美国周末票房创纪录 福尔摩斯不敌阿凡达

在刚刚过去的这个假日周末，美国的电影票房收入再创历史新高，观众们纷纷涌入综合性多厅影院观看一系列大片。耗资巨大的科幻史诗影片《阿凡达》成为票房冠军，它在美国的票房收入为7,500万美元，其全球总收入达到6.173亿美元。
U.S. moviegoers shattered box-office records as they crowded into multiplexes for a holiday weekend marked by high-profile films. The lavish science-fiction epic 'Avatar' led the way, selling $75 million in U.S. tickets and bringing its global tally to $617.3 million.
　　
这个周末的美国电影票房收入约为2.78亿美元，一举超过2008年7月《黑暗骑士》映那个周末所创2.608亿美元的前票房纪录。除《阿凡达》外，这个周末上映的电影还有《福尔摩斯》 ，它在美国的票房收入为6,540万美元。
The estimated $278 million in weekend U.S. box-office revenue broke the previous record of $260.8 million set in July 2008, the weekend 'The Dark Night' was released. In addition to 'Avatar,' this weekend included the release of 'Sherlock Holmes,' which brought in $65.4 million in the U.S.
　　
据统计，美国今年迄今的电影票房总收入已达105亿美元，这一毛收入虽然创下历史最高纪录，但对于解决DVD销售收入不断下滑这一电影公司面临的更大问题却起不了什么作用。
For the year, the U.S. box-office total now stands at $10.5 billion, according to , a record gross that nonetheless will do little to solve the movie studios' bigger underlying problems, particularly rapidly eroding DVD sales.
　　
《阿凡达》这部影片在向公众推广方面存在难度，它是一部大制作的商业电影，采用了新颍的三维电影摄制技术，如果用放预告片等传统营销技术，这部电影的魅力可能难以传达给观众。拍摄该片的二十世纪福克斯影片公司正指望通过影评和这部影片的良好口碑来吸引观众。
'Avatar' was a complicated movie to sell to the public, with a high-concept premise and novel 3-D filmmaking technology that could have been difficult to convey to audiences solely through trailers and other traditional marketing. Twentieth Century Fox, the studio behind the film, was counting on critics and strong word-of-mouth buzz to draw in moviegoers.
　　
观众对该片的反馈一直不错。鉴于《阿凡达》在上映第二个周末获得的国内毛收入只比上映第一个周末减少了3%，电影公司的管理人士说，该片的观众数量也同样令人印象深刻。
Reviews have been positive. With the film's domestic gross in its second weekend down only 3% from its opening weekend, studio executives said audiences were similarly impressed.
　　
影片中的故事大约发生在150年后，它描述了一名前海军士兵到一个居住着奇异生物的遥远世界旅行的经历。影片的导演是卡梅隆，他导演的《泰坦尼克号》在1997和1998年获得了18亿美元收入。
The movie, set about 150 years in the future, follows a former Marine who travels to a distant world inhabited by exotic creatures. The film was directed by James Cameron whose previous feature film 'Titanic' earned $1.8 billion in 1997 and 1998.
　　
《阿凡达》的制作成本超过3亿美元，其中的60%由二十世纪福克斯影片公司的财务合伙人承担。这家电影公司还花费了约1.5亿美元的营销费用。二十世纪福克斯影片公司由新闻集团所有，后者也是《华尔街日报》的出版方。
'Avatar' cost in excess of $300 million to produce, 60% of which was picked up by financial partners of Fox. The studio spent an estimated $150 million more on marketing. Twentieth Century Fox is owned by News Corp., which also publishes The Wall Street Journal.
　　
《阿凡达》在Imax巨幕影厅的良好表现推动了该片毛收入的增长。与在普通屏幕影院放映的电影相比，巨幕影厅所放电影的票价一般要高出25%至50%。
Helping propel the gross for 'Avatar' was the movie's performance at large-screen Imax locations. Theaters generally charge 25% to 50% more for movies shown in Imax than those on regular-sized screens.
　　
Imax Corp.电影娱乐业务的董事长兼总裁福斯特说，迄今为止，《阿凡达》在巨幕影厅获得的票房收入已经超过3,900万美元。他说，相比之下，《黑暗骑士》在巨幕影厅上映六周后的票房收入才达到4,500万美元。福斯特预计《阿凡达》上映13天后的票房收入就能达到这一水平。
Imax locations have generated over $39 million in 'Avatar' sales so far, said Greg Foster, Imax Corp.'s chairman and president for filmed entertainment. By way of comparison, he said it took 'The Dark Knight' six weeks to sell $45 million worth of tickets-a level he expects 'Avatar' to achieve after just 13 days in theaters.
　　
这个周末的美国电影票房收入亚军是华纳兄弟公司出品的《福尔摩斯》。该片由里奇执导，小罗唐尼主演，是一部喧闹版的福尔摩斯探案故事。获得票房季军的是二十世纪福克斯影片公司另一部影片《艾尔文与花栗鼠2》，票房收入为5,020万美元。
Second in the U.S. box-office rankings was Warner Bros.' 'Sherlock Holmes,' directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr. as a brawling version of the brainy Victorian detective. In third place was another Fox release, 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,' which took in $50.2 million.
　　
美国观众今年迄今已购买了14.1亿张电影票，比2008年多出近5%，但仍低于2002年创纪录的16.1亿张。
U.S. moviegoers have bought 1.41 billion tickets so far this year, almost 5% more than 2008 but still below the record of 1.61 billion that was set in 2002.