Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 152

Arts Entertainment 16 Section 7 Chicago Tribune, Sunday, October 8, 2000 Movies Direct to oblivion High cost of distribution means many films never hit your neighborhood screens Behind the screen -XH JJ vj (I 7 0 iii Tl rTTIll-TWMWBMWBBBBWWWMWBWM i MWri 'i iTtl ittM By Mark Caro Tribune Movie Writer Pair Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman in a movie, and you figure it eventually will reach your neighborhood multiplex. Woody Allen and Sharon Stone in a comedy? Same deal. Yet neither of those movies nor the drama co-starring Cameron Diaz, Glenn Close and Calista Flockhart wound up playing theatrically, at least in Chicago. "Under Suspicion," the Hack-manFreeman movie, opened Sept. 22 in New York and Los Angeles, and that's it.

Mind you, it's no great loss the movie plays like a USA Network psychological thriller run USA Films' "Cherry Falls," a comedic sex-and-horror film, will not open in theaters as scheduled in November but instead will appear on the USA Network on Oct. 20. lion to get a good opening weekend, and that could be a $12 million weekend." Earlier this year, Alfonso Arau's "Picking Up the Pieces," starring Allen and Stone, went directly to Cinemax after failing to land theatrical distribution. (TV critics ripped it.) MGMUA included Ro-drigo Garcia's female ensemble drama "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her" (starring Diaz, et al.) on its spring and summer release schedules before abandoning its plans and letting it air exclusively on Showtime. (It received respectful reviews out of the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals.) Now USA Films has announced that Australian filmmaker Geoffrey Wright's "Cherry Falls" a co-medic sex-and-horror film about a serial killer who murders only high-school virgins, setting off a near-orgy will not open as scheduled in November but instead will appear on the company's sister cable station, USA Network, on Oct.

20. No one at USA Films would discuss the move, but the company released a statement: "USA Films and USA Networks enjoy a unique and mutually beneficial relationship and therefore saw an opportunity to maximize the audience potential for 'Cherry Falls' with an exclusive premiere on USA Network. The target audience for 'Cherry Falls' is a perfect match with the core audience demographic that USA Network has consistently attracted with its orig- Vj! lan nw4 (L 1 1 huh iiMlnin. iillUUH'W' IIIKii -mUffim need product, and they can actually do a lot better if they have something exclusive to them," Urman said. "If a film has come out theatrically and has failed, then it is not of particular value as a video, because then it's just a video of a failed theatrical and it has no real value on cable." He added: "The thing that people have to remember is that going straight to cable is not an insult.

Filmmakers do make a movie to reach an audience, and you can get many more people enjoying your movie on a premium cable station than in an art house in Manhattan." Or on a distributor's shelf. With the major studios reacting to the bitter climate by trimming their release schedules, more and more projects are gathering cobwebs. Billy Bob Thornton's comedy "Daddy and Them," which he finished before his much-delayed December release, "All the Pretty Horses," has been part of Miramax's considerable backlog for almost two years. Paramount had slated the Chris Rock comedy "I Was Made To Love Her" (the Weitz brothers' followup to "American and Julia Stiles musical drama "Save the Last Dance" for summer release; now they're not due until next year. And whatever happened to "The Starring Jean Reno and Christina Applegate, this John Hughes-scripted remake of a French comedy was being shot around Chicago over much of the summer of 1999, but it's still not on anyone's release schedule.

Calls to Hughes' local office were not returned. You may have read about USA Films' "Mad About Mambo," starring Keri Russell, in the past two summers' previews; it finally opened only in Atlanta, Seattle and Phoenix in August. Meanwhile, "Lost Souls," the Winona Ryder devil drama that was previewed at the March 1999 ShoWest convention, comes out Friday. As for the movie that's been languishing the longest, Kew Line's "Town and Country" takes the crown. This Peter Chesholm-direct-ed, Warren Beatty comedy began filming in June 1998, supposedly wrapped in February 1999 and has endured reshoots and various filmmaker-star squabbles.

It finally has NOW SHOWING flIMH IMAX THEATRE LOEWS CINEPLEX AV KM IMAX a at half speed but given that Freeman has had almost a Midas touch with his films, the movie's virtual non-release is yet another sign of how dicey the movie business has become. "It really is very expensive to distribute movies, and the marketplace is very crowded, and if a movie does not seem to be commercially viable, you can spend all of that money and end up awash in red ink," said Lions Gate Films co-president Mark Urman, whose company gave "Under Suspicion" its limited release. "Names are not enough. You can spend $15-20 mil- ADDISON in LtheatwsJ THEATRE 1 555 Lo4i St WtKon Mormtiori: 630932-0864 Admin tkkM sows: 630932 0864 Groupi, palm, wauls: 630989 1905 ctol-Trfe 1 'tYT 1" III 44 loutl 53, bclMM Hobun I Maple R4s. Woodridae Umu Ik ioIk 630434-CMM 2(2) Group, porta, ena e304J4CMU (2621 www.flbMMrk.fo liny Paa 700 E.

frond Oitajt Uww trial Gmpv aortw, mutt 3I251S4IOW 3201 a March 16, 2001, release date. Prairie State Hollywood: Illinois this year is unlikely to match 1999's record $124 million generated in movie and TV projects filmed state. Illinois Film Office managing director Ron Ver Kuilen said then-2000 figure is likely to wind up wv, the $80-90 million range, with Keanu Reeves-starring the only major movie currently. filming around town. 5 But early 2001 promises an influx of high-profile projects.

The Mir. chael Mann-directed Ali biopic, starring Will Smith, is scheduled to arrive for three to weeks of filming in January, Ver; Kuilen said. The Farrelly comedy "Shallow Hal," starring. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Blacky should begin a 12-week shoot March. And John Hughes is set to y-direct his first movie since 1991'S "Curly Sue" beginning in February, Meanwhile, Ver Kuilen said, office is eagerly awaiting the verdict on its pitch to play host to Sam Mendes' follow-up to "American; -Beauty," "A Road to mob story starring Tom Hanks.

7 r. Valet Over: Ah, remember theX: good ol' days when you could spends, 1 $15.50 on a movie ticket and some one would park your car for that golden era has Yorktown's Premium Cinema Lombard has dumped its valet-r parking. "It wasn't used all that much en the cost of it," said General 1 ma marketing director Brian Call-aghan. "Rather than raising th price to cover the cost of the valestj- i we decided just to cut it." Thus Premium moviegoers must circle the mall parking lot like everyone else, though they still get free popcorn, extra-cushy seats antt-J the opportunity to buy chicken sa tay 'I If General Cinema is looking for way to enrich the "Premium" expeJ rience, here's a suggestion: Why' not book that theater like it's a spej? cial place instead of just throwing in whatever looks to be the biggest- release each week? 3 "The Art of War" and "Autumn New York" deserve to be in a Preml- um Cinema like White Castle Slia-r ers are meant to be served on china. E-mail: mcarofSitribune.com oa3-i3Di'iiarii4r 11 lEBKa lift; LOEWS CINEPLEX FINE ARTS' 3 MARCUS CINEMA SHOWPLACE 16 1 Orland Park 708873-1900 Crystal Lakt 815455-10O5 N0RRIDGE SOUTH BARRINGTON IS Norndge 708444-FILM 503 So Barrington 847765-7AMC 3 ON0RTHBR00K COURT SOUTHLAKE Northbrook 847444-FILM 569 MerriMIe 219738-2652 QUARRY 14 STREAMWOOD Hodgkins 708444-FILM 631 Streamwood 630444-FILM 570 RANDHURST STREETS OF WOODFIELB Ml Prospect 847444-FILM 568 SchaumlHirg 847444-FILM 62 ORICE LAKE SQUARE W00DRIDGE Wheaton 630444-FILM 546 Woodridge 630444-FILM 641 RIVER RUN YORK Lansing 708444-FILM 513 Elmhurst 630444-FILM 565 RIVERTREE COURT Y0RKT0WN Vemon Hills 847444-FILM 528 Lomoard 630444-FILM 575 ROUND LAKE BEACH 1 8 SORRY, NO PASSCS ACCCPTCH Round Lake Beach 847546-4983 run ito cniuAucMCvr.

inal movies and series. We are confident that USA Network will aggressively and successfully promote the film." Given the movie's teen sex and violence content, one might wonder whether the canceled release is a nod to Congress' complaints about Hollywood, though someone at a rival studio speculated that quality is more likely the issue, given the movie's less-than-stellar reputation while it's been hanging around for the past year or so. Falls" received a so-so review in last week's Variety, with reviewer Derek Elley complaining that cuts to appease the MPAA and British censors have made the movie seem choppy and defanged.) "Cable and the video markets MARCUS CINEMA lUMImt U0ni-MM OAKBROOK 1-4 Oak Iraak )lll4 flLM M2) RICE LAKE SO. Whaalatl U0H44 (lLX SKOKIE Skakla M717M1I4 SOUTH BARRINGTON Sauk larrinftan H77aS-7HC RANDHURST 16 Ml. fraaaact MTIUj-fUM HSU for TkKEts In1 advance CALL444-FILM' on vUllwlutywi fi umia Ilffes MERRILLVILLE 10 N0RTHBR0OX COURT 14 DoitMioat H7444-NUI RIVEBTREE COURT Varaaa Hiaa 3I2U4-HUI R0UND LAKE BEACH 18 Hum Laka laack Uliuma SH0WPLACE 16 CnttalLakallSiSS-lOOS AS0UTH BARRINGTON San Mmajlon Uirm-lUK STREETS OF W00DFIELD Sckauml M7ltt-f IU1 N27 W00DRIDGE OAKBROOK 5-7 Oak lM 112444-nUI MS A OLD ORCHARD Skakla H7J44a-nuU50l QUARRY CINEMAS 14 7M444-HIU PHI RANDHURST 16 W.

tnaacl M744-flUI ISH RICE LAKE SO. RIDGE CINEMAS tJliatloa m. H7444HH t34 Chici THtAtti DittcTotut oa CU 7HtAflH Foa Sftownuu "'Girlfight' it introduces a POWERFUL, extraordinarily gifted young actress: Michelle Rodriguez. Remember the name." A.O. SCOTT, THE NEW VORK TIMES PR0VI IDEM WRONG www.sony.comgirtfight 62000 6IM.FKHT.MC SOUTH BARRINGTON 30 (W South Barrington 847-765-7AMC SOUTHLAKE MALL Wl Memllville 219738-2652 STREETS OF W00DFIELD ML Schaumburg 847-330-1017 mVORKTOWN 18 Lombard 630444-FIIM 575 LTirnfMS 0052 St 'Tt Accepted Check Theater Directories for Showtimes H1I BSJnm mm wrong SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT STARTS FRIDAY.

OCTOBER 13 THROUGH THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26! liiiiiiiiS ESQUIRE JI1M4-HLH lAKDMAMtt CENTURY CENTRE chiuia mnwim CANTER 30 WxnmllU UWU-lUK CINEMARK AT SEVEN BRIDGES W4rt4ft DEERBROOK DatrfUM I47I444-HUI MM LAKE Oak Pa 7Ml4l-Oal LAKE ZURICH 12 laka Imritk LINCOLNSHIRE 20 I Minnie Driver Hilhe Kate i Eisenberg Joey Lauren Adams .1 Kathleen I Turner iPtcvpcmn Picrutc 900 N. MICHIGAN CkJcaaa3124aa-fUIH17 CITY NORTH 14 OUfa7713H-1MI ARLINGTON THEATRES GOLF GLEN MH7444-FUim GROVE CINEMAS Daman Grova 3)2-flua M7 LAKE irkjttM7akj41Zj OakrMTHHI-lOa BLOOMINGDALE CT. LAKE ZURICH 12 Uta7jldl47SS0-0lt LINCOLNSHIRE 20 umti-aat i BaWMI'MUi aaaa ACANTERA 30 Harranra1aH77-7IC CHARLESTOWNE MALL 18 MARCUS CINEMA it Caanai UVHI-Wl UaMa UVU7-OH4 CINEMARK AT SEVEN BRIDGES MARCUS CINEMA waoanaaa wmm smmlwwn CRESTWOOO MARCUS CINEMA llZMaa-nuiaiOT OUM rM 7MI7J-HM m5iT ADD 900 NORTH MICHIGAN Chicago 312444-FILM 517 FORD CITY 14 Chicago 312444-FILM 567 CENTURY CENTRE Chicago North 773248-7744 CDADOISON Addison 630932-0864 CANTER 30 Warrenville 847-765-7AMC CRESTWOOO Crestwood 312444-FILM 601 Sornj, No Passes, Coupons I P. EVANSTON Evanston EC LAKE Oak Park LINCOLNSHIRE Lincolnshire N0RTHBR00K Northbrook mORLAND PARK Orland Park RIVER RUN Lansing 708895 or Group Activity Tickets I. vs.

11 5 ffliiTM.fi mmm SMI 1 i liMg A ROBERT ALTMAFi fILM O600 N. MICHIGAN OCINEMARK Near North 31 2444-FILM 572 Woodndgt 630663-8875 LINCOLN VILLAGE 1-t Chicago 625 WEBSTER PLACE Chicago 31 2444-FILM 506 ARLINGTON THEATRES CRESTWOOO Crestwood 708444-FILM 601 bUUKK UKIUS AT OU ORCHARD Skokie 847444-FILM 527 G0LF6LEN Arlington Heights S4483-0123 NiKs 847444-FILM 526 BLOOMINGDALE CT. LAKE Bknmmgdak 6307444-FILM 544 Oak Park 708444-FILM 560 CANTERA30 LAKE ZURICH Warnnvim S47765-7AMC Ue Zunch 847550-0000 CHARLESTOWNE MALI II LINCOLNSHIRE 20 St Charles 630587-3300 Lincolnshire 847215-2690 CHICAGO RIDGE MARCUS CINEMA Chicago Ridge 708444-FILM 532 Addison 630932-0864 CINEMARK MARCUS CINEMA Melrose Park 708338-1920 Chicago Heights 708747-0800 847864-4900 708848-9088 20 1 IMAX 847215-2690 COURT 14 39W 847444-FILM 569 708873-1900 CHECK THUTRC DIRECTORIES OR CALL mCATM FOR SHOWTIMES. ESS' tOOIlSXZ.