Cologne, German May 21, 2000 K=F6lner Stadt-Anzeiger (KSTA)
The first battle of the American movie summer is over, and the conqueror has already been determined: Ridley Scott's "Gladiator," with its battling in the Roman Coloseum, won the audience, leaving John Travolta's pet project, "Battlefield Earth," light years behind.=20
While "Gladiator" (budget: $103 million) raked in an excellent $24.6 million on its second weekend and the total income is spiraling up to $73 million after ten days, the Scientology "Battlefield" parable, which has been ridiculed from the start (budget: $90 million), made a pitiful $11.5 million on its premier weekend.=20
