As the freshest title among the Oscar-wreathed films, **“Traffic”** looks set to reap the most benefit from its awards, while **“Gladiator”** appears to have just about run its chariot race, and there’s not much spring left in **“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”**
Biz in many territories has entered the customary spring trough, although **“Miss Congeniality”** drew good crowds as it debuted at No. 1 in six markets, and it held superbly in Australia.
With an estimated $34 million in the till, **“Traffic”** is perfectly positioned to cash in on kudos, including Steven Soderbergh’s directing nod and Benicio Del Toro’s supporting actor gong, as it rolls out in Germany April 5 and Japan April 28.
In the U.K., the drug cartel saga soared by 160% after adding 40 prints in its ninth round. **“Crouching Tiger”** jumped by 35% in Blighty March 27, but by just 4% the previous day and 2% on March 28, indicating a momentary spurt in its 12th frame; the reappearance of **“Erin Brockovich”** went virtually unnoticed. **“Tiger’s”** estimated foreign cume is $64 million, with only Romania to come.
#**Legs in France**
**“Traffic”** showed fresh legs in its third stanza in France, where Gallic romance **“Mademoiselle”** found favor and ticket sales overall were stimulated by a discounting promotion that ran Sunday through Tuesday.
Anticipating a bunch of statuettes, distrib UIP began re-releasing **“Gladiator”** on a limited basis in more than 30 markets earlier this month, kicking off in Germany March 8. That has enriched the pot by more than $2 million.
#**Well-worn pic**
After relaunches over the weekend in France and Japan, UIP now has more than 900 prints working abroad. But with a cume of $265 million, it’s debatable if there’s much upside in the Russell Crowe starrer as it barely fluttered last week in markets such as the U.K., Australia and Germany.
One Teutonic booker brands the exercise a waste of time, saying, ” **‘Gladiator’** did really good business the first time out and got repeat business at the time, so most people who wanted to see the film have seen it, and die-hard fans probably already have the video or DVD at home.”
In Italy, **“Traffic,”** **“Gladiator”** and **“Crouching Tiger”** each experienced 20% uplifts on March 27, but tradesters say the true impact won’t show up until the weekend, when BIM was doubling the print run for Ang Lee’s pic to 150 copies, and **“Traffic”** also was going wider.
UIP has milked a handy $500,000 from **“Gladiator”** since its March 16 reissue on 47 prints in Italy.
Warner/Roadshow’s **“Miss Congeniality”** saw winning bows in the U.K., Taiwan, Holland, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Portugal, and pic slipped by just 21% in its soph session Down Under. U.K. critics sniped at the film, but Sandra Bullock’s presence in London clearly had a bigger influence than the critics did on auds.
While coming away from the Shrine empty-handed, **“Chocolat”** is being sustained abroad by word of mouth, minting $6.1 million on 1,622 screens. Lasse Hallstrom’s trifle had terrific second laps in Germany and Belgium, and pic was solid in its fourth in the U.K. and its fifth in Italy. Cume is $36 million in 36 territories.
**“Dude, Where’s My Car?”** scored effectively in Germany but was less impressive in Austria; the Fox laffer’s cume is $12.5 million from 14 countries. The Teutonic B.O. wasn’t inspired by rookies **“Thirteen Days”** (historical-political dramas don’t grab young folks, one booker notes), **“Save the Last Dance”** or **“Snatch,”** which didn’t get a big marketing push and may have turned off Brad Pitt’s fans because he looks shabby in it.
After flunking in Germany, the U.K. and Japan, Gus Van Sant’s **“Finding Forrester”** partially redeemed itself in Italy with a No. 1 bow, boosted by topliner Sean Connery’s promo visit to Rome.
**“The Exorcist”** director’s cut vaulted to $58.3 million, spurred by sturdy preems in Australia (beating the entries of the **“Scream”** and **“I Know What You Did…”** series), as well as in Belgium and Venezuela. In its second laps, William Friedkin’s chiller retained pole position in France but was ho-hum in Germany. Mexico’s $6.5 million in 21 days is a standout.
**“The Emperor’s New Groove”** retained the top spot in its soph sessions in Germany and Austria; the Disney toon’s cume is $34.3 million, with a lot of major markets ahead. Disney’s BVI celebrated its second hit to cross $100 million this year in **“102 Dalmatians,”** which peaked at $103 million, highlighted by Japan’s $9.5 million through its third weekend.
Nearing the end of its foreign excursion, **“Unbreakable”** reached $150.3 million, driven by Turkey’s potent $285,000 in four days on 62 and Japan’s $23.6 million after its sixth round.
New Line’s **“15 Minutes”** had a tepid response in the U.K. but was more warmly received in Italy, buoyed by largely positive notices and Robert De Niro’s enduring popularity in that market. Stablemate **“The Cell”** conjured up a modest $1.2 million in five days on 117 in Japan, its last major market; $40 million cume pales against domestic’s $61.2 million.
Jean-Jacques Annaud’s **“Enemy at the Gates”** had passable debuts in Norway and Finland and reasonable second rounds in the U.K. and France. But the WWII saga plunged in Germany after being mortally wounded by the critics and audience apathy.
**“Hannibal”** devoured $5 million from holdovers and Thailand’s tasty $380,000 in six days on 44, propelling cume to $131.1 million. Philip Kaufman’s **“Quills”** went out in France on 48 prints and piqued little interest, but its per-engagement averages were a tad more respectable in Belgium ($40,000 on 10) and Hong Kong ($54,000 in six days at three theaters). Cume is $9 million from 37 markets.
Kenneth Lonergan’s **“You Can Count on Me”** launched on a handful of screens in the U.K. with terrif results, but barely registered in 11 theaters in Italy.
nicolasb51942003 on
Spy Kids has a whole month to have good legs until Shrek.
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[And here’s Variety’s overseas report.](https://variety.com/2001/film/news/traffic-bumps-best-bullock-bright-1117796254/)
> **‘Traffic’ bumps best; Bullock bright**
**’Erin’** goes unnoticed in U.K.
As the freshest title among the Oscar-wreathed films, **“Traffic”** looks set to reap the most benefit from its awards, while **“Gladiator”** appears to have just about run its chariot race, and there’s not much spring left in **“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”**
Biz in many territories has entered the customary spring trough, although **“Miss Congeniality”** drew good crowds as it debuted at No. 1 in six markets, and it held superbly in Australia.
With an estimated $34 million in the till, **“Traffic”** is perfectly positioned to cash in on kudos, including Steven Soderbergh’s directing nod and Benicio Del Toro’s supporting actor gong, as it rolls out in Germany April 5 and Japan April 28.
In the U.K., the drug cartel saga soared by 160% after adding 40 prints in its ninth round. **“Crouching Tiger”** jumped by 35% in Blighty March 27, but by just 4% the previous day and 2% on March 28, indicating a momentary spurt in its 12th frame; the reappearance of **“Erin Brockovich”** went virtually unnoticed. **“Tiger’s”** estimated foreign cume is $64 million, with only Romania to come.
#**Legs in France**
**“Traffic”** showed fresh legs in its third stanza in France, where Gallic romance **“Mademoiselle”** found favor and ticket sales overall were stimulated by a discounting promotion that ran Sunday through Tuesday.
Anticipating a bunch of statuettes, distrib UIP began re-releasing **“Gladiator”** on a limited basis in more than 30 markets earlier this month, kicking off in Germany March 8. That has enriched the pot by more than $2 million.
#**Well-worn pic**
After relaunches over the weekend in France and Japan, UIP now has more than 900 prints working abroad. But with a cume of $265 million, it’s debatable if there’s much upside in the Russell Crowe starrer as it barely fluttered last week in markets such as the U.K., Australia and Germany.
One Teutonic booker brands the exercise a waste of time, saying, ” **‘Gladiator’** did really good business the first time out and got repeat business at the time, so most people who wanted to see the film have seen it, and die-hard fans probably already have the video or DVD at home.”
In Italy, **“Traffic,”** **“Gladiator”** and **“Crouching Tiger”** each experienced 20% uplifts on March 27, but tradesters say the true impact won’t show up until the weekend, when BIM was doubling the print run for Ang Lee’s pic to 150 copies, and **“Traffic”** also was going wider.
UIP has milked a handy $500,000 from **“Gladiator”** since its March 16 reissue on 47 prints in Italy.
Warner/Roadshow’s **“Miss Congeniality”** saw winning bows in the U.K., Taiwan, Holland, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Portugal, and pic slipped by just 21% in its soph session Down Under. U.K. critics sniped at the film, but Sandra Bullock’s presence in London clearly had a bigger influence than the critics did on auds.
While coming away from the Shrine empty-handed, **“Chocolat”** is being sustained abroad by word of mouth, minting $6.1 million on 1,622 screens. Lasse Hallstrom’s trifle had terrific second laps in Germany and Belgium, and pic was solid in its fourth in the U.K. and its fifth in Italy. Cume is $36 million in 36 territories.
**“Dude, Where’s My Car?”** scored effectively in Germany but was less impressive in Austria; the Fox laffer’s cume is $12.5 million from 14 countries. The Teutonic B.O. wasn’t inspired by rookies **“Thirteen Days”** (historical-political dramas don’t grab young folks, one booker notes), **“Save the Last Dance”** or **“Snatch,”** which didn’t get a big marketing push and may have turned off Brad Pitt’s fans because he looks shabby in it.
After flunking in Germany, the U.K. and Japan, Gus Van Sant’s **“Finding Forrester”** partially redeemed itself in Italy with a No. 1 bow, boosted by topliner Sean Connery’s promo visit to Rome.
**“The Exorcist”** director’s cut vaulted to $58.3 million, spurred by sturdy preems in Australia (beating the entries of the **“Scream”** and **“I Know What You Did…”** series), as well as in Belgium and Venezuela. In its second laps, William Friedkin’s chiller retained pole position in France but was ho-hum in Germany. Mexico’s $6.5 million in 21 days is a standout.
**“The Emperor’s New Groove”** retained the top spot in its soph sessions in Germany and Austria; the Disney toon’s cume is $34.3 million, with a lot of major markets ahead. Disney’s BVI celebrated its second hit to cross $100 million this year in **“102 Dalmatians,”** which peaked at $103 million, highlighted by Japan’s $9.5 million through its third weekend.
Nearing the end of its foreign excursion, **“Unbreakable”** reached $150.3 million, driven by Turkey’s potent $285,000 in four days on 62 and Japan’s $23.6 million after its sixth round.
New Line’s **“15 Minutes”** had a tepid response in the U.K. but was more warmly received in Italy, buoyed by largely positive notices and Robert De Niro’s enduring popularity in that market. Stablemate **“The Cell”** conjured up a modest $1.2 million in five days on 117 in Japan, its last major market; $40 million cume pales against domestic’s $61.2 million.
Jean-Jacques Annaud’s **“Enemy at the Gates”** had passable debuts in Norway and Finland and reasonable second rounds in the U.K. and France. But the WWII saga plunged in Germany after being mortally wounded by the critics and audience apathy.
**“Hannibal”** devoured $5 million from holdovers and Thailand’s tasty $380,000 in six days on 44, propelling cume to $131.1 million. Philip Kaufman’s **“Quills”** went out in France on 48 prints and piqued little interest, but its per-engagement averages were a tad more respectable in Belgium ($40,000 on 10) and Hong Kong ($54,000 in six days at three theaters). Cume is $9 million from 37 markets.
Kenneth Lonergan’s **“You Can Count on Me”** launched on a handful of screens in the U.K. with terrif results, but barely registered in 11 theaters in Italy.
Spy Kids has a whole month to have good legs until Shrek.