We wanna laugh -- and we want romance. That was a common refrain from moviegoers around the world last week as local, lowbrow comedies reigned in France and Italy, "School of Rock" socked the U.K., and "Something's Gotta Give" was warmly received in its Euro debuts.
Summing up the prevailing mood in Italy, one booker said, "Italians don't necessarily like all the extremist and violent trends that come out of Hollywood."
In South Korea, folks were happy to immerse themselves in the Korean War as
"TaeGukGi," tale of two brothers caught up in the 1950-53 conflict, smashed local B.O. records, amassing $13.9 million in six days. Producers presold the pic by "Shiri" helmer Kang Je-Gyu to Universal for Japan and are angling for a domestic deal with Miramax or Sony Classics.
Biz drifted in the U.K., Italy, Australia and Spain but rose fractionally in Germany and by 13% in France. In Spain, disappointed exhibs were hoping for an upswing from the Oscar noms and the local Goya awards. The notable beneficiaries were Goya best pic winner
"Take My Eyes" which jumped by 69% to $5.3 million in its 18th week, and
"Mystic River" which eased by 8% to $6.1 million in week 16 after being voted best foreign film by Spanish crix.
The champ for the fourth consecutive weekend overseas,
"The Last Samurai" captured an estimated $17.7 million from debuts in 10 markets and holdovers in 45 territories, and its cume through Feb. 10 levitated to $276.3 million -- WB Intl.'s seventh-biggest film of all time, overtaking "Ocean's Eleven."
Tom Cruise starrer conquered Russia but had to settle for second place in Turkey and Denmark. Warrior saga reigned in its 10th stanza in Japan, where it's the highest-grossing R-rated release, surpassing "The Matrix Reloaded."
New Line's warhorse
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is finally showing its age, dropping 46% on the prior weekend, but was set to surge again after blasting off Feb. 14 in Japan. It's banked nearly $594 million, heading for north of $650 million.
In Italy, laffer
"Le Barzellette" (literally, jokes) from vet helmer Carlo Vanzina and hot producer Aurelio de Laurentiis, surpassed exhibs' expectations, benefiting from the presence of popular comic actor Gigi Proietti. In France, adolescents flocked to
"The 11 Commandments," a "Jackass"-style comedy from the team responsible for last year's sleeper "La Beuze."
After a lucrative run Down Under,
"School of Rock" went to the top of the class in the U.K. and took second spot in Germany -- a good result in the latter considering Jack Black is little known.
"Something's Gotta Give" had pleasing bows in the U.K., Italy, France, Holland, Greece and Taiwan. Older-skewing pics usually don't open big, but this one will have legs judging by its 11% soph sesh improvement in Mexico and its resilience in Australia.
"Love Actually" attracted a reasonable crowd in Japan, although in yen 22% below "Bridget Jones's Diary," propelling its cume to $166 million.
On the darker side,
"21 Grams" advanced to $18.4 million in 15 markets, sustained by its terrif second outing in Spain (where director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Amores perros" was admired) and handy holdovers in France, Italy and Australia.
"Big Fish" was the victor in Oz, although some exhibs say it's polarizing auds, and it held OK in its second weekend wide in Blighty.
"Brother Bear" ruled in Sweden, registering the biggest toon debut in winter, beating "Monsters, Inc.," and in Denmark, where it was the season's second best in winter behind "Toy Story 2." Family pic held stoutly in its second lap in France; its cume climbed to $59.8 million in 20 countries and looks set to finish way above domestic's $84.6 million.
Gallic exhibs rated
"Peter Pan's" debut as uninspiring and some said the trailer and campaign weren't effective. P.J. Hogan-helmed fantasy has conjured up an estimated $35 million after passable perfs in the U.K, Australia/New Zealand, South Africa and Southeast Asia.
"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" bowed buoyantly in Mexico and held well in Brazil. Seafaring saga cruised to $96.6 million (leaving domestic's $89.2 million in its wake) with Japan ahead.
"Mona Lisa Smile" graduated to $45 million in 42 markets, boosted by its nifty preem in Belgium and remarkably resilient third semester in Germany, still No.1. "It's a very positive, feel-good film, and it's struck a chord with people," said one Teutonic programmer.
"Lost in Translation" notched healthy averages on limited prints bowing in Scandinavia, New Zealand and Singapore; Focus Features pic's cume reached $33 million in 26 markets, a steady earner in the U.K., France, Italy and Oz.
"Seabiscuit" pulled up lame in Spain, suffering from aiming for a similar demo as fellow frosh "Under the Tuscan Sun." One Madrid exhib said no one had heard of the champion U.S. nag and that horse racing isn't very popular either. Toby Maguire starrer has all but run its race overseas with roughly $24.8 million in its saddle bags.
John Hopewell in Madrid, Sheri Jennings in Rome, Liza Klaussmann in Paris, Ed Meza in Berlin and Archie Thomas in London contributed to this report.
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