MONSTERS sets record - but for WHAT reason? (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

I saw this out of the corner of my eye
yesterday as I was having lunch at work
with the television blaring CNN....
If I heard it correctly (and excuse me if
I am wrong), "MONSTERS INC." set a record for
the biggest opening of an animated film?
Now, if this is true, my question is this....
Did the film set a record on its own merits
or because people went to that film specifically
to see the Episode I trailer?
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Ronald Epstein (pronounced like the English "Ronald Epstein")
Circa 2000
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[Scott W.]

I went specifically for the trailor. Didn't care for the film.
Scott

 

[Geoffrey_A]

I tried to see this film on Saturday, but it was too crowded, so I went sunday morning. Judging from the make up of the enourmous crowd I saw Saturday night and the one that was clogging the cinema when I was leaving the theatre sunday morning, I'm going to dsay Episode II had little to nothing to do with it. The crowds were at least 98 percent young children with their parents. I doubt any of them even knew that the Ep II teaser was going to show.
Honestly, only the most die-hard of Starwars fans are going to go see this film solely for the trailer, especially considering it was going to be made available online on the monday. While there area lot of over zealous SW fans (of which I am one) thee aren't enough to make that kind of bank on a trailer. I'd say it's far more likely that this film did well based on the merits of Pixars past films and on Shrek's performance over the summer.
As far as the film goes, I thought it was terrific, and it surely deserves its success. I don't think it's going to last though, come november 16th, MI is going to drop off the radar pretty fast. Still, MI kicks ass over "A Bugs Life" and is just another excellent addition to Pixars film library. Should make a spiff DVD.
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Geoff
Now with Kung-Fu grip and realistic facial hair!

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

trailer?

Nah. Think they went to go see it for the Episode II trailer. I know I did!
But at the same time, I can't turn down a chance to see a new Pixar film. The trailer was just an added bonus.
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-J.Fo
"I believe you'd get your ass kicked saying something like that."

 

[Patrick Mirza]

Geoffrey is right on the money; he pretty much got to every point I was going to make (except I loved 'A Bug's Life' just as much as 'Monsters'...)
There were too many families and couples at the afternoon screening I went to for them *just* to have been there for a teaser.
No, I think Ron's question is going to apply more to the real trailer that will debut later this month with the Harry Potter film (not that the film isn't going to make GOBS of dough on its own!!)
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[Edited last by Patrick Mirza on November 06, 2001 at 05:19 AM]

 

[Kenneth]

I enjoyed "Monsters, Inc." and think it was deserving of its success. However, without getting political, I would say that the timing of its release probably helped its take. MI had already been heavily advertised but it is the first true family picture to release since before September. I would suspect that, given the current environment, parents and kids might have been up for some wholesome escapist entertainment. MI is the first opportunity to satisfy this bill, in my opinion, and I think that folks just went to town on it. I could certainly be wrong but I think that current events may have played into MI's success, in addition to the fact that it was an enjoyable film (people were even clapping at the end of the showing I went to, so the audience appeared ready for this kind of movie).
Also, the message that happiness and laughter are more powerful than screams and fear may resonate with audiences and help MI's continued take. The true measure of its success will be how it performs during the week and on its second weekend. Once Mr. Potter hits the box office I would suspect that MI will drop rather dramatically.
Kenneth
[Edited last by Kenneth on November 06, 2001 at 06:45 AM]

 

[Alex Spindler]

I can only speak for my own theater, but only three couples left after the Episode 2 trailer. The rest stayed for the film itself.
I would have to compare this to Wing Commander, which had dismal $5 million opening even when it had an Ep 1 trailer attached. Couple that with some perceived disappointment in Episode 1 and the fact that we aren't waiting 15 years between episodes, and I would personally guess that it had some but little impact.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I would fall in the "the Episode II trailer had negligible effect on the box office take of Monsters, Inc." camp.
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[Edwin Pereyra]

At the sellout showing that I attended on Sunday afternoon, 95% of the audience were parents with kids ages 4 - 10, with hardly any teenagers in sight. I even overheard a mother say "Oh My" and looking surprised after seeing the EPII trailer. I doubt if this core audience went to see it just for the trailer.
I would have to say that the trailer may have contributed a little to Monsters, Inc.'s weekend box office take but overall, it would have done good business anyway without it.
~Edwin
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[Edited last by Edwin Pereyra on November 06, 2001 at 07:54 AM]

 

[Leroy]

I don't think that it had any real effect on the MI box office. I saw it Friday with my nephew and it was a 3/4 full house (twilight show), no one left.
I was there to watch MI, the AOTC trailer was just a nice extra.
Anyway, what does it matter? Is Harry Potter's success going to be questioned because the longform trailer for AOTC will be playing in front of it?
[Edited last by Leroy on November 06, 2001 at 08:01 AM]

 

[Gruson]

I would have not have seen it if the trailer was not with it.
I stayed and enjoyed the movie but MI does not come close to Toy Story 1/2 or A Bug's Life.

 

[Neil Joseph]

I think it was because of a lot of diferent reasons, none of which have to do with the movie itself...
1- Timing. (close to the Halloween timeframe)
2- Marketing. (Toys in every happy meal)
3- Starvation. (It has been a while since the kiddies have had a Disney film to go to)
4- The Shrek DVD
5- The Episode 2 trailer
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[Michael Reuben]

The Friday audiences polled by Cinemascore gave Monsters, Inc. an A+. I assume they were rating the film, not the Star Wars teaser.
M.

 

[Troy LaMont]

I would tend to think that the overwhelming majority of people (families) didn't even know the Star Wars trailer was attached to MI (there were some very surprised people who recognized the trailer). I would also assume that they made up at least 80% or more of the MI take over the weekend.
Troy
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:My teacher tells me beauty is on the inside.
:That's just something ugly people say.

 

[Shawn C]

Ugh! You guy keep using MI for Monsters, Inc but I keep thinking "Mission Impossible" whenever I see it. Keeps weirding me out when scanning through the messages

 

[Craig S]

Let's put it this way: I believe the original Episode 1 trailer 3 years ago was much more anticipated than the current one. And yet I don't recall Meet Joe Black setting any records.
Monsters, Inc. set that record on its own merits. No one left the screening I attended. I believe the vast majority of the audience didn't even know there was going to be an Episode II teaser. I mean, c'mon, do you really believe all those parents took their kids to the film just to see a trailer??
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[Matt Birchall]

I don't know what you guys are talking about--I paid $5.50 to see the Episode II teaser on Saturday afternoon, and they even included a full-length movie after it was over!

I took my sister, brother-in-law, and niece to see it on Saturday. I think they wanted to go because of Monsters, Inc., but I definitely wanted to go because of the teaser.
It was a decent movie, and I enjoyed parts of it, but (my opinion) it pales in comparison to either of the Toy Stories.
Didn't see anyone leave after the teaser, but that may have been because we had to sit towards the front because it was so packed. We snuck into another theater that was showing MI right after ours let out, watched the teaser, whooped and hollered, and walked out as soon as it was over.
I would not have paid to see Monsters, Inc. if the Episode II teaser was not attached.
(Of course, I'm a big Star Wars freak-boy. . .)

-mwb-
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Obi-Wan (to Anakin):
Why do I think you're going to be the death of me?
Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
May 22, 2002
[Edited last by Matt Birchall on November 06, 2001 at 11:52 AM]

 

[GlennH]

I'm a Star Wars fan, but I think you'd have to be crazy to pay full price for a movie solely to see a one-minute trailer. Especially since the same trailer was to be online and could be viewed repeatedly for free in a couple of days. Presumably the die-hards who knew about the trailer being on Monsters, Inc. were informed via the internet.

 

[ace peterson]

I think Neil hit the nail on the head. There are a lot of reasons why it did so well. I saw it Friday night and thought it was great. True, it may not have had as much adult-aimed things as Toy Story 1 & 2, but I liked it anyways. I went to the 9:45pm show and there were only like 5-6 kids in there! I heard a few guys behind me say "Shh Shh here it is!" when the Fox logo appeared on the screen for Staw Wars.

 

[Thomas Newton]

I went to see Monsters, Inc. -- not the Star Wars trailer. The movie was great. It was better than A Bug's Life, if not quite up to the level of Chicken Run and Toy Story 1+2, or consistently up to the level of the first Monsters, Inc. trailer ("That's right -- blame it on the little guy, with his ONE EYE!!!!").