Just had a look at the highest grossing films of all time:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films

I’ve seen most of them, only a few on the big screen, it strikes me many are:

1. Aimed at children/teens – the newest market.
2. Heavily marketed.
3. Modern.
4. Shite.

Is that a cake?

1. Aimed at children/teens – the newest market.
2. Heavily marketed.
3. Modern.
4. Shite.

1. They go to the cinema and it sells tickets.

2. It sells tickets

3. Are the index linked?

4. Some are yes.

Not sure whether you like Kermode or not Al, but in one of his books from a few years ago, he does a chapter about how heavily marketed films can hardly even fail, and even if they’re not exactly a smash at the box-office, there’s a machine behind them that keeps throwing money until profit is made. It’s bloody depressing.

People in doing things for money shocker.

1. Aimed at children/teens – the newest market.
2. Heavily marketed.
3. Modern.
4. Shite.

This could be a set of criteria for music, food, sports, video games, hair salons, shoes, well… anything really.

Drac, 3: yes.

DD – I do and I’ll look for that.

Bez – Member
People in doing things for money shocker.

“Whoosh”

Id gone to the list after looking up Dr Zchivago (sp) which was at one time no. 8. The current list just depressed me.

Now Kasabian are apparently amazing at Glasto.

I guess I’m just old.

In answer to your question, yes.

3. Modern.

Inflation effects – correct for inflation and it might be different.

I guess I’m just old.

I know cheerful old people…

were you on the list?

jonba – Member
3. Modern.
Inflation effects – correct for inflation and it might be different

Reread the thread please.

Jam bo – good on you. Not like you to point score.

How about a different list then.

Top 250 Movies

What do I win?

If you skip down the page to the list adjusted for inflation it paints a different picture:

1 Gone with the Wind $3,301,400,000 1939
2 Avatar $2,782,300,000 2009
3 Star Wars $2,710,800,000 1977
4 Titanic $2,413,800,000T 1997
5 The Sound of Music $2,269,800,000 1965
6 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial $2,216,800,000 1982
7 The Ten Commandments $2,098,600,000 1956
8 Doctor Zhivago $1,988,600,000 1965
9 Jaws $1,945,100,000 1975
10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs $1,746,100,000 1937

Drac, 3: yes.

Are you sure?

While inflation has eroded away the achievements of most films from the 1960s and 1970s,

well, I only watch films that are i) foriegn, ii) black and white, iii) convoluted and iv) end suddenly after four hours because they ran out of money.

I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to see most of the inflation adjusted list really.

The big grossing stuff is just that, mass appeal which these days is increasingly bland as in all honesty most of the public seem incredibly simple and need everything explained to them three times (and maybe with another voice over before asking a friend) The fact that endings get test screened annoys me too, end it how you want and people can watch your film. It’s also not a requirement to like every film you see.

According to a friend who deals with the technology behind Hollywood film distribution the bean counters/executives at the top of the U.S. Film studios are deeply unpleasant people who care little about content but love $$$$$$$$’s
I would imagine it’s the same for any business that sells entertainment to the masses.

why does it bother you?
as long as it doesn’t get in the way of decent films being made that you enjoy, and as long as those who saw the films enjoyed them…

Yes. Next.

brakes – Member
why does it bother you?
as long as it doesn’t get in the way of decent films being made that you enjoy, and as long as those who saw the films enjoyed them…

Because the mass market stuff does impact on the smaller stuff being made and shown, if there are 4/10 screens showing 2d and 3d versions of the same film then there are less screens showing other stuff.

OP see second down:

http://sniffpetrol.com/category/not-advertisements/

Would it help if you changed your userid to “positive and upbeat al”?

Mainstream stuff sells more – meh. At least with film lots of interesting stuff gets made as well – the problem I find us that anything even vaguely less than mainstream barely gets a look in at most of the cinemas, so most of my movie watching is at home.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t like a good old big screen Lord of the Rings or something as well.

I am not a massive fan of noisy films involving a fight between 2 massive robots, or between a massive robot and a massive monster, or between 2 massive monsters, or between a massive monster and a band of plucky misfits, or between a massive robot and a band of plucky misfits.

A surprising number of successful films fall into one of these categories.

I usually see films at my local independent cinema. I enjoy the things I see there no less for knowing that they lacked the budget for a massive robot. 🙂

And I bet the inflation corrected list doesn’t account for the sharp comparitive rise in ticket prices due to 3D.

It’d be interesting to see a list compiled purely on number of tickets sold.

The trouble is though that such an avalanche of cud-chewer pleasing dross has an effect on the independent sector as well as a more dumbing effect on society in general.

The trouble is though that such an avalanche of cud-chewer pleasing dross has an effect on the independent sector as well as a more dumbing effect on society in general.

Mass market films have been with us as long as cinema. The “Summer Blockbuster” was invented about 40 years ago.

The film industry – across all sectors – is as healthy now as its ever been.