Archive for July, 2008
Batman Sequel Keeps Up Record-Breaking Run
LOS ANGELES: Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” kept up its record-breaking pace this weekend, pushing its total receipts since opening to a stunning US$313.8 million, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said Monday.
Director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to 2005’s “Batman Begins,” with Christian Bale in the lead and the late Heath Ledger as the villainous Joker, topped the previous second-weekend record of “Shrek 2″, with US$75.2 million in ticket sales over the Friday-Sunday period, final figures showed.
That followed its record for a debut weekend, when it overtook previous mark-holder “Spider-Man 3″ with an unprecedented US$158.4 million in seats sold.
The film is helped by the buzz over Ledger’s performance, who died of an accidental drug overdose in New York in January, with many industry experts speculating that he may win a rare posthumous Oscar for the role.
Far back in second place was “Step Brothers,” a Will Farrell-starring comedy of two middle-aged men still living at home when their respective widowed parents meet and get married.
On its opening weekend “Step Brothers,” directed by Adam McKay, sold US$30.1 million in tickets, Exhibitor Relations said.
Third was the ABBA musical “Mamma Mia” with a take of US$17.8 million in its second weekend, followed in fourth by “The X-Files: I Want to Believe,” which took in US$10.2 million on its opening weekend.
In fifth place was “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D,” which earned US$9.7 million in its third week.
Rounding out the top 10 in the final figures for the weekend were the Will Smith action flick “Hancock,” earning US$8.3 million to take its four-week total to US$206.5 million; the acclaimed animation “Wall-E,” US$6.4 million for a five week take of US$195.3 million; “Hellboy II” (US$5.1 million); “Space Chimps” (US$4.5 million); and “Wanted” (US$2.7 million).
With “The Dark Knight’s” smashing run, Exhibitor Relations said that movie theatre ticket sales so far this year hit US$5.84 billion, barely behind last year’s figure for the same period of US$5.85 billion.
- AFP/yb
Channel News Asia
Newest Batman Film Wallops More Records
LOS ANGELES - Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” smashed another record Sunday, breaking the mark for the highest take at North American box offices on a film’s second weekend, after its unprecedented 158.4 million debut last weekend, Hollywood figures showed.
According to estimates by theater sales tracker Exhibitor Relations, “The Dark Knight” added another 75.6 million dollars to its take on the Friday-Sunday period in US and Canadian theaters, upping its two-week total to an unparalleled 314.2 million dollars.
Director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to 2005’s “Batman Begins,” with Christian Bale in the lead and the late Heath Ledger the villainous Joker, topped the previous second-weekend record of “Shrek 2″, after having a week earlier beaten the debut weekend mark of “Spider-Man 3″.
The film is helped by the buzz over Ledger’s performance, who died of an accidental drug overdose in New York in January, with many industry experts speculating that he may win a rare posthumous Oscar.
Far back in second place was “Step Brothers,” a Will Farrell-starring comedy of two middle-aged men still living at home when their respective widowed parents meet and get married.
On its opening weekend “Step Brothers,” directed by Adam McKay, sold an even 30 million dollars in tickets on the weekend, Exhibitor Relations said.
Third was the ABBA musical “Mamma Mia” with a take of 17.9 million in its second weekend, followed in fourth by “The X-Files: I Want to Believe,” which took in 10.2 million on its opening weekend.
In fifth place was “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D,” which earned 9.4 million in its third week.
Rounding out the top ten were the Will Smith action flick “Hancock,” earning 8.2 million to take its four-week total to 206.4 million; the acclaimed animation “Wall-E,” 6.4 million for a five week take of 195.2 million; “Hellboy II” (4.9 million); “Space Chimps” (4.4 million); and “Wanted” (2.7 million).
With the record contribution on “The Dark Knight,” Exhibitor Relations said that movie theater ticket sales so far this year hit 5.84 billion, virtually the same as last year’s figure at the same time.
- AFP /ls
Channel News Asia
Kota Perfileman
Oleh Suzan Ahmad
suzan@bharian.com.my
BANGKAI kapal terbang yang terdapat di Universal Studios.
Universal Studios dikomersialkan pada 1962 menjadi aset penggambaran filem hebat
PERTAMA kali ke Los Angeles, California, empat tahun lalu, penulis tidak dapat mengenali keistimewaan sebenar kota itu kerana masa yang ada terlalu singkat.
Kunjungan kali kedua pastinya tidak akan disia-siakan terutama untuk ke lokasi wajib pelancong, iaitu Universal Studios Hollywood.
Kalau hendak diikutkan jadual kerja yang ketat, pastinya penulis tidak sempat untuk ke Universal Studios. Bagaimanapun, selepas sesi temubual eksklusif bersama aktres Selma Blair (heroin Hellboy II) dibatalkan pada saat akhir, masa terluang digunakan untuk menikmati keindahan daerah perfileman itu.
Perjalanan dari tempat penginapan, Hotel The Four Seasons, Doheny Drive, Hollywood ke Universal Studios hanya mengambil masa lebih kurang 30 minit menaiki teksi, tetapi tambang yang dikenakan mencecah AS$38.00 (RM121.60)
Keluasan Universal Studios Hollywood umpama sebuah daerah, jadi adalah lebih baik penulis memulakan perjalanan seawal mungkin kerana memerlukan sehari suntuk untuk menghabiskan lawatan ke semua lokasi menarik di kawasan itu.
Oleh kerana ketika kunjungan itu Los Angeles mengalami musim panas yang juga cuti musim panas bagi orang Amerika Syarikat, penulis dapat saksikan Universal Studio dibanjiri manusia dari serata pelusuk benua Amerika dan dunia.
Universal Studios Hollywood adalah studio perfileman terletak di Universal City, California dengan Woody Woodpecker (karakter kartun terkenal) menjadi maskot rasminya. Walaupun ia adalah studio perfileman paling tua dan terkemuka, ia masih digunakan untuk penggambaran filem secara aktif.
Dengan mengenengahkan tagline rasmi The Entertainment Capital of Los Angeles, lokasi itu juga dikenali sebagai The Coolest Place in Los Angeles ketika musim panas.
Untuk menikmati kemudahan dalam taman tema di Universal Studios Hollywood, sambil mengelakkan daripada letih menunggu dan beratur panjang, penulis terpaksa tutup sebelah mata dengan melabur membeli tiket istimewa berharga AS$129 (RM412).
Yang pasti, pelaburan itu berbaloi kerana tiket yang dibeli membolehkan penulis berada di barisan hadapan semua permainan dalam taman tema berkenaan.
Pada asalnya, taman tema itu dibina untuk menawarkan lawatan bagi memberikan gambaran suasana sebenar set dan soundstages di Universal Studios, kini berkembang pesat sehingga menjadi destinasi pelancongan yang mesti dilawati.
Apa yang menarik, kejayaannya itu membolehkan beberapa lagi taman tema dibina antaranya Taman Tema Universal Studios Florida dan Taman Tema Universal Studios Jepun. Selain itu, Taman Tema Universal Studios Singapura, Taman Tema Universal Studios Dubai dan Taman Tema Universal Studios Korea Selatan akan muncul tidak lama lagi.
Penulis difahamkan semuanya bermula selepas Music Corporation of Amerika (MCA) mengambil alih Universal Pictures pada 1962 dan membuka studio itu untuk dikunjungi pelancong. Kemudian pada 1964, pakej lawatan ke sekitar studio dikembangkan termasuk lawatan ke bilik persalinan, lokasi penggambaran dan persembahan pentas.
Persembahan pentas, demonstrasi lagak ngeri dan permainan berteknologi tinggi menjadi set lawatan paling popular di kalangan pengunjung sehingga menenggelamkan set produksi filem cereka.
Selain taman tema, pengunjung juga boleh menikmati keindahan Universal Hilton & Towers, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, teater skrin berganda dan Universal CityWalk, yang menawarkan koleksi kedai dan restoran serta Gibson Amphitheatre, lokasi penganjuran konsert yang cukup popular.
Apapun pengalaman paling menarik apabila penulis dapat melihat sendiri kawasan lot belakang Universal Studios yang terbakar pada 1 Jun lalu. Dalam kejadian itu Brownstone Street, New York Street, New England Street, permainan King Kong, dan sebahagian struktur bangunan Courthouse Square, set filem War of the Worlds dan Video Vault (tempat penyimpan video salinan) musnah terbakar.
Lebih 40,000 hingga 50,000 arkib video digital dan salinan video serta filem sejak 1920-an termasuk filem Knocked Up dan Atonement, siri terbitan NBC Law & Order, The Office, dan Miami Vice, siri komedi terbitan CBS I Love Lucy, turut musnah dalam kebakaran itu.
INFO
Universal Studios Hollywood
Ditubuhkan oleh Carl Laemmle, seorang berbangsa Jerman yang menetap di Oshkosh, Wisconsin, di mana dia bermula sebagai pengurus kedai pakaian.
Viacom yang dimiliki Paramount Pictures adalah studio rakaman tertua.
Universal Studios adalah studio rakaman Amerika yang kedua paling lama beroperasi di dunia.
Taman tema menjadi tumpuan ialah “Revenge of the Mummy The Ride,” “Shrek 4-D,” “Jurassic Park΅ The Ride” dan Studio Tour.
Pembinaan semula Universal Studios membabitkan kos AS$50 juta (RM160 juta)
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