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Feature Films by LDS/Mormon Filmmakers and Actors
Weekend Box Office Report (U.S. Domestic Box Office Gross)

Weekend of May 20, 2005

[If table lines up improperly, use mono-spaced font, i.e. Courier] 

Natl Film Title                Weekend Gross % B.O. Theatrs
Rank LDS/Mormon Filmmaker/Star   Total Gross Change  $/Thtr  Days
--- ---------------------------  ----------- ------ -------  ----
21  Millions                         166,066  -39%     170     71
    LDS major characters:          5,871,570          $976
      3 LDS missionaries

33  The Upside of Anger               85,349  -24%     136     73
    Keri Russell (actress)        18,520,462          $628

35  Constantine                       75,309  -54%     115     94
    Allen Hall (SFX coordinator)  75,500,759          $654

54  Bugs!                             22,533  +14%      16    801
    stars Papilio,                15,498,576        $1,408
      a Great Mormon butterfly

121 The Young Black Stallion             598  -74%       2    508
    Reed Smoot (cinematographer)   6,739,716          $299

123 Galapagos                            351  -43%       3   2033
    Reed Smoot (cinematographer)  14,811,122          $117

125 Saints and Soldiers                  300  -95%       1    290
    Ryan Little                    1,310,270          $300
     (director/producer/cinematographer)
    Adam Abel (producer)
    Brian Brough
     (assoc. producer/produc. manager)
    Wynn Hougaard (editor)
    J Bateman (composer)
    Matt Whitaker (screenwriter)
    Jennifer Buster (casting)
    Actors: Corbin Allred, Larry Bagby III,
      Kirby Heyborne, Lincoln Hoppe,
      Curt Dousett, Ben Gourley,
      Ethan Vincent, etc.
    LDS main character: Deacon

128 Sons of Provo                        140  -89%       1    108
    Will Swenson                     117,695          $140
      (writer/director/producer/
      lead actor/songwriter)
    Peter D. Brown
      (writer/producer/songwriter)
    John Lyde, Stephen Rose
      (cinematographers/editors)
    John Shircliff (prod. designer)
    Anne Rose (costume designer)
    KC Blake (sound designer)
    Tyler Keegan
      (unit prod. manager/1st A.D.)
    Scott Hust (2nd A.D.)
    Robert Swenson (2nd 2nd A.D.)
    Spencer Barnes, Anna K. Findlay
      (make-up artists)
    Actors: Will Swenson, Kirby Heyborne,
      Danny Tarasevich, Jennifer Erekson,
      Peter D. Brown, Maureen Eastwood,
      Michael Birkeland, Alison Akin Clark,
      Jeremy Elliott, etc.
    LDS main characters



"Star Wars: Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith" opened nationwide this week (taking in $158,449,700 in gross domestic ticket sales Wednesday through Sunday). This kicked off the Summer blockbuster season during which many big budget "popcorn" movies pushed many smaller films out of theaters. The first two "Star Wars" films that were released (Episode 4 "A New Hope" and Episode 5 "The Empire Strikes Back") were both produced by Gary Kurtz. But Kurtz has not produced movies for George Lucas since "Empire."

"The Force," a concept that was not in George Lucas's original drafts of the "Star Wars" screenplay, was conceived largely due to Kurtz's suggestions and conversations with Lucas. "The Force" is a major central theme in "Star Wars: Episode 3 - The Revenge of the Sith."

Why mention Kurtz and his contributions to "Star Wars" films here at all? It has previously been reported that Gary Kurtz was raised as a Latter-day Saint. The source of this information appears to be John Baxter's book Mythmaker: The Life and Work of George Lucas, Avon Books: New York, NY (1999), pages 109-110. After further research, we believe that Baxter was simply incorrect about Kurtz being a Latter-day Saint. Apparently Baxter was raised in a non-churchgoing Protestant home, was baptized as a Baptist while in his teens, and later joined a Quaker church. Baxter may have confused "Quakers" with "Mormons." Alternatively, Baxter may have been confused because Kurtz was married in Utah his second wife because her family lived in Utah and Idaho.