ROUNDING UP KUDOS 'BROKEBACK,' OTHER INDIES ARE READY TO LASSO CROWDS GLOBE NOMINATIONS STIRRING HIGH HOPES FOR NEW RELEASES.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

With seven Golden Globe nominations in its pocket and best picture honors from the New York, Los Angeles and Boston film critic organizations in recent days, ``Brokeback Mountain'' is quickly becoming a must-see film.

Distributor Focus Features is now utterly confident that the acclaimed drama about two cowboys who fall in love will pack in moviegoers when the film expands from its current five theaters to 57 locations on Friday before a wider release in January.

``There is a sense of the film's commerciality being heightened even more,'' Focus Features distribution head Jack Foley said Tuesday. ``We'll look at the results this weekend and assess the situation from there.''

Warner Independent Pictures is also staying the course for now with ``Good Night, and Good Luck,'' which got several key Globe nominations and is currently playing in just over 500 locations. It has grossed nearly $22 million to date.

``We'll probably do a relaunch in January either in conjunction with the actual Golden Globe ceremony or the (Jan. 31) Oscar nominations,'' said Steve Friedlander, executive vice president of distribution for the Warner Bros. specialty film label. ``This is just going to be one more tool to go along with amazing word of mouth and fantastic reviews, one more way to reinforce that this is a quality film that deserves to be seen.''

``Brokeback'' and ``Good Night'' are among the several independent or art-house films that have gotten the kind of kudos that should give their distributors some powerful marketing tools in the coming weeks as they try to get the attention of movie-ticket buyers and Oscar voters.

The Weinstein Co.'s' ``Mrs. Henderson Presents'' and ``Transamerica,'' got several high-profile Globe nods as did DreamWorks' ``Match Point,'' Sony Pictures Classic's ``Capote'' and the Samuel Goldwyn Films release ``The Squid and the Whale.''

The three nominations for ``Squid'' were for best picture, musical or comedy, and best actor and best actress nods, respectively, for stars Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney, who play a couple in the throes of divorce.

Samuel Goldwyn Films distribution head Michael Silberman said the company will add 20 theaters on Friday to bring the total theater count for ``Squid'' to 130, with plans for further expansion in January.

``We're the underdog film,'' Silberman said Tuesday. ``(Award nominations) are great to build awareness with the public. We'll continue to support the movie with strong newsprint advertising and strategic placement of ads in the trades. We have to take a much more prudent approach to it.''

``Match Point,'' which nabbed Globe nods for best picture, drama, and best director for Woody Allen, hasn't even opened to the public yet. DreamWorks had planned to open it in two theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Dec. 28, but might up that to four locations before expanding by about two dozen markets on Jan. 20.

``We're still looking at that right now,'' said DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp. ``We like the movie and obviously are pleased with the nominations.''

Focus has planned a careful platform release for ``Brokeback'' that began with selected screens last Friday in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. It grossed a sensational $547,425 in just five theaters, setting a record per screen average of $109,485. The film added another $103,256 to its till on Monday.

``Many of the films that are being recognized are smaller films that were never destined to make tons of money anyway,'' observed Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co. ``But 'Brokeback' is one that could break out. If you look at its per screen average, it indicates an incredibly strong interest level among moviegoers. This could be the ultimate crossover movie.''

On Friday, ``Brokeback'' bows in 21 more big cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C., as well as in the smaller markets of Palm Springs, Santa Barbara and Austin, Texas.

In all, ``Brokeback'' will be booked into about 60 theaters by Friday, and Foley said Focus will likely keep the film at that level until Jan. 6, when it is scheduled to expand to 20 additional markets.

``What differentiates the indie film world from the mainstream film world is that fans of these movies read reviews and they look at critics' awards,'' Dergarabedian said. ``This is an audience who's very much interested in all things related to these movies. There really is no downside to being recognized as a great film.''

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Heath Ledger, left, and Jake Gyllenhaal play a couple of lovelorn cowboys in the new critically acclaimed Ang Lee film ``Brokeback Mountain.''

Kimberly French/Focus Features

(2 -- 6 -- color) no caption (movie posters)