NEW MILFORD, Conn. — The management of the Bank Street Theater chose to show the award-winning film Bella instead of The Golden Compass in the days leading up to Christmas.
Owner Gary Goldring and manager Paul Schuyler did not want to commit to a four-week run of Golden Compass. Bella, which the two thought would draw more families to the three-screen theater, fills the void through Christmas Eve.
“Something just didn’t sit right with me,” Schuyler said Dec. 10. “The main thing was Gary and I didn’t feel Golden Compass could carry a four-week run. And we had to agree to a four-week run to show it.
“It’s not really for kids and it’s not really for adults,” Schuyler said. “Bella is something that has an audience; maybe not a Harry Potter audience, but a good audience.”
“Bella was something we felt has a little bit better message,” Schuyler said. “It has a positive Christian theme. We want to encourage families to come here with the films we show.”
Golden Compass made $26.1 million in its opening weekend, better than the low-budget Bella but far less than Narnia’s $65.5 million opening weekend.
Register staff