Brokeback No. 1

[uwsman2]

Briefly.... the day after the Golden Globes were announced, Brokeback sold the most tickets of any movie in the country. Of course, that was Tuesday, January 17. Tuesdays are a low point in the week for movie ticket sales. All the same, it is interesting that Brokeback, playing in fewer than 700 theaters, outsold everything else in the top 10, all of which were playing in 1500-2500 theaters.

[+ deej]

Movies always get a bump in attendance after winning a major award, but still that's an astounding bump considering its limited availability!

[jackhammer91406]

This film has been number 1 in per screen average since it opened in limited release (an industry category indicating number of seats sold at each performance and the most coveted stat of all).

 

Having a limited number of seats available because of fewer theater screens and a larger number of audience wanting to see the film than seats available, has lead to sold out showings, which in turn increases word of mouth which then increases demand.

 

It was very smart to have a limited roll out for this film given it's subject. The word of mouth and demand has given the film a cache that no gay film of this nature could have hoped for before. Good call and the envy of every other movie maker with a film on the market right now.

[poiuyt]

>Good call and the envy of every other movie

>maker with a film on the market right now.

 

Yup.

http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2006/01/18/20060118_144200_flash6u.htm

[Bilbo]

I just read that Brokeback came in fifth overall for this weekend. I have a feeling that it will go higher yet after the Oscars.

[Boston Guy]

I was curious what the press was saying about BM these days, so I did a little search. I found a few things of interest:

 

1.) A straight man's short essay on seeing the film with his straight buddy:

 

http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=123523

 

2.) A really terrific article about "the Brokeback breakthrough" from Time -- maybe the best I've seen so far. It opens with a terrfic photo, too:

 

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2006/0601/ambroke0122.jpg

 

Some quotes:

 

"The film is the front runner for the Oscars. No film is even second. Brokeback has sucked all the helium out of the balloons."

 

"America didn't resist the film for a second." Well, maybe for a second: the other night on CNN's Larry King when conservative radio host Janet Parshall said, "What we're witnessing, Larry, is the homosexualizing of America."

 

"But most of those who disapprove of Brokeback--or think they would if they saw it--have curbed their outrage. They believe it's a serious, sensitive movie. All that for a gay western art film--a triple whammy of unfashionable genres."

 

"Some straight friends said they want to see it, but it's not the type of movie you can go see with the guys," said G.P. Theriot, 31, after seeing the film with his girlfriend in Dallas. "And you can't go alone because people will think you're weird."

 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1151805,00.html

 

3.) "Cowboys had close relationships before 'Brokeback'", from the St. Petersburg Times by way of the SC State (two red states, by the way). An interesting, brief look back in time. It includes this excerpt from Badger C. Clark's 1917 poem “The Lost Pardner,” "which could pass as a plot outline of “Brokeback Mountain”":

 

We loved each other in the way men do

And never spoke about it, Al and me,

But we both knowed, and knowin' it so true

Was more than any woman's kiss could be.

We knowed - and if the way was smooth or rough,

The weather shine or pour,

While I had him the rest seemed good enough

But he ain't here no more!

 

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/living/13672564.htm

 

4.) An interesting review from the Washington Post by way of the Jerusalem (yes, Israel) Post. In it, Ann Hornaday decries a little the lack of passion in BM. One quote: "Ledger is especially impressive as the withdrawn, emotionally stunted Ennis who, if homosexuality is the love that cannot speak its name, cannot speak at all."

 

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1137605875825&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

 

5.) A brief article about American Idol that starts out "At a time when the unlikely romance movie Brokeback Mountain has become a monster hit with American audiences, it's ironic that homosexuality may not be as welcome on America's most popular TV show, American Idol on Fox, reports TMZ.com.":

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/people/13680387.htm

 

6.) An article from the LA Times by way of the Fort Wayne, IN, Journal asks "Will ‘Brokeback’ open doors?" and discusses, among other projects, "The Front Runner":

 

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/living/13670756.htm

 

7.) The Dallas-Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that "Texans are taking to 'Brokeback Mountain'" and sort of dismisses the Christian right response:

 

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/entertainment/13661024.htm

 

8.) Media Matters discusses "Conservatives quick to opine on Brokeback Mountain's 'agenda,' slow to actually see film", pointing out critics who condemn the film while proudly making a point of not seeing it:

 

http://mediamatters.org/items/200601200005

 

9.) Finally, Gay.com reports on the film's international success:

 

http://uk.gay.com/headlines/9508

 

BG

[+ Axiom2001]

I had the good fortune of going to see this film yesterday (Sunday)and glad that I did. Although the first half hour of the film moves at a slightly slow pace which almost began to make me detest that I was in the audience viewing it, once over this hump-- and until the end-- I immensely enjoyed this poignant and dynamic moving portrayal and story.

 

After I go and see the other films which were noted at the Golden Globes--I'm make up my mind as to which film should receive the Oscar this year in the major categories.

 

And in keeping with this forum-- I want the guy who was the darker of the two male protagonists. I can't spell his name, but I think his last name begins with a "G"! He has been my heart throb for sometime now!:9

[+ Hoover42]

>And in keeping with this forum-- I want the guy who was the

>darker of the two male protagonists. I can't spell his name,

>but I think his last name begins with a "G"! He has been my

>heart throb for sometime now!:9

 

That would be 25yo Jake Gyllenhaal.

 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350453/

 

...Hoover

[Barry]

Well now that it continues to expand to more screens maybe this guy will get a chance to see it too. }(

 

http://bradblog.com/video/flvplayer/FlvPlayer.html?file=http://www.ameratsu.com/media/vid/cnn/cnn_pl_bush_brokeback_spying_speech_060123a_464x260.flv&width=464&height=260

 

Barry