'Vampires’ has bite; B.O. pumpkin patchy
By Andrew Hindes
Sony and Largo Entertainment’s JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES scared up a solid $9.2 million over the weekend, according to studio projections, brightening an otherwise gloomy Halloween frame at the box office.
It was the biggest opening to date for the veteran director, topping the debut of his much costlier studio pic ESCAPE FROM L.A., which bowed to $8.9 million in August 1996.
The James Woods-starrer attracted a mainstream, slightly older, predominantly male audience, according to Sony Pictures Releasing prexy Jeff Blake, in contrast to the young female-driven turnout for such recent slasher pics as SCREAM and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER.
"This is not one of the nouveau horror films," said Blake. "It’s playing more the way horror action used to play, but with the addition of the suburban megaplexes."
