Variety: "Brokeback" tries red-state breakout

[villager]

Brokeback' tries red-state breakout

Focus going for broke in expansion

By IAN MOHR


After its gay cowboy love story "Brokeback Mountain" rode roughshod over more mainstream competish in Texas, Arizona and Florida, Universal specialty film arm Focus Features is accelerating expansion plans. Focus brass said Monday that it will roll out "Brokeback" on 300-400 screens by Jan. 6, altering its original agenda of putting the film on 250 screens by Jan. 13.

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Move to broaden the pic's presence comes as "Brokeback" is riding a wave of critics' honors and media attention without its distributor having paid a single dollar in TV advertising for the $14 million pic. Beyond any urban strongholds for gay auds, Focus is currently zeroing in on the very states where the pic takes place, Texas and Wyoming, as well as other turf where pundits might assume a gay-themed project would have a bumpy ride. But Schamus said that the film is playing to both male and female auds, proving it has branched out beyond purely gay demos in the fly-over states.

<snip>



The film has played well so far in unexpected places -- like Plano, Texas, where it's showing on two screens; Phoenix; and Voorhees, Penn., outside of Philadelphia -- without any resistance from exhibs.

<snip>

With its early January expansion, Focus will aim to penetrate suburban markets surrounding Seattle, San Diego, Dallas and Portland before moving into more remote places like Nashville and Columbus, Ohio, by Jan. 30. Focus has so far been testing the waters carefully with the film, not knowing what the climate may be like for such a project at the moment, and it is realizing the timing is right.

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http://www.variety.com/VR1117934946.html

[Warpy]

1. Uh, huh and the John Wayne swaggerers will be sneaking

into it for matinees, alone.

This movie will do well in cowboy states. It just won't be much of a date movie.

[Ian David]

2. Man Accidentally Kills Self Practicing Cowboy Action Shooting

Man Accidentally Kills Self Practicing Cowboy Action Shooting
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5648519&mesg_id=5648519



Priest Accused Of Groping Boy During 'King Kong'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5648271

[Ian David]

3. Some people say kids are buying Narnia tickets to sneak into Brokeback

Folks are saying.

[villager]

4. so "Narnia's" a beard? n/t

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. ROFLMAO...that's great, villager...n/t

MKJ

[AZBlue]

6. It's the best movie I've seen in YEARS! (n/t)