Cinema-goers plot escape with fantastic figures

IRISH people’s penchant for escapism has been borne out by the latest box office figures, which showed cartoon and fantasy flicks were the most watched in cinemas last year.

The announcement last week that the Harry Potter franchise intends to split the last book into two films has been given credence by the 2007 box office figures from the Film Distributors Association (FDA) which showed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix grossed €62.7 million in 2007, making it the year’s biggest film.

Not far behind was another fantasy production Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End which took in €51million.

Out of the top 10 films of 2007, five were fantasy productions and three were animated.

Of the two films remaining there was one thriller, The Bourne Ultimatum, and one classed as comedy, Mr Bean’s Holiday.

The top 10 films accounted for €406million of the total €1.15bn taken in by box offices in Ireland and Britain.

That total was 7.7% higher than in 2006, an increase being blamed on the terrible summer, which drove people to go to the cinema instead of the beaches. In fact, July was the best month on record for cinema-going in the last four decades.

Weather aside, the outlook for 2008 looks to be bright, with audience pleasers Indiana Jones and James Bond both set to make appearances again this year.

The firm banker for cinema chiefs, however, will be the sixth edition in the Harry Potter series — Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince — pencilled in for the end of the year.

Furthermore, Ireland’s failure to make it to the European Championships in soccer will mean a lot more men will be heading for the flicks than would otherwise have been the case if they had the option of staying at home to watch Trapattoni’s Italian Job.