cute and arch
in their imbecility, or so eager to please the
audience, Jon Sherman's well-meaning romantic
comedy might have charmed; as is,
aimless and forced riffs combining the influences
ofWoody Allen and Albert Brooks
(and even Alan Alda) try too hard.
Lead actress Susan Floyd has an appealingly
perky personality—if not much
warmth or spontaneity—as a single New
Yorker whose relationship with her live-in
boyfriend (a bland Dan Futterman) is falling
apart. They decide to separate for a
month as a test; the balance of the film
consists of ambling, contrived dialogues
with relatives, friends and potential lovers
as the couple try to find love and happiness
elsewhere. Predictably, they don't, and
most of the conversations are of the ersatz
group-therapy variety, delivered by enthusiastic
amateurs who act as though they had
the IQs of rabbits. Dale Winogura
THAT OLD FEELING ^^^
Starring Bette Midler, Dennis Farina,
Paula Marshall and Danny Nucci. Directed
by Carl Reiner. Written by Leslie Dixon.
Produced by Leslie Dixon and Bonnie
Bruckheimer. A Universal release. Comedy.
Rated PG-13 for language and sex-related
material Running time: 105 min.
Thankfully not the "First Wives Club"
redux one might expect, "That Old Feeling"
instead celebrates the firepower of a reignited
old flame, here actress Lilly (Bette
Midler) and author Dan (Dennis Farina) as
a divorced couple who reunite at the wedding
of daughter Molly (Paula Marshall).
Lilly and Dan agree to part ways, but they
soon realize "that old feeling" is still there
and end up in bed again. Spumed spouses
discover the infidelities; the paramours escape
to be alone. What follows is a hit-andmiss
combination of humorous hijinks and
predictable romantic entanglements. It
seems that Lilly, Dan and Molly have all
married cartoonishly unlikable spouses,
which conveniently frees them for other
pursuits. Lilly and Dan push their (annoymgly)
uptight daughter towards a rougharound-the-edges
but good-hearted
paparazzo (Danny Nucci). Meanwhile, the
cuckolded counterparts engage in increasingly
preposterous behavior. It's all goofy,
but adequately amusing, thanks mostly to
scenery-chewer Midler. Christine James
THE SAINT ^^1/2
Starring Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue
and Rode Serbedzija. Directed by Phillip
Noyce. Written by Jonathan Hensleigh
and Wesley Strick. Produced by David
Brown, Robert Evans, William J. Mac-
Donald and Mace Neufeld. A Paramount
release. Rated PG-13 for action violence,
brief strong language, some sensuality
and drug content. Running time: 117 min.
"The Saint," based on the popular novel
series (by Leslie Charteris) that inspired
a Roger Moore-starring TV show, follows
the whirlwind adventures of the James
Bond-like character who uses the names
of Catholic saints as his aliases. In this
incarnation. Templar (Val Kilmer) is
hired by a Russian billionaire and
wannabe czar, Ivan Tretiak ("Broken
English's" Rade Serbedzija), to steal a
cold-fusion formula.
His target: a beautiful and hopelessly
romantic scientist, Emma Russell ("Leaving
Las Vegas'" Elisabeth Shue, in her
most charming Catholic schoolgirl outfits).
But Templar's perfect plan goes
awry when the devil-may-care playboy
finds himself falling for Emma. Soon the
Russian gangsters, led by Tretiak' s son
Ilya (Valery Nikolaev), are after both of
them as the Soviet Union races to the
brink of another revolution.
It' s easy to see why the enigmatic Kilmer
picked The Saint— given its opportunities
to mix a dashing leading man franchise
with a character who gets to dress up and
play-act a variety of extreme disguises
over the rubber-encrusted Batman. It was
a good move. The chemistry between Kilmer
and Shue sparks the first part, but the
film fizzles under the weight of a plodding,
frustrating mess disguised as a plot.
The script is a mixed bag of pseudo-politics,
intriguing ideas and romantic mishmash.
Noyce has a certain flair for creating
tension and inventing a lot of sound and
fury, but he lacks the light touch that
"The Saint" needs. Susan Lambert
INVENTING THE ABBOTTS ^^
Starring Liv Tyler, Joaquin Phoenix,
Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly and Joanna
Going. Directed by Pat O'Connor.
Written by Ken Hixon. Produced by Ron
Howard, Brian Grazer and Janet Myers. A
Fox release. Drama. Rated Rfor sexuality
and language. Running time: 105 min.
It' s 1 957; the Abbotts are the richest family
in a small Illinois town and have three
beautiful daughters. Jacey ("Sleepers'"
Billy Crudup) and Doug Holt ("To Die
For's" Joaquin Phoenix) are much lower on
the social scale; they live with their widowed
mother ("Article 99's" Kathy Baker),
a teacher. Jacey is obsessed with the Abbotts;
he believes the girls' strict father
(Will Patton) became rich from a patent of
the Holts' dead father, so Jacey aims to get
even by becoming involved with the uninhibited
middle daughter Eleanor ("Mulholland
Falls'" Jennifer Connelly) and later
AHce ("Wyatt Earp's" Joanna Going), the
eldest. Less social, Doug is slow to realize
that Pam ("Stealing Beauty's" Liv Tyler),
the youngest Abbott, is in love with him.
Period detailing sharply contrast the lives
of the Holt and Abbott families, and this
re-creation of the repressive atmosphere of
that era is far more successful than is Ken
Hixon' s script (based on a Sue Miller story).
The young actors all give strong performances.
But director Pat O'Connor ("Circle
of Friends") has given this film a very slow
pace yet still manages to include every romantic
movie cliche. Ed Scheid
PRESENTING THE FANTASTIC 4
XR171
ANTI-STATIC
non-yellowing
peariesceni surface

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56 (R-92) BoxoFKicE
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DOUBLE TEAM •^•^
Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme,
Dennis Rodman and Mickey Rourke. Directed
by Tsui Hark. Written by Don
Jakoby and Paul Mones. Produced by
Moshe Diamant. A Columbia release. Action/adventure.
Rated R for nonstop action
violence. Running time: 93 min.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, the workhorse
Kickboxer/Romancer, has accomplished
something bright, wild and unusual. By starring
in their films, he has assisted three
famed Hong Kong directors to enter the
American market: John Woo with "Hard
Target," Ringo Lam with "Maximum Risk"
and now Tsui Hark with "Double Team."
That alone is a feat of merit and significance.
And in his latest "double teaming"—or triple-teaming,
if one includes media name/
NBA player Dennis Rodman, who costars—Van
Damme has facilitated a piece of
cinematic poetry for his global audience.
In his first stateside production (shot in
Europe with an international crew), Tsui
has retained a good portion of the style he's
famous for—and he's extended it. With the
help of cinematographer Peter Pau (Woo's
"The Killer"), Tsui uses complex camera
and lab work: reverse zooms, step printing,
different film speeds, kaleidoscopic angles,
and closeups. Edited by Bill Pankow
("Maximum Risk") and containing splitsecond
edits, "Double Team" never stays
still. It's one of the fastest collages of storytelling
images to surface in an American
film and contains an amusement park sequence
of pure speed, color and image. As
in a poem, the line ends don't meet to form
a sentence, but the meaning is clear.
Though the plot leaks, the three leads bail
it out. Also of note is a stunningly swift and
adept martial arts fight sequence with action
choreographer Xin Xin Xiong. Extra connective
tissue is provided in this Mandalay/One
Story effort by a smart and eclectic
score by Gary Chang. Karen Achenbach
THE6THMAN ^^^^^1/2
Starring Marlon Wayans and Kadeem
Hardison. Directed by Randall Miller.
Written by Christopher Reed and Cynthia
Carle. Produced by David Hoberman. A
Buena Vista release. Comedy. Rated PG-
13 for brief language and some innuendos.
Running time: 108 min.
When brothers Antoine ("Vampire in
Brooklyn's" Kadeem Hardison) and Kenny
Tyler ("Don't Be a Menace's..." Marlon
Wayans) played basketball as kids, they had
dreams of making it to the NCAA finals.
Before they have a chance to make their
fantasy a reality, Antoine dies. Confused
and alone, Kenny—and his Washington
Huskies teammates—must fight on. But, in
response to a wish Kenny makes, Antoine" s
REVIEWS
ghost appears, ready to help the team.
"The oth Man'.s' underlying story deals
with learning to say goodbye to someone
who you really love and who you thought
would always be there. As the narrative
unfolds, the emotional bond between brothers
is both demonstrated and tested. In a
nice character-arc payoff, when the naturalborn
leader of the two, Antoine, goes too
far, Kenny is forced to take charge. For
many of the roles, the filmmakers found it
easier to teach real players how to act rather
than teach actors how to play ball, and their
gamble pays off. Also, compared to many
sports films, "The 6th Man" has a lot more
competition scenes, and they are effectively
portrayed. Dwayne E. Leslie
B.A.P.S. •
Starring Halle Berry and Martin Landau.
Directed by Robert Townsend. Written
by Troy Beyer. Produced by Mark Burg
and Loretha Jones. A New Line release.
Comedy. Rated PG- 13for briefstrong language.
Running time: 87 min.
Even with gold teeth, prehensile fingernails,
whipped cream blonde hair and a
squeeze-tight orange plastic jumpsuit,
Halle Berry is beautiful. Beyond that,
"B.A.P.S." (Black American Princesses) is
amateurish and silly. What is meant to be a
funny fairytale trip about the quest for a pot
of gold, following two Georgia waitresses
(Berry and Natalie Desselle) who take high
hopes to Hollywood, stumbles through
scenes. The jokes generate no laughs, leaving
the actors looking foolish.
Oscar winner Martin Landau ("Ed
Wood") and Ian Richardson ("Brazil") are
trapped in character cliches. The heart of the
story (about how cross-cultural encounters
can be worthwhile) only presumably underlies
Troy Beyer's script. At the helm, director
Robert Townsend ("Meteor Man") has
made a film for which the adjectives "inert,"
"unfocused" and "foolish" do battle for the
descriptive crown. Together, they combine
to make this film B.A.D. Bridget Byrne
CATS DON'T DANCE •••
Voices by Scott Bakula, Jasmine Guy,
Natalie Cole, Ashley Peldon, Kathy
Najimy, John Rhys-Davies, George Kennedy,
Rene Auberjonois, Hal Holbrook
and Don Knotts. Directed by Mark Dindal.
Written by Roberts Gannaway, CliffRuby,
Elana Lesser and Theresa Pettengill. Produced
by David Kirschner and Paul Gertz.
A Warner Bros, release. Animated. Rated
G. Running time: 75 min.
The latest from producer David Kirschner
("The Pagemaster") has a number of
marketable elements to attract families and
children: a wonderfully overrealized
Golden-Era Hollywood setting, a pleasing
(at times fabulously so) palette, six tuneful
Randy Newman songs, a zing-bing narrative
flow, and attractive leads (no hunchbacks
here). The late Gene Kelly even
helped design sparkling choreography.
On the downside, "Cats Don't Dance"
isn't as personal a film as Kirschner's "The
Pagemaster," and that takes away from its
(however feline) humanity. Although its
1939 Tinseltown setting and occasional
caricature appearances (Gable, Davis et al.)
and its cotta-be-a-star wishes will be familiar
to adults, children might be a bit lost.
"Cats Don't Dance" is relea.sed with an
eight-minute, G-ratcd Looney Tune short.
"Pullet Surprise." The Foghorn Leghorn
starrer from Chuck Jones Prods . doesn ' t add
anything to the Warner cartoon canon, and
as always the vocal stylings of Mel Blanc
are much missed. Kim Williamson
TURBO ^1/2
Starring Jason David Frank, Johnny
Yong Bosch, Nakia Burrise, Catherine
Sutherland, Blake Foster and Hilary
Shepard Turner. Directed by David Winning
and Sliuki Levy.
Written by Shuki
Levy and Shell Danielson. Produced by
Jonathan Tzachor. A Fox release. Action.
Rated PG for non-stop fantasy action violence.
Running time: 100 min.
It's not a sequel or a continuation of an
episode ofthe#l -rated children's TV show.
"Turbo" is just what its subtitle says: "A
Power Ranger Movie." The only link is that
it has all the show's Power Rangers.
After a turbo-charged credit sequence,
the film quickly downshifts audience enthusiasm.
Perhaps parental complaints
about violence are the cau.se, but this
"Turbo" is an hour old before the rock-em
sock-em begins. In its place are lots of rock
music, fireworks-frill teleportations, a
morphing scene and giant-headed aliens. In
the first film, the zords were shiny and had
a liquid-metal look; this time, they're just
wannabe turbo cars with no special weapons.
A climactic Mega-Turbo Zord battle
scene looks like excess footage from the
small-screen show. This "Turbo" arrives
running on empty. Dwayne E. Leslie
TOUCH ^1/2
Starring Bridget Fonda, Christopher
Walken, Skeet Ulrich and Tom Arnold.
Directed and written by Paul Schrader.
Produced by Lila Cazes and Fida Attieh.
An MGM release. Comedy/drama. Rated
R for some sexuality, language and a
scene of violence. Running time: 97 min.
A mess of religious satire, semi-.serious
theology, black comedy and romantic
drama, "Touch" never develops its provocative
ideas. Using some of his Calvinist
upbringing, in which people are either predestined
for salvation or not, writer/director
Paul Schrader (last heard from with 1992's
"Light Sleeper") has resurfaced with sloppy
storytelling and loose craftsmanship that
turn his thesis into a bland eruel.
In a story of fake and real faith healing, a
central conflict between materialism and
spirituality isn't dramatized with sincerity
or insight. In.stead, Schrader piles on offbeat
cinematic touches, elliptical transitions and
dialogues that drone toward aimlessness.
His cold, cerebral approach to characters
fails to define them in any meaningful way.
In dealing with matters of true vs. bogus
faith, Schrader is trying to make a personal
statement, using Elmore Leonard's book of
the same name as a springboard. But, unlike
Schrader's best films ("Hardcore" and
"Patty Hearst"), he doesn't strike a balance
between realism and .stylization. or lake
enough chances in examining complex
human behavior. Dale Winogura

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— —
REVIEWS IN BRIEF
Review Digest
LICENSED TO
KILL •••1/2
Directed, written and produced
by Arthur Dong. A Deep
Focus release. Documentary.
Unrated. Running time: 79min.
A grim, sober and succinct
glimpse into diseased human
minds, "Licensed to Kill" does
not judge the seven convicted
criminals candidly interviewed
here. Instead, it urgently tries to
understand the causes of their
illegal act: gay bashing.
Without narration or facile
commentary, filmmaker Arthur
Dong—who directs, scripts,
produces and edits—insightfully
and sensitively exammes
how fear and self-hatred can
make a killer. His film's devastating
impact is enhanced by a
vivid use of video for the interviews,
courtroom proceedings
and police investigations. The
work's one major flaw: gratuitous
gory shots of victims at
crime .scenes, which serve only
to bludgeon the point. Still, a
more honest and ruthless study
of homophobia has not been
made yet. Dale Winogura
TANGO FEROZ ^1/2
Starring Fernan Miras and
Cecilia Dopazo. Directed by
Marcelo Pineyro. Written by
Aida Bortnik and Marcelo
Pineyro. Produced by Claudio
Pustelnik and Katrina
Bayonas. A Tara release.
Drama. Spanish-language;
English subtitles. Unrated.
Running time: 108 min.
Ferocity and passion are key
ingredients missing from a
plodding and listless biography
of the popular Argentine rock
singer Jose Alberto Cruz (aka
Tango) from the late 1960s to
his untimely death in 1972. As
portrayed by Fernan Miras, this
would-be rebel mainly mopes
about, has impersonal sex with
his girlfriend (Cecilia Dopazo),
talks aimlessly about nothing in
particular, and endures drearj'
prison life with a friendly cellmate
who.se dialogues are even
more numbingly self-important
than are Tango's.
Even mental-hospital scenes
lack their intended sense of
cruelty and injustice because of
the languid and downbeat
moviemaking. The existential
despair and disconnected dramatic
structure of the writing
are compounded by the uninspired
vision and monotonic
rhythm of Marcelo Pineyro"
direction. — Dale Winogura
KIDS OF SURVIVAL
•••1/2
Starring Tim Rollins. Directed
and produced by Daniel
Geller and Dayna Goldfine.
A Geller/Goldfine release.
Documentary. Unrated.
Running time: 87 min.
Inspiring and affecting but
not overly manipulative, "Kids
of Survival" (subtitled 'The Art
and Life of Tim Rollins &
K.O.S.") sensitively deals with
personal and financial problems
of education and how
today's youth can be empowered
by a caring, compassionate
teacher. Tim Rollins' class of
10 teenagers in a South Bronx
school is scrupulously depicted
in matter-of-fact cinema verite
as they work together to create
unique paintings, using classic
works of literature like Stephen
Crane's "The Red Badge of
Courage" and George Orwell's
"Animal Farm" as arti.stic inspiration
and canvas.
The difficulties of teaching
such troubled and/or learningimpaired
children are squarely
confronted by directors Dan
Geller and Dayna Goldfine,
with occasional visits to their
subjects' homes. They make
the vital therapeutic connection
between art and life with uplifting
perceptions, but the video
technique they employ tends to
be a bit too prosaic to reach into
the souls of these special people.
It's a small flaw, but a significant
one. Dale Winogura
A TRUE AMERICAN ^1/2
Starring Dwight Martin,
Juvencio Gonzalez Jr. and
Garnet Miller. Directed, written
andproduced by Paul Roberts.
A Roberts Cinema
release. Thriller. Unrated.
Running time: 99 min.
Poor production, editing and
acting clouds this otherwise interesting
micro-budget spy
thriller. In a feature film debut
for the writer/director/producer,
Paul Roberts has assembled
a cast of unknowns to
portray a group of high-level
CIA analysts who meet to decide
how to handle a life-threatening
situation involving
widespread radioactive contamination
of the food chain.
The tale could be compelling,
but—with a budget of a mere
$25,000—Roberts has skimped
on some important production
necessities. "A True American"
is a B movie, though it
aspires to more. Pat Kramer
> O to. a.
H Q in Tt r«^ (M ^
8
u
Absolute Power
R(Col)
Story-type key: (Ac) Action; (Ad) Adventure; (An) Animated;
(C) Comedy; (D) Drama; (Doc) Documentary; (F) Fantasy;
(Hor) Horror; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (R) Romance;
(Sat) Satire; (SF) Science Fiction; (Sus) Suspense;
o
(Th) Thriller; (W) Western.
Z
as
z
u

NATIONAL
NEWS
OCTOBERFEST FOR UNIVERSAL; UVE
STIU. KICKING; TRIMARK R.I.P.?
Universal Pictures will acquire a majority
interest in October Films, ending much speculation
about the future of the well-regarded
indie. The deal not only gives Universal the
specialized division it's been looking for, but
strengthens October's position on the international
front and provides some very deep
pockets to reach into. October, valued at
about $40 million, is privately held by a group
of Wall Street investors. Its recent critical and
commercial successes with "Secrets & Lies"
and "Breaking the Waves" made it a hot
property. The deal, which resembles the
Disney acquisition of Miramax some years
back, provides for continuing autonomy for
October's executives. October will maintain
its headquarters in New York and continue to
acquire, create, market and distribute its films
theatrically, both domestically and internationally.
Universal will control video distribution,
television rights and other ancillary
markets on October's films.
The agreement ends an attempt by a Boston-based
investment firm. Bain Capital Partners,
to create a three-way merger among Li ve
Entertainment, October Pictures and Trimark
Holdings that would have resulted in a $200
million mega-indie. It remains to be seen
whether Bain will try for a two-way merger
since it appears to have agreed to acquire Live
Entertainment— in the midst of a long-running
IRS audit—for $93 million. Live chairman
Roger Burlage reportedly had preferred
a refinancing proposal of Canyon Partners, a
Los Angeles-based investment partnership;
under Canyon, Burlage would have run Live
on its current business plan, which is to further
develop a production and distribution arm.
Interestingly enough, Burlage once ran Trimark,
which has seen its stock, literally and
figuratively, fall in recent months. Stock prices
went from $6.25 in January to $3.37 in April.
Early-year release "Meet Wally Sparks"
bombed badly at the boxoffice, taking in just
$4 million on an outlay by Trimark estimated
at $1 5 million to $20 million for acquisition
and P&A. Insiders say Chase Securities,
Trimark's lead banker, has been seeking a
buyer for the indie, which is valued at $45
million, including debt.
INDIE MINORS FOR MAJORS
A recent study led by John Nendick, a
partner in Andersen's Global Communications
and Entertainment Group, emphasized
the positive for the future of independent
films. The study showed the independent film
industry was strong and getting stronger, saying
that independents would continue to
flourish under relationships forged with large
companies and studios that look to the
smaller, outsider companies for product. Plus,
the studios view the indies as a talent "training
INDIES, INDIES EVERYWHERE AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK
In preparation for our August Independent/Specialty Market film report,
this edition of National News takes a fast look at a growing and
rather disturbing trend among some fixtures in the specialized film
scene. Despite the recent triumph of specialty movies at the Oscars and
a flood of press on the renaissance of independent film, many of the less
fortunate companies and/or studio divisions devoted to the creation of
"niche" titles are having an increasingly hard time gaining market share.
This is having the expected effect, with some major suppliers of recent
years feeling the pinch and even teetering on the edge of collapse. ^ .
Here's a fast, quick snapshot of major recent developments: JjmjjM
ground"—much like the way baseball uses
minor leagues to nurture talent for the majors.
The study noted that 48 percent of 1996
releases were independent films, but it also
acknowledged the increase in overall releases
made it harder for a small film to find and,
more importantly, build on its audience because
the turnover rate in theatres is so high.
THE LION POUNCES
Desiring to increase its Wall Street appeal,
MCM has agreed to acquire Orion Pictures,
Goldwyn Entertainment and Motion Picture
Corp. of America from John Kluge's
Metromedia Entertainment Group. The $573
million price represents a cash payment of
$373 million (coming from MGM's co-owners.
Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. and Australian
broadcaster Seven Network) and $200
million in debt assumption. The buy bolsters
MGM's I ibrary holdings—which, as a primary
asset in Hollywood valuations, would make
an expected stock offering by the studio more
attractive.
MGM owns the United Artists titles,
but the company under Kerkorian's first
reign sold all pre-1987 MGM films to Ted
Turner. Metromedia's library adds 2,200 titles
to MGM's 1,559-film vault. Metromedia retains
control of the Landmark arthouse circuit.
SONY TERMINATES TRIUMPH
While other studios are looking to create or
acquire indie arms, Sony Pictures Entertainment
will beshuttingitsdown. After fouryears
of operating it, Sony will dissolve low-budget
arm Triumph once the current slate of films
are completed. Sony president and COO John
Galley said the move was strategic rather than
financial and was intended to focus energies
on Columbia and TriStar. Born during former
president Peter Guber's tenure. Triumph has
had an uneven boxoffice record. President of
Triumph since 1 993, David Saunders said the
division should not be shut down, insisting
every Triumph movie has ultimately made its
money back and then some after video and
TV revenues were counted. He is expected to
remain at Triumph until 1998, when the last
six Triumph films in the works will be released.
Triumph's latest releases are "Truth or
Consequences, N.M." and "Masterminds."
CUTS AT CASTLE ROCK
The ripple effect of the Time Warner/Turner
merger continues. The latest boat to be tossed
is Castle Rock Entertainment, which will lay
off all but 40 to 55 of its 1 1 7 employees. The
cuts were expected and come in departments
that have overlapping responsibilities with
Warner Bros., the Time Warner arm that next
year begins distributing Castle Rock productions,
which will average five films annually.
Turner Broadcasting System bought Castle
Rock three years ago and beefed up the staff.
It was readying the company to be part of a
new studio Ted Turner was aiming to create
by combining Castle Rock, New Line and the
now-defunct Turner Pictures. Castle Rock
production president Liz Glotzer will remain
in her post. Likewise, feature and TV development
will be unaffected, as will any development
deals actors and directors have with
Castle Rock. The company's domestic distribution
deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment
expires this year. Currently, Castle Rock's foreign
distribution is handled through joint ventures
with overseas companies: Concord in
Germany, UGC in France and Rank in the UK.
NEW LINE NOT FOR SALE
In a related 1 ime Warner story, the media
giant has finally, after many talks and much
effort to find a buyer for New Line Cinema,
taken the company off the market. This comes
despite Ted Turner's reported desire to sell
and the clear indication that New Line chairman
Bob Shaye won't settle for anything less
than full autonomy. Though the company will
be staying with Time Warner for now, talks
have begun with banks to arrange off-balance
production financing in order to keep New
Line costs off the Time Warner books.
Under the original New Line/Turner deal.
New Linewasguaranteed independence. Not
so with Time Warner. Both New Line and
Castle Rock still officially report to Turner, but
with $500 million needed to make its upcoming
slate of films—including the big-budget
sci-fi extravaganza "Lost in Space," set for an
April '98 release—New Line needs cash. If
provided by Time Warner, Warner Bros, cochairmen
Bob Daly and Terry Semel might be
able to call the shots at the former indie.
New Line might have looked better to buyers
if Shaye were willing to return to making
the lower-budget films that first put New Line
on the map, but Shaye prefers a range of
budgets. Turner, who acquired New Line in
1993 for $570 million, wanted to sell for >i
high price (up to $1 billion). New Line's recent
track record and Turner's desire to turn
a profit seemed to have combined to make ii
impossible for New Line to find a buyer.
But the situation remains fluid. New Line's
upcoming slate includes "Austin Powers: International
Man of Mystery," "Boogie Nights'
and "Mortal Kombaf: Annihilation"—all oi
which are contenders for breakout success.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS
PACIFIC OVERTURES
NOTES FROM THE PACIFIC RIM by Susan Lambert
LEAD STORY:
CHINA OPENS THEATRE DOORS TO FOREIGN INVESTMENT
BEIJING—China wants to update its theatres and reinvigorate its cinemagoing
audience, but according to Zhou Ming, an official ot the Film Industry
Administration, the country can't afford to go it alone. That is why the
notoriously closed country is taking the first steps toward inviting foreign
investors to have a piece of local development. The government says it will
soon publish foreign investment guidelines and is looking to bring in outside
money to support the country's struggling domestic film industry. In the past,
the Chinese government has avoided foreign participation and been leery of
imported films—seen as dangerous propaganda—to the degree of allowing
only 1 2 films per year into the country for general circulation. According to
existing laws, local cinemas must show Chinese-made films on at least
two-thirds of their screens. The government has no plans to change that
limitation at the moment, and foreign investors will be limited to minority
stakes in properties. Many companies, eager to get a foothold in the vast
underscreened market that is Cnina, are encouraged by the move, saying
that it's a small step in the right direction. China will be offering an opportunity
to invest in several urban markets: Beijing, Shanghai and Western
Chongqing. Mike Conners, a Motion Picture Association spokesman based
in Singapore, says some foreign companies are already investing in cinemas
through local Cninese companies. Hong Kong-based Lark International Enterprises
plans to open an eight-screen multiplex on the mainland in July as
part of a deal it has with United Artists Theatre Circuit. Also, Singapore-based
Singapore Technologies Industrial Corp. and Golden Harvest Multiplex are
partnering to build Shanghai's first multiplex, a 1 ,300-seat sixplex.
MORRIS LEAVES FFC, HOYTS EXPANDS ABROAD
SYDNEY—John Morris, chief executive of the Australian Film
Finance Corp. (FFC), has decided to leave the agency on June 30
when his contract expires. The ITC is Queensland's principal
funding agency, and during Morris' eight-year term it investecl in
such films as "Shine," "Strictly Ballroom" and "Muriel's Wedding."
FFC chairman Bob Campbell praised Morris for successfully
steering the corporation through its third government review, which
confirmed the success of FFC's direct subsidy to the film industry.
It is speculated that FCC will look for Morris' replacement at other
state film agencies or even within its own ranks. One possible
candidate is FFC senior investment manager Catriona Hughes.
In other Australian news, Hoyts Cinemas, which is expanding its
international presence, has promoted two executives. Neil Pentecost,
operations manager for New South Wales and Queensland,
headed to Santiago, Chile in May to become general manager of
Hoyts' new operation there; and Hoyts executive Stuart Mclnnes
now moves to
London as general manager of of)erations in the
United Kingdom and Europe.
HONG KONG PRODUCERS FACE CHINESE CENSORS
HONG KONG—Hong Kong producers and directors are
breathing a little easier these days now that it looks like China may
allow studios to release two versions of their films: one for distribution
in Hong Kong and one for mainland theatres. The managing
director for Media Asia Group, Ma Fung-kwok, hopes it is a sign
that artistic freedom will be protected in Hong Kong when it reverts
to Chinese rule on July 1. Ma Fung-kwok is a member of the
Beijing-based Provisional Legislature that will take over from
Hong Kong's elected body when the transition occurs. Chinese
authorities regularly practice censorship on
mainland films through a committee of a dozen
or so bureaucrats, which must approve all films
before distribution. Ng See-yuen, chairman of
the Hong Kong Film awards and managing
director of Seasonal Film Corp., recently produced
a controversial historical drama "The
Soong Sisters" (see review, this issue). A story
of the powerful wives of three Chinese leaders,
it also had to gain approval of a separate committee
of historians. Ng See-yuen is pleased
that, although there were cuts made to satisfy
the censors, many controversial scenes survived
intact. But another Hong Kong producer,
Manfred Wong, says he has faced difficulties
gaining approval by Chinese authorities to film
his script "Wind and Cloud" on the mainland
because the film follows an anti-hero and Beijing
doesn't like the ambiguity of the story.
TEMASEK REAPS GOLDEN HARVEST
SINGAPORE—A signing ceremony was
held in April to celebrate the creation of a US$30
million film fund company, GH Pictures Limited,
which will invest in films produced in China.
The agreement is between Hong Kong's Golden
Harvest (through World Media Group Ltd.);
Citicorp Capital Asia Ltd.; and Television Corporation
of Singapore/Temasek Holdings Limited.
GH Pictures will support movie production
projects approved by the Peoples Repubhc of
China and the Ministry of Radio and Film TV, and all movies
produced by the fund will be distributed through Golden Harvest
Films. Golden Harvest chairman Raymond Chow says the company
plans to tap international capital and resources to fielp support
China's film industry. Lee Cheok Yew, CEO of Television Corporation
of Singapore, says the venture is a natural development for
TCS after 15 years of producing TV serials, specials and movies.
VIETNAM GUARANTEES INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY PROTECTION
HANOI—An agreement was reached in late April between
Vietnam and the United States that for the first time guarantees
protection of intellectual property in Vietnam. MPAA head Jack
Valenti hailed it
as a tremendous development in the war against
piracy. The piracy of movies and videos, along with books, musical
recordings and video games, threatens the potential for U.S. exports
in Vietnam with an estimated $50 million in trade losses each year.
Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
The agreement is considered a good step toward improved
U.S. -Vietnam trade relations, but in order for Vietnam to become
a member of the World Trade Organization it still must adopt a
number of international conventions, including the Bern Convention,
that protect intellectual property and other trade.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXHIBITION-RELATED NEWS
ITEM ABOUT THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARKET?
E-MAIL SUSAN LAMBERT IN CARE OF
boxofflce@earthlink.net
June, 1997 59

60 Boxoffice
EXHIBITION
BRIEFINGS
MUVICO'S MEMPHIS BELLE
Muvico Theatres plans to build what will
be the largest multiplex in Memphis, Tenn.
The state-of-the-art complex, set to open in
late 1 998, will have 23 auditoriums as well as
a 400- to 500-seat IMAX 3D theatre. The
cinema will offer stadium seating, digital
sound systems, wall-to-wall curved screens,
gourmet concessions and specially designed
seats created for Muvico, which feature
moveable armrests and lumbar support for
added comfort. Muvico currently operates 61
screens throughout Florida, with 1 1 7 screens
in various stages of development throughout
the southeastern United States, the Caribbean
and South America.
EVERYTHING'S COMING UP
ROSEVILLE FOR UATC
United Artists Theatre Circuit has opened
the Olympus Pointe 12 Theatre in Roseville,
Calif. "We feel the Roseville community has
been underserved by the exhibition industry
in providing a quality motion picture experience,"
says Neal Pinsker, vice president of
operations for the Western District. "The residents
of Roseville will now experience the
powerofTHX sound, digital processing, wallto-wall
screens, cupholder armrests and exemplary
customer service." The Olympus
Pointe 1 2 features DTS and SDDS, with THX
in two auditoriums; automated ticketing;
wheelchair seating dispersed throughout all
auditoriums; assistive listening devices; and a
state-of-the-art video wall in the lobby that
plays coming attractions.
DICKINSON GIVES OKLA. PATRONS
MOORE FOR THEIR MONEY
Dickinson Theatres is constructing a 12-
screen theatre in Moore, Okla., in what is the
first of several Oklahoma builds the circuit is
planning. The Moore 12 will feature giant
wall-to-wall screens, stadium seating, highback
rocker seats with cupholder armrests,
and Dolby, DTS and SDDS sound systems. A
centrally-located computerized boxoffice
will facilitate both same-day and advance
ticket sales.
METROPOLITAN'S DESERT OASIS
Metropolitan Theatres Corp. will add 32
screens in the Coachella Valley, a desert region
In California, according to Bruce
Corwin, the circuit's president. "Never before
has Metropolitan undertaken an expansion
project of such magnitude," says Corwin.
"We are extremely excited for our desert patrons,
who will now have the opportunity to
truly experience the finest our industry has to
offer in film presentation. All of our new
facilities will offer stadium seating and stateof-the-art
projection and digital sound." With
CONCESSIONS EXTRA: LOEWS FLUSH WITH ICEE SLUSH
Coca-Cola-owned
National ICEE
Corp.,
its previously announced expansion plans,
including a 10-plex in Calexico, Calif., Met-
manufacturer
of ICEE frozen carbonated
beverages, has
announced that Loews
Theatres (formerly Sony
Theatres) has agreed to
introduce ICEE at all of its
theatres. According to
ICEE, Loews conducted
taste tests with other frozen
carbonated beverage
brands, the results of
which affirmed ICEE's
popularity with consumers.
Additionally, ICEE
cites a research study in which 40 percent
of teens surveyed mentioned ICEE by
name as a drink they would buy. Among
ICEE's marketing initiatives are new promotional
cup designs, an updated logo
(still featuring ICEE's polar bear mascot).
ropolitan will operate n screens in the
Coachella and Imperial Valleys, bringing the
chain's total count to 151 screens throughout
California and Colorado.
NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS
UPS MASS IN MASS.
National Amusements is increasing its
Showcase Cinemas in Revere, Mass. by expanding
it to 18 screens and 5,800 seats,
making it the largest cinema complex in New
England. The renovated cinema will have
multiple boxoffices with 1 2 or more ticket-selling
stations; a full-service customer service
center; a cinema store selling movie merchandise;
a video wall showing trailers; and an
entertainment center with video games.
ON THE MOVE
Roger Eaton, president of Hoyts Cinemas
Corp. USA and Latin America, announced
that Alan Johnson, formerly senior vice president
of operations and marketing, has been
appointed chief operating officer for all of the
U.S. In his new position, Johnson, who joined
Hoyts a year ago, will be responsible for film,
construction, operations and marketing. ..The
board of directors of Ballantyne of Omaha
Inc.,
manufacturer and marketer of Strong
International-brand motion picture projection
systems and theatrical follow spotlights,
has announced that president and chief executive
officer Ronald H. Echtenkamp will become
vice chairman of the board. Succeeding
Echtenkamp as president and CEO will be
John P. Wilmers, currently executive vice
president of sales and a board member. Additionally,
Ray F. Boegner, vice president of
sales, has been promoted to senior VP of
sales... Digital Theater Systems has named
Dan Slusser as vice chairman and chief executive
officer. Slusser recently served as VP of
MCA Inc., senior VP and general manager of
Universal City Studios Inc. and chairman of
the Universal Facilities rental division. ..James
C. Naify has been named senior VP of film for
and tie-ins with sports, entertainment and
educational properties. Popular with the
kids are Bear Paw Points, which are available
on ICEE cups and can be redeemed
for ICEE merchandise such as caps, T-shirts
and beach towels.
Century Theatres. He will report to David
Shesgreen, who was recently promoted to
executive VP of corporate development and
programming. ..Jack Johnston has joined the
sales team of Cinemeccanica U.S. Inc., manufacturer
and distributor of projectors, consoles,
lamphouses and sound products.
Johnston has 20 years of sales experience in
the industry, having previously held positions
at Christie and ORC.MBKConstruction Ltd.,
a top theatre builder, has appointed Donald
E. Porter Jr. director of project support services.
Prior to joining MBK, Porter spent 15
years with Kitchell Contractors as manager of
support services.
SHOWMINDER
Remember to save the following dates:
NAC Expo, June 2-5, Marriott Hotel, Anaheim,
Calif. Call 31 2-236-3858. ..Theatre
Historical Society of America 28th Annual
Conclave, Salt Lake City Embassy Suites,
Utah. Call (801) 546-1 840. ..Cinema Expo,
June 29-July 2, RAI, Amsterdam. Call 212-
246-6460...Mid-Atlantic NATO Seminar-Reunion,
July 10-11, Harbor Court Hotel,
Baltimore, Md. Call (757) 722-5275. ..Australian
Movie Convention, August 1 3-1 6, Royal
Pines Resort, Cold Coast, Australia. Call 61
733565671 ...ShowSouth, August 19-20, Callaway
Gardens and Resort, Pine Mountain,
Ga. Call (770) 455-8988.. .ShowEast, Oct. 20-
23, Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, N.J. Call
21 2-246-6460. ..CineAsia, December 3-5,
Singapore International Convention and Exhibition
Centre. Call 21 2-246-6460.
CLARIFICATION
In the article "Palace Guard" (April 1997),
Boxoffice incorrectly stated that Mann Theatres
owns the Village and Bruin Theatres in
Westwood, Calif. Charles Skouras, president
of National Theatres for many years, obtained
the theatres in the 1930s, and they are still
owned by the Skouras family. Mann Theatres
has been a tenant since 1 973.

'
Q&A:
Susan
NAC REINVENTS
PUBLICATIONS
Cross, director of communications for the
National Association of Concessionaires, tells
BoxoFFicE about the complete revamping of the
SAC'S two publications. With new features, more information
and an attractive new design. Cross believes
Concessionworks andConcession Profession will both be
valuable tools to everyone in the concessions industry.
Boxof FicE: The NAC has reworked its quarterly newsletter,
and is starting a new biannual magazine. What are
these publications going to be like?
SUSAN CROSS: This all came about because we did a
readership survey, and we asked our members what they
wanted in our publications. They told us they wanted more,
and they wanted it to be snappier and brighter. The newsletter
used to be called The Concessionaire, and it was
basically a two-color [newsletter with) information about
the NAC. The frequency has changed from time to time— it
was a monthly, then it was quarterly, then it was a bimonthly.
We've changed the name to Concessionworks,
and it's now a quarterly four-color publication. It includes
information about the association and our members, as
well as feature articles on topics that our members are
interested in. The first issue just came out in March.
Boxoffice: What are some of the articles that appeared
in the first issue?
CROSS: The first issue had an article about the Internet
and the World Wide Web, and how you can use it in your
food service or concessions business. Another article deals
with Generation X in food service—how that particular
age group is impacting the food service and concessions
industry, both from a front-line perspective and from a
management perspective.
Boxoffice: What else is contained in the newsletter?
CROSS: There was information on the convention, the
trade show, registration forms; there's a product section for
new products; there's a news brief section that talks about
some of the things that are going on in the industry; there
was an article on one of our members [Bruce Proctor of
Proctor Cos.] receiving the Bert Nathan Memorial Award
at ShoWest. There's a page called "Fast Facts" that has
trivia items. Every issue tells you who the new members
are, information on people who have changed positions
or gotten promotions or have news going on in their
company. Each issue also has a spotlight, where we take
a member and give him a 20-questions kind of thing. It's
really fun. It's a combination of fun and information.
Boxoffice: Tell me about Concession Profession, the
biannual magazine.
CROSS: Concession Profession takes the place of Insite,
which was a yearly trade journal we started I believe in
1980. It came out annually and included our NAC membership
directory, as well as some feature articles and
information about the association. But it didn't really have
an identity, and it changed from year to year and it didn't
really have a focus. So we decided to do away with Insite,
and instead of doing a yearly trade journal/membership
directory, we would do a biannual magazine that would
have some consistency, that would have an identity in the
industry. The spring issue will have a lot of information
about our convention in it, as well as a number of feature
articles and columns. The fall issue will include the membership
directory, so we will keep that component of it,
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Response No. 40
June, 1997 61

62 BoxoFncE
INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS
EUROVIEWS
European News Notes by Melissa Morrison
LEAD STORY: LONDON MERGES FILM FESTIVALS
LONDON—An upstart challenger to the established London Film Festival (LFF) has
changed tactics and joined forces with its rival to create a premier film event in the
English capital. The nascent London Film '97 festival will merge with the LFF, Europe's
largest noncompetitive festival, which takes place November 6-23. The elder fest will
eventually take on some elements of London Film '97's concept: competitive screenings
and the possible addition of a related market. The two organizations, joined by
the producers group PACT (Producers' Association of Cinema and Television), will
discuss plans to make the 1 998 LFF a competitive, "A"-status one. Plans for the
London Film '97 festival and market were announced in February by Sheila Whitaker,
who had earlier been fired as the head of the LFF.
As originally planned, Whitaker's festival would have occurred in early October
and would have showcased 120 to 150 movies from American studios and major
international directors, just as the LFF does (although somewhat fewer than the LFF's
180). The new-and-improved festival echoes another evolving industry event: The
pre-Mifed London Premiere Screenings will also occur in the fall (October 1 3-1 7), its
timing placing it significantly just before the Mifed (International Film and TV Film
Documentary Market) screenmgs in Milan, Italy (October 19-24). Previously, the
London pre-Mifed screenings were more informally organized but have gradually
gained importance for film buyers and sellers. This year, at the urging of UK sales
companies, the screenings will be coordinated by, and resulting deals facilitated
through a central liaison office. (Also on the market front, the late-summer Venice
Film Festival has announced plans for the Venice International Film Market, meant
to prime the palate for the main dish of Mifed.)
MEDIA II SHOWS DISTRIBS THE MONEY
BRUSSELS—A new program by MEDIA II, the audiovisual
program of united Europe, will encourage foreign-film distribution
m member countries by rewarding films for foreign admissions.
The organization has earmarked US$12.8 million for the plan,
which may begin as early as the fall. Depending on the size of the
country in which the film screens, the movie willeam from US$.38
to US$.51 per ticket sold, with the advantage going to sales in
smaller countries. (The limit will be 1 million admissions and the
money will be returned in the form of a credit account to be used
for the distributor's next film.) The program announcement accompanied
news from the Paris-based International Federation of Film
Distributors' Associations (FIAD), which showed that admissions
for European films in countries other than the movies' home
countries had dropped precipitously. In 1995, only 26.3 million
foreign admissions were recorded, compared to 40. 1 million the
previous year—a decline of one-third. MEDIA II also announced
a new screenwriters' training program. North By Northwest, to be
organized by Britain's First Film I^oundation, the Dutch Maurits
Binger Film Institute, and Denmark's The Script. The training
course will bring American "script doctors," led by David Howard,
to Europe this summer and fall to advise their budding Continental
counterparts,
MUCHO MULTIPLEXES
ATHENS—Greece now boasts its first multiplex, the Finns are
waiting for theirs, and all of Spain will be under construction
through the next year. In a suburb of Athens, the US$28.5 million
Village Centre debuted in February, sporting 10 .screens and an
entertainment center. The cinema is the result of a joint venture
between Australia's Village Roadshow and the Greek Vardinoyannis
oil conglomerate. The Athens 'plex is the first of three
Roadshow plans for the capital
city, with four others scheduled for
other towns. Finland will get its
first of three Helsinki multiplexes
constructed by Kino-Palatsi-
Sandrews-Metronome, a collaboration
among a Swedish-Danish
exhibition partnership and a pair of
Finnish producers. The projects include
building a 1 ,900-seat cinema
and refurbishing an existing one,
the Maxim and Formia.
Finally, in Spain, Warner Bros.,
the pay-TV company Sogecable
and the Portuguese media group
Lusomundo Filmes plan to collaborate
on 20 multiplexes, some with
up to 16 screens, in the next four
years. The first project is an eightplex
scheduled to open this summer
in Zaragoza.
GREGORY'S OLD LADY
EDINBURGH—Director
Bill
Forsyth is postponing his muchanticipated
sequel to 1981 's
"Gregory's Girl" in protest of the
state film agency's funding procedures.
He has charged the Scottish Film Fund (which determines
what projects receive designated funding) with favoritism, saying
that it funds its board members and other close associates at the
expense of nonmembers. Forsyth joined the fund's production
panel in September, but resigned in protest in January. At the time,
he was in preproduction on the "Gregory" sequel, for which the
fund had allotted US$ 1 .6 million (before his appointment). Forsyth
says he will seek alternatives and will likely postpone the film until
1998. A week after Forsyth's resignation, the Scottish production
company Palm Tree Productions filed a similar complaint with the
country's Office of Fair Trading and the European Commission,
and the Scottish Arts Council announced it would undertake its own
independent investigation. Soon after, John McGrath, the producer
of "Carrington," resigned in protest of Forsyth's accusations. In an
effort to defend the fund's integrity, McGrath said he would refuse
a US$1.7 million fund grant to his production "The Silver Darlings,"
and said he would not request funding for his production of
Kazuo Ishiguro's "A Pale View of Hills." McGrath praised the
panel members as professional and fair.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXHIBITION OR FEATURE
FILM RELATED NEWS ITEM ABOUT THE
EUROPEAN MARKET?
CONTACT MELISSA MORRISON IN CARE OF THE
PRAGUE POST AT: NAPORIC1 12,
115 30 PRAGUE 1, CZECH REPUBLIC
email: tomelis@bohem-net.cz
I

—
Q&A: MARIANNE
SAGEBRECHT
GETS JURY DUTY
A^
the industry winds down from the Cannes Film
Festival, where a jury's blessing can lift an
otherwise obscure fdm into the international
spotlight, earning it afew million dollars in the process,
BOXOFFICE probes the mind of a frequent juror. German
actress Marianne Sagebrecht has done jury duty at
several festivals, most recently in Berlin at the 1997
Berlin Filmfestspiele. Best known to Americans for her
role in 1 988 's "Bagdad Cafe, " she 's also appeared with
John Malkovich in Volker Schlondorff's "The Ogre. "
Sagebrecht 's latest project—playing Sophia Loren's
"little, round" sister in "Soleil"— showed at Cannes,
screening out of competition.
Boxoffice: What criteria do you use when you're
judging a film?
MARIANNE SAGEBRECHT: For me it's very important
that I try as much as I can to be with the audience.
When I'm with the audience, I know exactly what the film
does to the audience, how it influences the audience, what
it is and how it is. And then, of course, I'm a woman. One
thing is totally scaring me about all films out now. More
and more in the last three years, female characters are
changing completely. It looks like someone wants to tell
us, leave the kitchen, take the gun and be like the man—be
a soldier yourself. I think it's extreme.
Boxoffice: Do depictions of women afTect your judgment
of a nim in competition?
SAGEBRECHT: Definitely. It's all very personal.
What I believe— my philosophy, my religious beliefs, my
social beliefs—of course, this is me and my whole life. But
another thing would be the technical aspect. A good film is
a good film. You have the camera, you have the technique,
you have the directing, you have this and this and that. And
of course you have the acting. This is something else, also
very important. So you have two levels.
Boxoffice: Do you find that as an actress you focus
more on the acting in a film?
SAGEBRECHT: No. For me, it's always everything
together. It's if afterward I'm tired or destroyed, or I'm full
of energy and feel happy, if something is touched and
something comes together, my heart and my mind.
Boxoffice: How do you feel about the whole idea of
ranking one movie as better than others?
SAGEBRECHT: I don't like the word "judge," it's
terrible. I'd rather say, "I feel this more, I like this more."
I don't like to judge so much, because I am not a filmmaker.
I can go at it from a totally different level, which is good.
I'm like a scout—I was there and I tell what I felt, I tell
what I didn't like, what was not right for me.
Boxoffice: What are your thoughts on the purpose
of a competition in a film festival?
SAGEBRECHT: I always say nobody forces you to
take a film to a festival. I know many, many film producers
and directors would say, 'No, I don't need this, I just go out
and try to touch the audience. ' But on the other hand, if you
go out and try to touch the audience, you need a distributor
and you need a cinema, the place and the chance to show
your film. And this [the festival] is a special thing.
So many cinema owners, if they have, for example, eight
screens in one big building, they could give one room for
young films. But no, they're so focu.sed on making a profit,
and this is the worst. I think there's treasure to be found
films from young people [that never found distribution].
I'm sure one day there will be a festival devoted to films
that have never been released. Then we will find something,
I'm sure. I'm sure.
_„_,
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M BoYnmrF.
'
INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Canadian News Notes by Shiomo Schwartzberg
LEAD STORY: DREAMWORKS SEEKS PERMISSION
TO SET UP TORONTO BRANCH
DreamWorks might be coming to Toronto, if the company gets permission
from the Canadian government to do so. DreamWorks Distribution
LLC would like to distribute its projects from a Toronto-based
company, which would be called DreamWorks Distribution Canada.
But that would mean getting the go-ahead to distribute directly in
Canada, which currently is not allowable for any American companies
but Hollywood studios whose operations in Canada pre-date the legislation.
A recent attempt by Netherlands-based Polygram Filmed Entertainment
to distribute directly in Canada failed to get government
approval. But Jim Tharp, head of North American distribution for
DreamWorks, told The Toronto Star that he hopes to get consent from
Ottawa within the month. That might happen, because DreamWorks,
with one of its emphases being animated films, is not threatening any
Canadian distributor, and Canada is known for a strong community of
artists working in animation, who could only benefit from jobs being
offered by the new company. DreamWorks' first feature film, the
George Clooney vehicle "Peacemaker," is scheduled for release this fall
in Canada as well as the U.S.
MORE CINEPLEX PLEXES
Cineplex Odeon continues its significant expansion with announcements
of three new major multiplexes in the Toronto area,
representing an investment (in conjunction with the landlords) of
C$41 million (US$28.3 million). The twin Varsity cinemas, one of
the main venues for The Toronto International Film Festival, will
be expanded by 10 screens, six of which will feature all-stadium
seating. The 50,000-square-foot multiplex, which is located in
downtown Toronto, is expected to be completed by this December.
Cineplex will also build a lO-screen, 45,000-square-foot
multiplex that will seat more than 2,400 people in Markham,
Ontario, and an 1 1 -screen, 2,280-seat multiplex in the city of
Scarborough, both also scheduled to open in December of this
year. Speaking to Boxoffice, Howard Lichtman, Cineplex's executive
vice president of marketing and communications, said
about the three complexes, "We're building the new theatres
in Toronto because it's our home town and we want to make
sure that every community within our own home territory that
doesn't have a modem state-of-the-art multiplex is properly serviced."
Currently, Cineplex has 1,554 screens in 314 locations
in North America.
EGOYAN HOPES FOR "SWEET" SUCCESS
At press time. Atom Egoyan's latest film, 'The Sweet Hereafter,"
was said to have been invited to the 1 997 Cannes film festival.
Egoyan's film, adapted from Russell Bank's book, deals with a
horrific bus crash and the effect its aftermath has on a young girl
("Road to Avonlea's" Sarah Polley) who survived. "The Sweet
Hereafter" would be Egoyan's second film to be invited to compete
in Cannes; two of his other films, "Speaking Parts" and "The
Adjuster," have played the Director's Fortnight at the fest.
CANADIAN MOVIEGOERS RENDEZ-VOUS
WITH QUEBEC CINEMA
Le Rendez-Vous du Cinema Quebecois has gone on the road,
bringing the best of Quebec cinema to other parts of Canada. It's
been around for 15 years, showing the full output of the film year
in Quebec, and now, for the second year, the top 10 Quebec films
(and one short) have traveled outside the province.
This year's Rendez-Vous in Toronto did considerably
better than in 1 996, its first year in the city,
says organizer Claude Martel, because of the more
central downtown venue where the films
showed. Among the movies exhibited were Pierre
Gang's "Sous-Sol," the Genie award winner for
best original screenplay, which has also been invited
to the New Directors/New Films series in
New York, and Gilles Carle's "Pudding
Chomeur," which had its world premiere in
competition at the 1996 Montreal World Film
Festival.
BELL CANADA SETS UP H@BITAT
FOR FILM STUDENTS
Ana Serrano has been appointed Director of
MediaLinx H@bitat, a new media training facility
slated to open in June at the Canadian Film Centre,
Canada's premier film school. Established with a
C$500,000 (US$345,000) donation from Bellj
Canada, Medialinx H@bitat is a training, resource
I
and development facility committed to "transforming"
Canadian film. Workshops and familiarity with the
new media should ensure that Centre graduates will be turned
"into world class participants in the entertainment industry of
the future," says a press release announcing the project. The
Centre, which annually unveils short films from its graduates,
also produces feature films; Colleen Murphy's romantic comedy
"Shoemaker" comes out commercially this month, and previous
Centre features include "Rude," "Blood and Donuts" and
"House."
OFDC INSTITUTES INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT
ONTARIO FILMMAKERS
It
might be reeling from funding cuts but the Ontario Film
Development Corporation is still determined to support emerging
Ontario filmmakers. Its recent initiatives. Market Mentorships
and Partnerships in Training, were instituted after
extensive research and consultation with industry and clients.
"The two new initiatives will create opportunities for the next
generation of filmmakers," says Alexandra Raffe, chief executive
officer of the organization. "The OFDC is in a position to
forge innovative industry partnerships that will provide emerging
filmmakers with direct, practical industry contact, mentorship,
and professional development opportunities which will
give Ontario filmmakers an edge in an increasingly aggressive
marketplace." Participants in the programs will be partnered
with distributors and producers at workshops held in advance of
and on location at domestic and international television and film
markets. MIP TV was the site of the official launch of the
program and further such pairings between up-and-comers and
established talent will take place at Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and
the AFM, among other festivals.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXHIBITION-RELATED NEWS
ITEM ABOUT THE CANADIAN MARKET?
CONTACT SHLOMO SCHWARTZBERG IN CARE OF
OUR CANADIAN NEWS BUREAU AT: 416-638-6402

Boxoffice Magazine
presents
NovieFbne's Noviegoer Activity Report
lor the Month of March 1997
MovieFone® (777-FILIVP) and its sister service, MovieLink® Online, are now the single largest source ofmovie showtime information in the country,
providing infonnation to over 12 million moviegoers each month. Vie following infonmition represents the most requested theatres and exhibitors on MovieFone.
Top 10 Exhibitors & Tlieatres
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Exhibitor
Nost Reauested Exhibitors
United Artists
Cineplex Odeon
Sony
AMC
General Cinema
Century
Cinemarl<
National Amusements
Mann
Regal
Total Requests
857,388
751.614
743,298
644,822
408,388
261.318
200,557
174,545
158,858
156,607
Last Month's
Rank
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
9
8
10
Host Requested Theatres
^^,,„„„,^.,
Rank Market Theatre Total Requests Rank
1 NY Sony Lincoln Square 89,295 1
2 BO SonyCheri 40,717 2
3 LA AMC Century 14 38,848 5
4 PH UA Riverview Plaza 35,717 8
5 NY CO Ctielsea Cinemas 35,305 7
6 BO Sony Assembly Sq 34.601 4
7 NY CityCin Village East 33,924 36
8 BO Sony Copley 32,607 6
9 NY Sony 19th St. East 32,371 104
10 PH UA Ctieltenham 30,201 30
IMal
Requests
New York
1,556,979
Los Angeles
726,793
'Dallas
619,673
San Francisco
375,989
Philadelphia
358,993
Boston
332,077
Miami
306,327
Chicago
263,763
Phoenix
216,149
Toronto
215,105
Houston
188,180
San Diego
137,066
Rank
Theatre (# screens)
Nost Requested Tlieatres Per Screen
Total
Requesb
1 CO Ziegfeld (1) 24,086
2 UAEast(l) 15,987
3 SonyAstor(l) 12,161
1 CinAm National (1) 7,072
2 Pacific Cinerama Dome (1) 5,437
3 CinAm Village (1) 5,110
1 UA United Artists (8) 1 8,366
2 UATownEast(6) 11,370
3 AMC Forum (6) 11,241
1 Century Cinema 21 (1) 9,931
2 UA Coronet (1) 5,399
3 Century Century 21 (1) 3,822
1 AMC Olde City (2) 11,429
2 UASameric{4) 19,689
3 UA Cheltenham (8) 30,201
1 SonyCheri (4) 40.717
2 NA Circle (7) 26,290
3 Sony Janus (1) 3.344
1 Cobb Kendall (9) 15,229
2 Valentino Spr Discount (3) 4,651
3 Cobb Miami Lakes (10) 15,427
1 CO Biograph (3) 10,174
2 Village North (1) 3,186
3 CO McCiurg Court (3) 7,729
1 Harkins Cine Capri (1) 2,902
2 Century Glendale D-l (9) 16,847
3 UA Christown Mall (6) 10,258
1 Famous Centerpoint (3) 7,769
2 Famous Markville (4) 10,197
3 Famous Hollywood (2) 4,526
1 CO River Oaks Plaza (12) 16,481
2 Landmk River Oaks (3) 3,916
3 CO Spectrum (9) 11,212
1 LandmkPark(IO) 14,367
2 CinAm Cinema 21 (1) 1,167
3 CinAm Grove (10) 10,094
Top 3 Actively* Requested Theatres:
'Caller specifically requested theatre
Key to
Exhibitors
AMC AMC Theatres, Inc.
Act III Aa III Theatres
Bim BtumenfeW Theatres
Carmike Carmike Cinemas, Inc.
Century Century Theatres
CinAm
CityCin City Cinemas
CmAmerica Theatres. LP
Last Month's
Rank
1
44
57
6
27
1
9
15
14
18
1
2
7
1
6
1
3
2
2
20
CO Cineplex Odeon Corp.
Cobb Cobb Theatres
Dksn Dickinson Theatres
Famous Famous Players
GCC Genera! Cinema
'nsm
Theatres
General General Theatres
Hark Harkins Theatres
1
9
4
1
1
5
2
16
3
17
2
3
1
13
1
9
Total
Total
3 Cobb Northdale (6) 1,576
Requests Rank Theatre (# screens) Requests
Kansas City
1 Dksn Glenwood (4)
4.983
103,092
2 AMC Oak Park (6)
6,703
3 Dksn Westglen (12) 12,684
Atlanta
1 UATara Cinemas (4) 2,254
89,233
2 AMC Phipps Plaza (14) 7,379
3 AMC Galleria (8)
3,126
Seattle
1 Landmk Egyptian (1) 1,775
89,202
2 Landmk Neptune (1)
1,514
3 CO Cinerama (1)
1,466
Minneapolis
1 Landmk Uptown (1)
1,084
85,640
2 UA St. Anthony Main (5) 3,123
3 GCC Shelard Park (5) 2,924
Cleveland
1 Sony Cedar (2)
2,030
79,964
2 GCC Ridge Park (8)
7,557
3 General Detroit (2)
1,735
Las Vegas
1 UA Green Valley (5)
4,766
66,110
2 Century Redrock (11) 9,753
3 Century Rancho (16) 12,140
Denver
1 CinAm Cherry Creek (8) 4,900
58,117
2 AMC Colorado Plaza (6) 3,502
3 Landmk Mayan (3)
1,411
San Antonio
1 Act III Bandera (6)
3,615
55,391
2 Act III Galaxy (14)
7,949
3 Act III Crossroads (6) 3,390
Sacramento
1 Century Century 21 (2) 1,759
49,194
2 Century Sacramento (6) 3,999
3 UA Market Square (6) 3,668
Detroit
1 AMC Southland (4)
1,415
47,738
2 Star Lincoln Park (8)
2,741
3 Star Taylor (10)
2,897
Washington, DC 1 CO Cinema (1)
991
31,877
2 CO Uptown (1)
546
3 CO Embassy (1)
490
Tampa
1 AMC Varsity (6)
1,682
29,978
2 Muvico Palm Harbor (10) 2,701
CO Worldwide
New York, NY
2. Sony Lincoln Sq.
NewYoi1

BOXOFFICE
March
JUNE
(Current)
Jungle2Jungle, 3/7, Com. PG, 105 min.,
Grosse Pointe Blank. 4/11. Com. R. 107 min.
ConAlr. 6/6. Act/Adv. R. Anamorphic. Nici
Buena Vista
(818)567-5000
(212)593-8900
Dolby SR, SR-D, SDDS, Rat. Tim Allen. Martin
Stiort. Sam Huntington. Lolita Davidovitch.
David Ogden Stiers. JoBeth Williams.
Dir; John Pasquin.
The Sixth Man. 3/28, Com. PG13. 108 min.
Dolby SR. SR-D. SDDS. Flat. Marlon
Wayans, Kadeem Hardison, David Paymer.
Dolby SR. SR-D. SDDS. Hat. John Cusack,
Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd. Joan Cusack.
Dir. George Armitage.
Romy and Mlchele's High School Reunion.
4/25. Com. R. 91 min. Dolby Sr. SR-D. SDDS.
Hat. Mira Sorvino. Lisa Kudrow. Janeane
(5arofalo. Elaine Hendtix.
Gone Fishin'. 5/30. Com. PG. 94 min. Dolby
SR. SR-D. Flat. Joe Pesci. Danny Glover.
Lynn Whitfield. Rosanna Arquette.
Dir: Christopher Cain.
Cage. John Maikovich. John Cusack. Stevt
Buscemi. Ving Rhames, Colm Meaney.
Oir: Simon West-
Hercules. 6/14 excl. NY. 6/20 Chicago. K
wide. Ani. Flat. Voices: James Woods, Dan.
OeVito. Tate Donovan. Susan Egan. Matt
Frewer. Bobcat Goldthwait, Paul Staffer.
Dir:
Randall Miller.
Dir David Miri

,
ittier).
I
I
.
FEATURE CHART — JUNE 1997
August
Forthcoming
Deep Rising, Act/Thr, Treat Williams, Famke Janssen. Dir: Stephen Sommers. Firelight, Dra. Dir:
Hiing to Lose. 7/1 6, Com. Rat. Martin
jvrence, Tim Robbins, Jotin C. McGinley,
incarlo Esposito, Kelly Preston.
- Steve Oedekerk
orgs of the Jungle, 7/18. Live Act, Flat.
sndan Fraser, Leslie Mann. Thomas Hayden
urch. Dir: Sam Weisman.
Air Bud, 8/8, Com. Kevin Zegers. Michael
Jeter. Dir: Charles Martin Smith.
William Nicholson. Flubber (akaThe Absentminded Professor). Com. Robin Williams. Dir: Les
Mayfield.
G.l. Jane (formerly In Pursuit of Honor. Navy Cross), Act,, Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen.
Dir: Ridley Scott. Kundun. Dra. Tenzin Thutob Tsarong. Dir: Martin Scorsese. The Little Mermaind
(reissue), Ani. Dirs: John Musker. Ron Clements. Mr. Magoo, Com, Leslie Nielsen, Kelly Lynch.
Dir: Stanley Tong, Playing God, Fall, Dra. R. Flat. Timottiy Hutton. David Duchovny. Dir: Andy Wilson.
Rocket Man (formerly Space Cadet). Harland Williams, Beau Bridges. Dir: Stuart Gillard.
A Thousand Acres. Dra. Jessica Lange. Michelte Pfeiffer. Jennifer Jason Leigh. Din Jocelyn Moortiouse.
Washington Siguare. Dr Jennifer Jason Leigh, Albert Rnney. Dir: Agnieszka Holland.
Buena Vista
(818)567-5000
(212)593-8900
in in Black. 7/2, SF, Dolby A, SR, SDDS.
mmy Lee Jofies, Will Smitti. Linda Rorenttno.
)Torn, Dir Barry Sonnenteld.
Force One (formerly AFO). 7/25. Act, Dolby
SR, SDDS. Harrison Ford. Gary Oldman.
jnn Close. Dir: Wolfgang Petei^n.
Excess Baggage, 8/15, Act/Adv, Dolby A, SR,
SDDS. Alicia Silverstone, Benicio del Toro,
Christopher Walken, Dir: Marco Brambilla
Gattaca (fomierty The Eighth Day). Fall. SF. Ethan Hawke. Uma Thumian. Jude Law. Dir: Andrew Niccol.
Know What You Did Last Summer, 1 0/24, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sara Michelle Cellar. Jennifer Love
Hewitt. Freddie Prinze. Jr.
Dir: Jim Gillespie.
Les Miserables. Dra. X-mas. Liam Neeson. Uma Thurman. Dir: Billie August.
Bad Boys 2, Act/Com. Will Smith. Martin Lawrence. Dir: Tom Dey
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1 977 reissue). Richard Dreyfuss. Teri Gan^. Din Steven Spielberg
Tlie Replacement Killers, Act. Chow Yun-Fat. Mira Sorvino. Michael Rooker. Clifton Gonzales-
Gonzales. Dir: Antoine Fugua
Shut Up and Dance, '98. Vanessa Williams. Dir: Randa Haines.
Columbia
(310)280-8000
(212)833-8500
Hoodlum(formerly Hoods). 8/29. Dra. R,
DTS. Laurence Fishburne. Tim Rotti. Andy
Garda, Vanessa Williams. Dir: Bill Duke.
The End of Violence. Sept Dra. Gabriel Byrne, Bill Pullman, Andie MacDowell. Dir: Wim Wenders.
Hurricane (tentative tide), Dra. Fall. Brendan Sexton III. Dir: Morgan J. Freeman.
Tomorrow Never Dies (aka Bond 18). X-mas. Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Dir: Roger Spottiswoode.
Red Corner. X-mas. Dra. Richard Gere. Bai Ling, Byron Mann. Dir: Jon Avnet.
Breakers (formerly Sirens). Com, Anjelica Huston. Alicia Silverstone.
Hope Floats. Sandra Bullock. Gena Rowlands. Harry Connick. Jr. Dir: Forest Whitaker.
The Man In The Iron Mask. Adv. Leonardo DiCaprio. John Malkovich. Gabriel Byrne. Gerard
Depardieu. Jeremy Irons. Dir: Randall Wallace. Sixteen Pleasures. Dir: Michael Apted.
Supernova. SF/Thr. Dir: Joe Nimziki. The Ump, '98. Sylvester Stallone. Dir: Frank Oz.
MGIVI/UA
(310)449-3000
(212)708-0300
ngs of the Dove. 7/11 , Dra. Helena
nham Carter, Linus Roache, Terrance
mp. Alison Elliott. Dir: Ian Softley.
mic, 7/18 wide. SF, Mira Sorvino, Josh
jlin. Jeremy Northam, Charles Dutton.
Guiltermo del Toro,
nn Notes In Black, 7/25 NY/U.
S.Brown
Copland, 8/1 ,
Dra Sylvester Stallone, Robert
DeNiro. Din James Mangold.
Sonallne. m. Dra. Dir/Stan Takeshi Kitano.
She's DeLovely. 8/1 5. Dra. Sean Penn. Robin
Wright. Dir: Nick Cassavetes.
Wide Awake. 8/22. Dra. PG. Dana Delany.
Denis Leary. Dir: M. Night Shyamaian.
Operation Condor (Hong Kong). 8/29 wUe,
Act/Adv, PG-13. Dir/Star: Jacke Chan.
B. Monkey.9/19. Dra. Asia Argento.Jared Harris, Rupert Everett, Thandie Newton, Dir: Michael
Radford. Little City, 9/26.
The House of Yes , 1 0/1 0. Dra/Com. Parker Posey. Dir: Mark Waters.
Phantoms. 10/24 wide. Hor. Peter O'Toole. Joanna Going. The James Gang, 11/7.
An American Werewolf In Paris. Hor/Com. Julie Delpy, Dir: Anthony Waller, Full Tilt Boogie, Doc.
Dir: Sarah Kelly The Mighty, Ora. Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands. Dir: Peter Chelsom.
A Price Below Rubies. Dra. Renee Zellweger. Dir: Boaz Yakin. The Revenger's Comedies. Dra.
Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter. Dir: Malcom Mowbray. Welcome to Sarajevo (formerly Sarajevo).
Dra. Woody Harrelson. Dir: Michael Winterbottom. Wishful Thinking. Fall. Jennifer Reals.
Miramax
(212)941-3800
(213) 845-4200
Dailc Ciy. 9/26. Thr. William Hurt, Ruf us Sewell. Dir: Alex Proyas. Money Talks 1 0/1 . AcfCom,
I
Mortal Kombal II: Annihilation, 8/1 , Act.
Robin Shou, Talisa Soto. Dir: John R. Leonetti.
Spawn, 8fi2, SR Michael Jai White, John
Leguizamo, D.B. Sweeney. Dir: Mark Dippe.
Boogie Nights, 8/29 ltd, 9/5 v»ide, Com/Dra
Mark Wahlberg, Julianne MoorB. Dir Paul
Thomas /\nderson.
R. Chariie Sheen. Chris Tucker. Heather LocMear. Dir: Brett Ratner. Most Wanted (formerly
America's Most Wanted). 10/17. Act/Com. Keenan Ivory Wayans. Dir: David Hogan.
One Night Stand (formerly One Night), 11/7, Dra Wesley Snipes, Nastassija Kinski. Dir: Mike Rggis.
American History X, Edward Norton, Edward Furtong. Dir: Tony Kaye. Lost in Space. '98. William
Hurt. Gary Oldman. Dir: Stephen Hopkins. Pleasantville. Com. Tobey Maguire. Reese
Witherspoon. Dir: Gary Ross. Wag the Dog. '98. Dustin Hoffman. Robert DeNiro. Dir: Barry
Levinson. The Wedding Singer, Com. Adam Sandler. Drew Barrymore. Dir: Frank Coraci.
Woo, '98, Rom/Com, Jada Pinkett, Tommy Davidson. Dir: Daisy Von Scherler Mayer.
New Line
(310)854-5811
(212)649-4900
inlc. Rom/Adv. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate
nslet.
Bill Paxton. Billy Zane, Kathy Bates,
iria Stuart, Suzy Amis.
: James Cameron.
ed Burger, 7/25. Kel Mitchell. Kenan
ompson. Dir: Brian Robbins
Brent Hoii2on. 8/1 .
Neill.
Laurence Fishburne. Sam
Kathleen Quinlin. Dir: Paul /\nderson.
The Truman Show. 8/8. Dra. Jim Carrey. Ed
Harris. Laura Linney. Noah Emmerich. Dir:
Peter Weir. ASmlle Like Yours. 8/15.
Rom/Com. R. Greg Kinnear. Lauren Holly, Jay
Thomas. Dir: Keith Samples.
Oead Man on Campus. 8/29. Tom Everett
Scott. Mark Paul Gosselaar. Dir: Alan Cohn.
Ttie Magic Hour (tentative). 9/19. Paul Newman. Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman. Dir Robert Benton.
Tlie Ftood. Fall, Act. Christian Slater. Morgan Freeman, Minnie Drwer Randy Quaid. Dir: Mikael Salomon,
Going West In America, Fall, Thr. Dennis Quakl. Danny Gtover Jared Leto. Dir Jeb Stuart
In and Out. Fall. Com. Kevin Kline. Tom Selleck. Joan Cusack, Debbie Reynolds. Dir: Frank Oz.
Kiss the Girls. Fall. Sus. Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Alex McArthur, Gary Elwes. Dir Gary Reder.
Deep Impact Act/Thr
Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood. Dir: Mimi Leder. FaliyTale:ATnie Story (fomierly
Illumination). Dra Peter OToole. Dir: Charles Sturridge. Kiss Me Guido. Com. Nick Scotti. Dir:
Tony Vitale.The Rainmaker. Dra Matt Damon. Claire Danes. Dir: Francis Ford Coppola. The Real
Blonde. Matthew Modine. Dir: Tom DiCillo. Snake Eyes. Thr. Nicolas Cage. Dir: Brian DePalma
Paramount
(213)956-5000
(212)373-7000
Desperate Measures, 8/8, Act. Michael
Keaton. Andy Garcia, Brian Cox, Marcia Gay
Harden, Dir: Barbet Schroeder,
Stray Dogs, 8/29. Sean Penn. Billy Bob Thornton,
Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolle, Powers
Boothe, Dir: Oliver Stone
Bloodline (formerly Kilronen), Thr, Fall, Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow. Dir: Jonathan Darby.
Seven Years In Tibet. liyiO. Dra. Brad Pitt. David Thewlis. B.D. Wong. Dir Jean^cques Annaud
Starship Troopers. 11/7, SF, SODS. Neil Patrek Harris. Dense Richards. Dir Paul Verhoeven.
Apt Pupil, Dra. Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro. Kevin Pollack Joe Morton. Dir: Bryan Singer.
Forever (formerly Amy Foster). Vincent Perex. Rachel Weisz. Dir: Beeban Kidron.
Godzilla. Hank Azaria Matthew Broderick. Jean Reno. Dir: Roland Emmerich.
Old Friends. Dra Jack Nicholson. Helen Hunt Greg Kinnear. Dir: James Brooks.
The Mask ol Zorro. Act/Adv. Antonto Barderas, Anihony Hopkins Catherine Jones, Dir Martin Campbell.
Stinkers. Com. B.D. Wong. Bronson Pinchot, Jennifer Coolldge, Dir Barnet Kellman.
TriStar
(310)280-8000
(212)833-8500
Great Expectations. Fall, Dra Robert De Niro, Gwyneth Paltrow, Dir: Alfonso Cuaron.
llo Sea. 7/2. Com. Dolby SR, SDDS, Flat
.liter Matttiau. Jack Lemmon, Brent Spiner,
PlctuiePeifccl.8/8.RomXk)m.PG-13. -105
min. Dolby SR. SR-D. Flal Jennifer Aniston.
Anastasia, 1 1/21 ,
Ani. Voices: Meg Ryan. Kelsey Grammer. Dirs: Don Bludi. Gary Goldman.
Allen Resurrection. Nov. SF. Sigoumey Weaver Winona Ryder. Ron Perlman. Dir Jean-Rerre Jeunel
'an Cannon, Elaine Stritch.
: Martfia Coolldge
Kevin Bacon. Olympta Dukakis. Jay Mohr. Hleana
Douglas. Din Glenn Gordon Caron.
Untitled Bulworth, Nov. Dra. Halle Berry, Paul Sorvino. Dir/Star: Warren Beatty. Home Alone 3, Dec.
Com. Alex D.Linz. OIek Krupa. Dir: Raja Gosnell. The Wild (formerly Bookworm). Act./Ihr. Anthony
Hopkins. Alec Bakfwin. Dir Lee Tamahori. Doctor Dolittle. Com. Eddie Murphy. Dir: Betty
(310)369-1000
Thomas. Firestorm. Act./Adv. Howie Long, Suzy Amis, ScottGlenn. Dir: Dean Semler A Ute Less Ordinary,
Dra Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter Dir Danny Boyle, Soul Food, Dra Vanessa Williams, Mehki Phifer
Dir George Tillman, Jr, Hope Floats, Com. Sandra Bulock. Dir Forrest Whitaker.
(212)556-2400
libnple Wish (formerly The Fairy God-
7/1 1 tent.. Com. Mara Wilson, Mar-
Short. Kathleen Turner, Robert Pastorelll.
Michael Ritchie.
Leave it to Beaver. 8/1 , Com. Janine Turner.
Christopher McDonald, Cameron Finley, Erik
Von Detten. Dir: Andy Cadiff.
Kull die Conqueror, 8/29, Adv. Kevin Sorbo,
Tia Carrere. Karina Lombard.
Dir: John Nicoella.
Reach die Rock. Fall, Dra/Com. Alessandro Nivob. William Sadler Bruce Noms. Dir Bill Ryan.
Tlie Jackal. Nov. Thr. Bnjce Willis. Rthard Gere. Sidney Poitier Dir: Michael Canton-Jones.
For Richer For Poorer. Dec. Rom/Com. Tim Allen, Kirste Alley, Dir: Bryan Spicer,
Tlie Boxer, Dec, D.'a.
Daniel Day-Lewis. Dir: Jim Sheridan.
Virus. '98, Thr, Jamie Lee Curtis. DonaW Sutheriand, William Baldwin, Cliff Curtis. Dir: John Bmno.
Primary Colors. Dra. John Travolta, Billy Bob Thorton. Dir Mike Nichols.
Meet Joe Black. Rom/Dra. Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins. Dir: Martin Brest.
Simple Simon. Thr. Bruce Willis. Dir: Harold Becker
Universal
(818)777-1000
(212)759-7500
aids and Hunt 7/2, Com. Chris feriey, Mat-
/ Peny, Dir Chnstoptier Guest. Wild America.
Adv, PG. Jonathan TaytorThomas. Dir Bill
r. Contact, 7/1 1 . Thr. DTS. Jodie Foster.
Slew McConaughey. Jotin Hurt. Dir: Robert
ecMs. Conspiracy Theoiy, 7/25, Thr, DTS.
Gibson. Julia Roberts. Dir: Richard Don-
IB?. 7/30. Dra. R. Samuel L. Jackson.
Kevin Reynolds.
Steel, a'8, Act/Adv, 105 min. Shaquile O'Neal.
Dir. Kenneth Johnson,
Fiee Willy 3. 8/1 5. FanVAdv. DTS. Jason James
Ricfiter. Dir: Sam Pillsbuiy.
LA. ConfidenUaL 8/22. Dra. R. 138 min. Kevin
Spacey. Kim Basinger. Dir Curtis Hanson.
The Devil's Advocate. Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves. Dir Taylor Hackfofd. Fire Down Below. Act. Steven
Segal. Home Fries, Com. Drew Barrymore. Gary Busey. Dir: Dean Pansot. Mad City. Dra. John Travolta.
Dustin Hoffman. Dir: Constantin Costa-Grava. Incognito, Thr, Jason Patnc. Din John Badham
Pre. Dra BilV Crudup. Donald Sutherland. Dir: Robert Towne. Fallen. Dra Denzel Washington. John
Goodman. MidnigM In die Gaiden of Good and Evil. Dir: Clint Eastwood. The Postman. SF, Dir/Star:
Kevin Costner. Venice, Dra, R, 1 12 min. Catherine McCormack. Dir Marshall Herskoviti Watah Tliat
Man. BUI Mun-ay. Dir: Jon Amiel. Eyes Wide Shut. Tom Cniise. Nicole Kidman. Dir: Stanley Kubrick.
Warner Bros.
(818)954-6000
(212)484-8000

8
68 Rovnmrr
6
5
5
BOXOFFICE Independent Feature Chart JUNE 1997
MAY
Arrow
212-258-2200
Ponette (France), Dra, 92 min.
Victoire Thivisol. Dir: Jacques
Doillon. 5/23
Artistic License
212-265-9119
Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day,
Dra, 90 min. Peter Alexander, Jeri
Arredondo, Henry Gibson. Dir:
Chrisopher Munch. 5/2
CFP
212-995-9662
Hollow Reed, Dra, 1 06 min. Martin
Donovan, Ian Hart. Dir: Angela
Pope. 4/1
Cinema Village Features
212-431-5119
Fetishes, Doc, 82 min. Dir: Nick
Broomfield. 5/9
Fine Line
212-649-4800
nowhere, Dra, R, 88 min. James
Duval, Traci Lords. Dir: Gregg
Araki. 5/9 NY/LA
Love! Valour! Compassion! Dra,
120 min. Jason Alexander, John
Glover. Dir: Joe Mantello. 5/1
First Look
310-855-1199
The Designated Mourner, Dra,
94 min. Miranda Richardson,
Mike Nichols. Dir: David Hare.
First Run
212-243-0600
Brothers in Trouble, Dra, 102
min. Dir: Udayan Prasad. 5/14
Fox Searchlight
310-369-4402
Intimate Relations, Dra, 99 min.
Dir: Philip Goodhew. 5/9 ltd,
5/16, 5/23 exp
The Van, Com., R, 99 min. Colm
Meaney. Dir: Stephen Frears.
5/23 ltd, 5/30 exp
Goldwyn
310-282-0550
Rough Magic, Rom/Adv, 104
min. Bridget Fonda, Russell
Crowe. Dir: Clare Peploe. 5/30
Gramercy
310-777-1960
Commandments, Dra. Courteney
Cox, Aidan Quinn, Anthony
LaPaglia. Dir: Daniel Taplitz. 5/2
Twin Town, Com/Thr. Rhys Ifans,
Llyr Evans. Dir: Kevin Allen. 5/9
NY, 5/1 6 LA
Legacy
213-467-3700
Underworld, Thr. Denis Leary,
Joe Mantegna. Dir: Roger Christian.
5/9
New Yorker Films
212-247-6110
La Promesse, Dra, NR, 93 min.
Dirs: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc
Dardenne. 5/16NY
Northern Arts
413-268-9301
Gray's Anatomy. Spalding Gray.
Dir: Steven Soderbergh. 5/9 LA
Phaedra
310-319-5344
Lady in White (1 989 reissue), Thr.
Lukas Haas, Alex Rocco, Katherine
Helmond. Dir: Frank
LaLoggia. 5/2 LA
Shadow Distribution
207-872-5111
Mondo (France), Dra, 87 min.
Philippe Petit. Dir: Tony Catliff
5/23
Sony Classics
212-833-8851
Broken English, Dra, 91 min. Rade
Serbedzija, Sashka Vujcic. Dir:
Gregor Nicholas. 5/2
Strand
310-395-5002
Late Bloomers, Rom/Dra, 1 04 min.
Dir: Julia and Cretchen Dyer. 5/2
Timothy Leary's Dead, Doc, 80
min. Dir: Paul Davids.
Trimark
310-314-3040
Ripe. Monica Keena, Daisy
Eagan. Dir: Mo Ogrodnik. 5/2
NY, 5/9 LA
Sprung, Com, Tisha Campbell.
Dir/Star: Rusty Cundieff. 5/14
Triumph
310-280-8059
Truth or Consequences, N.M.,
Sus. Vincent Gallo, Kim [)ickens.
Dir/Star: Kiefer Sutherland. 5/2
Masterminds (formerly Smart
Alec), Act/Com. Patrick Stewart.
Dir: Roger Christian. 5/30
JUNE
CFP
The Pillow Book, Dra, 126 min.
Vivian Wu, Ewan McGregor. Dir:
Peter Greenaway. 6/6
Cinema Village Features
Mondo Plympton, Ani. Dir: Bill
Plympton.
Fine Line
For Roseanna (formerly
Roseanna's Grave), Com, PC-1 3,
99 min. Jean Reno, Mercedes Ruehl.
Dir: Paul Weiland. 6/18
First Look
Different for Girls, Rom/Com, 97
min. Rupert Graves, Steven
Mackintosh. Dir: Richard Spence.
Kino Intl.
212-629-6880
M (1931 German re-issue),
99 min. Dir: Fritz Lang. 6/27
Leisure Time Features
212-267-4501
Dra,
Twisted, Dra, 100 min. Dir: Seth
Michael Donsky.
Live
818-778-3174
The Winner. Rebecca
DeMornay, Frank Whaley. Dir:
Alex Cox. 6/6 ltd
Manga
415-975-5405
Tetsuo: Body Hammer. Dir:
Shinya Tsukamoto.
New Yorker Films
Gabbeh, Dra, 75 min. Abbas
Sayahi, Hossein Moharami. Dir:
Mohsen Makhmalbas. 6/27
Northern Arts
Midaq Alley (Mexico), Dra, 140
min. Salma Hayek, Ernesto
Gomez. Dir: Jorge Fons.
Orion Classics
310-282-0550
Ulee's Gold, Dra, R, 113 min.
Peter Fonda, Patricia Richardson.
Dir: Victor Nunez.
Orion Pictures
310-282-0550
Fall, Rom/Com. Eric Schaeffer,
Amanda de Cadenet. Dir: Eric
Schaeffer. 6/20
Roxie Releasing
415-431-3611
The Last Time I Commited Suicide,
Dra, 92 min. Thomas Jane,
Keanu Reeves. Dir: Stephen Kay
Sony Classics
Dream With the Fishes, Dra, R, 96
min. David Arquette. Dir: Finn
Taylor. 6/20
When the Cat's Away (France),
Dra/Com, R, 95 min. Garance
Clavel. Dir: Cedric Kapisch. 6/20
Strand
The Tit and the Moon (Spain),
Com, 92 min. Dir: Bigas Lunas.
JULY
Artistic License
La Renconter (France), Dra, 80
min. Dir: Alain Cavalier.
CFP
Guantanamera, Com, NR, 1 24
min. Dirs; Thomas Gutierrez Alea
and Juan Carlos Tabio Rey. 7/2
Fine Line
The Tears of lulian Po. Christian
Slater, Robin Tunney. Dir: Alan
Wade. 7/1 8 NY
First Look
Alive and Kicking (aka Indian
Summer). Jason Flemyng, Antony
Sher, Dorothy Tutin. Dir: Nancy
Meckler.
Fox Searchlight
star Maps, Dra, 90 min, R. Douglas
Spain. Dir: Miguel Arteta. 7/1 1
Strand
Contempt (1963 reissue),
Dra/Com, 103 min. Brigitte Bardot.
Dir: Jean-Luc Godard.
Theafilm
213-368-1778
Dirty Weekend. Lia Williams,
Sylvia Syms. Dir: Michael Winner.
7/1 1
ltd
Trimark
Box of Moonlight, 107 min. John
Turturro, Sam Rockwell, Catherine
Keener, Lisa Blount. Dir: Tom
DiCillo. 7/25 NY, 8/8 LA
AUGUST
Artificial Eye
212-255-1922
Happiness (France), Com, 102
min. Michel Serrault. Dir: Etienne
Chatiliez. Aug NY
CFP
Sunday, Dra. David Suchet, Lisa
Harrow, Jared Harris. Dir: Jonathan
Nossiter. 8/22
Cinema Parallel
410-442-1752
Talking To Strangers (reissue). 8/2
Fox Searchlight
The Full Monte, Com, 90 min.
Robert Carlyle. Dir: Peter
Cattaneo. 8/1
Goldwyn
310-282-0550
Napolean, Ani, C, 82 min. Voices:
Adam Wylie, Bronson Pinchot. Dir:
Mario Andreacchio.
Paperback Romance (formerly
Lucky Break), Rom/Com . Anthony
LaPaglia. Dir: Ben Lewin.
Gramercy
How To Be a Player, Com. Bill
Belamy, Lark Voorhies, Jermaine
Big Hugg Hopkins, Pierre, Natalie
Desselle. Dir: Lionel Martin. 8/1
Going All the Way, Dra. Jeremy
Davies. Dir: Mark Pellington.
8/22
Sony Classics
Fast, Cheap & Out of Control,
Doc, 79 min. Dir: Errol Morris.
8/29
Strand
Full Speed, Dra, 85 min. Elodie
Bouchez. Dir: Gael Murel.
Nights of Cabiria (1957 Italian
reissue), Dra, 110 min. Giulletta
Masina. Dir: Federico Fellini.

June, 1997 69
BOXOFFICE Independent Feature Chart JUNE 1997
Triumph
Warrior of Waverly Street,
SF.
Joseph Mazzello. Dir: Manny
Goto. 8/8
SEPTEMBER
CFP
Bandwagon, Com/Mus, NR, 103
min. Kevin Corrigna, Lee Holmes.
Dir: John Schultz.
Dreamworks SKG
818-733-7000
The Peacemaker, Act/Adv.
George Clooney, Nicole Kidman.
Dir: Mimi Leder.
Fox Searchlight
Cousin Bette, Dra. Jessica Lange.
Dir: Des McAnuff.
Gramercy
The Matchmal

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ADVERTISER INDEX
Action Lighting 73
American Licorice Co 7
Automaticket/Hurley Screen Corp. . 39
Cinema Supply Co 49
Cinetech, Inc 39
DTS (Digital Theater Systems) ... 21
Dolby Laboratories Inc 19
Electronic Creations Inc 73
Equipment, Etc 53
Glassform 49
Gold Medal Products Co 23
Hadden Theatre Supply co 61
International Cinema Equip. Co. . 53
Kinetronics Corporation (USA) .... 63
Lavi Industries 33
Maroevich, O'Shea & Coghlan Ins. 49
Mars Theatre Mgmt. Systems .... 37
NCS Corporation 35
National Cinema Service Corp. ... 32
National Ticket Co 61
Odell's 48
PepsiCo., Inc C-3
Proctor Companies 20
Promotion in Motion Companies .. 13,15
RDS Data Group Inc 22
Ready Theatre Systems 39
Ricos Manufacturing Co 25
SMART Theatre Systems 5, 31
Sen/er Products, Inc 9
Stein Industries Inc C-4
TSM Trade Show Marketing 51
Technikote Corp 55
Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc C-2
Yumex ILC Ltd 50
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
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by writing to Boxoffice, P.O. Box 25485.
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and in lower-left corner of your envelope.
Merse Aljle
HELP WANTED
to m7 iSkfejjy
NICE MANLEY POPCORN MACHINE. 20 oz kettle Extra
motor and drive shafts. Red plastic lighted top. First $495 takes
it. Cretors electric seasoning sword, $60. Carrolls Theatres.
Highland, IL (618) 654-1475.
PATRON TRAY. Fits into cupholder armrest. Call Cy Young
Industries Inc. at 800-729-2610.
PROJECTION EQUIPMENT: Complete booths. Simplex XL
and Century, ORC 6000 watt xenon drive-in lamphouse with
power supply. Bauer 35/70 projector. 600 Heywood-Wakefield
seals. (301 ) 949-4761 . (301 ) 949-4763.
Rebuilt Century SA & R3 projector/soundhead $4250. Simplex
/kHV\ogK none coo\k
XL $4450. Xenon lamps, platters, many lenses, excellent line
9«u\t Bob ^or 1m5 extreme
of other used projection and sound equipment. TANKERSLY
ENTERPRISES, P.O. Box 2039. Denver, CO 80201. Phone
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.
USED PROJECTION EQUIPMENT: Replacement equipment,
single or multi booths available. Please call if you are purchasing
or selling. CINEMA CONSULTANTS & SERVICES INTER-
NATIONAL INC., P.O. Box 9672, Pittsburgh, PA 1 5226. Phone
(412) 343-3900, Fax (412) 343-2992.
USED PROJECTION: Sound heads, sound equipment, etc..
Century, Simplex, Cinemeccanica, Altec, JBL, etc. Contact
Kurluff Enterprises, (818) 444-7079: fax (818) 444-6863.
USED THEATRE EQUIPMENT: Century SA Projectors and
Soundheads $4,000 each, one Dolby Model CP50 Sound
System $1 ,000, two 2000W Christie lamp houses with power
supplies $2,000 each, one 3000W Christie with power supply
$3,000, two Christie AW2 Platters, one 4 stack $1,800,
one 3 stack $1 ,500, five ALTEC Voice of the Theatre speakers
$500 each, one Cretors popcorn machine $1,000, five
Automaticket ticket machines $250 each, two Norcon
boxoffice microphones $500 each. Other miscellaneous
items available. Complete projection and concession equipment
list provided upon request. Please submit offers on all
or part of the above equipment to P.O. Box 889275, Atlanta,
GA 30356-0275 or phone (770) 594-4595 for more information.
WESTAR QUALITY CINEMA EQUIPMENT, PARTS AND
ACCESSORIES: Westar Multicoated projection lenses now
available from slock. 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75. 80, 85, 90mm. Fully
guaranteed, $450. Westar 35mm splicers, heavy duty, $300.
Westar projectors and soundheads, new two-year warranty—^n
stock. Westar precision projector parts for Westar, Century,
Westrex, Cinecita, RCA, Simplex or Monee projectors. Free
catalog. Trades accepted. International Cinema Equipment.
Internet: http://www.iceco.com. Phone (305) 573-7339; fax
(305)573-8101. Email: ICECOaaol.com.
WILL TRADE: YOUR THEATRE SEATS FOR OUR USED
THEATRE EQUIPMENT. Great condition at great prices.
Platters, projectors, lamphouses, complete prewired stereo
racks and much, much more. Premier Seating Co. Inc., 800-
955-SEAT, fax (410) 686-6060, e-mail: pseatingBaol.com.
EQUIPMENT WANTED
PURCHASE OR TRADE: For your used theatre equipment,
concession equipment, theatre seats. Ask about our storage
facilities and our financing program. Premier Seating Co. Inc.,
800-955-SEAT, fax (410) 686-6060, e-mail: pseatil.com.
VINTAGE TUBE TYPE AMPS, woofers, drivers, horns, parts,
from Western Electric, Westrex, Altec, Jensen, JBL, EV, Tannoy,
Mcintosh, Marantz. Phone David at (818) 441-3942. P.O.
Box 80371 . Marino, CA 91 1 1 8-8371
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: We will purchase Century projectors
or soundheads, new or old, complete or incomplete, for
cash. Also interested in XL and SH-1000. Call (502) 499-0050.
Fax (502) 499-0052, Hadden Theatre Supply Co., attn. Louis.
We will buy or trade for used/new equipment on any projector/soundhead/platter/lamphouse/console/speakers/lens
and
concession equipment. We can remove or pick up anywhere
in the U.S. or overseas. Call us at (303) 298-8077 or fax (303)
296-4080. Tankersley Enterprises, P.O. Box 2039, Denver, CO
80201
WE WILL PURCHASE used theatre equipment. Consignments,
outright purchases, trades, what have you? There is
only one INTERNATIONAL CINEMA EQUIPMENT COM-
PANY at one location in the USA. International Cinema Equipment
Co., (305) 573-7339, fax (305) 573-8101, Email
ICECOeaol.com.
THEATRES FOR SALE/LEASE
COUNT YOUR MONEY ON THE BEACH!! Award-winning
Florida Gulf Coast theatre now for sale. Serving an affluent,
year-round, niche market, theatre has virtually no competition
. An area landmark for over 50 years, located on valuable
beach area properly, theatre is a mix of classic architecture
and backstage modernization. Call or fax now for fact
sheet. Ask for Ms. Cruz at (813) 360-6697, or fax (813)
360-5154.
PRICE REDUCED! NY RESORT AREA ART DECO MOVIE
THEATRE. Continuous operation since 1938. Seasonal operation
could be expanded. Rehabbed 1 985. Modern equipment.
Seats 315. Two retail spaces, currently rented. Ideal for
owner/operator seeking supplemental income. $155,000.
Owner financing. Call (518) 624-4812.
San Diego, CA. Well-established discount theatre. Twin
screens. Contact Jill Thompson, CCIM, (619) 621-9052.
SINGLE SCREEN THEATRE and building for sale in a central
plains community. This site has been in continuous operation
since its construction began in 1919. Renovated with
seats, concessions, sound, lighting, the landmark draws
from three counties. Owners are retiring. Inquiries may be
made by calling 888-716-0722 (toll free). Please leave
name, any number(s). including fax, e-mail, and postal address.
THEATRES WANTED
Several of our clients are seeking to buy or k :se multi-screen
theatres in the eastern U.S. Call toll free: Th.: ntre Confections
Inc., (888)271-0858.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
NEED INVESTOR for start-up six-screen theatre in Arizona.
Unique and large market, high demand, no competition,
strong experienced management, premier location. Only need
50k along with co-signatures on building and equipment leases
and small business loan. Receive 49 percent equity on projected
net of almost $450,000 per year. Call S.L. Cassell at
(520) 290-0480.
DRIVE-IN CONSTRUCTION
DRIVE-IN SCREEN TOWERS Since
1945 Selby Products,
Inc., P.O. Box 267, Richfield, Ohio 44286 (216) 659-6631,
800-647-6224.
SCREEN TOWERS INTERNATIONAL New, used,
transplanted,
complete tower service. Box 399. Rogers, TX 76569.
Phone:800-642-3591.
THEATRE SEATING
8,000 USED IRWIN Citations from $25, American Stellar M35s
from $20, American highback deluxe rockers from $27.50,
Wakefield self risers from $20, thousands of bargains. Photos
available. International Cinema Equipment, (305) 573-7339.
fax (305) 573-81 01.
"ALL AMERICAN SEATING" by the EXPERTS! Used seats
of quality. Various makes, American Bodiform and Stellars from
$12.50 to $32.50. Irwins from $12.50 to $30.00. Heywood &
Massey rockers from $25.00. Full rebuilding available. New
Hussey chairs from $70.00. All types theatre projection and
sound equipment. New and used. We ship and install all makes.
Try us! We sell no Junk! TANKERSLEY ENTERPRISES P.O.
BOX 2039, 2100 Stout Street. Denver. CO 80201 Phone:
303-298-8077 Fax: 303-296-4080.
ALLSTATE SEATING is a company that is specializing in
refurbishing, complete painting, molded foam, tailor-made seat
covers, installations, removals. Please call for pricing and spare
parts for all types of theatre seating. Boston, MA. Phone (617)
268-2221
. (617) 268-701 1
"BOOSTER B. SAURUS" Child booster seats. Call Cy Young
Industries Inc. at 800-729-2610.
CHAIRS—NEW & USED. 3000 used chairs in stock, $7.50 and
up. Seat covers. $3.50 and up. Foam pads. Cupholder armrests.
HAYES EQUIP & SUPPLY. P.O. Box 593866, Orlando,
FL 32859. (407)857-6810.
CHILD BOOSTER SEATS: Molded plastic, large quantity in
stock, multiple colors available, will not deteriorate like booster
bags. Premier Seating Co. Inc.. 800-955-SEAT, fax (410) 686-
6060, e-mail: pseating@aol.com.
FINALLY, AN ALTERNATIVE TO ON-SITE UPHOLSTERY:
Call us about our new upholstered backs and cushions by mail
program. More cost-efficient than on-site upholsterers, fast
turn-around, quality controlled in our 40,000 sq. ft. state-of-theart
factory. Premier Seating Co. Inc., 800-955-SEAT. fax (41 0)
686-6060, e-mail: pseating@aol.com.
ON-SITE UPHOLSTERY and replacement covers. Parts available
for many chairs. Our "Bakers Dozen" gives you 1 3 covers
for the cost of 1 2. Nationwide service. Free samples made up.
Call Complete Industries for pricing. (800) 252-6837.
SEAT AND BACK COVERS: Most fabrics in stock. Molded
cushions. Cy Young Industries Inc., 800-729-261 0.
SEATS CLEANED on site,
$1.56-$2.36 per seat (coast to
coast). Call (800) 879-231 1 . 24 hours, for brochure and infomna-
Bon. The Carpet Cleaner, P.O. Box 1 54. Osceola. MO 64776.
SEAT FOAMS: All makes/all models, fast turn-around. Premier
Seating Co. Inc.. 800-955-SEAT. fax (410) 686-6060. e-mail:
pseating@aol.com.
THEATRE SEAT AND BACK COVERS: Large in-stock fabric
inventory, fast turn-around, competitive pricing at any quantity.
Premier Seating Co. Inc., 800-955-SEAT, fax (410) 686-6060,
e-mail: pseating@aol.com.
THEATRE SEAT RECONDITIONING: Total or partial theatre
seat restoration in our 40.000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art factory,
featuring sandblasting, powder-coating, and in-house upholstering.
Restore your seats or purchase from our inventory. Ask
about our in-house financing program. Premier Seating Co. Inc.,
800-955-SEAT, fax (410) 686-6060. e-mail: pseating@aol.com.
THEATRE SEATS WANTED; Will buy/trade for surplus and
unwanted theatre seats, all makes and models. Premier Seating
Co. Inc.. 800-955-SEAT. fax (410) 686-6060. e-mail: pseating@aol.com.
USED AUDITORIUM CHAIRS: Choose from a large selection
of different makes and models and colors. American Stellars
and Irwin Citations competitively priced, shipped and installed.
ACOUSTIC SOUND PANELS AND CUSTOM WALL DRA-
PERIES available in flameproofed colors and fabrics, artistic or
plain. CINEMA CONSULTANTS & SERVICES INTERNA-
TIONAL, Inc. P.O. Box 9672, Pittsburgh, PA. 15226. Phone
(412) 343-3900, Fax (412) 343-2992.
SERVICES
ALTEC, JBL, E.V. SPEAKER RECONING: Factory authorized
service, fast turnaround. We stock diaphragms for popular
theatre drivers. Cardinal Sound & Motion Picture Systems Inc.
Dealer inquiries welcome. (301 ) 595-881 1
.
DIRECT IMPORTERS-MANUFACTURERS
TOLL FRLt
ACTION CANADA* US
800-248-0076
Response No. 98
: Box Office '97
I
Ticketing & More...
Windows '95 Based
Microsoft Access Database
Concession Sales & Inventory
State Of the Art -Reliable
18 Years Experience
Custom Development
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Electronic Creations, inc.
Ph (61 9) 480-1 002 Fax (61 9) 480-6830
I
Response No. 203
AUDITORIUM SEATING SPECIALISTS! New installations,
rebuilds, repairs and reasonable rates. Bob and Priscilla Fulls,
dba Perfection Seating Inc.. 3316 Birch Dr.. Loveland. CO
80538. Cellular (970) 481-2848. "No city, state or country too
far.-
BRING THE INTERNET TO YOUR THEATRE: We are in the
business of taking theatres like yours into the next century. We
will build a personalized state-of-the-art website for your theatre
circuit. Please call HP Productions at (888) 745-8303. E-mail:
shoes @ hpproductions.com.
FRONT END INSTALLATION with frames, motors and masking
tracks. Call Cy Young Industries Inc. 800-729-2610.
SOUND/DRAPING FABRICS IN STOCK. All new selection of
fabrics. Installation on brackets available, or sewn in pleated
drapes. Call Cy Young Industries Inc.. 800-729-2610.
SOUNDFOLDS & CURTAINS cleaned and fireproofed on site
$.20-$.40 per hung sq. ft. (coast to coast). Call (800) 879-231 1
24 hours, for brochure and information. The Carpet Cleaner.
P.O. Box 154. Osceola, MO 64776.
ULTRAFLAT. REFLECTORS: Why buy new when you can
have it restored? "Hopeless" cases restored to brightness. Call
your dealer or ULTRAFLAT, 20306 Sherman Way. Winnetka,
CA91306. (818)884-0184. http://www.cris.com-Ultraflt
WE REPAIR AND SUPPORT the most widely used ticketing
and concession systems. Our prices are approximately 50%
less than our competitors. Our customers include 30% of the
top 50 circuits and many independents. Ask about our thermal
printer service. System Operating Solutions. Call (800) 434-3098.
"WHILE THE THEATRE SLEEPS" On-site reupholstery. Top
fabrics, molded seat cushions and "State of the Art" Cy Young
cupholders. Call Cy Young Industries Inc.. 800-729-2610.
MISCELLANEOUS
a to 35MM EDUCATIONAL, Adult. Exploitation—all subjects.
Features, shorts. Buy/sell any size collection. Archives, Box
10672, Oakland, CA 94610. Phone/fax 510-268-081 1
BUYING ACADEMY AWARD OSCARS. We sell. too. Were
a top source for collectors of rare Academy Award statues—the
ultimate Hollywood collector item. Our free report explains the
Oscar mari

74 BOXOFFICE
—
The lEia IPicture
The
era of realistic model animation for feature films came to
an end last year, though few noticed. It happened when Tim
Burton was putting together "Mars Attacks!" and was persuaded
by test footage from Industrial Light and Magic that his plans
could be better (and more cost effectively) fulfilled by the use of
computer graphics imaging (CGI). Model animation had already lost
dinosaur epics (thanks to "Jurassic Park") and space warfare flicks
(in "ID4") to the computer terminal. When former animator Burton
sided with the digital effects revolution, it was essentially the model
animation equivalent of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.
For fans of fantastical cinema, CGI will have to work hard to erase
memories of the pulsepounding
model animation
tradition of Willis
O'Brien and Ray
Harryhausen. O'Brien,
who began his work in
the silent era, was perhaps
the single most significant
effects pioneer
in movies. With 1933's
"King Kong," he set
standards the industry is
still trying to catch up
with; working with
models sculpted by his
lifelong associate Marcel
Delgado, O'Brien
blended intricate miniature
work with live character
footage, staged
believable battles between
enormous primianimation
at the hands of its greatest practitioner Harryhausen's later
credits are like a pocket history of '50s and '60s drive-in favorites:
"It Came From Beneath the Sea" (1952); "The Beast From 20,000
Fathoms" (1953); "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" (1956); "Twenty
Million Miles to Earth" (1957). Though he did his share of prehistoric
creature effects, it was in films based on Greek mythology that
Harryhausen found his own unique niche: His complex combination
of actors and animation for the
duel between live-action warriors
and a platoon of swordwielding
skeletons in "Jason and
the Argonauts" (1963)
remains a masterpiece
of animation choreography.
O'Brien passed
away in November of
1 962 while at work on
the miniatures for Stanley
Kramer's epic comedy
"It's a Mad, Mad,
Mad, Mad Worid." But
Harryhausen, who is
still alive, managed to
"team" with O'Brien
one last time. In 1 %9.
Harryhausen provided
the dinosaurs for "Valley
of Gwangi," one of
the many unfulfilled
"dream" projects
O'Brien left behind.
ti ve beasts, and used mattes and
models to create a nightmare
vision of both a primeval jungle and an urban one: the overgrown
rain forest of Kong's Island, and the depression-era New York City
which Kong attacks and is ultimately destroyed by.
O'Brien's greatest achievement, though, may have come in
Kong's close-ups, which, in their range of expression and emotion,
made an inarticulate beast's strange love for a flaxen-haired flapper
both believable and heart-rending. Kong's "acting" came courtesy
of the intricate, frame-by-frame manipulation of an 18-inch puppet,
yet it remains one of cinema's great "performances," and the standard
by which all other effects-created creatures are still judged.
Interestingly, it was as O'Brien's star pupil that Ray Harryhausen
first came to light. As O'Brien's "First Technician" on 1949's
Kong-like "Mighty Joe Young," Harryhausen (who had earlier
worked on Geoige Pal's "Puppetoons") learned realistic model
ABOVE: The King of Kongs. ABOVE RIGHT: Rare view of Kong model's steel
skeleton, a Willis O'Brien innovation. LEFT: A Harryliausen cyclops from "Jason."
nfortunately.
time is money
in movie work,
and so the very time-consuming crafl of model animation is increasingly
a lost art. There is, however, at least one writer and one director
who remember their movie history: Michael Crichton ;uid Steven
Spielberg, whose latest Jurassic collaboration is called "The Lost
World." That title first came to the movies in 1925. when a silent
feature based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel of the same name
set a brontosaurus loose in Victorian London, to the amazement of
audiences. Though not directly related to the Crichton/Spielberg
project, the 1925 "Lost Worid" had certain themes in common: it
was not only the first dramatic feature built around iiKxlel iinimation
but the first film about dinosaurs amok in the nuxleni world.
That first "Lost Worid" unquestionably launched the genre which
"The Lost World: Jurassic Park" will no doubt revivify. It also
launched the career of the man who gave the movies its first viable
technology for bringing such visions to the screen—a young effects
arti.st, by the name of Willis O'Brien. Ray Greene

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NOTHING ELSE
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SI-COLA, NOTHING ELSE IS A^BPSI and Ihe Pepsi Bull design are Iradumarks ol PepsiCo, Inc.
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Response No. 191

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