It is hard to forget the events of September 11, but there is a sense of comfort to know that even on one of America's darkest days there was the continuity of movies.  On that day, cinemas saw $2.55 million dollars in ticket sales.  It was a sharp drop of 27.6 percent, but the next day sales rebounded over 34 percent which would be unusual to see on a Wednesday any other time of the year.  Movies like Rock Star, Two Can Play That Game and Rat Race were the titles that saw the greatest increase.  It is a sure sign that the moviegoers wanted a dramatic alternative to the barrage of news coverage on the horrible and very real events of the previous day. 

Seventeen years ago, a tragedy uncannily similar to today's events unfolded on live TV.  The weekend before, the top movies had been The Color Purple and Iron Eagle.  As the public was still grasping with the loss of Challenger, they had no reservations visiting their local cinemas.  Down and Out in Beverly Hills opened at number one with over $5.7 million and the former number one movie, The Color Purple dropped a mere 4%. 

This weekend's events are still unfolding, but it will come as no surprise that as the public gets it fill of CNN, the cinemas will become a popular alternative.  The top ten box office shows an array of fantasy worlds which to escape.  The lone exception appears to be Final Destination 2, a story of trying to escape from the clutches of death.  When the weekend numbers are reported, we will see not just a list of popular movies, but in some sense an indication of how moviegoers are dealing with this tragedy.