Mormon-niche films reach $10 million mark in box offices
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints finally found their niche in the entertainment industry.
In the past two years, five movies have hit theaters directed toward the LDS culture. As of Nov. 8, the five Mormon-niche films almost reached the $10 million box office mark.
These movies were released in select towns, where the majority of the population would understand and enjoy the films. “Charly,” the most recent, is now in theaters.
Adam Anderegg’s film “Charly,” a drama rated PG, was released in Utah and Southeastern Idaho on Sept. 27 and is scheduled to be released nationwide in the spring. The film was based on the best-selling novel, “Charly,” written by BYU-Idaho physics professor Jack Weyland.
“I like the movie and the screenplay very much,” Weyland said. “And I have publicly announced that I like the movie better than the book.”
In 1980, “Charly” hit bookstores and 12 years later has been updated for the movie viewers of today. Two things inspired Weyland’s novel. One was the movie “Love Story,” which featured a young wife who died and the life that was left behind.
However, Weyland said, “It was powerful, but depressing.”
The second was an experience relating to a good friend of his who lost his wife.
“Charly” features a story about Sam Roberts, a man who thinks he knows all of life’s answers, until “Charly,” a girl who seems to be his exact opposite, enters his life. The story contrasts the differences in a person from Salt Lake City and from New York City. The differences lead Sam and Charly to
interest and their relationship accelerates on a journey of cultural differences, family issues, former loves and life-altering challenges.
“When Anderegg was 16-years-old, his girlfriend loaned him the book, and [after reading it] said it would make a great movie,” Weyland said.
Years later, Anderegg majored in film at BYU, occasionally working with the screenwriter for the film, Janine Gilbert. Anderegg thought of making “Charly” into a film and asked Gilbert to help.
“Adam and Janine brought the idea to Rexburg and had me look at it,” Weyland said.
The team got enough money to lock their spot and began screen writing.
“The entire process took about five years on and off, and it took a lot of revision,” Gilbert said.
Weyland was closely involved with the transition from his novel to the movie.
“The book needed updating, and Janine did anexcellent job,” Weyland said. “They let me view the scripts and asked me questions and I gave suggestions.”
After 12 years, society changed and modifications had to be made.
“Jack was very generous. He trusted Adam to make the changes and still keep the spirit of the novel,” Gilbert said.
“My favorite part was working with people who really care about what they do. It’s exciting and fun to see people’s reaction and to see everything come to life.”
Students at Utah State University seemed to like the movie, too.
“I really enjoyed the movie. I think the parts of the book that were filmed were depicted well,” said Dru Baily, a junior majoring in graphic design. “I don’t think it was filmed especially for Mormons, but there are definitely some Mormon lingo in it as well as Mormon innuendo.”
Weyland always thought the dream of his life would be when someone made a movie from one of his novels.
“It’s an amazing experience, I felt like I was a Hollywood man,” Weyland said. “Within three weeks I became interested in the box office. I said ‘Good grief what’s happening to me?'”
He said, “Good thing I am stuck in Rexburg or I’d be in Hollywood saying, ‘My people will contact your people.'”
After everything was said and done, Weyland commented that his favorite part was watching the film with an audience.
“It’s not like going to a movie, it’s like going to an experience,” Weyland said.
Other films involving the Mormon culture have also been made. Robert Dutcher’s film, God’s Army led the pack as the very first Mormon film in theaters.
The PG drama features a story about a college-aged boy who leaves his life behind to serve a two-year mission for his church. While on the mission, he struggles alongside an overbearing companion.
The movie depicts everyday life on his mission and the fight for maintaining faith. With the lingo of the LDS culture and humor, this movie attempts to depict members of the church as normal and fun-loving
people.
“It was a good movie and had a good message, but I also thought it was kind of weird that they put that type of LDS movie out in theaters,” said Tauyna Martin, a junior majoring in family and human development.
Dutcher’s second film, “Brigham City,” followed. Brigham is a small town where everyone leaves their doors unlocked, people work during the week and go to church on Sundays. Sheriff Wes Clayton is a bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ and leads the town both as lawman and spiritual leader. The roads between Salt Lake City and Brigham City are being torn every which way, the population is growing and the once-small, local town is
widening.
Upon discovery of a young woman’s dead body alongside her car, Clayton tries his hardest to keep the peaceful town at ease; turning fear into faith and suspicion into trust.
In February 2001, “The Singles Ward” was released in theaters.
“‘The Singles Ward’ spent 11 weeks as the No. 1 movie in Utah, beating out such major releases as “Panic Room” and “The Scorpion King” and maintained a second place behind ‘Spiderman’,” according to Boxoffice Online.
According to his Web site, John Moyer, who came up with the idea while attending a church singles’ dance as a divorced man, wrote the PG film. While standing out of place, Moyer started to notice all of the little peculiarities of his fellow single members of the church, thus creating in his mind “The Singles Ward.”
Upon the release of “God’s Army,” Moyer was approached by Kurt Hale of Halestorm Entertainment in the fall of 2000 and was asked to write a script; Moyer already had his idea.
“The Singles Ward” depicts life as single members know it, on the road to marriage and everything in between. The Mormon jargon creates humor for the culture.
With a gross of $4,718,431 at the box office, Mitch Davis’ film “The Other Side of Heaven” was directed in the adaptation of John H. Groberg’s memoir “In the Eye of the Storm.”
The movie recounts the life of John Groberg, a farm boy from Idaho Falls, who leaves his family and true love behind to serve as a missionary in the exotic Tongan Islands in the 1950s. Through letters to his love at home, Groberg shares his humbling experiences and hilarious adventures.
The movie shows Groberg’s struggle with the language and three years that will change his life forever.
These Mormon-niche films will keep their trends with the upcoming releases of two other films.
“The R.M.,” to be released January 2003 is a story of when a missionary finishes his two years and returns home to everything he left behind, including his girlfriend. “Church Ball” will feature church basketball games.
-klm@cc.usu.edu