Filed under: Box-Office News

‘Mamma Mia!’ Breaks a Record ‘The Dark Knight’ Can’t

Plus, folks are already complaining 'Dark Knight' ain't for the kiddies

Considering the long line of great musicals in the history of film there is a new number one, at least in terms of opening weekend box-office numbers as Mamma Mia! slipped in under the radar. While everyone was rejoicing over The Dark Knight breaking midnight, opening day and opening weekend records, Mamma Mia! went ahead and beat last year’s Hairspray to enjoy the strongest debut for a musical with an estimated $27.6 million. Of course, this edges out Hairspray by just $0.1 million, which means the estimate is going to need to hold up or increase for the record to occur, but Universal already seems quite proud of the film that should have never been released it is so bad.

“You feel a little guilty bragging when Dark Knight was so huge, but we’re proud,” the studio’s Nikki Rocco told USA Today. “Older women are saying, ‘If there are movies for us, we’ll be out there, too.’ ”

Older women is right, while The Joker may turn on the younger and more male audience members, 75% of the Mamma Mia! audience was female, 64% of them 30 and older. You gotta wonder if Shady Pines just filled up the bus and shipped out the inmates for the weekend to enjoy a little rest and relaxation without a request for prune juice and no need to clean a bed pan for a few hours.

On a side note, the bitching has begun as USA Today has another article talking about how The Dark Knight is too dark and not appropriate for children. To this I say, “Fuck you, learn to parent!” But let me give you the full story before you make your judgment.

Ann Folger, 44, of Tulsa, is described by USA Today as thinking she was taking her family “to a superhero film in the vein of Hancock, a breezy action film that, like Knight, is rated PG-13.”

Before I go further I should mention that Hancock had some serious dark moments including gunshot wounds and swearing. Apparently those things don’t bother Mrs. Folger.

“This is not a regular comic-book movie,” says Folger, who took her husband and two children, ages 11 and 14. “I know it’s a good movie, but it should have been rated R.”

Another genius that brought his technically underage son to the screening was Christopher Chin of Sacramento, who brought his 12-year-old son, he said, “There has to be a way to tell parents that someone is going to get a pencil in the skull. I’m not sure I would have brought him.”

Best part about this quote is that you don’t actually see the pencil go in the guy’s head. It happens off screen and is implied. Even better, is the final quote in the article from Larry Olmstead, 38, of Dallas, who went to see the movie with his wife and left his 10-year-old at home with a babysitter, “Did anyone not know this was a violent movie about a homicidal maniac in makeup?”

Bravo Mr. Olmstead, you sir get a gold star for having the capacity to think and also do some research before taking, or not-taking, your kids to a movie.

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Post #1
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That last guy is my hero. There was a family behind me when I went to see the movie for a second time on Friday, they brought their 3 to 5-year-old kid who pretty much wouldn’t shut up for the entire movie. After constant reminders for over an hour, the father finally brought the kid outside. Man I hope that pencil to the skull scarred that kid for life, I hope he’s having a nightmare right now.

Take a look at a trailer folks, and stop complaining when the best movie of the year has a little violence in it. If these horrible parents leave a stain on Heath’s reputation, I will never forgive them for it.

- Greenleaf1
( July 20th, 2008 | 10:57 pm )
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For real.
Parents these days are pathetic.
Practically EVERY review I have read of the movie has talked about how twisted the Joker is and how this movie is very dark and much more like reality like most superhero movies.
Yet these pinhead parents complain when they take their kids.
Grow a freaking brain cell.
Damn.

- moviecritic2192
( July 20th, 2008 | 10:59 pm )
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Post #3
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Crap like this REALLY bothers me. First of all, there are PLENTY of websites that you can refer to to see the content of a film(imdb, kidsinmind, screenit, etc).

Parents should really learn to read…its PG-13 - Parents STRONGLY Cautioned… what about that is hard to understand?

At the same time, I DO sort of see the issue though. It IS a VERY dark, violent, and disturbing movie, but most of the violence is implied than actually shown. Ratings are so broad its absurd. So, gorefests such as 300 and Braveheart are in the same league as VERY light Rs such as Conspiracy Theory or Open Range? But Ill refrain from going into another anti-MPAA rant…

In the end, you stated the real issue, Brad: "Fuck you, learn to parent!"

- ckybltz
( July 20th, 2008 | 11:34 pm )
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Agreed. Some parents are so unbelievably stupid. There are some I’d honestly just like to beat over the head with the common sense club.

As a parent of 3 and critic there is no way I’d take my kids to see anything I suspect could traumatize them. It doesn’t take much and even a cutesy movie like Nemo can give a kid nightmare during a few scenes. I believe, I’ll know when they’re ready to move up to the next level and start watching some of the good stuff and the classics, which TDK will seem like to them I’m sure.

- ShaneM
( July 21st, 2008 | 2:09 am )
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While I haven’t seen Dark Knight, I have to agree that it is up to the parents to "screen" the movie they are taking their children to see. It really isn’t very hard to do this as ckybltz states; there are sites parents can use to see what gives a movie its rating.
On another note, in the tiny review of Mamma Mia, one part was off the mark to an extent - "but Universal already seems quite proud of the film that should have never been released it is so bad." While this is an opinion, I am giving mine. I am of the generation that grew up when ABBA was putting out these songs. The movie was a load of fun to watch and did make you tap your feet. At the point of where all the women on the island danced to Dancing Queen, there were several in the theater who got up and "danced" around. True, Pierce Brosnan’s "singing" left much to be desired, but overall it was a great nostalgia film for some of our generation.

- DreamWeaver
( July 21st, 2008 | 3:20 am )
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DreamWeaver said: I am of the generation that grew up when ABBA was putting out these songs. The movie was a load of fun to watch and did make you tap your feet. At the point of where all the women on the island danced to Dancing Queen, there were several in the theater who got up and "danced" around. True, Pierce Brosnan’s "singing" left much to be desired, but overall it was a great nostalgia film for some of our generation.

Hey DreamWeaver, I understand your take and I think I recognized the fact that there would be an audience in my full review. I just don’t think anyone looking at Mamma Mia! with unbiased eyes can determine it good by any stretch. It is amateur filmmaking at its very worst.

- bradbrevet
( July 21st, 2008 | 4:49 am )
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I am a father of a 5 year old girl. She loved THE DARK KNIGHT and wasn’t upset by anything. She is also a film geek like myself. She loves KILL BILL, GRINDHOUSE, ALIENS, PAN’S LABYRINTH among other things. But I believe it is my responsibility to explain to her exactly what is going on in these films and make sure she knows it’s fake. She already wants to be a filmmaker. But yeah, kids who aren’t used to movies like these will probably be disturbed. But I disagree with the one lady who thinks it should have been R. There is hardly any blood in this and the most gruesome things happen off screen. HANCOCK was worse with the crude humor! I would rather have my kid watch fake violence than crude humor, you can’t fake that. Know your kids before you go to the movies. I knew my daughter would love it! But if you just let your kids watch nothing but Nikelodeon, be warned.

- Lobot
( July 21st, 2008 | 5:43 am )
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Post #8
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To be honest as dumb as these parents are I’m equally angry at USA Today!! This isn’t a story and the fact that they write an article about stupid people makes me angry because other stupid people will be sympatheic towards them.

- NateDaniels
( July 21st, 2008 | 3:42 pm )
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