Planning the Holiday Movie Line-Up

PJ has often been heard lamenting about the uneven distribution of movie product throughout the year. Certainly the distributors are responsible for this. They have determined, for example, that the summer belongs to kids. There is rarely a decent adult film in the summer. Late December and January, on the other hand, is the time for "Oscar Releases". 

And then…

Then there is the Holiday Season when there is a huge glut of movies-kids' movies, adult movies, Academy Award movies-they're all there, in numbers. The distributors know they can maximize their profits with holiday releasing. And thus we have a self-fulfilled prophesy come true: The holiday season grosses large, mainly because there are so many darn good movies out there.

But what a dilemma this causes for your proprietor. PJ's venue consists of seven screens, yet there are actually too many movies available. Some he has to play.  Some he can choose. And frankly, folks, it has generally been his experience to pick wrong.

Memories of Howard the Duck and Streets of Fire still haunt him.

Let's take an inside look at this year's process:

To begin, PJ must play the following three movies, all for kids: Narnia, Yogi Bear and Tron (Disney's only offering).  So we have three screens booked. Let's continue…

There is The Tourist with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. When PJ first saw the poster, which, of course, prominently displays Angelina's lips-as does every single one of her posters-he wanted this movie. It opens, however, on Friday, Dec. 10 and must play through the holidays. A long time in an era when movies no longer have "legs".

So, to book, or not to book?

It has been PJ's experience that the more he thinks about a movie the more distant his mindset diverges from the actual process that people employ to pick their flick.  He thinks they decide instantaneously and so, he suspects that The Tourist will be a hit because his first reaction was YES. But it does have to play for many weeks so what does he do? Against his better judgment he passes. No Tourist for PJ's.

Perhaps a big mistake.

Next there is Paramount. One of their two movies has to play. So, which shall it be?  True Grit or The Fighter? Well, PJ's first thought is that for the past thirty years, he has never done well with a Western. So, it's a no-brainer: Mark Wahlberg's The Fighter, right? Yes, until yesterday's NY Times article proclaiming the Coen Brothers' True Grit to be an Academy Award contender. Next he thinks, will the ladies go see The Fighter? Remember how hard it was to get anyone to see The Wrestler. Anyway, after quite a bit of agonizing, it's decided: The Fighter it is. It also will be around at Academy Award time, it is enjoying a lot of buzz, and it seems to be the one with the better shot.

So, that's four screens. Not playing are True Grit and The Tourist, two movies PJ wishes he had room for. 

OK, number five is a snap. Those Little Fockers is a can't miss. Only two more to go.

PJ is thinking he has to play the Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nicholson movie How Do You Know which seems to be solid adult entertainment.

That is six. One more to go…

He likes the idea of Jack Black's Gulliver's Travels. It seems to be perfect for his family, holiday audience. But then the phone rings. It's Rob Lawinsky, his booker. 

"Hey, Phil," he says. "I'm thinking maybe we should try to pick up The King's Speech. It's an independent movie with great reviews, and it is breaking house records in the City."

What a monkey wrench this is! A prestigious art movie. But, will it play in Peoria, er… Port Jeff Station, PJ is wondering. 

And then he reminds himself that his choices have never been consistent with what the public wants. He does have "interesting" taste in movies. And he has always wondered how the entire movie-going public knows to come en masse to certain movies and to ignore others.

Anyway, he decides. He dials Rob's number.

"Hey, Rob, I'll tell you what. You pick 'em, and I'll play 'em."

And so PJ has, once again, employed a technique he has used successfully before:  practice avoidance and let Rob decide. 

And there is an inside look at the not-very-scientific-method regarding the selection process.  Sometimes PJ wonders if his choices amount to a very big difference, or are they all just six (oops seven) of a kind and a half dozen (or so) of another?

P.S. Thought you'd be interested to know, PJ just received a call from his booker in the city. Oh, this crazy business. The King's Speech has been put on hold until Jan. 14, altogether not such a bad thing, because there is scant little product in January.  But in its place, we'll be opening the Black Swan on the 17th of December. So, PJ's will still have an arty piece for the Holidays. Of course, this is probably all subject to last minute changes as well. Keep tuned.