I can’t for the life of me work out where AltFilmGuide obtained the total figure of $11.52m for eight countries because my Box Office Mojo calculations total USD6,105,170 – did they really add in the Foreign total of $5,460,815 as well? That’s the only explanation I can think of. In any event, the reason I’m posting this is because of the second and third paragraphs of their article below – don’t mind at all that they did the comparison work not one bit – big thank you for that:
“Bel Ami‘s box-office performance has been “erratic†since the Robert Pattinson film opened in late Feb./early March, depending on the territory. More on that in the next paragraph. But let me say first that up to the end of April, Bel Ami had taken in $11.52m in eight countries. Not at all bad for a movie budgeted at $11.8m. [Maria: Or £9 million as I mentioned before)
Robert Pattinson’s Twilight popularity surely helped the independently produced Bel Ami film version of Guy de Maupassant’s novel gross a solid $3.14m in Russia. For comparison’s sake: Mirror Mirror, starring an established star like Julia Roberts and budgeted at $85m, collected $9.73m in that country. Bel Ami also earned a not inconsiderable $1.39m in Italy, where it’s one of the top 50 movies of 2012, and $1.14m in the United Kingdom, where it’s no. 50 on the UK box-office chart. At the other extreme, in Singapore and Slovakia the period comedy-drama scored, respectively, $10,791 and $21,033, according to Box Office Mojo.
Does that mean Pattinson and Twilight aren’t popular in those two countries? Not really. Instead, it could simply mean that the film’s Singapore and Slovakia distributors failed to raise awareness for their movie. That happens time and again, including in major markets. Also: bear in mind that according to Box Office Mojo (it’s unclear if figures have been updated), Brad Pitt’s Moneyball raked in only $400 more than Bel Ami in Slovakia.” [Maria: It also doing better than The Lucky One and Ides of March which is far more comparable since isn’t Zefron and Ryan Gosling supposed to be Rob’s competition? Early days I know, but it’s an indication right.]
I don’t care if I’m going against the grain – I think the movie is doing okay and it’s not long now until we see Aussie and US figures.
14 more sleeps not that I’m counting *cough*
Turning the calendar page to March.
#Robert
Posted on May 08, 2012
@Sare and @Suze – I blame both of you totally for my choice of gif for this post … just thought I’d put that out there tonite *winks*
Posted on May 08, 2012
What is the promotion like in Australia? Have they been doing anything? Do you know if it will a wide release there.
I am with you on the movie doing well. It is doing well as long as the country is promoting it. In Russia it’s doing almost as well as Remember Me and in Italy it has done better than Water for Elephants. The trick with those 2 countries is that they actually promoted the movie and made the public aware.
Posted on May 08, 2012
I think you’re right, Maria ~ looks like they’ve misread the table.
Has there been much promotion of BA in Sydney or elsewhere in Oz? Here in Brisbane, other than seeing a couple of posters at the cinema, no-one I talk to is really aware of it (a few have seen the trailer at the movies, but had no idea when it was coming out.) Just curious. I really hope it gets more publicity. (Of course, I have been known to live under a rock in the past, so maybe I’ve missed something!)
Posted on May 08, 2012
ps. As for that gif, Maria ….. if that was the last thing I saw before I died, I’d die a happy woman!
Posted on May 09, 2012
Umm…who’s counting @maria? *coughnotmecough* And that gif…OMG it’s enough to make a poor girl weak at the knees!
Thanks once again for bringing this to us. Here’s someone who “gets” it and has raised some very valid points. The comparisons they used are excellent. It’s disappointing to see that the British fans did not support this movie as much as it deserves. I hope that the VOD figures from the US will be included in the total takings but I don’t know how that works.
@sue to answer your question, NO I have not seen much promotion for the film here in Melbourne either. I am a regular cinema goer and I haven’t even seen a poster of the movie at my local Village cineplex. No trailer either. Will word of mouth be enough to achieve a good BO result?? I don’t know…
Posted on May 09, 2012
@ephie I’m still trying to find out about Vic screenings – I feel like I’m trying to infiltrate a secret cult. I’ve never had this much hassle … ever … when it comes to a Rob film, but I can let you know that a friend of mine saw the trailer at the movies on the weekend. She usually comes and sees Rob’s films with me and her response was “I saw the trailer for Bel Ami and it was hot hot hot”. And she’s not obsessed with Rob if anyone thinks that’s biased. She actually didn’t like WFE – loathed the script, but absolutely loves Remember Me.
Posted on May 09, 2012
@chris it’s not being promoted heavily, but it’s still 2 weeks out and I think it’s about to be geared up. Actually I hope it’s about to be geared up. It’s the first time though I’ve hit a brick wall with trying to get information from a particular cinema – it almost feels like they don’t want it to succeed. And I agree with you both Russia and Italy promoted it hard. Will keep you posted
Posted on May 09, 2012
Thanks @maria. You must be so frustrated! Good to hear that your friend saw the trailer. I went to the movies last Sunday but didn’t see it. I, like you, hope that the promo is about to be geared up.
Posted on May 09, 2012
Thanks so much for this update Maria – I agree, I think it’s definitely doing well enough for a small budget art-house whatever they want to call it. Seriously, I don’t know about the rest of the UK but where I am I didn’t see much about it at all. Although that’s in comparison to the big budgets that go with the big movies so it’s hard to say really. It was never on that sort of level was it? I’m just annoyed that after it had left theatres I found several people interested in seeing it – who hadn’t even heard it had been and gone. Bugger!! :/ Next time I’m going to have to come up with promotion all by myself – just to make sure.
Thanks again M – and great choice of gif. wooohoooooo 14 freaking days until Georges!!!! So exciting!!
Posted on May 09, 2012
i’ve seen nothing either but I live in the sticks LOL!!! I hope that they do this movie justice with promo, i really do. As for that .gif, I AM DEAD!!!!! Thanks Maria.
Posted on May 09, 2012
I haven’t seen or heard anything much in Melbourne either. I know that it will be showing at Hoyts and also at Cinema Nova in Carlton but as far as promoting is concerned I’ve heard nothing. I’m kind of spreading the word as best I can but I wish we could see some promoting.
I can’t believe that we have only 14 days to go.
Thanks for keeping us informed. Love this site.
Posted on May 09, 2012
This is a great read. Are you sure you didn’t write it Maria?
Sare and Suze – Thank you