'Bean' runs over 'Hogs' overseas

'Perfect Stranger' finishes third

By IAN MOHR

It wouldn't seem on its surface like a pic with international appeal, but Buena Vista's "Wild Hogs" -- an ensemble laffer about middle-aged dudes who take to the road on Harleys -- revved some serious coin over the weekend.

Returns on the pic, with John Travolta leading the cast, seemed strong enough for BVI's estimates to put "Hogs" at No. 1.

But come Monday morning, when final receipts were counted, the international hit "Mr. Bean's Holiday," another silly crowd-pleaser, stole the top slot, leaving "Hogs" at No. 2 with about $1 million less.

"('Hogs') has done surprisingly well," explains one

exhib in Germany where the pic finished No. 1 over the frame. "It's a lighthearted road movie with broad appeal, and Germans like road movies. Plus it has big stars. It's a gag movie, but people are still curious to see John Travolta and Tim Allen, who

people here know from 'Home Improvement' -- and the others -- as bikers. Audiences are in the mood for light comedy."

Biz internationally was soft overall as sunny weather kept Euro fans away from cinemas in many key markets.

But even at No. 2, "Hogs" was solid. It took in $12 million from 35 territories, with particularly strong plays in Germany, the U.K. and Mexico, as well as more far-flung locales like Sweden. The midlife crisis comedy has so far cumed $43.2 million.

Universal Pictures Intl.'s "Bean" has been hopping, however. Pic, starring Rowan Atkinson as bumbling buffoon Bean, has fallen on to $144.4 million overseas before its domestic launch. Pic is playing in 44 territories, and was No. 1 over the frame in France.

And though it finished third over the weekend, Sony Intl.'s "Perfect Stranger," the racy thriller starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, wasn't able to get much traction overseas, mirroring its U.S. bow.

"Stranger" has met up with $21.6 million after taking in $8.9 million from 59 markets its latest frame.

Rounding out the top 5 over the weekend were Paramount's Mark Wahlberg vehicle "Shooter," and the international behemoth "300," from Warner Bros.

Weekend's winner "Bean" was buoyed by its No. 1 finish in France, despite a combo of brilliant weekend weather over most of the country and Sunday's record-setting turnout for the presidential elections that kept moviegoing habits much lower than average for this time of year.

"Mr. Bean's" reeled in more than $2.6 million, off 496 prints, for Studio Canal in its first five days of release. A new opener, "Shooter," made a bit better than $1.2 million for Paramount on 248 as the second-place finisher.

Local pics in France continue to play well. After three frames, battle of the sexes romantic comedy "The Price to Pay" toplining Christian Clavier and Nathalie Baye has reaped Wild Bunch close to $7.3 million on 444 screens.

And helmer Claude Berri's "Hunting and Gathering," with top thesp Audrey Tautou, is still making Pathe purr, bringing in more than $14.3 million after five frames on 470.

In the U.K., "Wild Hogs" showed good legs, dipping just 23% in its soph sesh to $1.9 million at 416, good enough for the top spot.

"Bean's" dominance on its home turf is finally subsiding. Atkinson-starrer nosedived 46% in its fourth frame in the U.K. Brit cume is $39.5 million.

"Hogs" was helped by its perf in Germany. Pic hogged up Teutonic B.O. over the weekend, vanquishing both "Mr. Bean's" and "300."

Laffer benefited from upbeat reviews and its family friendliness, which local crix compared favorably to "City Slickers." Pic hauled in $3 million from 583 screens.

Dropping 48% to third place, "Bean" drummed up $1.09 million for a $19.67 million cume, followed by "300" with $1.05 million on its way to a $12.45 million total.

Local hit from Senator, "Vollidiot," a romantic comedy starring popular TV personality Oliver Pocher, dropped a respectable 25%, putting it at No. 2, with $1.19 million from 511 on its way to a $3.16 million cume.

Overwhelmed by "Hogs" and "Vollidiot," and hurt by warm weather that kept moviegoers outdoors, new entries "Sunshine" and "Shooter" failed to excite. "People weren't too enthusiastic about a military sniper movie," says one exhib, of "Shooter." Germany's overall box office dropped 5.7% from the previous week, due in large part to the summer-like weather.

In Italy, soaring temps burned the hotly anticipated premiere of Daniele Luchetti's political drama "Mio Fratello e figlio unico" this weekend and plunged the Italian box office down yet again.

"Wild Hogs," on 292 screens, was the surprising No. 2 there, grossing $1.24 million.

In Spain, Jim Carrey pic "The Number 23" took $1.1 million at 295, which put it just behind "Music and Lyrics."

In South American action, "300" was a winner. Pic topped the charts in Brazil, Chile and Argentina, bringing its total cume abroad to $217.1 million.

Ed Meza in Germany, David Hayhurst in France and Bernhard Warner in Italy contributed to this rep