edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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Monday tracking

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George Clooney's Leatherheads (opening Friday) is tracking well at 73, 40 and 18 -- it should do close to $20 million, maybe a bit more. Nim's Island, a kid's picture with Jodie Foster, is running at 59, 27 and 7. The Ruins is at 44, 22 and 6...doesn't look like much. Among next weekend's (4.11) openings, Prom Night is at 59, 28 and 5; Smart People is running at 39, 22 and 2, and Street Kings (Fox Searchlight) is at 47, 35 and 3. 4.18 openings: 88 Minutes at 42, 33 and 4, Fobidden Kingdom is at 59, 39 and 6, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall is running 47, 28 and 3.

Jules Dassin has passed<< previous | next >>Leatherheads

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 31, 2008 at 4:06 PM

comment #1

actionman says ...

I will be shocked if LEATHERHEADS does over $20 million opening weekend. But then again I didn't think 21 would do all that well so look what I know...nothing.

Nim's Island looks like a flop...big time...

I live in LA and haven't seen one tv ad for Smart People so....how exactly is this film registering in the "tracking" at all.

Surprisingly low #'s for Sara Marshall considering how much advance hype and tv ads that have been running...does anyone think the meanspiritedness of the marketing campaign will work against it?

Posted by actionman at March 31, 2008 4:28 PM

comment #2

Rothchild says ...

They haven't spent anywhere near as much money marketing FSM as they did Knocked Up. I'm also shocked that I haven't seen the trailer in theaters once, and I see everything.

Posted by Rothchild at March 31, 2008 4:30 PM

comment #3

VedaPierce says ...

Nobody really sees George Clooney movies. They just read about him in magazines.

Posted by VedaPierce at March 31, 2008 4:42 PM

comment #4

bmcintire says ...

Tracking aside, I am guessing that THE RUINS bests LEATHERHEADS. And the pointlessness of tracking an opening three weeks away will be illustrated when Jeff updates the tracking for SARAH MARSHALL the week after next and shows it at 68 39 and 22 or whatever it ends up with.

Posted by bmcintire at March 31, 2008 5:01 PM

comment #5

palmreader says ...

Jeff's Superbad tracking from 8.6.07

"Superbad is still struggling with 45, 28 and 3....definite interest has gone up only 1 point."

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/archives/2007/08/monday_tracking.php

Posted by palmreader at March 31, 2008 5:08 PM

comment #6

LYT says ...

Of all the movies mentioned, I want to see The Ruins and Street Kings. And not really any of the others, much.

Posted by LYT at March 31, 2008 5:09 PM

comment #7

joemart says ...

This weekend on the USA Network, they ran the same two spots for "Smart People" at EVERY commercial break during their Sunday afternoon movies ...uggh

Posted by joemart at March 31, 2008 6:42 PM

comment #8

BurmaShave says ...

Yeah I live in the DC area and I'm positively inundated with SMART PEOPLE ads, to the point where I think it looks kind of stupid. Definetly overkill. What's the word on this picture anyway?

Posted by BurmaShave at March 31, 2008 7:09 PM

comment #9

Terry McCarty says ...

Rothchild wrote:
They haven't spent anywhere near as much money marketing FSM as they did Knocked Up. I'm also shocked that I haven't seen the trailer in theaters once, and I see everything.

FSM has the viral poster/billboard YOU SUCK SARAH MARSHALL (and other pithy adolescent sayings) campaign all over the San Fernando Valley--and I saw the trailer again yesterday before a showing of 21 in Northridge.

Posted by Terry McCarty at April 1, 2008 12:00 AM

comment #10

moviemaniac2002 says ...

"Ruins" would be number one on my list-just to
see how lthey handled they book- which was
wonderfully creepy goodness...followed by
"Leatherheads"

'Smart People' presents the same problem I
faced with "Failure To Launch"...do I want
I want to pay money to see an actor I adore
(Page in Smart People, Zooey Deschenel in
Failure To Launch) while being forced to gaze
upon the odious, nausea-inducing Sarah Jessica
Parker? Is that price to high? Hmmmm...

Posted by moviemaniac2002 at April 2, 2008 5:08 PM