Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


 OPINION 
7

Box Office Records Are Bunk

Measuring a film's success in dollars is misleading

Share

(Newser) – Not a year seems to go by without a film breaking a box-office records: Dark Knight a contender for biggest all-time earner! Bourne Ultimatum the top August opener! But that’s not because the films actually draw more viewers than the previous record-holders; it's because the figures are in dollars, which are subject to inflation, writes Zachary Pincus-Roth for Slate.

Why do the entertainment industry and media perpetuate such an obvious falsehood? Pure sensationalism, for the most part—publicizing the truth that Rush Hour 2 beat the Bourne Ultimatum in ticket sales would’ve been pretty sobering for 2007’s big summer blockbuster. A look at an inflation-adjusted list compiled by Box Office Mojo reveals the truth: the inflation-aided successes of Titanic and the Shrek and Spider-Man sequels fades before cultural luminaries like Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, The Sound of Music and E.T.

In this image originally released by Universal Pictures, Matt Damon is shown as the character Jason Bourne in
In this image originally released by Universal Pictures, Matt Damon is shown as the character Jason Bourne in "The Bourne Ultimatum."   (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Jasin Boland, file)
American actor Clark Gable (1901 - 1960) in his role as Rhett Butler kissing the hand of a tearful Scarlett O'Hara, played by Vivien Leigh in 'Gone With The Wind'.
American actor Clark Gable (1901 - 1960) in his role as Rhett Butler kissing the hand of a tearful Scarlett O'Hara, played by Vivien Leigh in 'Gone With The Wind'.   (Getty Images)
In this image released by Warner Bros., Christian Bale is shown as Batman in a scene from,
In this image released by Warner Bros., Christian Bale is shown as Batman in a scene from, "The Dark Knight."   (AP Photo/Warner Bros.)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
7 comments
VIEWING:
 
Robert_Dada
Jul 6, 09 7:07 PM CDT
Why not evaluate the film based on whether one believes it's good or not regardless of box office take? The masses are asses anyway. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
anchower
Jul 6, 09 7:48 PM CDT
This isn't news. Or at least it shouldn't be. I mean, who in his right mind would think that a dollar in 1939 is worth the same as a dollar today?
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
2-bits
Jul 6, 09 8:31 PM CDT
Quality doesn't impress investors the way that returns do.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
Kookey90
Jul 6, 09 7:54 PM CDT
I don't even waste my time going to movies anymore - I just wait for it to come out on DVD and rent it; or better yet wait for it to come out on HBO. Theater's are just too expensive for me these days. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
lonewolf17
Jul 6, 09 10:38 PM CDT
This article has a point, but it fails to mention something else: back in the days of Gone With The Wind, those movies stayed in theatres for YEARS. Sure, GWTW made a tonne of money, but is it fair to compare a movie that was able to collect ticket stubs in a day where you HAD to see it in the theatre (no DVD or TV) for years on end compared to a movie now which is in for only a few weeks, and must contend with DVD? Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1

View all 7 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

12 Stories

box office roundup

 New Moon Vamps to $141M Haul 

Latest 'Twilight' entry enjoys 3rd-biggest weekend ever

Nov 22, 09 1:54 PM CST
(Newser) - In the third-largest weekend debut ever, The Twilight Saga: New Moon rang up $140.7 million, riding records for a midnight opening and a single day to totals trailing only The Dark Knight and Spider-Man. Audiences were four-fifths female, with the remaining 20% mostly teen boys, USA Today reports.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • Hollywood • film • Spider-Man • Disney • box office • The Dark Knight • A Christmas Carol • movies • New Moon • 2012 • Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire • Planet 51 • The Blind Side • The Twilight Saga: New Moon

box office roundup


 Transformers 
 Sequel Stuns 
 Box Office 

Michael Bay robot-romp could be biggest movie of 2009

Jun 28, 09 3:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen nearly toppled the 5-day opening record by earning $201.2 million since Wednesday, Entertainment Weekly reports. The Dark Knight remains unbeaten at $203.8 million, but Transformers still crushed the weekend competition with a $112 million gross. Filling out the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Michael Bay • film • Transformers • box office • The Dark Knight • Star Trek • movies

(Newser) - The new Transformers flick had a stellar start, raking in $60.6 million on opening day to make it the biggest Wednesday debut ever, Variety reports. For all-around opening days, the Michael Bay shoot-em-up lags just behind record-holder Dark Knight, which took in $67.2 million on... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • film • Transformers • box office • The Dark Knight • movies • sequel • debut • Spiderman • opening day

12 Stories


Check out Box Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo


Arts & Living  •  Business 
TwitterFollow @NewserArts on Twitter

 
film • Spider-Man • box office • The Bourne Ultimatum • Titanic • The Dark Knight • Star Wars • broken records • movies • The Sound of Music • Shrek • Gone With the Wind • E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

from our news partners