ROTTEN TOMATOES: "Crash" Producer's Magic Turns "Illusionist" Into Gold

"Crash" Producer's Magic Turns "Illusionist" Into Gold

by Jen Yamato | September 18, 2006

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Thanks to Bob Yari's crafty marketing, the self-released indie pic has transformed from a middling Sundance selection to a profit-turning surprise success.

The industry analysts over at The Hollywood Reporter examine the "Illusionist" miracle - or, how after distribution deals fell through after Sundance, the Edward Norton-Paul Giamatti period piece managed to turn a 51-theater opening weekend into a platform expansion that has earned over $23 million to date.

Ed Norton and Jessica Biel make $23 million worth of magic in "The Illusionist"

THR gives a detailed account of Yari's various strategies to distribute the Neil Burger through his own Yari Film Group once an offer from Universal Pictures fell apart, including trailer-swapping with Focus Features' "Scoop," launching a large-scale promotional campaign with marketing materials, and, significantly, making sure to release the pic (albeit on a very limited scale) months before Buena Vista's rival 20th century magician flick, "The Prestige," hit theaters (the Christian Bale-Hugh Jackman flick is slated for October 20).

Click here for the full article from The Hollywood Reporter.

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Celeb:	Edward Norton
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	Hugh Jackman
	Jessica Biel
	Paul Giamatti
	Bob Yari
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Movie:	Scoop
	The Prestige
	The Illusionist
	Crash

(1-6 of 6 posts) | Reply

Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Sep 18 2006 09:12 PM

It's already made $23 million? Wow, and I was just wondering to myself the other day about when it was coming out...

(Reply to this)

johnqpopcorn writes:
on Sep 19 2006 05:57 AM

[b]Best of the year...[/b]
The Illusionist deserves everything it gets. Great movie.

(Reply to this)

Zen Bullet writes:
on Sep 19 2006 07:48 AM

It's a so, so film.

But the crowd I saw it with was quite pleased.

I was eager to see it, and had a pleasant enough viewing. I was surprised by how conventional it seemed. I still think it needed a script that was more raw and willing to take risks with its characters.

Nevertheless, except for the handling of a few scenes that I felt were a bit uninspired, I can't complain too much.

Giamatti did an excellent job, and probably deserves a supporting actor nom.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Sep 19 2006 11:08 AM

I thought it was very good, one of the years best films so far.

(Reply to this)

ConnorConnor writes:
on Sep 19 2006 08:47 PM

id give it a 7. 5 out of 10, Norton's probably one of my top 3 favourite actors, but his british accent was a bit off to say the least, jessica biel was great in it however. Same with Giamatti.

(Reply to this)

Mudhole writes:
on Sep 19 2006 11:04 PM

Sucked balls.

(Reply to this)