It's not often that women can say we bested all expectations and wild dreams of success for a Hollywood film, but this weekend we have spoken LOUDLY with our overwhelming support of Sex and the City. I was just looking back at the different pieces I've written and saw a post from May 6th when I pondered: can this be the biggest women's film ever? Answer: YUP.
Now I am not talking about your typical "chick flick" romantic comedy here. I am talking about a movie that stars a WOMAN (or several women) and is told from her (or their) perspective.
Here's what I said on May 6:
I've looked at the numbers of how other women's films have opened and I really think this movie can break the records. I think that the film (depending on how many screens it opens on) can open with 50 m. Sex and the City: Will it be the Biggest Women's Movie Ever?
I put that number out there tentatively and no one took me seriously. But I trust women and know (from the folks that read and comment on this blog) that there is a deep desire to see movies that reflect our realities and lives (even if it is in clothes and shoes we would never wear).
But I was wrong. I even underestimated the numbers. SATC kicked Indiana Jones' ass and made almost $27 million on its opening day, which is the same amount that The Devil Wears Prada made in its opening weekend! The box office idiots (they are now officially idiots for their stupidity in underestimating women) are saying that SATC will be #1 for the weekend and could make as much as $70-$75 MILLION for the weekend. "Sex" too hot for Indiana Jones at box office (Reuters)
I am proud to report that my pieces this from this week keep getting picked up around the internet and are inspiring discussions about women actually in films instead of our constant lament about the lack of women in films. Check out my picks ups:
From Lip-sticking, Marketing to women: Melissa Silverstein has a fabulous site that follows the ups and downs and ins and outs of the movie biz and how women fit into the mix. Her blog, Women and Hollywood, gives a "feminist perspective" on the Hollywood scene - with commentary well worth your time. Women and Hollywood: My Take on Sex and the City
From Women in Media and News Melissa Silverstein well points out the signficance of its blockbuster status as a woman-centered film on her provocative and always well researched blog on women, Hollywood and feminism. SATC’s moment
From Cinematical Let's talk about Sex, baby ... I got an email from Melissa Silverstein over at Women and Hollywood yesterday, asking a pack of women who work in various aspects of the film industry to share our thoughts on whether a successful box office turn for Sex and the City, which opens this weekend, might herald a change in Hollywood's attitude toward chick-centric movies. Discuss: Will 'Sex and the City' Change Hollywood's View of Chick Flicks? From Awards Daily Sex and the City Soars - Take That, Haters
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