Jack Weyland's
Charly
- Page 15 -

REVIEW:
A city girl falls in love with a Latter-day Saint

*** 1/2 [3.5 out of 5 stars]

Read the full review here.

Filmmakers flocking to Utah

Films and television programs shot entirely or partially in Utah during the past year and their current video status:

RECENT/CURRENT RELEASE

• "Charly": Heather Beers, Jeremy Elliot; theatrical film (VHS/DVD).

• "The Core": Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, DJ Qualls, Stanley Tucci; theatrical film (VHS/DVD, Sept. 9).

• "Gerry": Casey Affleck, Matt Damon; theatrical film.

• "Handcart - The Movie": Jaelan Petrie, Stephanie Albach, Christopher Kendrick, Shannon Skinner; theatrical film (VHS/DVD).

• "Hulk": Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Nick Nolte, Sam Elliott; theatrical film (VHS/DVD, Oct. 28).

• "Legally Blonde: Red, White & Blonde": Reese Witherspoon, Sally Field, Luke Wilson, Bob Newhart; theatrical film.

• "Little Secrets": Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Angarano, David Gallagher, Vivica A. Fox; theatrical film (VHS/DVD).

• "Right on Track": Beverly Mitchell, Brie Larson, Jon Lindstrom, Jodi Russell; Disney Channel TV movie.

• "The RM": Kirby Heyborne, Britani Bateman, Merrill Dodge, Tracy Ann Evans; theatrical film (VHS/DVD, September).

• "Top Speed": Tim Allen (narrator); large-format theatrical film.

Mormon movie madness

[EXCERPTS]

According ACNielsen EDI Inc. -- a company that compiles box-office statistics -- Excel ranked eighth in the nation for limited-release film distribution in 2002. Excel released "God's Army," "Brigham City," "The Other Side of Heaven" in fairly quick succession in 2000 and 2001, and "Charly" in 2002.


LDS-themed films Cost-to-gross earnings for LDS-themed films

* Cost includes marketing costs; gross is U.S. box-office earnings

"Jack Weyland's Charly" (2002)
- Cost: $950,000
- Gross: $813,685

Mormon movie madness

[EXCERPT]

...Since his start, [Joseph] Brickey has been featured in the Latter-day Saint-themed feature film "Jack Weyland's Charly." In 2001 he was called as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to paint murals for temples and visitors' centers around the world. Many of his paintings are compiled in the best-selling book When Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem.

He is also the production artist and designer for "A Voice from the Dust," a series of feature films based on the Book of Mormon...

Review of "The Work and the Story"

[EXCERPT]

...In the real world, Dutcher HAS disappeared from the movie scene (though he is alive and well), not having made a film since 2001's "Brigham City." And in his absence, sure enough, the market has been flooded with films ranging from the OK ("Out of Step," "Charly") to the bad ("The Singles Ward," "Handcart")...

LDS filmmakers struggle to find financing

[EXCERPT]

...Box office sales vary. "Charly" only made $800,000 gross in 32 weeks, but "The Other Side of Heaven" made about $4 million...

A Mormon best seller ['The Work and the Glory'] to become a movie

[EXCERPT]

...The latest [LDS Cinema movie], "The Book of Mormon Movie," took in only $282,000 in its first two weeks. Another film based on a popular LDS-themed book, "Charly," amassed only $813,000 its entire run...

Jazz owner Larry Miller backs biggest-budget Mormon film to date

[EXCERPT]

...Most of movies in the recent Mormon cinema trend have failed to reach audiences beyond church members.

The latest, "The Book of Mormon Movie," took in only $282,000 in its first two weeks. Another film based on the book, "Charly," got only $813,000 its entire run...