I've chosen to focus on these films:
1. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
2. Scary Movie 3 (2003)
3. Lost in Space (1998)
4. Cleopatra (1963)
5. Vertigo (1958)
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Two current releases that were panned by most critics - yet managed to
rack up impressive figures at the box office - are "The Matrix
Revolutions" and "Scary Movie 3."
One of my favorite movie review sites, Rotten Tomatoes, ranks "The
Matrix Revolutions" as "rotten" in overall critical response:
"The Matrix Revolutions (2003)...
Reviews counted: 169
Fresh: 62 Rotten: 107
Average Rating: 5.7/10"
Rotten Tomatoes
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheMatrixRevolutions-1127201/
Yet, despite this apparent artistic rottenness...
"In its first seven days of North American box office, The Matrix
Revolutions made $93.6 million."
Box Office Prophets
http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/editorial/revolutionsroundtable.asp
"Every year, Hollywood releases an average of 140 films nationwide. Of
those, studio executives estimate that 10% to 15% are critic-proof:
films with name recognition and a built-in audience that make them
impervious to negative reviews, at least on opening weekend. [The
Matrix] Revolutions was one of those."
ACN, Inc: 'Revolutions' Sweeps To No. 1 at Box Office
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:83QBtO1DPeAJ:www.acninc.net/dynamicportalfiles/newsspotlight.asp%3Fnewsid%3D897%26selectionid%3D12
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"Scary Movie 3" didn't do well on the Rotten Tomatoes "Tomatometer" either:
"Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Reviews counted: 103
Fresh: 39 Rotten: 64
Average Rating: 4.9/10"
Rotten Tomatoes
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ScaryMovie3-1126585/
Horrific reviews notwithstanding, "Scary Movie 3" scared up the bucks:
"With Halloween around the corner, the North American box office
served up some hair-raising surprises over the weekend. 'Scary Movie
3,' the latest entry in the spoof franchise, enjoyed a record-smashing
No. 1 debut by selling a better-than-expected $49.7 million worth of
tickets in its first three days, according to studio estimates issued
on Sunday [October 26, 2003]."
CNN Entertainment: 'Scary Movie 3' smashes records
http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/26/box.office.reut/
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By critical standards, one of the most dismally disappointing films of
the 1990s was 1998's "Lost in Space," which was adapted from a '60s
television show with a sizeable cult following.
"Lost In Space (1998)
Reviews counted: 40
Fresh: 11 Rotten: 29
Average Rating: 4.7/10"
Rotten Tomatoes
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/LostInSpace-1082862/reviews.php
Amazingly, "Lost in Space" was the film that finally brought down "Titanic":
"After a record-setting 15 straight weeks on top of the North American
box office, Cameron's Titanic's has gone under. Its iceberg: the
big-screen remake of Lost in Space.
According to ticket tallier Exhibitor Relations, the special
effects-laden Space--a megabucks adaption of the campy TV
classic--easily outdistanced the Oscar-winning boat, scoring $20.5
million over the weekend to Titanic's $11.6 mil. (That's nearly a 25
percent dip for the ship flick from last week's figures.)
With its haul, Lost in Space is in the books with the biggest April debut ever."
E Online: "Lost In Space" Sinks "Titanic"
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:q2UHK4rsgIIJ:att.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,2800,00.html
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In 1963, the gossip-heavy blockbuster epic "Cleopatra," starring
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, barged down the Nile to very
little critical acclaim:
"Cleopatra (1963)
Reviews counted: 10
Fresh: 3 Rotten: 7
Average Rating: 5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Cleopatra-1004330/
But you can bet your asp that "Cleopatra" didn't suffer at the box
office. The film is number 55 on a list of "The Top Grossing Movies of
All Time at the North American Box Office," having earned $322.3
(adjusted for inflation):
The Top Grossing Movies of All Time at the North American Box Office
http://www.vertigo.org/boxoffice.shtml
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Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is now regarded as a classic in its
genre, but when it was first released, in 1958, it was not well
received by critics:
"Vertigo was panned by critics in the United States ( [soundtrack
composer Bernard] Herrmann was known to have said with his
characteristic curmudgeonly wit, "We liked it, but even in the States
people thought [vertigo] was a backache or something.") But the film
has come to be appreciated as one of Hitchcock's and Herrmann's fit
collaborations."
Widescreen Cinema: Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock - Genius meets Genius
http://www.widescreencinema.com/vertigo/music.html
"Though initially ill-received by critics when it was first released
(and soon thereafter lost to distribution for decades), Vertigo has
since come to be recognized as one of Alfred Hitchcock?s greatest
masterworks, and with good reason."
Reel Criticism: Vertigo
http://www.reelcriticism.com/ziggyrealm/reviews/vertigo.html
Critical acclaim built over the years, and "Vertigo" was rereleased in
1983. It went on to earn a respectable $27.29 million (adjusted),
which was more than ten times its cost.
Lee's Movie Info
http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/wbotitle.php?t=453
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Here are links to some interesting online articles that discuss why
certain movies are virtually "critic-proof," topping the box office
despite poor reviews.
This article focuses on "The Mummy Returns," which unearthed big bucks
even though most critics thought it was dead on arrival:
Cinemarati: MUMMY DEAREST: WHY SEQUELS ARE MONEY IN THE BANK
http://www.cinemarati.org/features/news051401.shtml
Andrew Lewis Conn describes various types of movies which enjoy
"critical immunity" in this review of the film "Happiness":
The Bad Review Happiness Deserves (Or The Tyranny of Critic-Proof Movies)
http://www.pthenovel.com/happiness.html
Here's a thought-provoking article in which the relevance of film
criticism is questioned, in view of the frequent success of "junk
movies":
Sydney Morning Herald: Hollywood versus the film critics
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/13/1039656215181.html
This forum discussion of "critic-proof" movies makes some interesting points:
The Film Forum: "Critic-Proof"
http://www.novogate.com/board/3322/Archives/09-23-2002/108919-1.html
This 39-page paper explores in great detail the complex relationship
between reviews and the box office:
Fuqua School of Business (Duke University): HOW CRITICAL ARE CRITICAL
REVIEWS? THE BOX OFFICE EFFECTS OF FILM CRITICS, STAR-POWER, AND
BUDGETS
http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~moorman/marketingstrategy/Basuroy.pdf
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Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "matrix revolutions" + "box office"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22matrix+revolutions%22+%22box+office
Google Web Search: "scary movie 3" + "box office"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22scary+movie+3%22+%22box+office
Google Web Search: "lost in space" + "box office"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22lost+in+space%22+%22box+office
Google Web Search: "cleopatra" + "box office"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22cleopatra%22+%22box+office
Google Web Search: "vertigo" + "box office"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22vertigo%22+%22box+office
Google Web Search: "critic-proof"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22critic-proof
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Thanks for a question that was genuinely fun to research! I hope this
info is helpful. If anything is unclear, or if a link doesn't
function, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further
assistance before you rate my answer.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
