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Wkd BO 8•04-06•17 - Man in Black kidnaps #1, Dun' not done son, Woman nears $400m DOM

Slayven

Member
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I was looking up old Tom Cruise box office numbers for this discussion of star power, and learned that Rain Man was the #1 movie of 1988, grossing 184 million dollars. Adjusted for inflation that is like 380 million in 2017. A movie about an autistic guy hanging out with his slimy brother outgrossed most Marvel films, all DC films and a couple of the Star Wars prequels. Damn.

If you go way back, there are some weird monsters.

Harrison Ford did Raiders of the Lost Ark, which made $389 million worldwide. Air Force One made $315 million worldwide

Eddie "God of the 80s" Murphy made Beverly Hills Cop, which made $234 million.

Dustin Hoffman did Tootsie in 1982, which made $177 million. TOOTSIE!


HOW?
 
Adjusting for inflation is horseshit, though.

Although the box office top 10s (in the context of their era) of earlier years is always fascinating.

I'm putting together the "Best of 1981" episode of 80s All Over this week, and the #2 at the BO for 1981 was On Golden Pond. It was $100mil behind Raiders of the Lost Ark, yeah, but it still cleared $100mil domestic that year AND won a bunch of awards AND beat Superman II by over $10mil. It lost Best Picture to Chariots of Fire - which was $58mil and good enough for #7 at the box office - just under the fuckin' CANNONBALL RUN.

America in the early 80s was a weird place.

You had Driving Miss Daisy clear over 100mil domestic in 1989.
 
Tootsie was a monster.

80/81/82 was a really interesting period in mainstream film where it felt like, despite obvious, easy mistakes being made by well-meaning writers/directors, a real sense of progress in pop culture was on the verge of exploding, with very liberal ideas and concepts about to get mainstreamed in a big way.

And then Reagan asserted himself, and most of that shit got real quiet for most of the rest of the decade.
 

Famassu

Member
I still liked the movie.



LOL Maybe, but I still feel that way, although I wish there was a better term (there probably is and i just don't know it). However I remember rolling my eyes when Rey picked up the lightsaber for the first time and successfully defeated Kylo Ren with no training.
Wasn't Kylo Ren holding back? He didn't want to kill Rey. In comparison Rey was angry as fuck
 
Tootsie isn't remembered for this really, but Bill Murray made a pretty big impression in that film. Granted, he really blew up with Stripes the year previous, but his turn in Tootsie was what convinced a lot of people in Hollywood that he could do more than just smirk and smartass.

I believe it also helped rehab Jessica Lange's reputation as an actress, too.
 

Random Human

They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
According to every screenwriting book I've read so far, Tootsie is the greatest movie of all time.

Tootsie is great.

Tootsie isn't remembered for this really, but Bill Murray made a pretty big impression in that film. Granted, he really blew up with Stripes the year previous, but his turn in Tootsie was what convinced a lot of people in Hollywood that he could do more than just smirk and smartass.

Oh yeah, he's good in that.
 

kswiston

Member
Earlier today, I thought that this would be the week where we drop back under that 1k post mark, but maybe not. Thanks Denzel!

So now that the Summer BO season is more or less over, how about we go back and look at this thread?

Man, did we all not expect that Transformers drop. I feel good about getting the top 2 WW correct, though (me and kswis were the only 2 people to do so, I think). And even ignoring the unexpected success of Wonder Woman, the domestic predictions are kind of all over the place with a lot of misses.

I think that I did well enough with my predictions to not embarrass myself.

Here's what I said:

Domestic
1) Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2
2) Spider-Man: Homecoming
3) Despicable Me 3
4) Wonder Woman
5) War for the Planet of the Apes

I am happy with my #1 picks in both. I could flip #2 and #3 on the domestic list. The bottom of that list is also sort of guesswork. I might be underestimating Pirates and Transformers, and overestimating Apes for instance.

I underestimated Wonder Woman, like most of GAF, but I at least had the film ranking fairly high. My top 4 is at least the out-of-order top 4, and If you flop Wonder Woman from #4 to #1, the rest of that ordering was correct. That said, I did think that DM3 would be closer to Spider-Man. I think I had Wonder Woman in that $225-250M range when I made my picks.

I did end up overestimating Apes, but Apes is still going to end up #7. So not way off. Dunkirk should edge out Pirates 5 for the #5 slot.


Worldwide
1) Despicable Me 3
2) Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2
3) Transformers: The Last Knight
4) Spider-Man: Homecoming
5) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales


The worldwide list is so China dependent that I could be completely wrong. I do think that DM3 will come out ahead. Transformers could be #2 or #4. Ditto for Spider-man. I think that #2-4 will be close. #5 was between a handful of films, but I went with Pirates, since I think that one has the best shot at $700M+


I am going to have to go with Valerian as the summer flop, but I wouldn't mind being wrong.

Again Wonder Woman messes my worldwide picks up. I was also way too optimistic with Transformers. Taking out Transformers, I probably had the other 4 in the correct order (though China could still push Homecoming slightly over GOTG2 with a strong enough gross). Wonder Woman will likely finish at #4. Transfomers 5 will be #6.

Assuming that we aren't counting Wolf Warrior 2 of course :p
 

Bronx-Man

Banned
Tootsie was a monster.

80/81/82 was a really interesting period in mainstream film where it felt like, despite obvious, easy mistakes being made by well-meaning writers/directors, a real sense of progress in pop culture was on the verge of exploding, with very liberal ideas and concepts about to get mainstreamed in a big way.

And then Reagan asserted himself, and most of that shit got real quiet for most of the rest of the decade.
The 80s gave us shit like Transformers, He-Man, and GI Joe. All the stuff that 40 year old basement dwellers still won't shut up about in 2017.

Fuck the 80s.

Now if you'll excuse me I have a massive catalog of Vanilla Ice, ECW, and Crash Bandicoot to go through.
 

border

Member
I'm putting together the "Best of 1981" episode of 80s All Over this week, and the #2 at the BO for 1981 was On Golden Pond. It was $100mil behind Raiders of the Lost Ark, yeah, but it still cleared $100mil domestic that year AND won a bunch of awards AND beat Superman II by over $10mil. It lost Best Picture to Chariots of Fire - which was $58mil and good enough for #7 at the box office - just under the fuckin' CANNONBALL RUN.

Yeah, I get that comparing films that are decades apart is kind of impossible to to do in a really fair way.

But even comparing it to comtemporaries, Rain Man was bigger than Who Frame Roger Rabbit and only about 10M behind Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Looking at the list of other #1 films since then, it's probably the last #1 movie that wasn't a major cultural touchstone that is still remembered to this day.
 
Why is no one talking about Kidnap's long journey to the silver screen?

I think had it came out when it was supposed to 2 years back, it would've made more on opening weekend. Honestly i think 10 mil wasn't too bad for it given the situation. I know The Call blew away everybody's expectations with how well it did.
 
According to every screenwriting book I've read so far, Tootsie is the greatest movie of all time.

I wouldn't go that far, but it's a very good movie with a bunch of great actors.

But look what it beat! Just on concept alone.

Rocky III, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 48 Hours, Poltergeist, First Blood, Annie, Gandhi, Conan, The Dark Crystal, Blade Runner, TronFast Times at Ridgemont High.

Seriously. Crazy year. And it only missed the #1 spot because Spielberg killed everyone with E.T.

Why is no one talking about Kidnap's long journey to the silver screen?

The best thing Halle Berry will do this year is trying to look not hot in Kingsman 2.
 
Yeah, I get that comparing films that are decades apart is kind of impossible to to do in a really fair way.

But even comparing it to comtemporaries, Rain Man was bigger than Who Frame Roger Rabbit and only about 10M behind Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Looking at the list of other #1 films since then, it's probably the last #1 movie that wasn't a major cultural touchstone that is still remembered to this day.

Yeah, I think using the context of the year is a better way to highlight the remarkable nature of its BO take. Like, adjusting for inflation is just a bunch of fuzzy math and made-up numbers. Saying it got within 10mil of Last Crusade and beat Roger Rabbit? That seems a little more tangible to me.

I think Rain Man made a definite pop culture impact. I don't know that it's an overall GOOD one, considering. Even at the time I remember it being sorta 50/50 as to whether it was helping or hurting the public perception of autism, and ever since it's become more or less a punchline, but it's definitely become shorthand, culturally.

But look what it beat! Just on concept alone.

Rocky III, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 48 Hours, Poltergeist, First Blood, Annie, Gandhi, Conan, The Dark Crystal, Blade Runner, TronFast Times at Ridgemont High.

Seriously. Crazy year. And it only missed the #1 spot because Spielberg killed everyone with E.T.

Yeah, the fact it got #2 in the stacked MONSTER of a year that was 1982 really does say something.
 

Bronx-Man

Banned
I don't get why they didn't just make the new Ghostbusters a sequel with a new cast. Star Wars did it, Jurassic World did it, both did gangbusters.
 

Random Human

They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
Bringing most of the original cast back but in stupid cameo roles was dumb as hell

This is honestly one of the weirdest ideas in a big modern movie. It's like if Harrison Ford showed up in Force Awakens playing some random guy who isn't Han Solo.
 

border

Member
I think Rain Man made a definite pop culture impact. I don't know that it's an overall GOOD one, considering. Even at the time I remember it being sorta 50/50 as to whether it was helping or hurting the public perception of autism, and ever since it's become more or less a punchline, but it's definitely become shorthand, culturally.

Rain Man is relevant enough to probably warrant a "Judge Wopner" joke on Family Guy, but beyond that it feels mostly forgotten. Every #1 that came after had a much broader impact. Aladdin, Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Toy Story, Independence Day, Shrek, Dark Knight, etc. American Sniper is the only other #1 that could be considered mostly a straightforward drama.
 

Famassu

Member
I didn't get that sense that he was holding back, but I only watched the film once.
I mean, Kylo Ren offers to be her teacher & shows hints of knowing/understanding something about Rey she doesn't know/understand of herself + Kylo Ren was wounded pretty badly by Chewbacca's weapon that does heavy damage

And don't forget Rey isn't a total n00bzie when it comes to melee combat. She'd been living on that planet alone & defending herself for a very long time (her melee prowess even being shown in the movie fairly early on).

It's really not all that outlandish that she won. Kylo Ren wasn't fighting at full capacity (badly wounded + he showed intent of not wanting to kill her) and Rey's no clueless farmboy like Luke was at the beginning of ANH + she was angry.
 

Bilix

Member
I'm still salty I didn't get to see Baby Driver. My local theater dropped it before it's 3rd or 4th weekend.
 
Rain Man is relevant enough to probably warrant a "Judge Wopner" joke on Family Guy, but beyond that it feels mostly forgotten. Every #1 that came after had a much broader impact. Aladdin, Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Toy Story, Independence Day, Shrek, Dark Knight, etc. American Sniper is the only other #1 that could be considered mostly a straightforward drama.

The previous years' number one was Three Men and a Baby, which I think is worse from a cultural standpoint.

Does anyone remember that film? And it beat some real classics: Fatal Attraction, Beverly Hills Cop II, Good Morning, Vietnam, The Untouchables, The Secret of My Success, Lethal Weapon, Dirty Dancing, Predator, Robocop.

I mean, I know why:


But far, far worse.
 

border

Member
I don't get why they didn't just make the new Ghostbusters a sequel with a new cast. Star Wars did it, Jurassic World did it, both did gangbusters.

Ghostbusters is not Star Wars or Jurassic Park though. The moment Sony decided to spend 140M on a comedy, the project was doomed. I don't think a reboot or a true sequel would have met the lofty expectations of the budget.
 

3N16MA

Banned
I mean, Kylo Ren offers to be her teacher & shows hints of knowing/understanding something about Rey she doesn't know/understand of herself + Kylo Ren was wounded pretty badly by Chewbacca's weapon that does heavy damage

And don't forget Rey isn't a total n00bzie when it comes to melee combat. She'd been living on that planet alone & defending herself for a very long time (her melee prowess even being shown in the movie fairly early on).

It's really not all that outlandish that she won. Kylo Ren wasn't fighting at full capacity (badly wounded + he showed intent of not wanting to kill her) and Rey's no clueless farmboy like Luke was at the beginning of ANH + she was angry.

The film made more than one reference to just how powerful the bowcaster is. Probably done with intent.
 
The previous years' number one was Three Men and a Baby, which I think is worse from a cultural standpoint.

Does anyone remember that film? And it beat some real classics: Fatal Attraction, Beverly Hills Cop II, Good Morning, Vietnam, The Untouchables, The Secret of My Success, Lethal Weapon, Dirty Dancing, Predator, Robocop.

I mean, I know why:



But far, far worse.

Yeah, I remember those films because you also had the Look Who's Talking film that was the #4 highest grossing film in 1989 with 140 million. It beat films like Back to the Future 2, Ghostbusters 2, Dead Poets Society, When Harry met Sally, The Little Mermaid, Field of Dreams, etc...

Babies were in.
 

border

Member
The previous years' number one was Three Men and a Baby, which I think is worse from a cultural standpoint.

That movie had a real life mothingfuckin' ghost in it. It will never be forgotten. That shit was chilling.

But yeah, it's not like Rain Man was the hallmark of a bygone era where serious dramas shot to the top of the box office. All the #1 movies before it were popcorn fodder (Star Wars, ET, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Top Gun). Even in 1988, all the other top-grossing films were comedies or genre films. In some sense that makes Rain Man an even more interesting anomaly, though.
 
I mean, Kylo Ren offers to be her teacher & shows hints of knowing/understanding something about Rey she doesn't know/understand of herself + Kylo Ren was wounded pretty badly by Chewbacca's weapon that does heavy damage

And don't forget Rey isn't a total n00bzie when it comes to melee combat. She'd been living on that planet alone & defending herself for a very long time (her melee prowess even being shown in the movie fairly early on).

It's really not all that outlandish that she won. Kylo Ren wasn't fighting at full capacity (badly wounded + he showed intent of not wanting to kill her) and Rey's no clueless farmboy like Luke was at the beginning of ANH + she was angry.

Perhaps you're right, I need to rewatch it. However from a first viewing within the context of the film, it seemed she was perfect at everything.
 
Ghostbusters is not Star Wars or Jurassic Park though. The moment Sony decided to spend 140M on a comedy, the project was doomed. I don't think a reboot or a true sequel would have met the lofty expectations of the budget.

Yeah, Ghotsbusters as a $70 million dollar comedy probably does very close to the same numbers, and ends up as some level of success instead of a failure. But they tried to play closer to the action part of "action-comedy" than the comedy part and it blew up in their faces.
 
Yeah, Ghotsbusters as a $70 million dollar comedy probably does very close to the same numbers, and ends up as some level of success instead of a failure. But they tried to play closer to the action part of "action-comedy" than the comedy part and it blew up in their faces.

No different than Oprah contributing to the 80 million budget for a post slavery Horror Drama film with Beloved in the late 90's. What the fuck were they thinking how big the audience would be to justify a budget that high?
 

kswiston

Member
Yeah, I remember those films because you also had the Look Who's Talking film that was the #4 highest grossing film in 1989 with 140 million. It beat films like Back to the Future 2, Ghostbusters 2, Dead Poets Society, When Harry met Sally, The Little Mermaid, Field of Dreams, etc...

Babies were in.

I wonder how much of that was coming from the fact that people over 40 actually went to the movies in the 80s. Discounting animation, The 2017 version of Look Who's Talking is a meme that your aunt posts on facebook.
 
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