Today marks the 100th birthday of Universal Pictures and to celebrate the studio has released a list of 100 facts based on its first 100 years in existence. I have placed in bold some of the ones I found interesting as well as offered a selection of photo and video accompaniments here and there. 1. Universal Film Manufacturing Company was officially incorporated in New York on April 30, 1912. Company legend says Carl Laemmle was inspired to name his company Universal after seeing "Universal Pipe Fittings" written on a passing delivery wagon. 2. The only physical damage made during the filming of National Lampoon's Animal House was when John Belushi made a hole in the wall with a guitar. The actual Sigma Nu fraternity house (which subbed for the fictitious Delta House) never repaired it, and instead framed the hole in honor of the film. 3. The working title for Et: The Extra Terrestrial was "A Boy's Life.
- 4/30/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Moviegoers continued to nosh on Thanksgiving leftovers -- last weekend's top film, Warner Bros.' "Four Christmases," easily hung onto the No. 1 slot -- but the real action during the weekend centered on Oscar hopefuls making their initial bows in limited release.
Serious film buffs were in a mood to kick Richard Nixon around once more: Universal's exclusive debut of Ron Howard's "Frost/Nixon" -- in just three theaters in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto -- pulled in an estimated $180,000 for a whopping per-theater average of $60,049.
"It was a great launch," Universal distribution head Nikki Rocco said. "This is an excellent way of generating fantastic word of mouth." The movie will expand into 23 markets and 39 playdates this coming weekend before moving into the top 100 markets Christmas Day.
Moving into 99 theaters for its second weekend, Focus' "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant, took home $1.7 million, which translated to a...
Serious film buffs were in a mood to kick Richard Nixon around once more: Universal's exclusive debut of Ron Howard's "Frost/Nixon" -- in just three theaters in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto -- pulled in an estimated $180,000 for a whopping per-theater average of $60,049.
"It was a great launch," Universal distribution head Nikki Rocco said. "This is an excellent way of generating fantastic word of mouth." The movie will expand into 23 markets and 39 playdates this coming weekend before moving into the top 100 markets Christmas Day.
Moving into 99 theaters for its second weekend, Focus' "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant, took home $1.7 million, which translated to a...
- 12/7/2008
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The specialty market featured an especially impressive opening this weekend, as Focus Features milked its limited release of Gus Van Sant's "Milk" with stunning success.
The biopic about assassinated San Francisco gay pol Harvey Milk tabulated $1.4 million in three-day boxoffice from just 36 inaugural engagements, or a landslide $38,375 per location. "Milk" carries a cume of $1.9 million since unspooling on Wednesday.
"It's a sensational opening," Focus distribution topper Jack Foley said. "It's a record opening for a film opening in this many theaters, and there were lots of sellouts wherever it was playing."
The "Milk" debut represented the best per-venue average of any film opened with 30-40 engagements, Foley said. Its bow outpaced the December 2007 opening for "Atonement," which Focus unspooled with $784,145 from 32 playdates or a then-record $24,505 per engagement.
"Milk" pours into 60 theaters in 32 markets on Friday. Foley said he believes Focus' marketing campaign has dovetailed well with nationwide publicity over...
The biopic about assassinated San Francisco gay pol Harvey Milk tabulated $1.4 million in three-day boxoffice from just 36 inaugural engagements, or a landslide $38,375 per location. "Milk" carries a cume of $1.9 million since unspooling on Wednesday.
"It's a sensational opening," Focus distribution topper Jack Foley said. "It's a record opening for a film opening in this many theaters, and there were lots of sellouts wherever it was playing."
The "Milk" debut represented the best per-venue average of any film opened with 30-40 engagements, Foley said. Its bow outpaced the December 2007 opening for "Atonement," which Focus unspooled with $784,145 from 32 playdates or a then-record $24,505 per engagement.
"Milk" pours into 60 theaters in 32 markets on Friday. Foley said he believes Focus' marketing campaign has dovetailed well with nationwide publicity over...
- 11/30/2008
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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