THE SIMPSONS ON SCREEN

A toon triumph!. The 20th Century Fox says The Simpsons Movie shred the competition for No. 1 with a $71.8 million North American weekend, more than double what the studio hoped. After a stunning $30 million on Friday from 3,922 North American theaters, Homer and the family fell 23% Saturday to take in $23.1 million. The studio projects an $18.7 million Sunday (-17%).

Overseas, The Simpsons Movie is also No. 1 with an average 55% market share. The toon grossed a phenomenal $96 million in 71 day and date markets, despite debuting in only 8 of the top 15 markets: UK, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Australia and Argentina. Opening day records included: biggest industry opening day ever in Australia, Argentina, Columbia and Chile; and biggest animated opening day ever in Australia, Belgium, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Peru, Sweden, Uruguay, Venezuela.

According to Fox, it opened bigger than any Pixar film and than any non-sequel animated film ever. It's also the biggest opening for a non-CGI animated film including sequels. The Simpsons Movie's $30 million Friday was a shock because it was more than Transformers made on its opening day and best single day this summer, and good enough for The Simpsons to slot into the Hollywood's Top 17 opening days of all time (right behind the $30.1 mil of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones).

But the well reviewed pic managed an outstanding per screen average of 7,649 Friday and ended the weekend with a high $18,320 3-day per screen average. Fox says the pic cost only $75 million (without marketing) because so much animation work was done in South Korea.

There's ecology, obesity, the hollowness of American leadership, the rapacity of big corporations and the complacency and ignorance of the American public.

The tension between Flanders' genuine Christianity, complete with charity, generosity and fellow feeling, and Homer's id-centered selfishness has never been exploited for more cutting effect.Humiliated by his dad once too often, Bart turns to Ned to discover the pleasures of a pat on the back or a cup of hot cocoa.

Without an ounce of cant or moralizing, The Simpsons Movie teaches him (and us) that no man is an island, even if he's as big as one.