Warner: ‘Gran Torino’ No. 1 VOD title in 2009

Gran Torino

By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 26 Oct 2009
egruenwedel@questex.com

Clint Eastwood’s critically acclaimed movie Gran Torino is being heralded the No. 1 worldwide video-on-demand title in 2009, according to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Rentrak Corp.

The film, about an iron-willed and inflexible Korean War veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices, spent four weeks at the top of Rentrak’s domestic VOD charts.

Gran Torino, which has been considered a swan song of sorts to Eastwood’s legendary Dirty Harry-type characters, generated nearly 6 million VOD transactions since its June release and $30 million in consumer spending (excluding DVD and Blu-ray Disc).

The film tallied more than 3 million DVD and Blu-ray Discs sold in the United States.

Diana Kerekes, VP of video content for Comcast Corp., the nation’s largest cable service, said Gran Torino was Comcast’s No. 1 VOD title this year.

“Clint Eastwood’s work in this film has made it an instant classic for our on-demand library, and we are thrilled that customers continue to view Gran Torino at their convenience,” Kerekes said.

The movie, which represented Eastwood’s biggest box office hit, was a multiple Golden Globe nominee (best original song and best actor) and best original screenplay (Nick Schenk) honors from the National Board of Review.

Eastwood also was honored with a best actor nomination from Chicago Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

“Gran Torino is classic Clint Eastwood, and the film clearly resonates with fans,” said Andy Mellett, SVP of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. “Recognized by AFI as one of the Ten Best Films of 2008, it was one of our key day-and-date titles this year, and it has far exceeded our expectations.”