This is a fact: if you support Star Wars, you cannot bemoan rampant capitalism. If ever the thought of complaining about explosive merchandising and out-of-control pop culture consumerism wants to pass your lips, perish it. If you support Star Wars, you support all of that. Yes, even the R2D2 designer handbags.
Stormtroopers and their ilk are basically the modern equivalent of those cheap ceramic ducks people used to put on their walls. George Lucas started that trend with his amazing merchandising empire. But Disney is making Lucas’ efforts look like a lemonade stand. Star Wars is everywhere and you all better start buying so Mickey Mouse can make a profit on the billions it paid Lucas.
And make a profit it will. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – which some tell me is just A New Hope with nicer graphics – stormed the top spot and is likely to stay there for a few weeks. No, I haven’t seen it yet. The last time I watched a hot release in its first few weeks (it was a Lord of the Rings film), the seats were so crap I’d have been better off sitting behind a pillar. But I have faith in JJ Abrams, who can beat Josh Whedon without even using his limbs.
This arrival means Spectre and The Hunger Games take a step down. Well, Spectre did. Hunger Games fell far more, now settling at 6th. This means it leapfrogged both Little Prince and The Peanuts Movie, making way for the debut of Vin Diesel’s The Last Witch Hunter at 3rd. Will this action/fantasy yarn have legs? Maybe – Diesel is popular in SA.
Christmas family dramady Love The Coopers also had to shift down to make space, moving from 5th to 7th. But it may have lasting power around the holiday period, seeing it is the only Christmas themed movie on the charts.
Right behind it at 8th is the debut of another local movie, Trouvoete. If your afrikaans is rusty, that refers to pre-wedding jitters. Only, the synopsis doesn’t mention any of that. It is a romantic comedy – no surprise, as local Afrikaans romcoms have been doing well this year – about a misanthropic doctor and love-scarred lady who become online buddies. Except hilarity and probably some catfishing.
Finally, Creed and The Gift both tumbled down several spots to settle at 9th and 10th respectively. Adult dramas and thrillers really struggle to do well in the local market…
- 01. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (Incl 3D, Imax & 4DX)
- 02. SPECTRE (Incl Imax)
- 03. THE LAST WITCH HUNTER
- 04. LITTLE PRINCE (Incl 3D)
- 05. SNOOPY & CHARLIE BROWN: THE PEANUTS MOVI E (Incl 3D)
- 06. HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (Incl 3D & Imax)
- 07. LOVE THE COOPERS
- 08. TROUVOETE
- 09. CREED
- 10. THE GIFT
Leaving us this week are Victor Frankenstein, which only managed one week in the top 10, it’s the end of Goosebumps‘ long run and there’s also the predictable departure of the tepid Bus 657.
The top earner is Spectre with R31.9 million, but expect Star Wars to eclipse that soon. Seriously, if we spent as much on feeding kids as we do on gawking at Jedi, the world would be a much better place…
Last Updated: December 23, 2015
