| MIRAMAX-IMIZED |
Updated: 12/12/00 MIRAMAX-IMIZED By DADE HAYES Blend of art, mainstream pix pumps profit Miramax's high-wire act of bridging mainstream and arthouse entertainment grew more perilous but also more profitable in 2000, co-chairman Harvey Weinstein asserted Tuesday. In a wide-ranging interview with Daily Variety, Weinstein said the company's profits hit record levels this year thanks to strong box-office returns on "Scary Movie," "Scream 3" and "The Legend of Drunken Master," plus 1999 leftovers "The Cider House Rules" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley." And the year's not over, of course. "Chocolat" and "All the Pretty Horses" are still in the wings, and both have strong chances with critics and Oscar voters. The hits of 2000 and the financial muscle of genre banner Dimension Films has left the Disney-owned minimajor open to charges that it has departed from its artistic roots and from the acquisitions game. Skeptics point to Miramax's commitment to big-budget, quasi-studio productions such "Gangs of New York" and "Four Feathers" as well as the addition of Talk magazine, Talk Miramax books, a music label and TV production to the fold. But Weinstein retains a voracious appetite for quality product of any stripe, viewing these new offshoots as nothing less than synergistic refinements. He will be on the prowl at January's Sundance Film Festival after being sidelined by illness during last year's fest. Even though acquisitions are no longer the top priority, especially amid such adverse arthouse market conditions, count on Weinstein to be part of most bidding wars. While giving due respect to brother Bob Weinstein, architect of Dimension's success, Harvey Weinstein also stressed the important role of foreign-lingo pics such as "Butterfly," which grossed $2.1 million in the U.S. last summer. Miramax not only is one of the few believers in the shrinking U.S. market for foreign-lingo pics -- it actually strives to produce such films, the next being "Malena," helmed by Giuseppe Tornatore. Strong feelings on strike Movie production is one thing, but if you really want to reveal Weinstein's contrarian streak, simply mention the increasingly common corporate view of the upcoming strikes as a money-saver. "To suggest that a strike is good for this business is pure arrogance," he said. "I will fight desperately against a strike. I will do anything to bring the two sides together." While next year's film landscape remains riddled with questions, Miramax already is placing its bets on several high-profile pics, among them "Bridget Jones' Diary," "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (a co-venture with Universal), and "Gangs," which could be ready by year-end. Dimension, meanwhile, is readying a "Scary Movie" sequel as well as Antonio Banderas starrer "Spy Kids." "Serendipity," a John Cusack starrer set for national summer release, aims to pick up where fall's modestly successful "Bounce" left off. "'Bounce' showed me that we could make mainstream movies in our own way," Weinstein said. Alluding to the plot, he added, "We took a love story and threw a plane crash in as a challenge." The Gwyneth Paltrow-Ben Affleck romance will likely finish its U.S. run with a respectable $40 million. Today's Film News: · ABC drama for McQuarrie · Prince charms Studios USA · Prometheus finds gold in 'Hollywood' · Fox Family orders 26 segs of Olsens · Carlton, Media Pro link for Spanish TV · EBU to broadcast Euro 2004 soccer · Star TV, CCTV in tune · India's TV Today to bow web · Corus courting change · NBC goes bowling for big dollars All current news... Disappointments in 2000 included "The Yards" -- which exceeded its $17 million budget by $7 million -- and "Reindeer Games," whose $23 million domestic gross was dwarfed by production and P&A costs. (Stellar video and DVD numbers have somewhat redeemed "Reindeer," Weinstein said.) Oscar wild cards Two of the biggest wild cards in the Oscar race are "Chocolat" and "All the Pretty Horses," both of which could well find sizable audiences in this lean movie year. "Horses," which developed a bad rap over the summer after partner Sony kicked it to Miramax for domestic release, should clock in at around two hours upon its Christmas Day release. Early screenings have been fairly successful and few members of the target audience will likely dwell on helmer Billy Bob Thornton's initial resistance to trimming his much longer version, or producer Mike Nichols requesting that his name be removed from the credits after viewing one cut. "Chocolat" also has just emerged on Academy members' radar and several critics have registered advance praise. One of its producers, David Brown, could become a sentimental favorite. The 84-year-old Hollywood vet, married to Cosmopolitan doyenne Helen Gurley Brown, has never won a competitive Oscar despite racking up producing credits on "Jaws," "The Verdict," "The Player" and "A Few Good Men." One boon to Miramax's Oscar fortunes in the future, Weinstein noted, is Talk Miramax Books. He praised editor-in-chief Jonathan Burnham, who came to Talk Miramax after running U.K. publisher Chatto & Windus. Since unveiling its first list last spring, it has recorded one New York Times bestseller, "A Density of Souls," by Christopher Rice (son of Anne), and shipped 75,000 copies of Simon Schama's massive $40 "History of Britain." Helen DeWitt's just-published first novel, "The Last Samurai," is receiving strong reviews, and January will see the release of "Icebound," by Dr. Jerri Nielsen, the physician who diagnosed and treated her own breast cancer after being stranded last year on the South Pole. Miramax's record imprint also has close ties to the film side. It has mainly released movie soundtracks during its five years of existence. The L.A.-based label has scored several hit singles and collected seven Grammy noms this year. Recent smashes include last year's N' Sync/Gloria Estefan duet "Music of My Heart" from the soundtrack to the Meryl Streep film "Music of the Heart" and Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" from "She's All That." This summer, the label expanded operations with the long-term goal of cultivating new musical talent to appear on Miramax soundtracks. But no new acts have been signed thus far, according to label chief Randy Spendlove. |
| Back to GONY Links || Interviews/Articles Main || Home |