許鞍華執導、葉德嫻與劉德華主演的《桃姐》開畫，也令周四的票房格局即時產生變化。今天就簡略地講述情況。
《桃姐》挾著外地多個獎項及應屆香港電影金像獎提名之勢，故此部分戲院已特地於開畫前一周預售，而預售銷情十分理想。結果首天安排於57院映307場，最終未計午夜場已錄得票房190萬，每場人次平均達95，連同去年九月的優先放映，累積票房剛好接近200萬。從票房分析所見，不少平日被視為「死場」的戲院也錄得理想成績，如UA東薈城也錄得萬八收入，影藝戲院則進賬二萬。而早場未知是否受惠於十元長者優惠，多家戲院均告滿座。
《桃姐》屬文藝電影類型，從一般宣傳模式上不易吸引觀眾。不過電影相繼於意大利威尼斯及台灣金馬獎等獲獎，卻為電影帶來話題性，不排除有不少觀眾衝著話題入場。以此情況看來，周末票房可繼續看俏。
在《桃姐》的開畫下，其餘兩部開畫電影於票房上並無法像預期有顯著增長。當中迪士尼發行的3D電影《異星爭霸戰：尊卡特傳奇》更場即時被削近一成至220場，結果在保住每場57人次下票房按比例下跌至118萬，較《桃姐》少逾三分之一。而以首英國首相為題的《鐵娘子：戴卓爾夫人傳》在維持25院映138場下，票房也僅微升百分之五至54萬，而每場人次亦剛在60水平。
至於其餘開畫各片，隨著《桃姐》開畫出現進一部的削場，由兩成至六成不等。票房殿軍《雨果的巴黎奇幻歷險》昨天收入在十萬以下，可見本周票房「歸邊」情況非常明顯。
至於各片其後票房，也許待周末過後再談好了。
Ken Resurrected
《異星爭霸戰：尊卡特傳奇》is already bombing on it opening Friday in USA, and will finish in 2nd place for the full weekend. Hong Kong exhibitors, be smart and drop more screen time to make way for 《雨果的巴黎奇幻歷險》, the movie most in need of a screening expansion.
Any misguided ‘fantasy’ thinking that 《桃姐》is facing immense competition really underestimates the desire of flocking to see a topical movie. If ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW winning a small award at Berlin Festival can open to HK$510K and finish with HK$23 million, then 《桃姐》can obviously go higher! Now assuming a standard 15 times opening day multiplier, 《桃姐》can at least reach HK$29 million. If it achieve a lowly 10 times multiplier, it will still finish with close to HK$20 million, still a very good figure. I don’t recall any Ann Hui movies doing HK$20 million anyway.
《鐵娘子：戴卓爾夫人傳》did pose as a formidable competition, but I think it will crash next week, as I don’t see this one getting good word of mouth. HK$7 million, at best HK$8 million, no chance of overtaking THE KING’S SPEECH.