Sex And The City meant big business for Boca movie theatres

Published July 3rd, 2008

By Nicol Jenkins
Special to the News

Groups of girlfriends in their 20s to 60s to mothers and daughters dressed to the nines and of course in stilettos flooded Boca Raton movie theatres for the highly anticipated chick flick of the season, Sex And The City.

Almost all moviegoers said they enjoyed every minute of the film packed with highs and lows of the lives and loves of four girlfriends, Samantha, Charlotte, Miranda and favorite columnist and fashion-icon Carrie Bradshaw. The movie shows how friendship mends all from broken hearts to bad fashions and how it never goes out of style.

Besides being a bonding experience among friends, the film also meant big business for South Florida movie theatres. On premiere night and even weeks later, tickets were sold out and cosmos were overflowing.

“Every single woman that walked in had a Cosmo. We sold 700 on the first night,” said John Maddalena, general manger at Bogart’s Bar and Grille at the Muvico Theatres in Boca Raton.
On opening night, all five theatres were completely sold out, he added. Girls night out took on a whole new form with groups of girlfriends dressed up, and even large parties up to 20 females had parties with sushi, light appetizers and of course Cosmos and martinis in the banquet rooms. 

“This is and will be the biggest event that will ever happen here,” Maddalena said. “My sales were doubled each week. It was a 100 percent increase.”

Even the third week into the film, tickets sold out quickly at Muvico in Boca Raton. 

“Many came back for the second and third time,” he said. “All the women cared about was being with friends and seeing the movie.”

At Sunrise Cinemas at Mizner Park in Boca Raton, there were sightings of all the characters- look-alikes that is.

The theatre held a look-alike contest where movie goers dressed as characters from the film and were treated to wine samples. Most dressed as Carrie Bradshaw in a little black dress and stilettos. The winner, who also dressed as Carrie, won a year’s supply of movie tickets.

“The winner was identical to Carrie,” said general manager Lazaro Saco.

The theatre was sold out opening night and weeks later.

“We sold out all three theatres. It was an exceptional weekend, and it broke the highest record of advanced sales at least in the three years I’ve been in the company,” said Saco. “Everybody left the show still ecstatic from the movie and in good spirits.”

Will any film surpass the money making chick flick?

Theatre managers predict it will be a big task.

Maddalena believes, “The only thing that will beat it would be if they made Sex And The City 2.”

Former Boca Raton News staff writer Nicol Jenkins is now editor of Our Town News located in Coral Springs. Our Town News is a sister publication with the Boca Raton News, both part of the South Florida Media Group. Contact Nicol at press@southfloridamediagroup.com