Some movies have to be really pushed to get it going. American Beauty was heavily promoted, Shrek too, and I could think of others. But so much has come down to the market segment who goes to almost every movie.. they go once or twice a week minimum.. if you can get a large share of those folks you have your money back come hell or high water (or both as in the case of a lot of pics) I for one am very happy they push and promote films as it seems to get people in the movies. We are a smaller house and I honestly feel honored (go ahead and laugh) to be handed these films on opening day that cost tens of millions to make. There's a lot riding on these things. Sometimes they certainly over promote bad movies ..... who can forget Godzilla.. but then this whole business is about buzz. I like it! I'll take over promotion over underpromotion..... and they get accused of that too!
Don't forget: These are DISTRIBUTION deals. ...many of these pictures are not made by BV or Warner Bros. etc: they make distribution deals even more blindly than we book. All they have is a story, stars, directors, etc. when they commit budgets and it's then their legally contracted job to bring people into the theatre to see the movie: good or bad. Often they're trying to save their ass.
Mike Hurley
www.bigscreenbiz.com 
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