Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 22 october 2018
'Halloween' scares up $77.5 million in ticket sales

By LINDSEY BAHR a much longer life than typ-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For- ical horror films that usually
ty years after he first ap- drop off significantly after
peared in theaters, Mi- the first weekend.
chael Myers is still drawing "Halloween" was enough
huge audiences for a good to bump the comic-book
scare. film "Venom" out of the No.
Universal Pictures said Sun- 1 spot and into third place.
day that "Halloween" took In its third weekend in the-
in an estimated $77.5 mil- aters, it collected $18.1 mil-
lion in ticket sales from lion, bringing its domestic
North American theaters. total to $171.1 million.
It captured first place at Meanwhile "A Star Is Born"
the box office with the sec- held on to second place in
ond-highest horror open- its third weekend with $19.3
ing of all time, behind last million. The Bradley Cooper
year's "It." and Lady Gaga drama has
It also marked the second grossed $126.4 million from
highest October open- North American theaters
ing ever behind "Venom's" and is cruising to break
$80.3 million launch earlier $200 million worldwide Sun-
this month. day. Damien Chazelle's
The studio also says it's the This image released by Universal Pictures shows Jamie Lee Curtis in a scene from "Halloween," in Neil Armstrong biopic "First
biggest movie opening theaters nationwide on Oct. 19. Man" tumbled to fifth place
ever with a female lead Associated Press in its second weekend
over 55, in star Jamie Lee earning $8.6 million, down
Curtis. positive for the new install- hind "Get Out" and numer- rency in the genre and it 46 percent from its launch.
David Gordon Green di- ment, with an 80 percent ous other modestly bud- just made for a ridiculously It was a particularly busy
rected "Halloween," which fresh rating on Rotten To- geted horror films, co-pro- potent combination at the week at the box office as
brings back Curtis as Laurie matoes and a B+ Cinema duced "Halloween." It cost box office this weekend," critically acclaimed films
Strode and Nick Castle as Score from audiences that only $10 million to make. said Jim Orr, Universal's such as the young adult
Michael Myers and essen- were mostly older (59 per- "You take the nostalgia for president of domestic distri- adaptation "The Hate U
tially ignores the events of cent over 25) and male (53 'Halloween,' especially with bution. Give" and the Robert Red-
the other sequels and spi- percent). Internationally, the return of Jamie Lee Cur- With 10 days to go until the ford swan song "The Old
noffs aside from John Car- "Halloween" earned $14.3 tis, and you combine that holiday, including another Man & The Gun" expand-
penter's original. million from 23 markets. with the Blumhouse brand weekend, the studio ex- ed nationwide after a few
Reviews have been largely Blumhouse, the shop be- and its contemporary cur- pects "Halloween" to enjoy weeks in limited release.q

Tana French returns, siding with

victim in 'The Witch Elm'

time, however, she's left center stage. As always,
the police to work behind mystery combined with
closed doors and intro- characters worth caring
duces her first stand-alone about glide the story along.
novel, "The Witch Elm." French burrows deeply into
We meet Toby on the night her victim's psyche, pluck-
he's brutally assaulted in his ing out his thoughts and
apartment. This is only the presenting them with such
beginning of his problems elegantly worded descrip-
as he soon finds himself tions one may think the
disabled and living with his author has nestled herself
dying uncle, Hugo. Then a in an armchair squarely in
skull is found in the garden Toby's frontal cortex.
of the family home, bring- The primary setting, Uncle
ing with it endless questions: Hugh's ivy-covered house
This cover image released by
Viking shows "The Witch Elm," To whom did it belong? with its book-filled study,
a novel by Tana French. How did it get there? What earthy garden brimming
Associated Press if Toby doesn't know himself with plants and kitchen
as well as he thought? complete with casseroles
By CHRISTINA LEDBETTER While past novels con- and cousins serves the plot
"The Witch Elm: a Novel" tained snarky, quick-witted well. The home harbors his-
(Viking), by Tana French characters, this book intro- tory and secrets, perfect
By now we are accus- duces French's first bloke for a slow reveal, and the
tomed to Tana French's en- who properly demands at countless drugs and drink
grossing, eloquently written least a handful of spit-your- consumed there guaran-
murder plots solved by the drink-out laughs. With that, tee folks will remember that
Dublin Murder Squad. This Toby's quips never fight for history differently.q