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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1983)
tasc, ~l rie Battalion r- Friday, January 21, 1983 3 Managers of theaters pick movie favorites by Kim Schmidt Battalion Staff Mention the Academy Awards, and speculation be gins: Who will be nominated? Who will win the prestigious Oscar awards. Of course, everyone has opinions and predictions re garding the outcome of the awards. And they express those opinions most visibly by attend ing their favorite movies featur ing their favorite actors and actresses. Based on movie attendance, several local movie house mana gers have made their Academy Award predictions, reflecting both their own opinions and those of Bryan-College Station residents. E.T. probably has been the biggest box office draw at area theaters and is the overwhelm ing favorite of theater managers for best picture of the year. E.T. is one of those movies that has everything — story, character developement, and special effects," said Rick Atwood, manager of Manor East III Theaters, explaining his pick for best picture. "It appealed to everyone," he said. Also getting a vote from the managers for best picture are The Verdict, starring Paul New man and Tootsie, starring Dus tin Hoffman — both big box office draws. Newman and Hoffman, not surprisingly, are also the top choices for best actor, theater managers said. And an actor can be a big factor in the success of the film. Oftentimes, managers said, Staff photos by Rob Johnston Andy Hartman — Post Oak Mall Cinemas the actor starring in the movie rather than the movie's subject matter makes it popular. Some times the star alone can elevate film sales. "It makes no difference what the film's subject is, but who stars in the movie for it to sell," said Allan Jones of Campus Theater. R. J. Narowitz, manager of Plitt Cinema III at Post Oak Mall, said movies featuring certain actors are more likely to sell in College Station than movies without those actors. "A&M people like certain actors," Narowitz said. "They usually go for Steve Martin, Burt Reynolds, or Richard Pryor." Other actors favored in the Bryan-College Station area for best actor by theater managers are Ben Kingsley for Ghandiand Richard Gere for An Officer And A Gentleman. Meryl Streep was the only ac tress named by the managers as a choice for best actress. Her latest movie is Sophie's Choice. Managers also agree that the likelihood of any one movie sweeping the awards is slim. "There won't be a sweep this year," Narowitz said. "The films are too diversified." Predictions made by movie managers and local residents, however, don't always parallel the opinions of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci ences. Managers said some of this area's biggest box office draws may not be nominated to win awards. For example, some of the tri ple X-rated movies shown at the Campus Theater may never win awards but according to Allan Jones, a theater employee, they are the biggest box office draws. "We have trouble sometimes keeping the box office open until midnight (when the triple X- features are usually shown) be cause we sell out so quickly," Jones said. Another theater manager said that serious drama films rarely draw as big a crowd as horror movies, especially at the midnight show. "For instance, at the mid night show, if we show a serious movie, about 30 people will be there," said Tim Sager, assistant manager of Plitt Cinemas I and II. "But if we show Dawn of the Dead — for the 300th time — we will sell out." Other movies that do particu larly well in the Bryan-College Station area are action- adventure type films, comedies, and science fiction films, mana gers said. "Military related films such as Taps and An Officer and a Gen tleman also do especially well because of the military atmos phere of the area," said Andy Hartman of Post Oak Mall Cinema. Airplane II, Annie, The Toy, Poltergiest, and Pink Floyd The Wall were also listed by the managers as some of the most popular films in Bryan-College Station this year. "But no matter what class the movie falls into , if it is a quality movie, it will do well at the box office," Atwood said. Allan Jones — Campus Theatre pages 8 & 9