UNJUST DESERTS
I don’t know why Titan A.E. failed at the box office, but it gained a small cult following that endures to this day. I wonder which other movies failed to make their money back even though they thoroughly deserved it.
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
One thing to remember about the US box office is that they measure success by their local takings — in this case a limp $16m against a $25m budget — but the international earnings made up for it, as did the legs the film showed afterwards on home release and in the rental system. It’s odd that a film some consider to be one of the best ever received such a lukewarm reception in cinemas.
CITIZEN KANE (1941)
This important film was critically acclaimed. The reason for its failure during its initial release is alleged by some to be that the newspaper magnate William Hearst, on whom the film is partially based, refused to endorse it or allow it to be mentioned in any of his publications — prompting many theatres to also deny it screenings. Over the decades, however, influential filmmakers praised it, leading to an eventual re-release with a much more fitting box-office performance.
FIGHT CLUB (1999)
This is the movie that finally made me remember Edward Norton’s name. It’s a great cult classic with a superb twist ending — which you’ll go to hell for if you spoil for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Unfortunately, it didn’t do too well at cinemas, most likely due to misguided marketing and some movie critics turning their noses up at it. However, the cult following after the home release refilled the studio’s coffers.
BLADE RUNNER (1982)
Every cerebral sci-fi film out there wants to be the new Blade Runner – though they seem to forget in order for that to happen they need to be misunderstood at the time of their release and have so many versions that fans will never stop arguing about the plot. In the mid 2000s, I found a DVD box collection that was heavy enough to bludgeon someone to death with and contained five versions, including one with “never before released footage”. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford it. Sources on its initial box-office earnings are vague, but they all agree it was disappointing. Fortunately the huge cult following enabled the studio to release new home versions for decades.