Mining 'Brokeback Mountain'

WSJ: Mining 'Brokeback Mountain'. "To try to beat the odds against a gay-themed film succeeding, Focus chose an unusual strategy when it came to placing "Brokeback" in its first theaters in New York and Los Angeles, says Jack Foley, president of distribution at Focus. Like microclimates in Napa Valley that can produce dramatically different wines, neighborhoods in Manhattan can draw entirely different audiences: Chelsea attracts gay viewers, the Village students, the Lincoln Center-area affluent boomers. Word of mouth from a Manhattan opening can determine with what audience a film succeeds or fails."

That's how Miramax ruled the 90's, and Focus seems to inherit that similar Midas touch, without overt marketing/personality push.