SUBMITTED BY Fred Hill
August 14, 2001 — There was some good news and bad news to studios as their films
were shown for the first time over seas. Check out the results for
the newest dino flick.
In some intriguing shootouts last week, "Jurassic Park III" was
outgunned by animated phenom "Spirited Away" in Japan, "Cats &
Dogs" outmuscled "Rush Hour 2" in the U.K. and Jet Li starrer "Kiss
of the Dragon" was bested by a local actioner in Hong Kong.
But it was no contest for "Planet of the Apes," which smashed
various records for Fox in Latin America, South Korea and
Sweden.
"Jurassic Park III" landed in Japan, collecting $ 8.9 million
in five days on 276 screens, including Aug. 4 sneaks. Sequel's $ 5.5
million opening weekend was 18% below that of "The Mummy Returns,"
but 6% better than the "Apes" remake. Still, the flying dinos
couldn't catch Toho's "Spirited Away," which continued its hot
streak, easing by a trifling 9% in its third weekend.
"Jurassic's" German preem bettered that of the "Mummy" sequel
by 11%, while Holland's $ 901,000 on 83 was 26% ahead. But the Joe
Johnston-helmed adventure showed wobbly legs in its soph sessions,
tumbling 40% in Spain and 67% in Taiwan. All told, the raptors
feasted on $ 31.3 million in 26 markets, propelling the pic's cume to
$ 78.1 million.
"Mass hysteria, absolutely astonishing for the month of
August," is how one Teutonic booker described biz, lauding "Jurassic"
and hot holdovers "Der Schuh des Manitu" (Constantin's oater satire)
and "Shrek..." |
