• It was a local film that topped the box office charts in France. Les Poupees Russes, a.k.a., The Russian Dolls, opened with $3,673,002 on 550 screens, which was well ahead of Batman Begins's $2,660,438 and enough to put the film in fifth place in the international charts.
• Samurai Commando 1549 had an uncharacteristically sttep decline during its second weekend in Japan falling from first to third with $2,199,149. That was 31% less than its debut, but still enough to lift the film to $7,912,483 so far.
• Rules of Dating had the best week-to-week drop-off in its native South Korean dipping by 39% to $2,074,356 for the weekend and $7,399,438 during its run.
• A Bold Family slipped to third place in South Korea down 42% from its opening; this week it added $1,749,431 to its $6,093,427 running tally.
• Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fell by 58% during its second weekend in Germany, (which was actually one of the better results in the market) it landed at third place with $1,334,616 for a two week total of $4,489,430. In Austria the film had a similar result, (down 59% to $151,696 for a $562,121 running tally.) That helped push the film's international total to $36.4 million with most major markets still to come.
• Sahara fell by 42% during its second weekend in Japan, the second worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten there, the film made $488,517 on 156 screens for a $2,126,576 running tally. The film performed even worse in its third weekend in France tumbling 62% to just $185,786 on 300 screens for a total of $1,965,932 in the market. The situation was little better in Germany with a 56% drop-off and a $532,316, fourth place weekend. With $3,387,194 after three weeks, Germany should become the film's second best market of an international run that has only netted the film $39 million.
• Post holiday plus massive, massive competition left The Longest Yard hurting to the tune of 57% in its third weekend in Australia. The film did manage $1,034,086 for a three-week total of $6,766,720, which is the lions share of its $8.3 million international total.
• Monster-In-Law saw steep drops across the board this weekend, 55% in the U.K. to $283,014, 54% in Austria to $129,146 and 56% in Germany to $498,604. That was enough to push the film to $21.5 million internationally and past $100 million worldwide, the 17th film from 2005 to do so.
• Stiff competition pushed The Interpreter down 56% in France to just $757,018 for a $2,895,374 two-week total in the market.
• The Ring 2 opened in Japan, but audience there obviously preferred to watch the original and not the remake as the film could do no better than 5th place with $737,877 on 228. To make matters worse, its $3,236 per screen average suggests a very short run there.
• Million Dollar Baby is starting to slip on the Japanese charts falling 35% this week to sixth with $700,796. Another weekend like that and the film will hit $10 million in the market as it currently sits at $9,207,961.
• The Pacifier fell by 54% during its second weekend in France to just $683,504. That helped lift its total in the market to $2,491,819 while the film has made $76 million internationally.
• House of Wax couldn't maintain it's momentum in Germany falling 56% to $282,902 for the week and $1,849,643 in total. In the U.K. was marginally worse with a 59% drop-off for a $280,825 week and $5,135,182 total.
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre finally opened in South Korea with a fourth place $513,645 debut on 118 screens. The film has now made $27 million international, which is well above its production budget.
• The Forgotten had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Japan plummeting by 51% to $448,209. This will most likely be the last weekend for the film in the top ten there but its $4,661,191 total there should rise enough to become the best in the film's $50 million international run.
• Kung Fu Hustle started slow in France but fell fast; during its second weekend in the market the film took a tumble to just $348,489 on 320 screens for a $1,379,780 running tally. Still, the film has pushed its international total to $73.7 million with a couple of major / midlevel markets to go.
• Laws of Attraction opened in semi-limited release in Germany earning $236,853 on 74 screens, which isn't that bad a start all things considered. It's certainly one of its better openings in an international run that has only brought in $11.4 million.
• The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse is showing why making a movie from a TV show is a risky venture. This weekend it had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the U.K. crashing 68% to just $219,698 on 196 screens. Even with its low production budget, $2,370,053 after three weeks isn't enough to show a profit.
• Millions just hung onto the last spot in the top ten in the U.K. with $122,920 for a $2,486,084 four-week total.
• Ice Princess managed another week in the top ten in Mexico with $120,296, down just 30% from last weekend. However, its $706,582 running tally is not a strong showing, especially in a market that is usually very kind to family films.
• Primer opened in semi-limited release in Spain with $87,926 on 30 screens, an excellent start for a film that cost just $7,000 to make.
• Being Julia had the best week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Italy falling 44% to $84,264 for the weekend and $301,662 since its debut.
• Like the rest of the Italian box office, Unleashed saw a very steep drop-off this weekend free-falling 60% to $79,932 for a $395,098 running tally. This film cost a lot to make for a British / French co-production, but with only $12.5 million internationally, it won't show a profit for a long time.
• The Upside of Anger managed $78,912 for the week in Australia lifting its total to $2,766,671 in the market. Films of this nature tend to do poorly internationally, but the film was inexpensive enough that it will show a strong profit before long.
• A Lot Like Love had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Australia falling by 68% to just $79,887. In three weeks the film as managed just $807,608.
• Pooh's Heffalump Movie opened in Australia but missed the top ten with just $55,941 on 47 screens over the week and $131,189 including previews.
• My Summer of Love opened in Italy but despite plating in more than three times as many theatres, (63 to 17) it earned less than half of its domestic debut, ($42,644 to $90,022.)
• Hitch fell out of the top ten in Japan and the last reliable box office number we have for its international run is $183.6 million.

Date posted: 2005-06-26