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Box office thrives despite recession
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Anytime you tune into a news program or read a news periodical these days, topic number one is the economy and the recession. Seemingly every industry has been effected by the economic downturn that is plaguing this country. There is one business, however, that is thriving in the face of all this: show business.
In recent months, box office returns have been significantly better than they have been in years. Traditionally, January and February are dismal months for box office earnings. Those two months in 2009 have raked in a combined $1.78 billion, which is more than any other January and February in the history of movies. Movies such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Taken, Gran Torino and the remake of Friday the 13th are credited with bringing in crowds. So far, Monsters vs. Aliens (read my review here) has earned the most in 2009, currently having made over $162 million.
In these poor economic times, it would make more sense to read that movie attendance is down as a result of families and individuals saving whatever they can, wherever they can. But in fact, people going to the movies as a way to escape their troubles, if only for a couple hours, dates all the way back to the Great Depression when people flocked to see Gone with the Wind, King Kong and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It makes perfect sense that people would again return to their local cineplex to escape this latest economic crisis.
For more information: Box Office Mojo
