Silver screen still a big draw
Current year-end forecasts by Carlton Screen Advertising point to at least 18.4 million cinema visits in the Republic
Despite the credit crunch and less disposable income in people's pockets, cinema admissions in Ireland this year are almost the same as last year's record-breaking box office returns. Ticket sales to the end of September were 14.16 million compared to 14.2 million for the same period last year.
Current year-end forecasts by Carlton Screen Advertising point to at least 18.4 million cinema visits in the Republic.
Results show that Ireland continues to have the highest cinema admissions per head in Europe with 4.3pc, compared to 2.7pc in the UK and under 2pc for Europe.
Not surprisingly, most of the 353,846 moviegoers visiting cinemas in Ireland each week are 15-to 34-year-olds.
The top big screen ad spenders include 02, McDonald's, Unilever, Coca Cola and RTE. There has been a 44pc drop in alcohol advertising in recent years.
The film 'Quantum of Solace', with Daniel Craig as James Bond, earned over €1m in its opening weekend. 'The Dark Knight has taken €6.3m at the box office. But 'Mamma Mia!' looks set to be the year's number one movie having grossed over €6.4m so far.
The Abba musical, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, is now second in Ireland's all-time top 10 movies but still some way behind 'Titanic'. 'Sex and the City' and 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' which are in this year's current top five films.
Carlton's Lisa Shanley said that while five out of 10 family films made last year's top earners, only three have so far qualified this year.
Six of last year's top 10 movies were sequels, compared to two this year.
Martin McDonagh's 'In Bruges' with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson is in sixth spot. Coming soon are 'Four Christmases' with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa' and Baz Luhrman's 'Australia', with Nicole Kidman.
