`MATRIX' SETS NEW RECORD IN OPENING SLOT.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer First-day grosses of ``The Matrix'' smashed a 6-year-old record with $4.8 million at 2,704 theaters on Wednesday as the science-fiction thriller dominated the nation's box office. The Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . release, featuring never-before-seen special effects special effects, in motion pictures, cinematographic techniques that create illusions in the audience's minds as well as the illusions created using these techniques. and starring Keanu Reeves as the leader of a rebellion against computers, opened Wednesday to take advantage of spring break for many teen and young adult moviegoers. Distribution chief Dan Fellman said Thursday that exit polls showed strong positive response from audiences, who were mostly male. ``Young people say the movie is mind-blowing and the special effects are a cross between `Terminator' and `Blade Runner,' '' Fellman said. ``We're extremely excited about it.'' ``The Matrix,'' which has received mixed reviews, easily broke the $2.9 million mark for an Easter week In the Anglican and other Latin-rite churches, Easter Week is the week beginning with the Christian feast of Easter and ending a week later on Easter Saturday. In Eastern Orthodoxy, this week is known as Bright Week. Wednesday opening, set in 1993 by Paramount's ``Indecent Proposal Indecent Proposal is a 1993 drama directed by Adrian Lyne. It stars Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Seymour Cassel. It is based on the novel of the same name by Jack Engelhard. .'' About 145 theaters will be added today. Robert Bucksbaum, president of the Reel Source forecasting service, credited the studio for a strong trailer, smart scheduling and offering a unique look at virtual reality. ``There has not been a hard action film aimed at young men since `Enemy of the State,' so there's not a lot of competition and the effects are very unique,'' he said. Finishing a distant second on Wednesday was Disney's opening of teen-comedy ``10 Things I Hate About You,'' loosely based on Shakespeare's ``The Taming of the Shrew shrew, common name for the small, insectivorous mammals of the family Soricidae, related to the moles. Shrews include the smallest mammals; the smallest shrews are under 2 in. (5.1 cm) long, excluding the tail, and the largest are about 6 in. (15 cm) long. ,'' with $1.2 million at 2,271 theaters. Paramount will open ``The Out-of-Towners,'' a Steve Martin-Goldie Hawn comedy, today at 2,102 theaters. ``The Matrix'' may energize en·er·gize v. en·er·gized, en·er·giz·ing, en·er·giz·es v.tr. 1. To give energy to; activate or invigorate: "His childhood overall box office before May 19's opening of ``Star Wars Episode 1: Phantom Menace MENACE. A threat; a declaration of an intention to cause evil to happen to another. 2. When menaces to do an injury to another have been made, the party making them may, in general, be held to bail to keep the peace; and, when followed by any inconvenience or .'' Year-to-date domestic grosses have hit $1.3 billion, down 8 percent from the ``Titanic''-driven equivalent period of 1998. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) ``The Matrix,'' starring Keanu Reeves, opened in 2,704 theaters Wednesday. |
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