10 Incredible Films That Bombed At The Box Office
These movies deserved much better.
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00:00 There is a tendency to believe that low-grossing films must be boring,
00:04 unrelatable, or poorly made. The revenue a movie generates is often a good indicator
00:08 of its quality, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Remarkable films sometimes struggle
00:14 to draw a crowd during their theatrical run, and there are plenty of reasons for why this can
00:18 occur. Sometimes marketing campaigns are simply uninteresting, or bad press can arise due to
00:23 controversy. Any number of issues could all contribute to poor turnout. Regardless of the
00:28 cause, failure to gather a large audience often comes as a bit of a shock. After all,
00:33 producers only pour money into projects that they have reason to believe will generate high returns.
00:39 Low box office numbers are disappointing, but they do not determine whether a movie is poor
00:43 or great. Some of the most well-respected motion pictures in history didn't receive recognition
00:49 until well after they exited theatres. Normally, it's a good thing for a movie to be ahead of its
00:54 time, but once in a while, a film is too far ahead for it to resonate with audiences.
00:59 Even though well-crafted features sometimes underperform financially,
01:03 they prove their greatness when cinema lovers continue engaging with them years later.
01:08 And so, with that in mind, I'm Ellie with What Culture Here, with 10 incredible films that
01:13 bombed out the box office. Number 10. The assassination of Jesse James by the coward
01:18 Robert Ford. Production budget was $30 million, but the box office earnings were $15 million.
01:24 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an excellent western film. It
01:30 follows the uneasy connection between Jesse James, the famed outlaw, and Robert Ford,
01:34 a man who idolises him and is desperate to join his gang. As the story progresses,
01:39 things don't happen as Ford imagined they would. He grows resentful of James,
01:42 leading to increasingly tense moments throughout the movie. It presents a fascinating look inside
01:48 late 19th century gang life. The substance of a film is important, but marketability is key when
01:54 it comes to drawing a large audience. Among the biggest problems for this motion picture
01:58 was its long runtime and difficult title. The movie clocks in at roughly 160 minutes,
02:04 which demands a lot of attention from viewers. Its title is unique and attention-grabbing,
02:09 but for all the wrong reasons. Moviegoers are typically attracted to short, snappy titles
02:13 that generate intrigue. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is neither short
02:19 nor intriguing, but instead spells out exactly what will happen between the two titular characters.
02:24 Despite the overly long title and runtime, this feature contains tremendous performances from Brad
02:29 Pitt and Casey Affleck. Also noteworthy is the picturesque and imaginative cinematography.
02:34 The director of photography, Roger Deakins, adjusted antique lenses to create a unique
02:39 look reminiscent of photographs taken during the late 1890s. These aspects have all been
02:44 deeply appreciated in the years since the movie's release, and rightfully so.
02:48 9. The Road The production budget was $25 million,
02:52 the box office earnings were $28 million. Audiences love going to movies to escape reality.
02:59 It is what many motion pictures offer people the chance to do, but The Road doesn't provide that
03:04 option. Instead, it paints a picture of a potential future reality that is bleak and depressing.
03:09 Adapted from Cormac McCarthy's bestselling novel, the story explores the relationship
03:14 between a father and son as they navigate a dangerous post-apocalyptic world. It is
03:18 full of both tender moments and frightening sequences. Viggo Mortensen is deeply compelling
03:23 as a tired yet dutiful father in a hopeless world. The atmosphere throughout the film is dramatic and
03:29 captivating, particularly in terms of visuals. The colour tones are dull, but that adds to the
03:33 haunting beauty of the cinematography. Despite everything the movie had going for it, audiences
03:38 weren't too keen to see it in theatres. The lack of feel-good vibes or traditional action is often
03:43 blamed for the poor turnout in cinemas. It's too bad, because this film has a lot to offer.
03:49 8. Zodiac The production budget was $65 million,
03:53 and the box office earnings were $84.7 million. The longer a movie is, the more difficult it
04:00 becomes to convince viewers to sit through it. Zodiac is over two and a half hours long,
04:04 and is deadly serious all throughout. The story is centred on the amateur detective work of Robert
04:10 Graysmith, a newspaper cartoonist who is obsessed with finding the Zodiac killer. It is a mentally
04:15 taxing movie to watch, but it pays off for those who sit through all of it. Unfortunately,
04:20 not enough people were willing to make that bargain during its theatrical run.
04:23 Apart from the long runtime, the lack of action sequences dulled interest in the picture. Despite
04:28 disappointing financial returns, Zodiac remains a fantastic slow-burn crime drama.
04:33 Jake Gyllenhaal leads the film alongside Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. The performances
04:38 by Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo are exceptional. Both actors disappear into their roles entirely,
04:43 making it easy for viewers to get sucked into the story. The eerie and mysterious tone of the movie
04:48 is deeply captivating, and it further solidified David Fincher's standing as a visionary director
04:54 with nuanced storytelling capabilities.
04:56 Number 7 - Blade Runner 2049
04:59 The production budget was $150 million, with a box office earnings of $259 million.
05:05 Blade Runner 2049 is an extraordinary motion picture, and one of the greatest sequels ever
05:11 produced. It tells the story of K, a replicant Blade Runner who discovers a life-changing secret
05:17 during one of his assignments. What follows is a search for answers that could change the fabric
05:21 of society. It may not seem like Blade Runner 2049 flopped at the box office based on the numbers
05:27 that we just mentioned, but producers said the movie needed to make about $400 million to break
05:32 even. It fell well shy of that, mostly due to slow pacing, a complex theme, and long run time.
05:38 Ridley Scott stated that he would have cut half an hour of the film. Now, that may have increased
05:43 Blade Runner 2049's earnings, but it would have damaged its reputation in the long run because
05:47 it's near perfect as it is. It is disappointing that A-listers Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford
05:53 were not a big enough draw for general moviegoers. They display some remarkable acting, as do all
05:58 members of the supporting cast. Denis Villeneuve's expert direction received plenty of critical
06:03 approval, but the same cannot be said commercially. Despite its relatively low gross, Blade Runner
06:08 2049 features stunning cinematography, incredible visual effects, and a compelling story. The box
06:14 office performance was forgettable, but the film itself is anything but.
06:18 Number 6 - Children of Men The production budget was $76 million,
06:23 but the box office earnings were only $70.5 million. The premise of Children of Men is both
06:29 horrifying and fascinating. Humanity has somehow lost the ability to reproduce. The world devolves
06:35 into chaos, and there doesn't seem to be much hope. However, there is a group that is determined
06:39 to cure human infertility, but their mission has little chance of success. Children of Men is a
06:44 heavy film that is difficult to watch, but it is undeniably powerful due to the high stakes.
06:50 Beyond that, the cinematography is often handheld and puts viewers right alongside the characters,
06:55 making it feel that much more real. Clive Owen stars in the movie and does a stellar job. He
07:00 is supported by Julianne Moore and Michael Caine, who also give strong performances.
07:04 Director Alfonso Cuaron puts his talents on full display, masterfully riding the line between hope
07:10 and despair all throughout the picture. Sadly, these contributions went largely unnoticed,
07:15 as the difficult subject matter didn't invite casual moviegoers to make the trip to the cinema.
07:20 Even though the box office numbers were less than impressive, that hasn't stopped this feature from
07:24 being recognised as a remarkable achievement. Number 5 - Citizen Kane
07:29 The production budget was $840,000, and the box office earnings were $1.6 million.
07:36 Citizen Kane is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. It tells the story of
07:42 a reporter who searches for the meaning of the final word uttered by Charles Foster Kane,
07:47 a wealthy newspaper publisher. The movie was entirely unique at the time it was released.
07:51 The filmmakers used new methods of lighting and employed camera techniques that had not
07:56 been seen before. Even the story structure was vastly different from other motion pictures of
08:00 its day. The very landscape and language of cinema was changed after its release.
08:05 Orson Welles both directed and starred in the film. He was outstanding in both positions.
08:10 Critics loved the picture, but average cinema goers hadn't quite developed a taste for Welles'
08:15 style while it was playing in the theatres. It may have been a financial failure, but its
08:19 lasting impact on the entertainment industry cannot be denied. The way in which the story
08:24 was told, from script to cinematography to acting methods, have been replicated and built upon ever
08:30 since Citizen Kane was put out into the world. It's a timeless classic, and the box office means
08:35 nothing to it now. Number 4 - The Shawshank Redemption
08:39 The production budget was $25 million, but the box office earnings were only $16 million.
08:44 The Shawshank Redemption follows the life of Andy Dufresne, a banker convicted for the crime of
08:50 murdering his wife. He spends years in prison and during that time forms some friendships and also
08:55 makes a few enemies. The film is considered a classic and is loved by many, but it wasn't
09:00 appreciated by the masses at first. It failed to earn back its production budget during its initial
09:05 theatrical run. Re-releases brought in a lot more money, but that did little to dull the sting of
09:10 the original lack of returns. Tim Robbins is an amazing actor, but he has never been the biggest
09:16 of stars. His name didn't do much to encourage cinema fans to head to theatres. Morgan Freeman
09:21 was more marketable, but the bleak tone of the advertising campaign and long runtime turned
09:26 many people away. The studio also elected to make no mention of Stephen King, the writer of the
09:31 novella the movie is based on. Things may have gone differently if they had. In the years since
09:36 the picture was first released, it has been admired for its stunning visuals, engaging dialogue,
09:41 strong performances, and powerful soundtrack. Number 3 - Phantom Thread
09:46 The production budget was $35 million, and the box office earnings were $48 million.
09:51 Daniel Day-Lewis had a magnificent acting career. He was known to put everything he had into his
09:57 performances. However, the decision to have his final film be about a dressmaker didn't enthuse
10:02 many people, even though it was directed by the highly respected Paul Thomas Anderson.
10:07 Phantom Thread is a romance film that also delves deeply into the topic of obsession. It is focused
10:12 more on characters than it is on story, which made it difficult for many people to engage with.
10:17 The movie is not nearly as dull as it sounds, though. Lewis is brilliant, as always, and Vicky
10:22 Creeps matches his intensity in her role as Reynolds Woodcock's love interest. Leslie Manville
10:28 is also remarkable as Reynolds' sister and business partner. The cinematography and the
10:32 tone of the story are both beautiful and elegant. Phantom Thread is a wonderfully emotional motion
10:38 picture that many people sadly miss during its time in theatres, but that doesn't mean
10:42 its impact can't stretch into the future.
10:44 Number 2. Jarhead. The production budget was $72 million, and the box office earnings were $97
10:51 million. Americans do not like to have their military criticized in any respect, but Jarhead
10:57 is quite merciless in its depiction of the sometimes futile work of the US military.
11:02 The movie centers on a young Marine who struggles to find purpose in his service. He goes through
11:07 much of his training and duty with the realization that it was a waste of time and wasn't what he
11:12 thought it would be. The decision to release this film just a few short years after the September
11:16 11 attacks was a bold one. Despite the controversy, Sam Mendes did an impressive job of directing.
11:22 He excellently conveys the boredom of the Marines without making things dull for the audience.
11:26 Acting is another highlight of this motion picture. The performances from Jake Gyllenhaal,
11:31 Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, and others are incredibly powerful and authentic.
11:35 Jarhead is a visual masterpiece as well. The cinematography is gorgeous in each and every
11:40 scene. Film fans have warmed up to this feature over the years, but it may have been released
11:45 too soon to make a real impact in theatres. 1. Silence
11:50 The production budget was $46 million, but the box office earnings were only $24 million.
11:55 Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors to ever live, but even he is not immune to a box
12:01 office flop. Silence was a passion project of his, one he had wanted to make for many years.
12:06 Unfortunately, not a lot of people were as eager about the movie as he was. The story centres on
12:11 two Jesuit priests in 17th century Japan. Both of them struggle to lead newly converted Christians
12:17 in their faith, which has been made illegal. The setting is rather depressing, which made
12:21 it less inviting for casual moviegoers to engage with. The long runtime didn't help matters either.
12:26 Few people elected to make the trip to see this motion picture in the cinema,
12:30 which is a shame because it is full of breathtaking cinematography and
12:33 heartbreaking performances. Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson are all tremendous
12:38 in their roles. They clearly convey the spiritual anguish of the priests they play. Even though the
12:43 film didn't build much traction during its theatrical run, it has only gained recognition
12:47 and praise since then. And that concludes our list. If you think we missed any,
12:51 then do let us know in the comments below and while you're there, don't forget to like and
12:54 subscribe and tap that notification bell. Also, head over to Twitter and follow us there,
12:58 and I can be found across various social medias just by searching Ellie Littlechild.
13:02 I've been Ellie with WhatCulture, I hope you have a magical day and I'll see you real soon.