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Welcome to Marquee History, the weekly column that takes you back to a time when you - or your parents - were younger. Prepare to become nostalgic (and shocked) at how much time has passed when you recall what was new in theaters 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years ago.

This week's highlights are criminally good: the 20th anniversary of Se7en and the 25th anniversary of Goodfellas.

Here are the movies that premiered on theater marquees this week...

10 years ago - September 23, 2005

Flightplan
Jodie Foster’s first film in over three years was similar to her previous one, the thriller Panic Room. This thriller takes place on a plane. Critics were mildly impressed. Audiences were clearly drawn to it, making Flightplan the #1 movie of the weekend with $24 million on 3,424 screens. Not adjusted for inflation, this still ranks as Foster’s second-best lead opening of her career. Flightplan went on to earn $89 million.

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
Initially released on just five screens the prior week, Corpse Bride was given a 3,204 screen release this week. Using the same stop motion style (though shot digitally rather than on film) as his previous film The Nightmare Before Christmas, director Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride features the voices of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter as a Victorian-era couple struggling with life and afterlife. Critics praised the film’s visual style as well as its sweet romance. Corpse Bride was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. This weekend it took the #2 spot with $19 million, eventually earning $53 million.

Roll Bounce
This coming-of-age film takes place in 1970s Chicago and stars Bow Wow, Nick Cannon, Meagan Good, Brandon T. Jackson, Chi McBride, and Jurnee Smollett. The plot involves kids entering a roller disco contest. I remember enjoying this movie for its nostalgia, and critics seemed favorable to it. Roll Bounce opened at #4 with $7.5 million on 1,625 screens and went on to gross $17 million.

Opening in limited release this weekend: A History of Violence (Viggo Mortensen), Oliver Twist (Ben Kingsley), Dirty Love (Jennifer McCarthy), Dear Wendy (Jamie Bell), and
Daltry Calhoun (Johnny Knoxville).


15 years ago - September 22, 2000

Urban Legends: Final Cut
The sequel to the 1998 slasher stars Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, Joey Lawrence, Anthony Anderson, and Eva Mendes. Jacinda Barrett is featured in that classic urban legend: waking up in a bathtub full of ice without your kidneys. Reviews were poor. This sequel was profitable but far less so than the first movie. Final Cut opened at #1 with $8.5 million on 2,539 screens, and went on to gross $21 million.

The Exorcist Director’s Cut
First released in December 1973, The Exorcist was a huge hit and spawned sequels in 1977 and 1990. This edit of the original movie, dubbed “The Version You’ve Never Seen” featured new music and some reworked scenes. The Director’s Cut was only released on 664 screens (seems like a missed opportunity there), but managed to possess the #2 spot with $8.1 million, an average of $12,312 per screen.

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