September 10, 2012 – Back Seat Producers

Weekend Box Office: Sep 7-Sep 9

#1 The Possession from Lionsgate held at #1 with a gross of $9.3 million (-47.5%) in 2,834 theaters (+18). Total gross to date is $33.2 million. Budget was $14 million.

#2 Lawless from Weinstein Company held at #2 with a gross of $6 million (-39.9%) in 3,138 theaters (+250). Total gross to date is $23.5 million. Budget was unknown.

#3 The Expendables 2 from Lionsgate held at #3 with a gross of $5 million (-45.2%) in 3,260 theaters (-74). Total gross to date is $75.6 million. Budget was $100 million.

#4 The Words from CBS Films opened at #4 with a gross of $4.8 million in 2,801 theaters. Budget was $6 million.

#5 ParaNorman from Focus Features held at #5 with a gross of $4.2 million (-36.2%) in 2,56 theaters (-229). Total gross to date is $45.5 million. Budget was unknown.

#6 The Bourne Legacy from Universal fell from #4 to #6 with a gross of $4 million (-45.1%) in 2,766 theaters (-365). Total gross to date is $103.6 million. Budget was $125 million.

#7 The Odd Life of Timothy Green from Sony fell from #6 to #7 with a gross of $3.7 million (-41.8%) in 2,717 theaters (+82). Total gross to date is $43 million. Budget was unknown.

#8 The Campaign from Warner Bros. held at #8 with a gross of $3.4 million (-40.9%) in 2,542 theaters (-399). Total gross to date is $79.3 million. Budget was unknown.

#9 2016 Obama’s America from Rocky Mountain Pictures held at#9 with a gross of $3.3 million (-41%) in 2,017 theaters (+270). Total gross to date is $26.1 million. Budget was unknown.

#10 The Dark Knight Rises from Warner Bros. fell from #7 to #10 with a gross of $3.2 million (-47.4%) in 1,987 theaters (-200). Total gross to date is $437.8 million. Budget was $250 million.

#11 Hope Springs from Sony fell from #10 to #11 with a gross of $2.8 million (-40.4%) in 2,437 theaters (-4). Total gross to date is $57.5 million. Budget was unknown.

#12 Premium Rush from Sony fell from #11 to #12 with a gross of $2.3 million (-41.8%) in 2,182 theaters (-73). Total gross to date is $16.7 million. Budget was $35 million.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $51.9 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

BSP Episode 240: The Bad News Bears

Release date: 4/7/1976

Paramount Pictures

Directed by

Michael Ritchie

Produced by

Stanley R. Jaffee

Written by

Bill Lancaster

Cast

Coach Buttermaker

Walter Matthau

Amanda Whurlitzer

Tatum O’Neal

Roy Turner

Vic Morrow

Jackie Earl Haley

Kelly Leak

Chris Barnes

Tanner Boyle

The hosts review:

First and foremost, welcome back to our long, lost host… David!

David liked it, but not for the obvious reasons. He thought the racist epithets were weird and shocking, although it was more common for the mid-70s to hear that particular kind of language. Lena brought up that there wasn’t any real cussing in the movie, as it was rated PG. David was also surprised by the surprise “child abuse” when one of the coaches slaps a ballplayer in the face. Tony brought up that the movie gets into the little social issues that surrounds kids sports that are still around and probably worse today.

Lena found some parts of the movie to still be funny, even after almost 40 years. She also found it neat to remember what things were like from her childhood years. Tony and Lena agreed that Tatum O’Neal was a fashion plate, and then it was briefly discussed the other actresses that were initially slated to play the role of Amanda.

Darrell found it interesting that, with all the racial slurs being tossed around in the movie, there was very little backlash at having a girl on the baseball team.

Tony mentioned that there was an alternate ending to the movie in which Kelly is safe at home and the Bears win, but test audiences liked the more realistic ending.

Lena learns what a “boilermaker” is… please hold your laughter until the end of the review, thank you.

We briefly break into a side conversation of how Vic Morrow died while filming Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Tony liked how the movie exposed what happens with kids and sports. Lena’s favorite scene was when Kelly (Haley), a skinny fourteen year-old, was hitting on the adult woman in Amanda’s ballet class. Tony also found that the way the parents were portrayed in the movie is pretty much still the way a lot of the parents are today.

The review breaks off into a discussion of which of the child stars did anything else after Bad News Bears. Erin Blunt, who played Ahmad Abdul Rahim, also played one of Lonnie’s kids in our previous movie, Car Wash (full circle, baby!)

Trivial bits ‘n pieces:

Tanner uses the word “crud” or “cruddy” 11 times in the movie (Tony brought this up early in the review)

Throughout the film, Buttermaker constantly drinks beer, yet is rarely seen drinking the same brand. He is seen at various times in the film drinking Budweiser, Miller High Life, Schlitz “Kingers”, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and original Coors. On several occasions, he is shown drinking Budweiser.

Bill Lancaster’s screenplay was based on his experiences with his father, Burt Lancaster. Buttermaker was based on Burt, who was known for his grumpiness and the character of Amanda was based on himself.

Saturday Night Live did a parody of the film with Matthau as the guest host (12/2/1978) called “The Bad News Bees” with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the cast in their recurring “bee” costumes. The coach gives his team of bees some advice on life after one of them is caught masturbating, which was referred to as “buzzing-off”.