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Movie audiences flock to ``Mars''
2000-03-12
LOS ANGELES - In Hollywood, the formula for box office success is simple. Imperiled humans in outer space equals big audiences, Reuters reported. The latest beneficiary of this math is ``Mission to Mars,'' which blasted off in the top spot at the North American weekend box office with ticket sales of $23.1 million, according to studio estimates issued Sunday. With an ensemble featuring Gary Sinise, Don Cheadle, Tim Robbins and a kindly Martian, director Brian De Palma's sci-fi extravaganza about a rescue attempt on the Red Planet pulled in audiences just as recent films such as ``Armageddon,'' ``Deep Impact,'' ``Independence Day'' and ``Apollo 13'' have done. ``The reviews were not favorable, but the public saw something in this movie and voted with their pocketbooks,'' said Chuck Viane, president of distribution at Buena Vista Pictures, the Walt Disney Co. arm that released the movie. Among the negative reviews, Entertainment Weekly described the film as ``profoundly shallow.'' An audience at a preview screening last week hooted during scenes that were supposed to be serious. Still, ``Mission to Mars'' earned more than the next four films combined, and accounted for about 38 percent of the total top 10 gross. It also marks the third highest March opener ever, after 1997's ``Liar Liar'' ($31 million) and 1990's ``Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' ($25 million). Its screen average of $7,564 was the highest in the top 10. The only other new entry in the top 10 was director Roman Polanski's ``The Ninth Gate'' which opened at No. 2 with $6.7 million. The supernatural thriller stars Johnny Depp as an an antiquarian book seller who has to track down two tomes with satanic powers. Again, the reviews were caustic, which may have deterred Polanski's core audience in the 30-plus age bracket, said Steve Rothenberg, president of distribution at Artisan Entertainment. He predicted the movie would end up with about $20 million domestically, and would be a strong home video item. The reigning champ for the last three weeks, ``The Whole Nine Yards'' slipped to No. 4 with $5.4 million, taking its 24-day total to $45.8 million. The profitable Bruce Willis mob comedy should end up near $60 million, said a spokesman for the film's distributor, Warner Bros. According to Exhibitor Relations Co., which collects the studios' data, the top 12 films this weekend grossed a combined $67 million, down two percent from last weekend, but up 12 percent from the year-ago period when ``Analyze This'' was No. 1 for a second weekend. ``My Dog Skip'' (Warner Bros.), held steady at No. 3 with $6.0 million in its second weekend of wide release, up two percent. The total for the canine-themed kids' movie stands at $14.1 million, about double what it cost to make. The two leading contenders for the the best picture Oscar, ''American Beauty'' and ``The Cider House Rules'' each jumped four places. ``Beauty'' was No. 5 with $3.7 million, taking its 180-day total to $98 million. The DreamWorks SKG film is expected to pass the $100 million mark at the foreign box office this weekend. ``Cider House,'' released by Disney's Miramax Films unit, followed at No. 6 with $3.6 million and a 94-day total of $42 million. The Danny DeVito black comedy ``Drowning Mona'' (Destination Films) fell three places to No. 7 with $3.5 million in its second weekend, and a 10-day total of $10.8 million. Madonna's ``The Next Best Thing'' (Paramount Pictures) suffered the steepest decline in the top 10, dropping 42 percent and six places to No. 8 with $3.4 million. The romantic comedy's 10-day total is $10.6 million. The sci-fi drama ``Pitch Black'' (USA Films) and the kids' comedy ``Snow Day'' (Paramount) tied for No. 9 with $3.1 million each. Their respective totals are $34.2 million after 24 days and $52.9 million after one month. Artisan, DreamWorks and Destination are privately held. Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc.. Paramount is a unit of Viacom Inc.. USA Films is a unit of USA Networks Inc.
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