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American Morning
Schwarzenegger's New Movie Spends Weekend Inflicting Collateral Damage at Box Office
Aired February 11, 2002 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP "COLLATERAL DAMAGE")
CLIFF CURTIS, ACTOR: It seems we're both willing to kill for a cause. So what's the difference between you and I?
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, ACTOR: The difference is I'm just going to kill you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: That was a fascinating look at Arnold Schwarzenegger's new movie, which spend the weekend inflicting a little collateral damage of its own in box office competition. The release of his new movie is about an avenging firefighter hunting down terrorists. It was, of course, delayed after 9-11. Apparently it was worth the wait. "Collateral Damage" took in more than $15 million this weekend, followed by "Big Fat Liar," "Rollerball," the remake -- thank God that was remade -- "Black Hawk Down," which was number one for the past three weekends; and "Snow Dogs."
Joining us now with more on the collateral controversy and other movie news, Leah Rozen, "People" magazine's movie critic. Thanks very much for being with us.
LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE MOVIE CRITIC: You're welcome. Good morning.
COOPER: So "Collateral Damage" made $50 million, but not great. Not a great opening weekend.
ROZEN: A good weekend as far as Arnold Schwarzenegger is concerned in that this is his first number one movie since about 1997 with "Batman and Robin." His career is perceived as fading, certainly here in the U.S. His movies now make twice as much overseas as they make at the domestic box office. So for him to have a number one film must make him feel pretty good.
COOPER: Why do you think his career has faded?
ROZEN: Because the whole action hero cycle is sort of starting to fade. He's getting older, as we say, delicately. You can see in some of his stunt work that he's...
COOPER: He doesn't do his own stunts you can see.
ROZEN: It's clear that sometimes you're looking at a double or you're looking at computer generated imagery.
COOPER: Right. He -- I was interested -- he has not headlined in a number one movie since "True Lies" in 1994.
ROZEN: That is right.
COOPER: That's pretty frightening. And he's had a lot of movies that he's headlined.
ROZEN: Yeah, but they've just become almost generic. And, indeed, in many ways, "Collateral Damage" is a generic action hero film. Sort of a revenge film, except now, because of the events of 9- 11, it's been put in a new perspective.
COOPER: Also this weekend "Rollerball," a movie I don't know why they remade this movie.
ROZEN: It's a terrible remake. They -- you know, it's aimed completely at sort of young men audience.
COOPER: Has February become like the dumping ground for -- it's like (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ROZEN: You are correct.
COOPER: It's like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer's the land of misfits toys, you know.
ROZEN: Exactly.
COOPER: Does anyone want these movies?
ROZEN: No, nobody wants them, especially the studios. In January and February they release all the films they were thinking of releasing earlier and then they sort of got a look at them and said, oh, that this isn't really very good. So you make what money you can on these movies you have already committed to and are just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
COOPER: Now Oscar nominations are going to be announced tomorrow. Studios this year are spending an awful lot of money trying to get their films nominated.
ROZEN: This is a year that's perceived as wide open. So the studios -- it's a big race. Everyone thinks, "Gee, I could get a nomination." So spending is up 20 percent from what it was a year ago with ads in "Variety," "The Hollywood Reporter," "The New York Times," "The Los Angeles Times." There's an estimate that they're spending almost $1,500 per Oscar voter...
COOPER: Wow.
ROZEN: ... to get a nomination. The studios are spending between $10 million and $15 million per film to get it up there.
COOPER: The big battle is between "Shrek" and "Monsters Inc." Between Disney and Dreamworks, Michael Eisner versus Katzenberg.
ROZEN: That is for the new category. This year, for the first time, animated films can be nominated for best animated film award. And those two are certainly up for -- the Dreamworks would love to see "Shrek" get a best picture nomination.
COOPER: Any surprises you expect tomorrow when the nominations come out?
ROZEN: I think you might see some little films like "Monsters Inc.," "Momento," certainly, "In the Bedroom," which Miramax has been spending heavily to secure some Oscar nominations.
COOPER: Right. I heard they -- for "In the Bedroom," they paid like $1.5 million or something for the movie, but they're spending like 10 times that.
ROZEN: Exactly. The acquisition rights were $1.5 million for this little film that got sort of mixed to good reception at Sundance, and then has turned into -- it's now Miramax's big hope for an Oscar win. And Sissy Spacek has won all the awards for best actress so far and is considered the front runner.
COOPER: I saw "Monsters Inc." -- "Monster's Ball"...
ROZEN: "Monster's Ball."
COOPER: ... yesterday. An amazing movie.
ROZEN: Isn't that a terrific film?
COOPER: Yeah.
ROZEN: And Halle Berry is giving the performance of her life.
COOPER: Do you think she'll get the nomination?
ROZEN: Oh, she -- absolutely. I think the Oscar race for best actress is between Sissy Spacek and Halle Berry. The problem for Halle Berry is it's a somewhat sexually forthright performance, and sometimes that can be problematic with older Oscar voters.
COOPER: Yeah, because it's a startling performance. I mean it's quite graphic.
ROZEN: Yes.
COOPER: Ron Howard never gotten a best director nod...
ROZEN: I think he's going to get a best director this year for "A Beautiful Mind." The film has been very well received. It has done well commercially, and he got a Director's Guild nomination, which is always indicative of which way Oscars are going. COOPER: Do you think there's a danger that -- I mean, with all this money being spent that it taints the Oscar? I mean, not that the Oscar was ever the be all and end all.
ROZEN: No more than politics. So, I mean, yes, it does, but it's all about spending. And the studios have to signal, "We're behind this film. We'd like to see it get an award." It's all about public positioning. And then in terms of the performance awards, the actors have to go on the talk show circuit, they have to do the lunch rounds, they have to show up at other award shows.
COOPER: And in some of these ads, though, that you see in a variety, I mean, it's for kind of obscure movies or movies that were pretty terrible. Some stars in their contracts have a clause which say, "We will put you up for..."
ROZEN: Yes. During the nominating process -- this is why you see things like Sylvester Stallone being touted for "Driven."
COOPER: Are you saying he was not good in "Driven?"
ROZEN: Gee, did you see the movie? But what happened...
COOPER: I, like most people in America, did not see that movie.
ROZEN: And that is what -- but they only took out, you know, one or two ads. What happens is you'll see these performances and you're going, "What are they thinking? Why in heavens name..." But contractually they're obligated (UNINTELLIGIBLE), or it's just a way to signal to an actor, "We really like you. Come on, why don't you sign up for that next picture?" It's a way of showing support.
COOPER: All right. Leah Rozen, "People" magazine, thanks very much...
ROZEN: You're welcome.
COOPER: ... for that preview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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