World Tibet Network News Saturday, June 27, 1998

SYDNEY, Friday, June 26 (Sydney Morning Herald) - It has no big-name Hollywood stars and only special effect is the hypnotic fusion of director Martin Scorsese's images and Philip Glass's score.

Yet "Kundun", the epic tale of the Dalai Lama's early life - which many thought too uncommercial to be released in Australia - is shaping up as one of this year's most unlikely movie box-office hits.

Opening on only 21 screens last Thursday, it has taken almost $450,000 in its first week. It is fifth in the box-office rankings, behind event movies "Godzilla" and "Deep Impact", which are showing on 295 and 247 screens respectively.

At Paddington's Academy Twin cinema, "Kundun" earned a record $50,000 in its first week - only Buz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet" has come close - and demand is so strong it is now showing on both screens. Mr Nicholas Whatson, general manager of Palace Cinemas New South Wales, says that is unprecedented in more than 20 years.

"We've had an absolutely extraordinary response. It's really exciting to see a quality adult film do terrific business," he said yesterday.

"Kundun's" impressive screen average of $21,303 for its opening week has encouraged the distributor, NewVision, to order more prints and begin negotiations with the big three distributors - Hoyts, Village and Greater Union.

NewVision's managing director, Mr Frank Cox, said all three companies had shown interest.

"The film is a hit. We'd like to bring it up to a 35 to 45 print release in the next few weeks," he said.

Mr Cox said "Kundun's" opening was the second-biggest in his company's 15-year history. Only "Crow II", which opened on 99 screens, had a larger box-office haul.

"It's struck a chord with the widest age group in the history of NewVision," he said. "People who aren't necessarily art house film-goers are supporting this film."

"Kundun's" Australian success comes after a difficult American release.

The film earned about $US 5 million (A$8.2 million) after Disney gave it a limited release, fearing the subject matter would upset Beijing and damage its expansion into China.

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