The Sun-Herald

Record breakers: Three's a crowd pleaser

We are suffering the season of the "trequel", with Spider-Man 3 followed by Pirates 3 followed by Shrek 3 (and Ocean's 3 arriving tomorrow). Can you guess which of these inflated indulgences had the most appeal to Australian cinephiles? You're right - Shrek the Third sold $13.4 million worth of tickets over the long weekend, 4 per cent more than the first five days of Pirates of the Caribbean: at World's End (which has totalled $27.1 million so far) and 27 per cent more than the first five days of Spider-Man 3 ($23.4 million so far).

Shrek the Third had the second biggest opening for an animated movie in Australian history. The biggest was Shrek 2. (To study the 125 most successful movies of all time, go to The flicks Australia loved).

By the tortured definition that currently applies to Australian success stories, Romulus My Father, with Eric Bana, has become a hit. Its box office of $469,000 over the long weekend took it to a total of $1.03 million. It's on the way to joining Bra Boys in the record books.

We welcome your comments

David Dale is the author of Who We Are -- A snapshot of Australia today (Allen and Unwin). His latest book is Soffritto -- A delicious Ligurian memoir. For further observations of Australian attitudes and behaviour, go to www.smh.com.au/tribalmind.