22-07-2008

Bathory draws 200,000 viewers in 2 weeks

By Irena Zemanova

    The big-budget €11 million Czech-Slovak-Hungarian-British co-production Bathory by director Juraj Jakubisko hit a Czech domestic record in attendance since its opening on July 10.

    Less than two weeks after the film's release, 204,000 Czech viewers saw the movie with British actress Anna Friel playing the title role of the infamous blood-thirsty 16th century countess.

    Bathory has also set a Czech summer box office record by taking almost CZK24 million (€1 million) in two weeks, according to the Czech Union of Film Distributors chart published on Tueasday, July 22 (www.ufd.cz).

    Even in Prague multiplexes, people stand in long lines in front of cinemas, trying to buy a ticket for Bathory movie. No other movie in recent months has had a similar impact in the Czech Republic - especially noteworthy in what are typically very slow summer months for box office.

    In only two weeks, Bathory is almost even with the American blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which opened at the end of May. During nine weeks of sceening, the newest Steven Spielberg installment earned €1.2 million, attracting 230,000 Czech viewers.