1.4 million DVDs sold yesterday!

[slayers_creek_oth]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060405/law120.html?.v=23

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- "Brokeback Mountain," the most powerful and poignant drama of 2005, continued its phenomenal critical box-office success by selling approximately 1.4 million units on its April 4, 2006 street date. Stunningly crafted with incomparable dexterity by Oscar®- winning director Ang Lee ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Sense and Sensibility"), "Brokeback Mountain" broke through cinematic and social barriers with its heart-wrenching depiction of two young cowboys who unexpectedly forge an intense, lifelong connection.

Since it was first released, audiences, critics and awards groups have responded with unrivaled passion to 'Brokeback Mountain's' stellar direction, writing and acting and to a moving storyline that challenged Hollywood conventions," said Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "The remarkable first-day home entertainment sales are a testament to the film's magnetic appeal and consumers' avid desire to own a piece of cinematic history."

Winner of three Academy Awards® for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score, "Brokeback Mountain" is based on the powerful short story by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx ("The Shipping News"). The universally acclaimed script was adapted by another Pulitzer recipient, Larry McMurtry ("Lonesome Dove," "Terms of Endearment") and his collaborator Diana Ossana ("Johnson County War"), who also earned a Golden Globe® Award for their work.

Actors Heath Ledger ("The Patriot," "Lords of Dogtown") and Jake Gyllenhaal ("Jarhead," "Donnie Darko") earned Academy Award® nominations for their emotionally charged, unflinching portrayals of Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, the two young men at the heart of this wrenching saga. Supporting actress Michelle Williams ("The Station Agent") was nominated for the Supporting Actress Oscar® for her role as a young wife wounded by a bond she is unable to comprehend.

"Brokeback Mountain" tells the story of Ennis Del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal), two young men dispatched to work as sheepherders up on the majestic Brokeback Mountain in the summer of 1963. During their experience, Ennis and Jack are drawn into an unexpected lifelong relationship, filled with love and loss. The DVD is priced at $29.98 SRP.

For more information please visit: www.brokebackmountain.com.

[sparkle_motion]

WOW! That sounds like a lot. I wonder what the opening day total was for Crash.

[Ellemeno]

How does that number compare to other DVD first day sales?

[slayers_creek_oth]

Something else to think about...

King Kong sold 6.5 million in its first week (which is less then a million a day if you average it out)......Brokeback sold 1.4 in its first day......think about it.....

I'll almost guarantee that 1.4 million in its first day is a record for Focus...

[EnnisDelMar]

Is that a good number? I don't know much about dvd figures..

[rtprod]

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anybody know how that benchmarks against other current titles?

rt

[ednbarby]

Something else to think about...

King Kong sold 6.5 million in its first week (which is less then a million a day if you average it out)......Brokeback sold 1.4 in its first day......think about it.....

I'll almost guarantee that 1.4 million in its first day is a record for Focus...

Thanks, Slayer.  This helps put it in perspective quite a bit.  I know when I told several people I bought "a copy" (ha ha) yesterday, they all said, "Oh, it's out, now?  Cool - I'm gonna buy a copy."  Though I know it's a leap from that alone, to say the least, I'm thinking today's number will be comparable.

Oh, and someone tried to sell me King Kong while I was buying Brokeback at Best Buy yesterday.  I go "Sorry.  Not all that into bestiality."  The guy about lost his gob laughing.  He'd been kidding around quite a bit with me and Will, so I figured I'd take a shot.

[slayers_creek_oth]

Is that a good number? I don't know much about dvd figures..

Its a really good number....

Its also still the best selling DVD on amazon....beating out Narnia and Kong....

[sparkle_motion]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

[vkm91941]

well I only have one thing to say  YEEEEE HAAAAAWWWWW!!!!!

[slayers_creek_oth]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

Yes Kong came out last week and broke Universal's records with 6.5 million in its first week.....920k DVDs per day (average)....

However then Brokeback comes along (also a Universal release) and sells 1.4 million in its first DAY! 

Hmmm....wouldn't be surprised if Kong doesn't hold that record for too long.....

[EnnisDelMar]

Is that a good number? I don't know much about dvd figures..

Its a really good number....

Its also still the best selling DVD on amazon....beating out Narnia and Kong....

Good. For some reason I have a HATRED towards Narnia..it's sort of like the fundie movie that's up against MY MOVIE!!!

[montferrat]

This is really good news!  Thanks for posting it Chris.   

Now now Brandon,

I saw Narnia and own the books (well they're my older sister's, she got them for Christmas about 20 years ago)

 

[EnnisDelMar]

Well I don't have anything against the actual movie, just ...ehh I dunno.

[slayers_creek_oth]

WOW! That sounds like a lot. I wonder what the opening day total was for Crash.

I don't know...but considering the fact that Crash's Directors Cut isn't even in amazon.com's Top 25 DVD sales.....I can't imagine that its doing all that well IMO!

[rtprod]

Brandon,

Narnia is actually pretty good with a wicked turn from Tilda Swinton. 

rt

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

I'm with Brandon--Narnia? Hiss!

Tilda may be madly stylish, but Narnia actually does "have an agenda." As Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook) says in 'All The President's Men': "Follow the money."

And I ain't foolin'.

[littledarlin]

yes... i want to see comparative sales numbers.  can anyone do some sleuthing and get crash dvd numbers, narnia dvd numbers, or any other relevant numbers?  and the record holder for 1st day sales?  just for comparison.

1.4 mil though, that's still pretty amazing for 1st day sales.

edit:  well that was easy.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-03-08-crash-dvd-sales_x.htm

the regular version has sold 4 million since September of 05.

[slayers_creek_oth]

yes... i want to see comparative sales numbers.  can anyone do some sleuthing and get crash dvd numbers, narnia dvd numbers, or any other relevant numbers?  and the record holder for 1st day sales?  just for comparison.

1.4 mil though, that's still pretty amazing for 1st day sales.

edit:  well that was easy.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-03-08-crash-dvd-sales_x.htm

the regular version has sold 4 million since September of 05.

Well Harry Potter holds the record for best selling DVD in first day with 5 million copies....I'm not sure what Universal's record is though...

If Brokeback breaks any records we'll know....and I'll report if I find anything else out....

Now for Crash.....only 4 million in 7 months......and Brokeback sells 1.4 million in 24 hours!  Hmmm....Brokeback wins again!

[starboardlight]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

Yes Kong came out last week and broke Universal's records with 6.5 million in its first week.....920k DVDs per day (average)....

However then Brokeback comes along (also a Universal release) and sells 1.4 million in its first DAY! 

Hmmm....wouldn't be surprised if Kong doesn't hold that record for too long.....

sounds like a very good week for Universal, who is doing distribution for both films.

so at minimum $17 a copy, BBM pulled in $24 million yesterday.

[slayers_creek_oth]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

Yes Kong came out last week and broke Universal's records with 6.5 million in its first week.....920k DVDs per day (average)....

However then Brokeback comes along (also a Universal release) and sells 1.4 million in its first DAY! 

Hmmm....wouldn't be surprised if Kong doesn't hold that record for too long.....

sounds like a very good week for Universal, who is doing distribution for both films.

so at minimum $17 a copy, BBM pulled in $24 million yesterday.

Yep....Universal pulled in $100 million in 1 week for Kong...

Sounds like BBM is gonna break MORE records if you ask me...

[SFEnnisSF]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

They've been playing the same ad combo here on San Jose's Country Western station 95.3 on EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK.  I feel so good when I hear it.  An ad for BBM on our Country Western station!!!

[starboardlight]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

They've been playing the same ad combo here on San Jose's Country Western station 95.3 on EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK.  I feel so good when I hear it.  An ad for BBM on our Country Western station!!!

I wonder if Universal just decided to buy the ad times as a package deal.
"We take two ad times, but give us a deal on them."

[slayers_creek_oth]

You know what, here locally (In Dallas) they have played quite a few Brokeback DVD commercials on the radio, which are immediately followed by King Kong DVD commercials. I thought that was weird at the time and now that you say someone tried to get you to buy it, it seems even weirder. Didn't King Kong come out last week?

They've been playing the same ad combo here on San Jose's Country Western station 95.3 on EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK.  I feel so good when I hear it.  An ad for BBM on our Country Western station!!!

I wonder if Universal just decided to buy the ad times as a package deal.
"We take two ad times, but give us a deal on them."

I bet you're right.....

[ednbarby]

I'm with Brandon--Narnia? Hiss!

Tilda may be madly stylish, but Narnia actually does "have an agenda." As Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook) says in 'All The President's Men': "Follow the money."

And I ain't foolin'.

I'm with you and Brandon, too, John.  Hiss, indeed.  I'll add in a meow (and not the good kind) as well.

On the brighter side, I'm lmao about Crash: The Director's Cut not even making the Top 25.  Wooooooooooeeee!

[delalluvia]

Yay for BBM!

I got my copy today and need to watch it to see if I got one of those messed up wide-screen/full screen jobs, but I'm holding it like it's the Grail or something.  I just want to look at it for a while.

I liked 'Narnia' just fine.  Yeah, Lewis wrote it with Christianity in mind, but even he in the end dismissed his own series as 'childern's stories' and they are.

I love the fact that it's supposed to be a Christian fable, Aslan as the Christ figure, but the denizens of Narnia celebrate Xmas!  Santa Claus makes a cameo appearance!  How can Aslan be Christ-like if they already know about the Christ?!?!

Silly.

Despite Lewis' attempt, he made more of an eastern religious fable, than a western one.  What a Tolkien wannabe.

[starboardlight]

Yay for BBM!

I got my copy today and need to watch it to see if I got one of those messed up wide-screen/full screen jobs, but I'm holding it like it's the Grail or something.  I just want to look at it for a while.

I liked 'Narnia' just fine.  Yeah, Lewis wrote it with Christianity in mind, but even he in the end dismissed his own series as 'childern's stories' and they are.

I love the fact that it's supposed to be a Christian fable, Aslan as the Christ figure, but the denizens of Narnia celebrate Xmas!  Santa Claus makes a cameo appearance!  How can Aslan be Christ-like if they already know about the Christ?!?!

Silly.

Despite Lewis' attempt, he made more of an eastern religious fable, than a western one.  What a Tolkien wannabe.

he also missed the point of self-sacrifice. if Aslan knew he'd come back to life, then was his death really a sacrifice?

[delalluvia]

I love the fact that it's supposed to be a Christian fable, Aslan as the Christ figure, but the denizens of Narnia celebrate Xmas!  Santa Claus makes a cameo appearance!  How can Aslan be Christ-like if they already know about the Christ?!?!

Silly.

Despite Lewis' attempt, he made more of an eastern religious fable, than a western one.  What a Tolkien wannabe.

he also missed the point of self-sacrifice. if Aslan knew he'd come back to life, then was his death really a sacrifice?

Bingo!

Well said star.  No sacrificing oneself to death for others really counts if you know you're going to come back to life a few hours later! 

What kind of Indian-giver sacrifice is that?  It's more a card-in-the-sleeve/pulling a fast one/deceitful act than anything noble.

[Kd5000]

I think that's great figure. The AA winner Million Dollar Baby made about USD 25,000,000 in DVD sales last year. The AViator $35,000,000

Revenge is sweet. So many right wing types were saying DVD sales for this would be mariginal because only a very limited group of ppl would buy the DVD. Those edgey non-gay ppl who went to see the film won't want to the DVD. Ha!

More money for FOCUS. Those ppl have to be so happy. Not bad for a film that cost only USD 15,000,000

I bought two so I did by deed.   

I wonder how much in DVD sales CRASH will make??? It won best picture. 

1.4million x 20USD =  pretty good.

[slayers_creek_oth]

I wonder how much in DVD sales CRASH will make??? It won best picture. 

Crash has sold just over 4.5 million copies in its 7 months of release (September)....

Brokeback sold 1.4 million in its first day!  As I said before....Brokeback wins AGAIN!

[starboardlight]

I love the fact that it's supposed to be a Christian fable, Aslan as the Christ figure, but the denizens of Narnia celebrate Xmas!  Santa Claus makes a cameo appearance!  How can Aslan be Christ-like if they already know about the Christ?!?!

Silly.

Despite Lewis' attempt, he made more of an eastern religious fable, than a western one.  What a Tolkien wannabe.

he also missed the point of self-sacrifice. if Aslan knew he'd come back to life, then was his death really a sacrifice?

Bingo!

Well said star.  No sacrificing oneself to death for others really counts if you know you're going to come back to life a few hours later! 

What kind of Indian-giver sacrifice is that?  It's more a card-in-the-sleeve/pulling a fast one/deceitful act than anything noble.

honestly, I loved the books when I read them as a 5th grader. I just don't see them as Christian allegory. I know there are Christians among us, and let me be clear, I don't hate Christians. I absolutely love the Christian messages in BBM. In Narnia, I just thought the attempt to draw an allegory is flawed. I think Lewis we just drawing from various religious sources for his material, rather than trying to teach any thing.