'Bridget Jones's' Tops Box Office
By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Resolution No. 1 for ``Bridget Jones's Diary'': Add 600 theaters and take over as America's top film.Renee Zellweger's romantic comedy about a Londoner who fancies making lists and life-improving resolutions grossed
$10.5 million in its second weekend to move into first place at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The film debuted at No. 3 last weekend, when it opened in 1,611 theaters. Distributor Miramax added 610 cinemas this
weekend and plans to expand the movie to several hundred more Friday.
``Last week when it opened was sort of a test run, and it sure rose to the occasion,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of
Exhibitor Relations, which tracks movie ticket sales. ``It proved to do so well that Miramax went ahead and added theaters.''
``Bridget Jones's Diary'' bumped off another Miramax movie, ``Spy Kids,'' which took in $10.2 million and slipped to No. 2
after three weekends in the top spot.
The weekend's two big new films had modest debuts. ``Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,'' the third of Paul Hogan's
comedies about the colorful Australian outdoorsman, opened at No. 4 with $8 million.
``Freddy Got Fingered,'' the gross-out comedy starring co-writer and director Tom Green, took in $7.3 million to debut in
fifth place.
Playing in 2,271 theaters, ``Freddy Got Fingered'' had a so-so average of $3,199 a cinema, compared with $3,768 in 2,123
locations for ``Crocodile Dundee.''
``Bridget Jones's Diary'' maintained a strong average of $4,739 in its second weekend. The movie has grossed $25.7 million
in 10 days.
With ``Bridget Jones'' and ``Spy Kids,'' it was the first time Miramax films ever held the top two spots at the box office. Both
movies are benefitting from repeat business, said Mark Gill, West Coast president for Miramax.
``Women having gone to `Bridget Jones' with their boyfriends or husbands are going back and taking other people to see it.
So we have our evangelists out there,'' Gill said.
Many children are going back a second or third time for ``Spy Kids,'' which has grossed $86 million and is poised to become
the second movie released this year to hit $100 million, after ``Hannibal.''
The $8 million opening for the latest ``Crocodile Dundee'' flick matched the debut of Hogan's original movie in 1986. But the
first one opened in just 879 theaters before catching fire to become a $175 million hit.
``Crocodile Dundee II'' had a $24.5 million opening weekend and went on to gross $109 million in 1988.
The latest ``Crocodile Dundee'' will top out between $30 million and $40 million, said Wayne Lewellen, head of distribution
for Paramount, which released the movie.
``Audience reaction to the film is very good,'' Lewellen said. ``I can't say the appeal has worn off, but certainly it's not as
successful as the other two.''
``Freddy Got Fingered,'' hammered by critics for its vulgar gags, was hindered by an R rating that kept many of Green's
teen-age male fans out, said Bruce Snyder, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, which released the movie.
Two films did well in limited release. The chess drama ``The Luzhin Defence,'' starring John Turturro and Emily Watson,
opened in six theaters with $72,896 for a strong $12,149 average.
Director Wayne Wang's ``The Center of the World,'' a tale of an erotic weekend involving a stripper and an Internet
millionaire, debuted with $72,000 at seven theaters for an average of $10,286 a cinema.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final
figures are to be released Monday.
turn his MTV show antics into a full length feature and he ran into Jerry
Springer disease. You see, Green is funny when he goofs on real people in
supermarkets, soccer fields, or his parent's sex life. Those things get
real responses and are funny like when the Springer guests yell and scream and
punch each other. Contrived, but based on some reality. However, once you
manufacture responses to these antics, it defeats the purpose of the gag.
Seeing Green suck on a cow teat is funny on television, but no one is going to
pay money to see that. It is being disgusting just to do it. There
has to be some sort of story to support the gross out humor, or no one will go
see it. When Jerry Springer made his movie, no one saw it because it was
fake and not as good as the tv show. Green could make it in the movies,
but he needs to do more supporting stuff for now like in Road Trip and Charlie's
Angels. He was good in those 2 films because he was held back a bit and he was
in the middle of plots that had some point to them. It was way too early
for him to star, write, and direct a movie. See you in 10 years
buddy. The Box Office Report will be another little one next week, and
then when Mummy Returns comes out, this site will be back to normal. I
need a vacation sometimes too. Bye for now.