You Fall Box Office Challenge players didn’t need an alethiometer to determine that The Golden Compass would top the chart this weekend; some 72 percent of you guessed that the controversial fantasy film would open at No. 1. Similarly, 65 percent of you picked Enchanted to stay strong with a second-place finish. On the other hand, This Christmas stymied you for the third straight week, with 79 percent of you underestimating its legs and picking it to finish no better than fourth (it came in at No. 3). Congrats to winner mhilson, who did not send us a photo. Do send us those lovely self-portraits, since this weekend is the season’s last, and the overall winner will get his or her photo in the magazine. (Current frontrunner is Eric T. from Manistee, Mich., a.k.a. "TheBigE.")
Since you’re all so wise in the ways of box office, let me ask you a question: to what do you attribute Golden Compass‘ mediocre $26 million showing? The boycotters are claiming credit for the lackluster opening, but remember, these are the same protesters whose complaints about allegedly anti-Christian content failed to keep people away from The Da Vinci Code (or, for that matter, any of the Harry Potter movies). The boycott may well have been a factor, but was it more important than Compass‘ so-so reviews, middling word-of-mouth, strong family-film competition from Enchanted (and, for that matter, This Christmas), and opening during a spell of bitter winter weather? Or maybe nature’s blustery box-office freeze-out was God’s way of keeping moviegoers from buying Compass tickets? Your thoughts, please.
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I also wouldn’t discount the confusing, very fantastical-without-being-specific marketing campaign that probably hit home much better in the UK than here.
“nature’s blustery box-office freeze-out was God’s way of keeping moviegoers from buying Compass tickets” hee hee. I saw the movie during a sneak preview and quickly was distracted by counting the number of people that got up and left. I think word got out that it was not a kids movie (although marketing might suggest otherwise) it was not a well edited movie (the severe jumps in story and lack of exposition) it had some questionable moments (Daniel Craig for only 10 minutes, and he spends part of that time shaving! in the snow!) there were things left out that the fans of the book were expecting (the last couple of chapters anyone?) as well as no real answer as to what was the problem with Dust? Allergies? and why these shape-shifting animals followed everyone around. (physical outward manifestation of the soul was not explained AT ALL). It’s possible to contain a long book into a watchable movie, they did it with Harry Potter, but this movie failed the books and the viewers.
I can only speak for myself and the friends I’ve discussed this film with but when we started to hear that the story had been so altered from the book we lost what little enthusiasm we had for this movie. I failed to understand why the books were such a hit in Britain but not so popular over here. I did read the books prior to the release of the movie and still cannot understand the popularity of the series. Maybe its just another one of those franchises that does well on paper but not so well on film, (see Chronicles of Narnia). I think for some moviegoers the film did not resemble a Lord of the Rings rip off, but a rip off of a film that was not that enjoyable, (again see Chronicles of Narnia).
My perception of A Golden Compass is that the movie is a bastardization of a novel for the sake of putting butts in the seats. Not that Hollywood hasn’t done that successfully before. I think in this case, with the novel having it anti-theistic themes and the movie virtually washing those themes out, that anyone inclined to see the movie because they enjoyed the book would be as turned off as those who are generally sensitive to points of view that conflict with their religious views of the world.
It seems like audiences enjoy the movie more than critics. At Rottentomatoes,the GC gets a 43% approval rating from critics,but 63% from viewers. The same at Amazon. When I went to a 2:40 matinee ON A WEEKDAY yesterday,there was good turnout–about 30 people.
I enjoyed the movie. It needed to go deeper,but that’ll be in the extended edition DVD (that has more Daniel Craig yay,and the original ending)
I’m not sure how someone would be able to follow the story if they hadn’t read the book. The sequencing was changed which really made the progression of scenes seem awkward and forced. I was also appalled they left out the last two chapters of the book simply to have it end on a happy cliffhanger as opposed to the very sad one in the novel. The movie ending just felt like the film stopped whereas had they done it like it was written, we would have felt a natural progression towards a sequel. I’m usually not a big book snob…I don’t think it’s necessary for a book to translate perfectly to film and that often times scenes need to be altered in order to work on screen. But Golden Compass was not adapted well at all. The changes from the book made little sense and “toning down” the controversial material only made it that more obvious. I really think the poor reviews and viewer word-of-mouth hurt the film more than anything else. And in my opinion, it was justified criticism.
Obviously, the post-LOTR fantasy movie onslaught has a great deal to due with Compass’ underwhelming box office. It almost seems like a new fantasy flick is opening up every other week (Beowulf, Compass, etc.), and I think audiences are getting tired of what seems (on the surface) to be the same old thing over and over again. The LOTR franchise struck a chord with audiences, but that does not mean that every fantasy film greenlit in the wake of LOTRs’s phenomenal success is going to be a big hit, any more than all the sci-fi films that were greenlit after the phenomenal success of Star Wars (which is actually a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid)were. Audiences are much more savvy than hollywood thinks they are, and to me, all the post LOTR fantasy movie trailers just seemed like warmed over Middle-Earth, and not worth the expense of seeing in a theatre. In short, they offer nothing audiences have not seen before, hence, no real desire to see them.
When “The Hobbit” finally gets made, however..
I didn’t go see it because bad reviews and bad word of mouth. My friends that went and saw it all said it didn’t make much sense and were bored. Reading the rest of the comments makes me even less inclined to ever see it.
and as Mr. Susman pointed out, the supposed “anti-Christian” aspect did not affect the DaVinchi Code, so that was a non-issue (even though Christian themes can mean big bucks, as Passion of the Christ showed everyone).
and as Mr. Susman pointed out, the supposed “anti-Christian” aspect did not affect the DaVinchi Code, so that was a non-issue (even though Christian themes can mean big bucks, as Passion of the Christ showed everyone).
This Christmas is really good. People should stop underestimating it.
I think it’s kinda silly for the protesters to take credit for the mediocre box office performance.
As someone who watched the movie, I’d guess the reason it didn’t do so well was because, you know, it wasn’t very good. And sure there are movies that aren’t very good that open well, but they usually have a built in audience (see: most sequels that opened this summer). Golden Compass just doesn’t have that fan base…and from what I hear the fan base that DOES exist wasn’t terribly excited about an adaptation of one of their favorite books from the guy that directed “American Pie”
I have to admit, I don’t know beans about the books…but we saw this trailer all summer and was afraid it was going to be another Narnia-type with all the talking animals and such…(we hated Narnia)…Nicole Kidman with the Face That Does Not Move does not appeal to me either, and then you start adding in children and flying witches and it just seemed TOO CUTESY…now that I see it isn’t Narnia-like, i might be more inclined to go see it, but that’s what kept me away from opening weekend…
it’s reallly the children’s fantasy exhaustion that has struck America. These movies depend on being “event” films to generate boffo box office returns, but what’s so eventful about the latest in a seemingly neverending line of interchangeable films ever since The Chronicles of Narnia proved to be a smash? The Dark is Rising’s dismal showing should have been a clue, as is the collective groan that the trailer for the Spiderwick Chronicles elicits every time it runs.
Um…I don’t think it’s the “same” protestors who failed to stop DaVinci or Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter. I won’t see the Golden Compass. And, strangely, I suspect the hype about protest is largely drummed up for publicity. I’ve heard of one group who made a statement of disapproval of “Compass”, but that’s it. All the other reports have seemed to make up controversy where there wasn’t one.
I agree with Darth. Compass was their own worst enemy. “The next great trilogy?” Studios have been trying to make lightning strike twice with LOTR gold, and it just hasn’t worked. The Golden Compass is another fantasy film wannabe trying to cash in on the children’s book craze that’s sweeping Hollywood.
That being said- I think if anything, religious controversy helped, not hurt the movie. But the problem is, if you go see it, there are small vague refrences to any of that stuff (if at all), as the filmmakers totally watered down the subject matter in hopes of appealing to a broader audience. So those looking for a debate, were dissapointed and couldn’t really find anything anyway.
Lastly, The story isn’t that great (or easy to follow) anyway. The sillyness of talking animals is always a risk (Narnia). And it doesn’t help that Enchanted really is a charming movie.
That really suprises me that it was that low, i really hope that it makes a lot more so that they will make a second one, and for all you who won’t see it because of the religious things, you are DEFINETLY missing out on this wonderful movie, its AWESOME, you have to see it, because i want there to be a Sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The reason this went so badly is because unlike Da Vinci and Harry Potter, this goes beyond Catholicism. As a Christ-Follower, I love Harry Potter (am listening to the audiobook now) and though I didn’t like the Da Vinci Code, it was because the movie was crap, not because of the subject matter.
No, the reason the Golden Compass movie failed is because Believers realize any movie with ties to a book that declares plainly “God does not exist”, and in that book has God as the enemy and being killed is a movie that we don’t want to see. This is why Passion of the Christ and Narnia are so successful.
The Christ-Followers (I didn’t say “christian”, as that word is so diluted nowadays) want films that are entertaining, and perhaps not necessarily “family” movies (I LOVED No Country for Old Men) but definately not movies/books that attack what we believe. Yes, the movie removes most anti-God statements, but a successful movie now leads to a more bold “God is Dead” declaration later
furthermore… i also heard the movie was pretty terrible anyway. that doesnt help.
“The Golden Compass” has its strengths (tho that final Kate Bush song is annoying-I left then) It drew a healthy crowd at an afternoon WEEKDAY matinee when I went. Evangelical Michael Cunningham drained “The Dark is Rising” of its Celtic&Arthurian mythology. It’s also boring (despite the fine acting from Alexander Ludwig&Ian McShane) “Eragon” was a laughable,MST3K hit.
“Golden Compass”,however,had good acting,high production quality. Does the compass point to sequels? Hopefully,yes.