LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/wires/20010528/tCB00V8749.html

Monday, May 28, 2001
'Pearl Harbor' Short of Records

AP Movie Writer

    LOS ANGELES--"Pearl Harbor" opened big, but it will not break
box-office records.
    The World War II epic took in $39.7 million in its first two days,
according to figures provided Sunday by Disney, whose Touchstone Pictures
released the movie.
    "They're phenomenal numbers for me. It's the biggest opening I've
ever had," said producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose other credits include
"Armageddon" and "Gone in 60 Seconds."
    Disney would not estimate how much "Pearl Harbor" would gross for the
full Memorial Day weekend, but based on its first two days, box office
analysts predicted it would pull in at least $75 million by Monday.
    That would make it the second-biggest Memorial Day debut ever, behind
$90.2 million for "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" in 1997.
    "The Mummy Returns" had a stronger debut than "Pearl Harbor,"
grossing $68.1 million in just three days when it opened in early May.
"The Mummy Returns" took in an estimated $15 million from Friday to
Sunday, pushing its total to $162.8 million.
    The animated "Shrek" had a terrific second weekend, taking in an
estimated $42.6 million. By Monday, the film will become DreamWorks'
highest-grossing animated movie ever, passing the $106.7 million total for
"Chicken Run," said Jim Tharp, the studio's head of distribution.
    With the hype leading up to "Pearl Harbor," entertainment reporters
had speculated the movie could break "The Lost World" record or even top
$100 million for the weekend.
    "That didn't come from us," said Chuck Viane, Disney's head of
distribution. "For those who bandied those numbers around, they didn't put
the math to it for how long a film it is."
    At just over three hours, "Pearl Harbor" can run three or at most
four times a day. At a bit more than two hours each, theaters could run
"The Lost World" or "The Mummy Returns" four times or more each day.
    "Considering its running time, I think it's a terrific opening," said
Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., which
tracks the box office. "No other three-hour movie has done this well its
opening weekend."
    "Titanic," which ran a bit more than three hours, grossed an
unremarkable $28.6 million its first weekend but held on for months to hit
$600 million domestically and $1.8 billion worldwide.
    That film benefitted from Leonardo DiCaprio's heartthrob status,
which prompted many teen-age girls to see "Titanic" again and again.
    "Pearl Harbor" has much the same formula as "Titanic." Both movies
dress up universally known historical events with weepy, fictional love
stories.

They got my money. I even liked it.

    The romantic triangle in "Pearl Harbor," which stars Ben Affleck,
Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett, could result in solid repeat business,
said Mitchell Rubenstein, co-chairman of MovieTickets.com, an Internet
ticket service.
    Rubenstein said he caught "Pearl Harbor" over the weekend and
teen-age girls acted favorably to the movie.
    "In between the tears, they said they were going to see it again as
soon as they could," Rubenstein said. "It was the same reaction as
'Titanic' because of the love story and the young stars."
    Critics generally slammed "Pearl Harbor," calling the love story flat
and the characters dull. But the film had broad appeal, drawing the date
crowd with romance, older audiences for the historical aspects and
action-oriented male viewers for the film's explosive attack sequence.
    MovieTickets.com sold 100,000 advance tickets to "Pearl Harbor,"
double the number for the company's previous best seller, "The Mummy
Returns."
    Bruckheimer shrugged off the bad reviews, saying his films rarely
appeal to critics.
    "We make movies for the people. That's my career," Bruckheimer said.
"You're always looking for accolades for what you do, but you can't cry
over spilled milk. What you really hope for is that people show up."

Copyright 2001 Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times sux[:)]

I thought it was a great movie (maybe it's the squid in me) [:/]

Even though I haven't seen the movie, all of the news channels were hyping this "lousy" movie.  They keep on playing the same studio released movie trailers, over-and-over again.  I am just personally wondering what's up?

I saw Pearl Harbor last night. I thought is was pretty well done. I could have done without the love story, but it wasn't as sappy as Titanc (and they got the history a lot closer too, but that is another story), it really didn't take much away from the film IMHO. The attack scene was nothing short of spectacular and was a little over-whelming in parts (the sounds of the shells passing by were VERY realistic). I felt the events were fairly accuritely portraied, there were some details I wasn't too sure about, but nothing major. All in all, I think it is worth seeing....

I just could not bring myself to go is this film.  I was going to, but when I heard the movie was going to get a different ending as not to offend the Japanese and German people I said they are not going to get my money!!!

I saw it.  It was pretty good, but too long.  Give me 25 minutes, a pair of scissors, and the film and I will make it better.  Roger Ebert said it was a 2 hour movie crammed into 3.

I'll wait till video.  Alice Baldwin and Ben Asslick wont get a penny from me.

P-39's? the movie had P-40's. The zero wouldn't let anything shoot it, it would fall apart. THey said in the movie a P-40 couldn't outrun a Zero, I think it would, it couldn't manuever with Zero's tho.

How does waiting until it is released on video keep them from making money off the video tape sale/rental?

I was suprised that they had newsreel film of Hitler in the film. A little revisionist yes, would like to know what they'll cut out. Maybe FDR's speech after Pearl HArbor??

Zero A6M2 331 mph top speed 950 hp engine
P-40-B    345 mph top speed 1040 hp engine

P-40 had top speed, armor and armament on the Zero. The Zero had range, acceleration, maneuverability, and visibility on the P-40. The P-40 was even restricted in training on the aerobatics it could perform due to its instability.  But the P-40 was faster if you lived long enough to get up to speed.