COSTA RICA EXTRA (iNews.co.cr) If someone asked you what was the second most seen film in Costa Rican history, you might guess some hoary classic like “Gone with the Wind” or a newer blockbuster like “Avatar.” You most certainly would not, before last year, have guessed a locally produced comedy, “Maikol Yordan de Viaje Perdido.”
Currently the film is showing in 26 theaters, more than usual for a local film which are often looked upon as novelties. An astounding half a million-plus viewers have seen it, sometimes several times. It is hard sometimes to predict these things but somehow the movie has struck a chord with local audiences.
Directed by Miguel Gomez, the movie surpassed even the international acclaim of “Todo por las plumas,” another relaxed comedy. But this is climbing rapidly in the list of the top ten movies of Costa Rica’s history and — who knows? — may rank as the most seen before the year is out.
This figures are not just hype but the research of Daniel Moreno of Media Docena and confirmed by Ronmaly, its distributor. But, although Costa Ricans have a real regard for drama, they are beguiled by comedies as is shown by the number one movie of all time — “The Ice Age IV.”
How far is the local film behind the Ice Age? Only about 36,500! At the theater box office that’s just a skip. Of course the cast has been pushing as well — Friday, the players gathered at the EPA complex in Tibas at 9 p.m. for a little autograph signing.
But Moreno noted that the movie has been doing extremely well in such provincial towns as Liberia, Perez Zeledon and Grecia, not always hotbeds of theater activity.
