First 2 days of showings in Los Angeles thru Arclight almost sold out ( scattered singles and handicap seating is what is mostly available). Fandango reporting record breaking advance sales.
There's also a lack of real holiday movie fare. Although I wouldn't consider it "family fare", I would imagine families would be more willing to go to Les Mis than most other films recently released.
Tickets still available in a lot of theatres around me. But the best ones with the best sound systems are sold out, like the ArcLight in Hollywood and Pasadena. I'd be caught dead at the local AMC, what with their tinny sound? Ick.
^ True. So did Evita. I saw it X-mas day and there was tons of buzz and excitement in the air. People shrugged their shoulders at it soon after and was forgotten.
The AMC Empire has "Enhanced Theatre Experience" - 20% larger screen than usual! And only $10 for the 11AM showing tomorrow morning. Might be worth getting up early for.
Seeing Imax tonight, but it's on the smaller screen. Should be loud, though.
Les Mis set to be highest grossing movie musical of all time.
I think people are putting the cart before the horse. A lot of those advanced sales are from rabid fans of the musical and musical theater fans in general. It's been the most anticipated film of the year for those people, so, of course, many want to see it as soon as possible. But I've heard of walkouts already, which doesn't surprise me 'cause there were walkouts at the movie musicals I saw the past decade, even Chicago. The truth is, there are some people who just don't like musicals, who were probably dragged by significant others or were curious themselves. Despite its grand opening, it's repeated viewings and good word of mouth that will make or break Les Miz. It's too early to celebrate its supposed success.
Despite its grand opening, it's repeated viewings and good word of mouth that will make or break Les Miz.
^^ This. It'll for sure have a big opening, but next weekend's gross will be the best indicator of whether or not it has legs at the box office. That it's selling out in LA and New York is no surprise. Here in the DC area, tickets for all of tomorrow's screenings at my local suburban Regal are still available.
Word of mouth from audiences (not critics) will make or break the movie at the box office. The good news is that it will open big and have a solid (and perhaps even huge) opening weekend. The real gauge will be in the following 2-3 weeks. If it sustains into mid-January, you'll have a nice big hit. If it increases (like Titanic did), you'll have a blockbuster.
But the critics mean nothing here, just as they did with Titanic, and as they do with any other film as far as box office goes.
Is the sound loud (enough)? I heard the volume is basically set in the digital system these days, that individual theaters have little control. I remember EVITA's sound being fairly dreary, even the first day in Manhattan. I wanted to scream, "turn it up!" Never did really hear it at an exciting level (like, say, TOMMY or THE ROSE). DREAMGIRLS, which was perfection at the Zigfield, was griped about elsewhere. I wonder now how important which house is. I've been to smaller screens and heard exquisite sound (years ago, the first showing of DAYS OF HEAVEN). Size doesn't always matter. That said, I'm hitting a bigger screen in NJ tomorrow afternoon.
Not that this is indicative of anything, but I was just looking at movie times for tomorrow (I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to see Django Unchained- although it's already sold out until the 6:30 screening) and saw that the first four screenings of Les Mis at Lincoln Square are sold out already, so the earliest available screening is at 10:30pm.
most screenings in my area are sold-out for Christmas day. This should bring in a ton of money it's first week. I'll wait to see it after New Year's as I simply have no time to see it from now until after New Year's Day.
"Set to be the highest grossing movie musical of all time"? I don't know about that.
People said the same thing about DREAMGIRLS when it made a sh*tload of money in limited release and (even with phenomenal word of mouth) it opened wide softly, yet respectably.
Although movies that open during the holidays have high multiples, LES MIZ is hardly a guaranteed box office juggernaut. I imagine it will do well at the box office, but I really don't think we can say it is on track to be the highest grossing movie musical of all time, based on presale, before it has even opened. Definitely a little premature....
The fans of the music should enjoy it but for those with a critical eye,and who are honest!-there are just too many things wrong with this film that it is like a tsunami sweeping all in its path--what you are left with is--did that really happen?and why? Yes-it will do well at the box office but only because it is Les Mis,not for what they have now done with it.
Chooka.. many of us disagree with you and liked or loved the film. And I think that will be a big part of why it will do well. To the poster that referred to Rent.. this property is more beloved than Rent will ever be. It has a much broader appeal. I don't mean that as a diss to rentheads. Just a fact.
I just came home from the 10 PM showing at Lincoln Square. I really loved the movie and thought that as a movie, it was really well done. I think that the big issue with a lot of the movie musicals that have come out recently over the years is that while they may be good adaptations of the musical that they are based on, as a film in and of itself, it's not done well. The show was sold out and at first the only showing tonight was at 10. But, due to it's popularity they added one for 10:45 this evening.
Also, Les Miserables was one of those Broadway shows that tourists and casual (I'm talking one to two shows a year) local theatre goers relished in droves for sixteen years. I think that for this movie, you're going to have a lot of people who may not be interested in seeing a movie musical like Dreamgirls or Chicago, but will gladly go see something like Les Miserables just because it's Les Miserables. I know a lot of people who are very excited to see this movie but would have zero interest in seeing something like Chicago or Dreamgirls or Rent.
And, lastly, I feel that there are two shows that causal theatergoers as well as tourists eat up with glee. Those are Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Phantom was turned into a movie but done poorly whereas Les Miserables was turned into a movie was done amazingly well down to the last detail. I honestly think that most movie musicals don't sell beyond a niche audience of those who love that genere or love theatre. I think that because it's Les Miserables it will be a movie musical that will extend beyond that niche audience of theatre fans who love seeing their favorite musical on the big screen.
CHOOKA2, it's cool if you don't care for Les Mis, but what do you mean that the film is like a big tsunami and leaves you with nothing? Just curious because it seems to be a pretty common thing that people who didn't like it feel they have to point out. Yet, they almost always fail to explain what this BIG wave of something is? Some critics have said of both the stage version and film that it's just too sentimental. I don't agree that the musical is sentimental, I do think the story is sad and moving and ultimately uplifting. Big difference, but that's just me.
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joined:8/4/03
Posted: 12/24/12 at 05:05pm