Despite a lackluster weekend box office due to the Super Bowl, the action of BLACK HAWK DOWN, with visual effects by The Mill and Asylum, kept the film at number one for a third week in a row. The film earned $11.1M for a total of $75.1M. The rest of the box office is almost a repeat of last week, with Disney’s SNOW DOGS still in second, with $10.2M for a cume of $51.1M. In its second week of release THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO jumped up a spot to fourth, earning $8.8M for $23.4M to date.

Online news and reviews site Animation on DVD, is petitioning Warner Bros. for the restoration and release of classic Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons on DVD. The Website has so far received 2,500 of the 10,000 signatures it is seeking. The petition aims to bring attention to the restoration needs of the entire Warner Bros. classic animation film library, as well as to support the release of the shorts on DVD.

Hopefully, you’ve already picked up your copies of TRON and ATLANTIS that were released on DVD in January. Sequel-mania is the theme of February’s new animation releases. Enough said.

February 5, 2002

ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN 2/THE SECRET OF NIMH 2

Disney is becoming a giant screen fan. After the success of FANTASIA 2000 ($60.5M) and the favorable box office numbers received by the recent release of the large format BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ($12.5M and counting) is it any wonder? Now Walt Disney Pictures has decided to release its upcoming holiday animated feature TREASURE PLANET simultaneously in 35mm venues as well as in large format cinemas. This is the first time a major studio feature has been specifically formatted for both 35mm and the giant screen to receive a same day-and-date release.

ADV Films is bringing Chaos! Comics' LADY DEATH to life. Artists at SunMin Image Pictures in Asia under the supervision of director Young H. Sang will be animating the digital feature, based on Brian Pulido's original story. Set in 15th century Sweden, a wrongly accused young woman named Hope is sent to Hell where she is transformed into Lady Death and forced to battle Lucifer in his own domain. Executive producer and ADV co-founder John Ledford hopes to create a new production model with LADY DEATH that redefines the relationship between Asian animation studios and Western creators.

War drama BLACK HAWK DOWN, with visual effects by The Mill and Asylum, stayed on top of a crowded box office this weekend, earning $17M for a cume of $58.9M. Holding in second place were the talking dogs of SNOW DOGS, with $13.1M for a two-week total of $38.8M. Two new releases filled the fifth and sixth spots: THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in fifth place with $11.4M and supernatural thriller THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES, with visual effects by Cinesite, landed in sixth, earning $11.2M in its debut weekend.

Creepy thriller THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES hits theaters Friday, January 25 featuring approximately 60 visual effects shots provided by Cinesite. Directed by Mark Pellington, the film is based on the true story of a bridge that collapsed during the 1960s. According to the legend, strange phenomena were reported prior to the collapse, including visions of the mysterious Mothman of the title. The images of the Mothman used in the film were very quick, according to Cinesite’s visual effects supervisor Laurel Klick.

Although it didn’t make the original list of qualifying films for the Animated Feature Oscar, an Academy representative has confirmed that the animé feature VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST is in fact a qualifying entry. The film was initially rejected on a technicality -- the official screen credits form was not submitted. One of the Academy’s rules states that all forms must be completed and turned in prior to the deadline.

After reigning at number one for four weeks, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, with primary visual effects by WETA, took a tumble to third place in the face of two new flicks released this week. LOTR took in $13M for a cume of $245.9M. War drama BLACK HAWK DOWN, with visual effects by The Mill, made a stellar showing in wide release, earning $29M this weekend for a total of $30.8M and the top box office spot. In second place was the family-friendly comedy SNOW DOGS, with $17.5M. A BEAUTIFUL MIND, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, was fourth, with $11M for the weekend and $73.9M to date.

It looks as though audiences will finally get to see the animation Todd McFarlane created for the Jodie Foster-produced film THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS. The film was completed in 2000 and set to debut at Sundance 2001, but the premiere was delayed because the animated sequences were not finished. The film will now debut on January 18 at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Peter Care directed this Southern Gothic drama set in the ’70s, which centers on the efforts of Catholic schoolboys to retrieve an obscene comic book they've drawn.

Fantasy actioner THE LORD OF THE RINGS, with primary visual effects by WETA, held on to the top spot in its fourth week in theaters with $16.2M, just edging out the number two film A BEAUTIFUL MIND, which took in $15.2M in its second week in wide release. That gives LORD a smashing cume of $228.3M. A BEAUTIFUL MIND, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, has grossed $58.4M so far. OCEAN’S ELEVEN, with visual effects by E=mc2 and Cinesite, slid another spot to fourth, earning $7.7M for a generous 6-week cume of $162.7M.

SHREK continued its award winning streak this weekend by picking up the People’s Choice Award for favorite motion picture and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Critics’ Choice Award for best animated feature. In the pre-Oscar animated feature race, SHREK has been the recipient of the majority of critics’ kudos, however WAKING LIFE did manage to grab the nod from the New York Film Critics Circle. The next major awards presented are the Golden Globes, where SHREK is the lone animated film in competition for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy.

Focusing on its action-packed lineup of anime properties, Central Park Media will release two new DVDs on January 14, 2003: VAMPIRE'S LURE, the first volume in the DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS series; and IMPATIENCE AND LONGING, the continuing adventures of the sword-fighting Utena from REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA. In VAMPIRE'S LURE, an action-packed, supernatural series, a vampire is on the loose, and it's up to dashing supernatural detective Tsuzuki to stop her!

India’s Pentamedia Graphics Ltd. will present a slate of animated movies, home videos and series at NATPE 2002 including the new 3D animated feature ALIBABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES. The company is currently in production on SINBAD AND THE SECRET OF COLONIS, the 3D animated sequel to SINBAD: BEYOND THE VEIL OF MISTS.


Read about the making of SINBAD: BEYOND THE VEIL OF MISTS, Pentamedia’s first foray into 3D animation features.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the eight films being considered for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 74th Academy Awards. Fifteen-minute clip reels from each of the following films will be screened for the Visual Effects Award nominating committee on February 6. The members will then nominate three for Oscar consideration.

The films are:

A. I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

BLACK HAWK DOWN

CATS AND DOGS

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

As we edge closer to Oscar time, the critics continue to weigh in with their picks. On January 2, 2002 the Online Film Critics Society gave the nod to SHREK as Best Animated Feature. If you’re counting, that’s three critics' awards for SHREK, one for WAKING LIFE and none for the other Academy Awards qualifiers. January 5, 2002 saw the American Film Institute (AFI) bestow Film of the Year honors on LORD OF THE RINGS, which beat out nine other nominees (including SHREK) to take home the top prize.

Epic fantasy THE LORD OF THE RINGS, with primary visual effects by WETA, ruled as the number one film for the third week in a row, nabbing another $23M this weekend to break the $200M mark after just 18 days. The AFI honored RINGS as "Film of the Year" this weekend and it has earned $205.5M after just 19 days in theaters. The drama A BEAUTIFUL MIND, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, claimed the number two spot, with $17M in its first week of wide release. The film, which is inspired by the life of schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, has earned $38.2M after three weeks.

Here are a few of the notable special effects and animated films being released this month:

JEEPERS CREEPERS –- January 8

JEEPERS CREEPERS was a surprise summer hit in 2001. The story of two teenaged siblings running from a flesh-eating monster gets the double-disc treatment from UA/MGM home video. Available on January 8, 2002, the 2-sided DVD features screen-specific audio commentary with director Victor Salva, a 59-minute documentary THE MAKING OF JEEPERS CREEPERS and deleted scenes. Suggested retail price: 2-sided DVD $26.95.

The first installment of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is shaping up to be a huge success for New Line Cinema. Already benefiting from repeat viewings, the film, with primary digital effects by WETA in New Zealand, continues its number one run, bringing in $56.9M over the five-day holiday weekend for an astounding two-week total of $174.1M.

Santa Monica-based effects studio Computercafe created a "living" bomb that is extracted from a human body for the upcoming Dimension Films release IMPOSTOR. Computercafe’s primary visual effects contribution to the film was the 3D organic bomb featured in three scenes. Because the bomb is found nestled in the chest cavity of a human host, art director Ron Honn, animation supervisor Taron and digital effects supervisor David Ebner designed the device to resemble an internal organ.