U.K. BIZ SMASHING
6 pix top5 mil admissions as habit forms
The six --- "Independence Day," "Toy Story," "Babe," "Jumanji," "Mission: Impossible" and "Golden- eye" --- accounted for a third of all annual admissions and were part of a top 10 that grossed $277 million, and a top 25 grossing $455 million.
The totals, released by the Cinema Advertising Assn., were accompanied by statistics indicating that an increase in product diversity since 1991 had helped double the number of 35-plus as well as 7-to-14-year-olds regularly attending cinemas.
Multis proliferate
Multiplex attendance was up dramatically on the back of 500 new multi screens since 1991, accounting for 40% of all screens in 1996 and 46% of admissions.
Ninety-four percent of 15-to-24-year-olds and 88% of 25-to-34-year-olds said they are now regular cinemagoers, up from 82% and 65%, respectively, 10 years ago.
The stats also indicate that 13% of the people who saw the cult film "Trainspotting" saw it more than once, and that 65% of the "Sense & Sensibility" audience was over 35.
