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Ocean's Eleven Reaches Record for Film with LDS Characters
DALLAS, TEXAS -- After 45 days in release "Ocean's Eleven" raked in
another $5.7 million this weekend, bringing its total U.S. gross to
$171.6 million. It was still in 6th place nationwide, down from 4th
place last week.
"Ocean's Eleven" has already become the top-grossing film in U.S.
history featuring overtly LDS main characters. By the time you read
this it will surpass the $172.8 million U.S. gross made by "Rain Man"
in 1988. The main character in "Rain Man" was based on an actual
Latter-day Saint, but the character (including the name) was changed,
and there were no LDS references in the movie. Until now, "Ocean's
Eleven" was NOT the top grossing film with LDS character(s) -- if one
counted "Rain Man." But now there is no equivocation to the
preeminent status of "Ocean's." (Unless you adjust for inflation.)
"Behind Enemy Lines" was in 21st place, down from 17th last week.
"Mulholland Drive" was in 33rd place, down from 29th last week.
The 2002 Golden Globes Awards ceremony was held on Sunday, Jan. 20th.
The Australians did quite well, but Latter-day Saints were pretty
much shut out of the "win" column this year. "Mulholland Drive,"
co-produced and co-written by Joyce Eliason, did not win any of the
Golden Globes for which it was nominated (Best Picture, Best
Director, Best Musical Score, Best Screenplay). "Shrek," whose
original producer was John Garbett (a Latter-day Saint, and the
producer of "The Other Side of Heaven"), was nominated for Best
Musical or Comedy, but lost to "Moulin Rouge." "Frasier," the series
whose titular character was created by Mormon brothers Glen and Les
Charles, was nominated for Best Television Comedy, but didn't win.
Tom Hanks picked up a Golden Globe for "Band of Brothers," but Tom
was only LDS for one year -- when he was a five-year-old -- so that
hardly counts.
In the realm of "LDS Cinema" -- movies made by AND about Latter-day
Saints... "The Other Side of Heaven" passed the $1 million marker in
box office ticket sales. With sold-out theaters in many new venues in
Idaho the film posted an impressive per-theater average and was
ranked 34th nationwide for total ticket sales. This week's revenue
finally makes "Heaven" the top-performing film made by AND about
Latter-day Saints of the year 2001.
If you feel some rumbling... That's Kurt Hale's new comedy "The
Singles Ward" getting ready to ROCK YOUR WORLD! This film, the first
LDS movie of 2002, premiers at Jordon Commons on January 30th, with
all proceeds going to the National Kidney Foundation. Where else are
you going to see Steve Young, Ruth Hale, Danny Ainge, Gordon Jump,
Julie Stoffer, Lincoln Hoppe and Richard Dutcher in the same movie?
Finally, point your web browsers to
http://www.outofstepthemovie.com , to check out the official "Out
of Step" movie website, now online. Here's a little secret you'll
hear first: Many of key people behind this film are Canadian
Latter-day Saints! Canadian director, Canadian musicians, Canadian
choreographer, multiple Canadian actors. The Canucks should be proud:
"Out of Step" looks like it will be a marvelously entertaining,
thought-provoking and uplifting movie.
[If table below doesn't line up properly, try looking at them with a
mono-spaced font, such as courier - Ed.]
Weekend Box Office Report (U.S. Domestic Box Office Gross)
Weekend of January 18, 2002
Natl
Rank | Film Title
LDS/Mormon Filmmaker or Actor | Weekend Gross
Total Gross | Theaters | Days |
| 6 | Ocean's Eleven
LDS characters: Malloy twins | $5,713,569
171,624,204 | 2,670 | 45 |
| 21 | Behind Enemy Lines
David Veloz (screenwriter) | 818,991
56,981,726 | 874 | 52 |
| 33 | Mulholland Drive
Joyce Eliason (producer/writer) | 139,860
6,275,848 | 111 | 108 |
| 34 | The Other Side of Heaven
Mitch Davis (writer/director)
John H. Groberg (author/character)
Gerald Molen, John Garbett (producers) | 130,577
1,035,149 | 43 | 38 |
| 37 | Out Cold
A. J. Cook (female lead) | 77,800
13,723,620 | 180 | 61 |
| 66 | China: The Panda Adventure
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 8,332
1,823,855 | 6 | 178 |
| 69 | Galapagos
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 6,354
12,107,230 | 4 | 815 |
| 75 | Island of the Sharks
Alan Williams (composer) | 3,743
10,592,938 | 2 | 997 |
| 79 | Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 3,035
13,036,719 | 3 | 626 |
| 100 | All Access
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) | 124
993,040 | 1 | 290 |
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