It’s so true…many movies we’ve come to love and make classic were really box office flops in their day! You’re going to be shocked by some of these, I’m sure.
Orson Welles in Citizen Kane
1. CITIZEN KANE: Most often listed as the Number 1 top movie on many lists and the must-see handbook for aspiring film-makers and actors, this movie didn’t do much for Orson Welles career at the time. Initial reviews were favorable but much of the American public was shielded from them because Randolph Hearst, the newspaper mogul, blocked any mention of the movie, believing the character was based on him.
2. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: There wouldn’t be a holiday season if there weren’t a broadcast of this now-loved classic Christmas story. It’s hard to imagine a film watched so often by so many could have failed miserably in the theaters, but it did. The movie cost $3.18M to make and only grossed $3.3M.
3. BLADE RUNNER: With an opening weekend revenue of only $6M, things looked dim for this movie that cost $28M to make. It received mixed reviews, while viewers were awed by the imagery, they were alienated by the narrative. It probably would have been better if the studio had left Ridley Scott alone and kept his original vision instead of meddling with the final cut. The film resurfaced with a Director’s Cut in 1992 prompting critical reevaluation and huge home video sales.
4. RAGING BULL: A favorite of mine as I am in still in awe of Robert DeNiro who totally transformed his body to play the thuggish Jake LaMotta. It was nominated for 8 Oscars but tanked at the box office. It lacked the feel-good factor of ROCKY and alienated the viewers first by being shot in black and white which was exactly how it should have been done artistically and then there was the prevalent violence for 2 hours – most people go to the movies to relax and enjoy some form of escapism.
5. THE WIZARD OF OZ: Can you believe this movie actually lost money? It cost $2.7M to make and garnered $3M in its opening run. Viewers did not flock to see Judy Garland, a cute dog and a tornado in technicolor. However, over the years and many re-releases, the viewing of The Wizard of Oz has become an annual event in many of America’s households.
Shawshank Redemption
6. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: Tell the truth now, do you switch the channel when you see Shawshank Redemption playing? The film finally found its audience on TV. In 1994 when it was released, it was overwhelmed by PULP FICTION AND FORREST GUMP. It cost $25M to make and grossed $28M.
7. THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW:$ Budget-$1.4M. This one requires some explanation. Despite making next to nothing ($22,000) its opening weekend, the late night flick is actually the longest running movie in continuous theatrical release, attracting a cult of folks who dress up and shout along to the campy comedy with kick-ass songs. With ticket sales, and home movie availability, it has reportedly made over $365 million! Just like the movie itself, it’s financial success is in a category of its own.
8.THE FIGHT CLUB: Budgeted at $63M it grossed $37M. Maybe the first rule of Fight Club shouldn’t have been “Don’t talk about Fight Club.” David Fincher’s adaptation of the Chuck Palahniuk novel was the victim of a botched marketing campaign (or at least that’s what the studios are saying). It lived on through home video sales.
9. THE BIG LEBOWSKI: Happy to admit I’m part of the cult club that will watch The Big Lebowski whenever it is on TV. Not many box office bombs can claim such a cult following, an annual fan festival and religion! Released in 1998 during the immensely successful box office run of “Titanic,” the film starring Jeff Bridges, which cost $15 million to make, debuted to $5.5 million opening weekend. The film recieved mixed reviews with Variety calling it “hollow and without resonance” while others like Roger Ebert found it “weirdly engaging” like the Dude himself. The film eventually pulled in $17 million at theaters, but it wasn’t until years later fans used the internet and social media to re-evaluate the film and turn it into a cult sensation.
10. I’m leaving number 10 blank and giving you all some suggestions. What do you think was a great film but one didn’t make any money? Here are a few; The Fountain, Water World, Assination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, Ed Wood, Cleopatra, Heathers, Vertigo, Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, The Postman, The Hudsucker Proxy, Tron-The Legacy, Donny Darko, Once Upon A Time In America
OK guys it’s your hands, let’ s vote for number 10 – one of the above or one of your own.
Bill Ding and his band of clowns are the security patrol for this blog site. He is a favorite toy from the 50*s. By the way sometimes a blog is just an ego-maniacal stream of conscience.
Pbenjay's Blog 
The only 2 on that list that surprise me even a little bit are Fight Club & The Big Lebowski, which I haven’t seen, However, I have a hunch it’s a movie that would appeal to the target movie demographic, stoned teenagers.
And that’s the problem. Anything that is too complicated, too subtle, too “thinky” to be easily marketed to wasted teenagers who aren’t that bright while fully sober is up against it. Anything that requires even a tiny bit of patience, intelligence, or desire to see the screen reflect anything approaching reality is box office poison. Even most high-end movie channels rarely show any movies on this list or your list of “Movies You’ll Only See Once”. It’s actually a bit of a miracle these films were allowed to prove themselves over time. Most never get the chance.
Stupidity sells.
I never saw The Fight Club – it did appear on several lists of movies that did not do well in the box office but were deemed great and over time proved themselves to be judged on their merit and not their box office revenues. I have seen the Big Lebowski several times and as you may have guessed, I’m not a teenager and I’m not stoned! The Big Lebowski was written and directed by the Coen Brothers whose success and talent are not to be taken lightly. Their list of finely-crafted, superb movies include such gems as FARGO, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT, INSIDE LEWLYN DAVIS and OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU. I highly recommend you view it. It is,in a way, tongue in cheek, like Pulp Fiction without violence.
I neglected to mention that the opportunity for me to watch many of these films is further reduced by the fact that I NEVER watch movies on American TV. (HBO is not TV) They are so censored it’s laughably pointless and highly insulting. (favourite example: the drug & swearing free 1hr TV version of Dazed & Confused)
That is, heavily censored except for the violence. Somehow in 2014, boobs & swearing are still considered too anti-family and too anti-American for TV, even after midnight. But violence is as all-American as it gets! You can now slit somebody’s neck open and have them gushing blood at 8PM. You just have to bleep out their dying words.
Anyway, Fight Club is on censored TV quite often. Uncensored, the movie is far better than I imagined when it first came out. One would think it’s just a fictionalized version of the kind of ultimate fighting macho bullshit you see on almost every cable channel today. But it’s actually interesting and raises some questions about “manliness” in modern society.
(Spoiler Alert! Men be fucking crazy and luvs them the violence.)