Filmgoers Gobble Up ‘Flubber’

Moviegoers certainly didn’t forget “Flubber,” Walt Disney Co.’s remake of “The Absent Minded Professor,” as the new film grossed an estimated $36.4 million at the box office during the long holiday weekend.

“Flubber,” which stars Robin Williams, easily outpaced 20th Century Fox’s “Alien Resurrection.” The fourth installment in the science-fiction series starring Sigourney Weaver took in $27.2 million during the five-day period, according to figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations Co.

“We got a very wide demographic spread,” said Phil Barlow, president of Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. “First of all, parents were going with their children--and that’s a wonderful thing. There were also a lot of adults going without children. And third, we’re getting a representative dating audience. I think that’s why we got $36 million instead of $25 million.”

Williams has proved his adult appeal in such films as “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Jumanji.” He’s also been known to put a successful spin on comedy remakes, like “The Birdcage.”

“This is the biggest opening that Robin’s ever had,” Barlow said. “There’s no doubt that Robin is just an immense part of the success of the movie.”

“Alien Resurrection” scored the biggest opening of any of the “Alien” movies, though none of the earlier pictures opened on five-day weekends. “Alien3” took in $23.1 million during the Memorial Day weekend in 1992 but then went on to gross only $55.5 million.

The extra-long Thanksgiving weekend is a fine time to launch a potential blockbuster. Last year saw Disney’s live-action “101 Dalmatians” gross nearly $50 million, and in 1995 the studio’s “Toy Story” sold $39 million in tickets. “Flubber,” which played on 2,641 screens, takes its place as the fourth-highest Thanksgiving opener ever.

Certainly this year’s Thanksgiving box office looked healthy, with $141 million in overall ticket sales, said John Krier, president of Exhibitor Relations. That’s down slightly from last year’s $148 million and from the record $158 million of 1995.

But Hollywood is on track to have another record year, topping $6 billion in total ticket sales, Krier said.

Fox also had good news on the animation front, where third-place “Anastasia” grossed $16.7 million in its second weekend in release. Most of that--$12.9 million--came Friday through Sunday, reflecting a smaller than 10% drop-off from its $14.1-million opening.

“John Grisham’s The Rainmaker” similarly held on to its audience and landed in fourth place. The Paramount Pictures release, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, grossed $14.6 million during the holiday weekend, with $10.6 million of that coming Friday through Sunday, the same as last weekend.

In limited release, Fine Line’s “The Sweet Hereafter” turned in $133,000 on just five screens; now in its second week, director Atom Egoyan’s drama has grossed $250,000. “Bent,” from MGM/UA, grossed $126,000 on 12 screens in its first weekend, and Miramax Films’ “Welcome to Sarajevo” grossed $88,000 on five screens.

Rounding out the Top 10 were Universal Pictures’ “The Jackal,” in fifth, with $10.3 million; New Line Cinema’s “Mortal Kombat Annihilation,” last week’s No. 1, $9.3 million; Warner Bros.’ “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” $7.3 million; Disney’s re-release of “The Little Mermaid,” which ended its limited engagement Sunday, $4.7 million; Gramercy Pictures’ “Bean,” $4.1 million; and Sony/TriStar’s “Starship Troopers,” $4 million.

All weekend box-office figures are estimates. Final returns will be announced today.