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Box Office: Grindhouse Can't Slay Family Fare
The Quentin Tarantino-Robert Rodriguez double-bill Grindhouse fell short of expectations in its opening weekend, coming in at No. 4 at the box office with just $11.6 million. The well-reviewed venture's performance is believed to have been hampered by its three-hour running time (which limited the number of showings and intimidated sleep-susceptible fannies) and its "two films for the price of one" pitch, which proved unfamiliar to today's audiences.
Topping the box office for a second straight week was Blades of Glory ($23 million), followed by Meet the Robinsons $17 mil) and Are We Done Yet? (opening with $15 mil). Hilary Swank's The Reaping reaped $10.1 million, good enough for the No. 5 spot.
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Apr 9, 2007 9:24 AM
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I would file this under the "What Were They Thinking?" column. Choosing Easter weekend to premiere a movie like Grindhouse probably wasn't the smartest move they could have made. Many people are in the mood for lighter fare during festive times. They might have had much better premiere results had they waited a week. If the reviews were that good, perhaps their second weekend will yield better results. Unless, of course, this disappointing news creates some negative momentum. I guess we'll find out next Monday.
As for me, I didn't go see Grindhouse this weekend because I'm a DVD girl. But it is already in my queue on Netflix for when the disc is released. 
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Apr 9, 2007 10:22 AM
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America has weird choices in movies.
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Apr 9, 2007 11:29 AM
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I have no desire to see Grindhouse at a theater. 3 hours is just too long to sit there and watch a movie. I'll wait for the DVD when it doesn't cost $20 and you can be as comfortable as you want.
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Apr 9, 2007 12:12 PM
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It didn't feel too long to me. You can watch the fake trailers on the web, and take an intermission in the middle. I loved both of the movies, and I am glad I saw them in the theater.
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Apr 9, 2007 12:17 PM
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Grindhouse isn't a movie. It's an experience. To really enjoy it you've got to see it with a packed crowed in the theater. It will be one of the best movie experiences of your life. And as for it being to long, well it's really not- it flies by. If you could get through any of the Lord of the Rings movies then you can get through the awesomeness that is Grindhouse.
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Apr 9, 2007 2:44 PM
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I'm sorry, but if you are a film buff in the slightest, you are doing yourself a huge disservice by not seeing this in the theater.
The 3 hours flew by for me, especially the first film by Robert Rodriguez. The trailers alone are almost worth the price of admission.
Also, this is defintely the kind of movie you want to see with a crowd of people. We only had about 20 to 30 people in the theater, but everyone was cheering and clapping and having a great time, especially during the Thanksgiving trailer. That whole theatrical experience is what this movie is all about!
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Apr 9, 2007 3:00 PM
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I'm definitley surprised by how poorly Grindhouse did. I think part of the problem may be that there's just not enough of an audience for this kind of thing. After all, there has to be a reason why all the grindhouses closed--with cable and dvd, you no longer need to go to the theater to watch a low budget movie and not spend as much.
But I do think the movie will lose something when viewed at home. The studio is also talking about splitting the movies up now (always the plan in Europe) which I think also hurts the overall experience.
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Apr 9, 2007 3:58 PM
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I understand the romantic feelings people have about being in movie theaters with other like-minded people, but I don't share it. Movie theaters are nothing but unpleasant for me. If they're crowded, they're worse. Sharing an armrest with some syphilitic endomorph...what the hell am I stepping NOW?...if I sit in the middle, I have to go to the bathroom...if I sit on the end, I have a parade of rear ends passing by at my eye-level (and they are rarely pleasant rear ends)...the only commercials I'm ever forced to watch anymore are in movie theaters...there's the Trivia Challenge For Idjits (OTM SHANK??? Uhhhhh....)...oh no, is that my ex-wife in the third row?...and is that my 10th grade Biology teacher?...wait, are they together?...is that gum on the seat?...gawd, I hope so...I hope that kid behind me doesn't barf...WAIT! Where's the nearest exit?...is there an adequate sprinkler system in here?...I wonder if there's any such thing as Prozac Goobers?...why am I here???...(and why are my thoughts so similar to a Larry King USA Today column)...why the hell did I come in here?...oh, yeah...I forgot...there's a movie...(geez...I hope my celphone is off...)!
No thanks, I'll wait for the DVD.
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Apr 10, 2007 12:57 AM
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LOL, TV Gord, that was great. I have only one thing to add to what you wrote... the price of a movie ticket (or two). For the cost of one movie ticket, I can get unlimited movies from Netflix for an entire month. Pretty soon starting in June, in addition to getting DVDs mailed to us, we'll also be able to watch movies directly from their website on our home computers. Can't beat that!
Note (in case anyone is suspicious): I am in no way affiliated or employed by the Netflix company. I'm just a satisfied customer sharing the info.
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Apr 10, 2007 9:48 AM
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 rachel1663! Thank you for feeling my pain. Of the 300-million-plus people in North America...and the countless others elsewhere...I am comforted that there is at least one--YOU--who understands!
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Apr 10, 2007 7:54 PM
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I do admit that there are movies better suited for theater viewing, and Grindhouse might be one of them, but 99% of the movies out there are just as well watched in the comfort of one's own home. Home has a nice cushy couch or recliner, its clean, it has cold beer and the toilet is closeby.
In that minority 1% would be films like Rocky Horror Picture Show and others like it. Who knows, maybe I will go see Grindhouse in the theater, but not until it is shown at the bargain cinema.
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Apr 11, 2007 10:10 AM
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