"COMIN' AT YA!": ARTICLE 3

This article appeared in the Calendar section of the Fresno Bee, on September 6, 1981. The author of the article is Deborah Caulfield.





'COMIN' AT YA' A SURPRISE HIT

Last March, Calendar followed the progress of three fledging producers and their unique film at the American Film Market in Los Angeles. Their Spaghetti Western, "Comin' At Ya!," was made for $3.25 million in 3-D, a gimmick not used for 25 years. But producers Tony Anthony, Gene Quintano and Marshall Lupo believed that with a new process that dramatically improved the 3-D effect they could sell it once again.

"Comin' At Ya!" was screened more than any film at the Film Market, and yet at the end, despite buyer interest, it had not sold. The three told Calendar before returning East that if nothing else came up, Filmways president Robert Meyers said he would take it. Meyers had once been a business partner with Arthur Herskovitz,"Comin' At Ya!" sales representative.

Nothing else came up and Meyers made good on his promise.

And, "Comin' At Ya!" has become the surprise "boffo box office" hit of the summer.

The film was universally reviled by critics. KNXT Channel 2 critic Gary Franklin gave it a 1 on his scale of 1-10. David Ehrenstein of the Herald Examiner called it "a pain in the ... eye". Calendar reviewer Linda Gross also checked praise of any kind.

Audiences ignored the bad reviews and flocked to see the film as it opened slowly, city-by-city, across the country.

It opened at 25 theaters here kast weekend and reportedly took in $289,000, considered to be indicative of good attendance.

Among those surprised by the film's acceptance are the producers: "We thought if we were lucky we might show it in someone's basement every few years," said Quintano. "Now it's amazing. We went by a theater in New York just to look at the lines; sometimes they were a block and a half long."

With the picture virtually assured of being profitable (to date it has grossed almost $4 million after being shown in 200 theaters) Quintano said another picture is on the way.

Another one starring Anthony and himself?

"No, I don't think so. Theis time we've got writers and everything. It will be an adventure-caper film. Four guys and a girl plot to rob a temple on the island of Panag. It'll be kind of classic 'Topkapi.'"

And it'll be in 3-D, of course.