"District 9" Is Summer's Sleeper Hit

(CBS)  With big budget, high-octane films dominating the box office this summer, moviegoers were apparently eager for something different, flocking to theaters for the opening of "District 9," making it the weekend's No. 1 movie.

The quirky sci-fi thriller, CBS News Science and Technology Correspondent Daniel Sieberg reported on "The Early Show" Friday, tells the story of what happens when thousands of alien refugees are stranded in the South African city of Johannesburg when their spacecraft runs out of power.

Sieberg pointed out the plot is a unusual take on a classic sci-fi plot line, with clear comparisons to apartheid.

Producer Peter Jackson, best known for the Oscar-winning "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, said "District 9," at the end of the day, is "ultimately (about) aliens and exploding bodies and ray guns and all the cool stuff you would hope to see but, it has a sense of originality that I'm really proud about."

Jackson's originality extends to his approach on the film's budget, Sieberg said. He took a modest $30 million, hired a first-time director and assembled a cast of unknown actors.

However, as entertainment journalist Missy Schwartz pointed out, with Jackson at the helm, people feel safe trying out the film.

Jackson's gamble appears to be paying off. While "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" struggles to earn the $170 million it cost to make, "District 9" has almost doubled its budget in less than one week of release.

Sieberg said Jackson can largely thank the army of geeks and Internet bloggers who began buzzing about the film a year ago. Enthusiastic crowds, he said, lined up recently for a first look when part of the film was screened at Comic-Con, an annual gathering of all things pop culture.

"Critics got behind it really early," Schwartz said, "and I don't think it's going to stop until well into the end of the summer and into the fall."

Sieberg added that Jackson may also have another shot at the Oscars for this alien film.

[jasperrdm]

Oscar! ha ha nice joke poll. Saw it. It was okay but this is my buy $5 bin when the dvd comes out. Saw the Time Traveler's Wife the same day. That could get a best screenplay nod.

[sjc_1]

This may be a new model for movie making. I have long thought that the money spent making high priced movies was a waste. They build a set and tear it down when they could have made affordable housing for 1000s. Now they can do it with CGI at much lower cost and it looks better as well. We spend too much on entertainment anyway, it would do more good for more people spent elsewhere.

[Meg003]

Entertainment is a vital need for humans. Movies create jobs, and having work helps people have groceries and pay the rent. How better could the money be spent?

[indythoughts]

I saw the movie and it was superbly executed. The uniqueness of the plot really pulls it all together. We don't typically get to see many original ideas in mainstream movies anymore.

[rf35]

Well, it Peter Jackson, so of course it will be awesome. I'm sure he would never allow his name to be associated with crap.