This movie did well because we knew exactly what we were getting, what the movie was about.

People who saw it went to get grossed out and laugh, and there was no question the movie would deliver that. Nothing more, nothing less.

There was no reason to wait for next weekend or two weekends from now to hear reviews or from friends if the marketing and promos lived up to the movie before shelling out $$.

I suspect this movie will drop off by the first week of Nov. for those same reasons. People who want to see Jackass 3D will do so this weekend or next.

I think it kinda' goes back to Depression-era filmgoing. Lots of slappy, daffy comedies, syrupy musicals, and general nonsense back then.

Times are, once again, rather hard. What could be better escapism from foreclosures and rampant unemployment than watching a bunch of meat-heads splatter themselves all over the sides of buildings and set themselves on fire or whatever nitwit shenanigans trip the triggers of Knoxville and his merry band of morons.

Back in the 20's and 30's the carnival sideshows were all the rage... people boxing kangaroos and balancing babies on their shoulders high atop a skyscraper... completely crazy stunts to keep folks minds off the soul-crushing economic despair of the time.

Me? Even being a fan of the lowbrow as I am (Jerry Lewis and Moe, Larry, and Curly still do it for me), I find Jackass relatively boring and repetitive.

My theory: Jackass's audience has been steadily growing thanks to YouTube and DVD.

It's been 4 years since the last Jackass movie, but kids who maybe didn't even see the previous Jackass movies have watched countless clips of their crazy stunts on YouTube and DVD. Even if there's only one or two clips that you've seen that made you really laugh/cringe/weep for our future, it would pique your interest in the next Jackass movie.

In short, a steadily building audience was primed and ready for some fresh new Jackassery.

And the 3D added to the appeal.

I have three letters to account for the upward trend of B.O. gross for this three-peat:

M.
T.
V.


Think about it -- MTV created Jackass and still has a stranglehold on the name. When it began, the show created a raging fan base of troubled youths and laugh-hungry adults.

Jackass's fans grew enough to warrant spinoffs like Wildboys with Pontius and Steve-O and then some prank show with Ryan Dunn and yet another show with Bam Margera and his kooky family.

Now, MTV has multiple generations in its pocket. There are 30 yr olds who remember watching MTV music videos as children. I'm 25 and I associate Jackass with my high school years more than any other show on television at the time.

Not only that, but MTV has a NEW generation who looks to its channel to answer this question: "What should we like?!?!" And for nearly a MONTH those youths have had their eyes glued to MTV commercials RAVING about the third installment of Jackass.... IN 3D!!!!

Theaters stood no chance with that combination of generational exposure to Jackass. There was no way the film would not sell out in every major theater in its opening weekend.

.... And it did.

I guess this is why Hollywood is sooo hell bent on finding pre-branded material that already has a multi-generation fan base.

Cinema has come full circle. It has once again become flicker-dazzle for unthinking, non-critical audiences, just like during the age of the nickelodeon.

Is MTV even on the air anymore? People saw this movie because the first two were great and because the characters are ridiculously entertaining. I wish I could write a protagonist with half the appeal of Johnny Knoxville.

I like to think I have some taste in films and literature but I am going to see Jackass 3D.

Why? Because my memories of 3D are not blue and set in space but of tour rides where 3D was there to make you react. Not to go 'oooh, pretty' but to jump in your seat. I can't think of a better use of 3D than seeing that giant hand slap in the trailder for J3D.