Tuesday, September 22, 2009

MOVIES THAT SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER AT THE BOX OFFICE


The battle over the next book in a reading group.






I am worried that many movies enjoyed in Toronto last week will never hit the big screens. Distribution deals for movies is way off. The audience for adult movies is fading.
Bill Crider's puzzlement over why a terrific movie like "Adventureland" didn't do better sparked this. What recent movie's dismal figures surprised you? I'll choose THE MERRY GENTLEMAN with Michael Keaton this summer. It came and went over night. This was a film that should have drawn a larger if not large crowd. What else?

19 comments:

Richard Robinson said...

I can't think of any this minute, but when we go to the "big screen" movie house, we usually find it mostly empty. There were just four other people when we saw Star Trek, for heaven's sake!

I've got "Miracle at St. Ana" here to watch, and George said it was in the theaters only a week in his area.

I think the 2nd Narnia film underachieved, which is why plans for a 3rd installment was halted.

Dave Zeltserman said...

The Big Lebowski was a box office flop and went on to achieve a well-deserved huge cult status.

pattinase (abbott) said...

But I fear that movies like that (although not Coen Bros movies) won't turn up on DVD because they just won't get made at all.

MP said...

"Adventureland" and "The Hurt Locker" have been my two favorites of this year so far, and neither did well. My third favorite, "Inglourious Basterds" is doing pretty well.

Deb said...

Sadly, I’m never surprised when a thoughtful, well-acted film clearly aimed at adults fails to do well at the box office. (On the other hand, I must admit being pleasantly surprised that “Julie and Julia” has done so well—and that neither “Bruno” nor “G.I. Joe” lived up to box office expectations.)

YA Sleuth said...

I think this same argument translates to books, unfortunately. Marketing folk make guesses, and decide what gets advertising $ and what doesn't--which is still very deciding in success.

Case in point: that Jennifer Anniston movie that just came out. The studio must've gotten a real deal on TV ad time, because it was on every commercial break for a month... Ugh.

Kieran Shea said...

Recently I'm going with THE HURT LOCKER, Patti. Cult stuff like TBL, that list could go way long...

Patti said...

THE HURT LOCKER was brilliant, but no films about the Iraqui war have done well. This one doesn;t surprise me as much as Adventureland. Is TBL cult stuff?
Who wouldn't like it?

Todd Mason said...

You know, I've never seen more than a minute or so of LEBOWSKI. Films that I'm surprised haven't done at least a Little better than they have, so far, include BIG FAN (an enormous bomb even by indie standards), DEADGIRL (not really released, despite a mostly good response in Toronto), and IN THE LOOP. Not that I've ween any of them, which might help to explain the poor showing domestically, at least anecdotally.

But, then, I'm still not sure why audiences stayed away from THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I saw IN THE LOOP and liked it a lot. No heart but a lot of brainy dialog and ideas.

George said...

It seems that the current mood of most movie audiences is for escapist stuff. That's why HURT LOCKER opened and closed here in a week. I suspect THE INFORMANT will also be leaving town soon.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see a good 1940s-style MGM musical just now. I'm weary of going to movie houses and feeling bad as I leave.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Yes a Busby Berkley about now would be swell.

The Kid In The Front Row said...

The Hurt Locker did okay. After DVD, it'll come out fine. Adventureland is a bit too niche; I think, and the trailer sucks.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I hope you're right about THE HURT LOCKER. We need reminding about the repercussions of war.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm not the person to ask. I pay almost no attention to movies other than the ones that show up on my PPV

Richard Robinson said...

I mentioned in my earlier comment I was going to watch MIRACLE AT ST. ANA. I did watch it, yesterday, and it was pretty much a waste of time, though I kind of liked the ending they put on it.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks for the heads up. We have THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY to watch if we ever get a chance.

Todd Mason said...

FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE still a better film than TG, TB, & TU...

wv: upsin