John Carter a hit in the dollar theaters? Looks like it is…..
Over at the Facebook Sequel Group (https://facebook.com/groups/backtobarsoom) there have been a number of reports lately that are similar to this one — so many that I decided to share this one, which is from Daria Brooks and Madeline Gann, two sisters who have now seen John Carter in theaters something in excess of 25 times. The theater they reference is the Picture Show at Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana, CA, where, according to the company’s website, shows are $2 except for Tuesdays, when they are $1. (UPDATE: Daria Brooks confirms that the 3D tickets for John Carter were $4.) Clearly this isn’t going make a big dent in the box office figures …. but it’s still heartening to see the film finding an audience and generating new fans even at this late stage of the theatrical run.
Here is Daria’s report:
If you are anywhere around Santa Ana CA and starving for a “John Carter” fix, you have to check out the screenings at Picture Show at the Main Place Mall! Sis and I went yesterday for the 6:55p screening and can say that we have never seen a more enthusiastic audience, with the exception of our “Last Trip To Barsoom.” There were easily 225-250 people there for the 3D show and they had a BLAST–they laughed and cheered freely at the right places, adored Woola (of course!) AND GAVE THE MOVIE A LONG OVATION AT THE END! This is ELEVEN weeks into this movie’s release and it is packing this theater (and nothing to do with “The Avengers,” mind you). The best part: In the final scene where John shoots the Bowler Hat Thern, a little kid yelled, “He’s still alive?!” It was hilarious to say the least. We were so thrilled at the response–it was truly amazing! “JOHN CARTER LIVES” indeed!
Madeline Gann adds:
I was shocked to see it was almost a sold-out screening and in such large theatre. Folks just loved Woola and enjoyed every minute of the film. It’s nice to be in another crowd that voiced such an emotional response to the story. The women said, “Aaaahhhhh,” when John took a knee to propose to Dejah and when Woola was left behind at the River Iss. Oddly, a few people even clapped when John cut off Sab’s arm. The ovation at the end of the film was super cool. It’s great to see that ‘John Carter’ is still bringing in the crowds and pleasing audiences this long after its release.
These reports, and others like them, remind me of the cool 1950’s retro trailer that one of the fans made — if you missed it, here it is again:
14 comments
I saw JC again last night at the $2 theater at Panama City Mall, where it is showing only once a day (9:15 p.m.) and I expected to be alone in the theater. There were about 30 people attending, some of whom were swamp people who only come into town for supplies. (Just before the previews started, one man in the back said to his son: “Bubba? You see that big TV down yonder? That’s what we’re gonna watch the movie on.” To which Bubba replied, “Nuh-uh.”) After the movie, I heard Bubba’s mom telling dad “Thanks for bringin’ me. That was GOOOOOOD.”
I am not making this up.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised how the movie not only held up on a repeat viewing, but I caught several bits I’d missed the first time around. I will be buying the Blu-Ray.
Saw John Carter for the 7th time last night at the Picture Show in Altamonte Springs, Florida (Orlando area). Tickets were just $4.
Thanks, my Jeddak, for the update! Maybe the difference in pricing is based upon the time of day–the evening shows being more expensive than matinee pricing. $4 is definitely a great deal for a excellent 3D print in a huge auditorium with big, plush “director” style seating. I certainly wasn’t expecting that in a mall cinema. And while $2-4 ticket pricing isn’t going to cause a panic with the Disney bean counters, it is still steady money coming in every day for a film which they had written off some seven weeks ago. Even when we were driving to Pasadena to see the movie at a smaller house which only charged $2 for matinee/$3 for evening screenings, each screening averaged 30-60 viewers, far more than we ever saw on average at the first run houses during the first few weeks. It has been so refreshing, too, that these audiences openly show how much they are enjoying “John Carter.” Not once have we heard grumbling or the kind of unpleasant comments illustrated by the film’s critics. These audiences LOVE this movie and they have been people of both genders, many races and all ages. I continually shake my head that Disney so completely blew it on marketing and promotion, but seeing the reactions of these new fans on a weekly basis reminds me that a movie which can garner such enthusiastic responses from its audiences is the ultimate winner.
Daria wrote
Thanks, Daria — I’ve incorporated this info into the article. The $2 price is what they have on their website.
Actually, the Picture Show charges $4 for 3D movies ($3 for 2D), which of course is much cheaper than the first run cinemas. However, they are packing a 300 seat cinema room at $4 per head, whereas the first run cinemas were lucky to get 7-10 people at $14 per head. Seems to me that it all evens out that way. (And that screening got us to No. 28…so we’ll have to see it twice this week)…! Come on, Maddy–let’s go!
if tangled did that on DVD alone then it should be somewhere between 150-200 million if you include blu-ray.
I hope John Carter keeps doing well. The DVD will need to sell a lot to get Disney to sit up and notice.
Recent Disney DVD releases according to The Numbers website::
Prince of Persia sold over $15M its first week but then started dropping
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2010/PRSIA-DVD.php
Tron Legacy sold over $10M its first week
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2010/TRON2-DVD.php
Tangled (which got negative press because it cost so much to make but got audience love) started off at $44.5M and is still raking in dough… over $100M now after 58 weeks.
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2010/RAPUN-DVD.php
Oh! I almost forgot to mention that there was already a line for the films next showing that day. Though the film didn’t do blockbuster numbers like Disney hoped it would the film up to date has made nearly 300 million in worldwide box office results. I’m confident that it will make much more during its home video release if these reports are to be believed.
When I was at reading cinemas at the Grossmont mall in La Mesa California during the films opening weekend back in march, there was a Huge attendance of filmgoers during the films first showtime at the theater that day.The fact that the film cost five dollars to see before noon didn’t hurt either. so the fact that i’m hearing reports like this does not surprise me. I have no doubt that word of mouth from the films first run with audiences encouraged people to see this film when they had the chance to do so. This could only mean great things for the films Blu-ray/DVD release!
Very cool. I hope this growing fandom gets vocal.
While this obviously doesn’t do much to recover Disney’s financial losses, it has to give them an indication of the actual popularity of the story, despite what the so called “experts” have been saying. A profitable sequel, even one with a somewhat smaller budget, is quite possible with the proper advertizing and support. And, as far as the lower budget goes, that could be as much or more a reduction in cost for the CGI process as time goes by as any slacking on the overall quality of the end product. We are now seeing CGI effects in television shows that only a few years ago were only available in the higher budget movies, and that trend will almost certainly continue. A movie based on “The Gods Of Mars” is still a definite possibility, if we can convince the studio executives to simply get off their corporate butts and do it right next time.
Still showing at the Gateway in Federal Way, Washington. (Discovered that on Saturday when I took the bus down. Would have taken in a movie if I didn’t have other plans!)
Great news! I bet there is going to be more than a few surprised people at the home video sales figures.
This has to bode well for the DVD!