Have you found yourself enjoying movies that didn't do well in theaters? You've got company. Someone online recently asked, “What movie bombed at the box office but was good?” The internet responded to deliver these top-voted answers of box office flops that are actually pretty great.
1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
One commenter answered, “It's a Wonderful Life is probably the most prominent example. It was an absolute flop at the box office. It almost killed the studio that made it. At one point, there was some debate about ownership, and nobody wanted it, so TV networks could air it without paying anyone. That's when it started showing on TV around Christmas, and it became one of the best Christmas movies of all time.”
2. The Princess Bride (1987)
“This is a blessing in disguise, as they never felt the need to make a Princess Bride 2 and retroactively ruin it,” said one commenter.
Another stated, “They didn't know how to market it. Is it a fantasy film? Is it an action film? Is it a comedy? Is it for kids? All the reasons it became a classic are the same reasons they couldn't get people into the theaters to see it.”
3. Clue (1985)
ThePirateBee noted, “This is partly because of how they marketed- instead of the film playing three endings airing one after another, they released three separate cuts, each with its conclusion. The schtick was that you wouldn't know which end you would see and could see it multiple times to try to see the other endings. But, unfortunately, audiences didn't find that prospect appealing.”
4. Matilda (1996)
Redqueenhypo said, “Absolute 10/10 movie. Danny Devito as the dad was a superb casting choice.”
“I loved the original Roald Dahl story as a kid, so I hated the movie when it came out. I was too young to understand adaptations. But, looking back on it, it is an entertaining and charming kid's movie, even if it has little to do with the book.”
5. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Hamilton_Spector replied, “It was nominated for ten Academy Awards and was critically acclaimed, with a great cast. There were plans for a sequel, which never materialized in part due to the poor box office showing.
And why didn't those ten nominations turn into awards? Because unfortunately for M&C, it had the misfortune of competing for them with Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which neatly won 11 awards that year. Some serious bad luck and poor timing are why so many people have never heard of this masterpiece.”
6. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
One user stated, “Shawshank Redemption notoriously bombed at the box office and went on to receive critical acclaim.” Others discussed it being “A monster year for film.”
Finally, a third commenter agreed, “Seriously. Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, The Lion King, Clerks, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Ace Ventura, True Lies, Natural Born Killers, The Crow, Speed, Ed Wood. 1994 was insane.”
7. Office Space (1999)
Linzcro confessed, “I was of working age when this masterpiece came out, but I recently watched again as a 40-something, and I can tell you that it's even more relevant to me than it was back in the day. It's almost so accurate that it depressed me, lol.”
“Yeah, the longer I work in an office, the more I relate to Milton,” said a second commenter.
Finally, a third commenter joked, “You either retire young or work long enough to see yourself become the Milton.” This line, of course, is a clever play on Harvey Dent's line from The Dark Knight.
8. Tremors (1990)
Ameboid admitted, “I saw Tremors late at night, probably in the USA, during a stretch of insomnia. It was far better than it had any right to be.” Many others agreed with the sentiment.
Another user shared, “So when we watched this as a family and introduced our kids to it, at the scene where the car gets sucked into the ground with the generator running, and the power goes out, a transformer blew in our neighborhood simultaneously and caused our homes power to go out. My kids LOST their minds while their dad and I were rolling.”
9. The Thing (1982)
PianoManGidley exclaimed, “One of my all-time favorite horror movies! I understand it's regularly taught in film schools, not just for the practical effects but for the paranoia central to the story. You never knew, even at the very end, who was genuinely human and who was an imitation.”
“One of the prime examples of why CGI isn't needed to make a good horror film,” added a second commenter.
10. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Justmoochin gave the number one voted response. “For the Classic film it is, the 1971 Willy Wonka film didn't do well at the box office and earned lower than the budget was for it.”
Many people acknowledged their affinity for Gene Wilder's performance over Johnny Depps in the 2005 remake. TheDrunkScientist stated, “Gene Wilder is the one true Wonka.” Also, no one credited the legendary Michael Scott‘s Willy Wonka from The Office.
What do you think? Did Reddit get it right, or do you agree with the box office failings of these films?
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Featured Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.