I'm told MGM / The Weinstein Co's Stephen King horror film 1408 starring John Cusack amightyheart_posterbig.jpgdebuted well in 3rd place this weekend earning $20.3 million from 2,678 venues. So fright pics are alive and well -- as logn as their content isn't torture porn. Another movie opening was Paramount Vantage's A Mighty Heart, starring Angelina Jolie in the story of journalist Daniel Pearl's terrorist murder. It finished in 10th place this weekend with only $4 mil from 1,355 playdates. But the real gauge here is its per screen average, which was extremely low, indicating weak interest in this well-reviewed pic despite a ton of publicity featuring tabloid-favorite Jolie. I believe releasing it this blockbuster-crowded summer, even as counter-programming, was a dumb move. September would have been a better time.

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