N.Z. films popular

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 19

N.Z. films popular

The New Zealand feature film season was a rating success for Network Two during the week November 15 to 21. Nearly 25 per cent of all viewers stayed in to watch “Came a Hot Friday,” “Savage Islands” and “Shaker Run,” pushing the three movies into the top 10. According to A.G.B. Research (N.Z.), Ltd, the week’s best programme for those aged 10 to 19 was “Came a Hot Friday” and for men and women aged 20 to 39, “Shaker Run.” "The Lost Tribe” was slightly less popular over all, but still appeared among the top 20 programmes. "Coronation Street” won the battle of the soaps, with both episodes holding out “Sons and Daughters,” “East Enders and “Gloss,” which continued to see-saw in viewer popularity. “This Is Your Life,” which featured satirist A. K. Grant, drew 14 per cent of the television audience, 1 per cent more than for the 1987 Sportsman of the Year. The informality and “no second chances” approach of Network Two’s country show “Dixie Chicken” drew men and women in equal numbers. It appeared in the ratings 1 per cent behind “Brush Strokes” and "Lytton’s Diary.” Both programmes reported a 10 per cent response on their return to the screen in new series.

The award-winning documentary “Scared Straight” was thirty-fifth in the survey. The strong language did not appear to be off-putting, with viewer response remaining steady throughout the screening: