James Cameron's AVATAR discussion thread

[barbelith]

Found it!

You can really see the effects of inflation in that list - look at where The Dark Knight sits. You also get a better sense of exactly how big Connery's Bond was at the time. It's impossible to have an accurate picture of cinema history using nominal box office. It's worse than meaningless - it's vastly misleading.

 

[Khev]

Found it!

1 Gone with the Wind MGM 202,044,600 $198,676,459 1939^
2 Star Wars Fox 178,119,600 $460,998,007 1977^
3 The Sound of Music Fox 142,415,400 $158,671,368 1965
4 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Uni. 141,854,300 $435,110,554 1982^
5 The Ten Commandments Par. 131,000,000 $65,500,000 1956
6 Titanic Par. 128,345,900 $600,788,188 1997
7 Jaws Uni. 128,078,800 $260,000,000 1975
8 Doctor Zhivago MGM 124,135,500 $111,721,910 1965
9 The Exorcist WB 110,568,700 $232,671,011 1973^
10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Dis. 109,000,000 $184,925,486 1937^
11 101 Dalmatians Dis. 99,917,300 $144,880,014 1961^
12 The Empire Strikes Back Fox 98,180,600 $290,475,067 1980^
13 Ben-Hur MGM 98,000,000 $74,000,000 1959
14 Return of the Jedi Fox 94,059,400 $309,306,177 1983^
15 The Sting Uni. 89,142,900 $156,000,000 1973
16 Raiders of the Lost Ark Par. 88,141,900 $242,374,454 1981^
17 Jurassic Park Uni. 86,205,800 $357,067,947 1993
18 The Graduate AVCO 85,571,400 $104,901,839 1967^
19 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Fox 84,825,800 $431,088,301 1999
20 Fantasia Dis. 83,043,500 $76,408,097 1941^
21 The Godfather Par. 78,922,600 $134,966,411 1972^
22 Forrest Gump Par. 78,545,600 $329,694,499 1994
23 Mary Poppins Dis. 78,181,800 $102,272,727 1964^
24 The Lion King BV 77,231,800 $328,541,776 1994^
25 Grease Par. 76,921,800 $188,389,888 1978^
26 Avatar Fox 75,980,500 $551,741,499 2009
27 Thunderball UA 74,800,000 $63,595,658 1965
28 The Dark Knight WB 74,282,100 $533,345,358 2008

That list is quite misleading and deserves just as many asterisks as the Box Office list. Imagine if television didn't exist and the only way to see Avatar, LOTR, The Dark Knight, etc., for the next 25 years was to pay to see it on the big screen. Suddenly Gone With the Wind's ticket sales compared to current films has a slightly different context.

And 1977's Star Wars (which common sense states is certainly the most viewed movie of all time when all forms of media are considered) shouldn't have had the SE's earnings included with its original run. The 100 million it earned in 1997 certainly wasn't based off of "let's go see the unchanged movie on the big screen." It was a different film and a different experience.

 

[ironwez20]

What in the world is thunderball lol.

 

[barbelith]

That list is quite misleading and deserves just as many asterisks as the Box Office list. Imagine if television didn't exist and the only way to see Avatar, LOTR, The Dark Knight, etc., for the next 25 years was to pay to see it on the big screen. Suddenly Gone With the Wind's ticket sales compared to current films has a slightly different context.

Yep. By the same token, imagine the box office for Avatar if everyone had Real 3D on their home IMAX. It cuts both ways.

 

[Bannister]

Yep. By the same token, imagine the box office for Avatar if everyone had Real 3D on their home IMAX. It cuts both ways.

There are way too many factors when you really think about it. Tickets sold is just as misleading as any of the others. There is no real way to determine what is the most popular film ever.

 

[Batty]

There are way too many factors when you really think about it. Tickets sold is just as misleading as any of the others. There is no real way to determine what is the most popular film ever.

I've often wondered why people are so interested in box office scores. Does it really matter to anyone not in the business?

 

[Bannister]

I've often wondered why people are so interested in box office scores. Does it really matter to anyone not in the business?

I have a very complicated chart posted on my bedroom wall and I hate having to change it every time a new blockbuster comes around. It sucks. I feel like Ned Beatty in Deliverance.

 

[FQRizzo]

What in the world is thunderball lol.

Your age is showing again.

 

[Batty]

I have a very complicated chart posted on my bedroom wall and I hate having to change it every time a new blockbuster comes around. It sucks. I feel like Ned Beatty in Deliverance.

 

[BadMoon]

I've often wondered why people are so interested in box office scores. Does it really matter to anyone not in the business?

Im interested but I don't really care. Does that even make sense?

 

[DarthNeil]

What in the world is thunderball lol.

Are you serious?...

 

[Batty]

Im interested but I don't really care. Does that even make sense?

I've seen all of the movies on this list, they're all great movies (for the most part), but I just don't care if Avatar makes more money than Titanic or TDK or any other movie. I don't care how much money any of these movies make. It doesn't change how I feel about each movie in relation to each other. Now if I got a slice of the pie, then it would be a different story. Mmm...pie.

 

[uscmhicks]

I find it interesting how fast movies can move up this list and it looks like it could be happening more often now but people seem to be getting excited more and more everytime.

 

[barbelith]

I've often wondered why people are so interested in box office scores.

Fan = fanatic. I think people use ratings and the like to justify their fan tribalism, probably because they're insecure. You see this in sports, too. Sometimes it's worth putting things in the proper context.

Personally I find box office scores pretty much irrelevant.

 

[ironwez20]

Well thier not you shouldnt let numbers change how you feel about the movie, if it made the money it made the money.

 

[ironwez20]

Are you serious?...

sorry if im a 90s baby.

 

[CelticPredator]

What in the world is thunderball lol.

RAhhhhh! Watch something older then 1990!!

 

[IrishJedi]

sorry if im a 90s baby.

You know, the DVDs of movies made before the 90's actual work, too.

 

[CelticPredator]

I'm gonna go to the Bond route for a second....

Thunderball is OK at best. It's probably my least favorite Connery flick. But not my most HATED. That goes to the _____ stain that is Diamonds Are Forever...

But I digress.

I love Dr. No, FRWL, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice. I'll watch Thunderball. But I find the middle to be a bit boring. And the ending isnt as satisfying for me.

Ok, back to the Avatards.

 

[ironwez20]

Wow look When i was young i wasnt into to freaking james bond i liked dinosaurs and superheros, so i dont even remeber half the crap that came out becuase i was way to young to remeber. The only 80s movie i used to watch was tmnt, and im damn proud of that.