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Sunday, November 14, 2010


Movie History - Box Office Benchmarks (They Never Last Long)

Posted by Tim Dirks on Jan 28 2010
Movie History - Box Office Benchmarks (They Never Last Long)
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks
full bio of Tim Dirks
Critics and novices alike have opinions about movies, but when you're looking for objective truth, the numbers don't lie. One of the more tangible ways to evaluate movies over a long period of time is to compare historical box-office revenue results, although the effects of inflation can drastically skew things. And it's best to take caution anyway -- box-office figures are a tricky thing to count on when trying to measure a movie's success. Here's why.
Box-Office Benchmarks: A Moving Target
It used to be a major milestone if a film reached $100 million in domestic gross earnings. Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) is often cited as the first $100 million in domestic theatrical rentals. Now, $200 million is the new bar for a blockbuster, and the $100 million mark is only significant as an intermediary benchmark, as when Spider-Man (2002) became the first movie to pass the $100 million level in a single weekend, a record also soon surpassed. And for only the fifth time in all of movie history, a movie has reached $1 billion at the box-office (worldwide) -- James Cameron's Avatar(2009). Prognosticators are now anxious to see which movies will break further benchmarks, and there may be clues from past top-performing examples, such as...

The Top 10 Box Office Hits of All-Time - Adjusted for Inflation
When adjustments for inflation are made, movies in the box-office Top 10 change dramatically, as the box office gross of a movie is entirely dependent on the price of a ticket, which has changed dramatically itself. (A quick summary of average ticket prices: 1930s: $.25 cents, 1940s: $.45 cents, 1950s: $.50 cents, 1960s: $.60 cents, 1970s: $1.55, 1980s: $2.70, 1990s: $4.25, 2000s: $5.40, Present: $7.35.) When inflation is taken into account, Paramount's No. 1

unadjusted blockbuster Titanic (1997) drops to sixth place in the all-time Top 10 of Adjusted Domestic Grosses, while Gone With the Wind (1939) assumes the top spot. Movies in the Nos. 2 through 5 slots include: Star Wars (1977), The Sound of Music (1965), E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Cecil B. DeMille's biblical epic The Ten Commandments (1956). Jaws(1975), Doctor Zhivago (1965), The Exorcist (1973), and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937) round out the rest of the ten.
The Biggest Box-Office Hits by Decade
Way back in the 1930s, the top moneymaker was David O Selznick's monumental Gone with the Wind (1939). The next decade's top hit was Disney's Bambi (1942), and similarly Disney'sLady and the Tramp (1955) dominated the one that followed. In the 1960s, the top movie is Fox's musical The Sound of Music (1965), and then George Lucas' phenomenal Star Wars (1977) in the '70s. The most successful movies in the next three decades were Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), James Cameron's hit Titanic (1997), and Cameron's next feature filmAvatar (2009).
Top-Earning Movies by Genre
Looking at movies by genre, the greatest disaster movie of all time is Titanic (1997), while the highest-grossing 'horror' movie is Jaws (1975). The most successful horror remake is The Ring(2002). The top computer-animated movie ever is PG-rated Shrek II (2004), and Saturday Night Fever (1977) topped Flashdance (1983) as the top dance movie.
As expected, the highest grossing live-action fantasy movie is Peter Jackson's epic The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). For comedy, the top pic is Home Alone (1990). The independent sleeper movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) is the highest-grossing romantic comedy -- and also holds honors as the top-earning movie to never reach No. 1 while in theaters.
The biggest ever 3D movie (a recent development) is, predictably, Avatar (2009), overwhelming its most recent competition. Two top-earning action movies were Transformers (2007) andTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) in addition to The Matrix Reloaded (2003). The top comic-book adaptation is PG-13 rated The Dark Knight (2008), and the most successful movie adapted from a video game is Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).
Spielberg's Jurassic Park (1993) still remains the box-office leader for "creature" feature movies, and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) is the highest grossing documentary (non-IMAX) of all time. The No. 1 mockumentary is Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat (2006), and the recent The Blind Side (2009) has attained the top spot among sports-related movies; Michael Jackson'sThis Is It (2009) rules among concert movies. The most successful musicals (non-animated) areThe Sound of Music (1965), Grease (1978) and Chicago (2002).
The top western hit of all time is Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves (1990), while Spielberg'sSaving Private Ryan (1998) topped a number of successful war movies. Predictably, the greatest scifi feature of all time is Star Wars (1977).
The Most Successful Movie Franchises
The original Star Wars trilogy and its three prequels currently hold the No. 1 spot as the top-grossing (domestic) movie franchise. However, it is speculated that the Harry Potter movie franchise (six movies from 2001 to 2009) may eventually end up being the most commercially-successful movie franchise of all time, once new installments are released in the coming years.
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ALL time box office hits by time and decade

TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1920s(estimated)
  1. The Big Parade (1925)
  2. The Singing Fool (1928)
  3. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
  4. Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)
  5. Way Down East (1920)
  6.  The Gold Rush (1925)
  7. The Ten Commandments (1923)
  8. The Covered Wagon (1923)
  9. Wings (1927) (unknown gross)
  10. Over the Hill to the Poorhouse (1920) (tie)
  11. Aloma of the South Seas (1926) (tie)
  12. The Jazz Singer (1927) (tie)
  13. The Broadway Melody (1929)
  14. The Kid (1921)

    Also in the Pre-Sound Era: 

     The Birth of a Nation (1915)     
    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1920s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1920: Way Down East (1920)
1921: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
1922: N/A
1923:The Ten Commandments (1923)
1924: N/A 1925: The Big Parade (1925)
1926: Aloma of the South Seas (1926)
1927: The Jazz Singer (1927)
1928: The Singing Fool (1928)
1929: The Broadway Melody (1929)




TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1930s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1.  Gone With The Wind (1939)
  2.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
  3.  The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  4. Frankenstein (1931)
  5. Tom Sawyer (1930)
  6.  King Kong (1933)
  7.  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
  8. Hell's Angels (1930)
  9. How to Be a Detective (1936)
  10. Ingagi (1930)
  11. San Francisco (1936)
  12. Maytime (1937)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1930s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1930: Tom Sawyer (1930) or Hell's Angels (1930) 
1931: Frankenstein (1931)
1932: N/A
1933:  King Kong (1933)
1934:  It Happened One Night (1934)1935: Top Hat (1935)
1936: How to Be a Detective (1936)
1937:  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
1938: The Dawn Patrol (1938), You Can't Take It With You (1938), or Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) 
1939:  Gone With The Wind (1939)



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1940s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1. Bambi (1942)
  2. Pinocchio (1940)
  3. Song of the South (1946)
  4. Samson and Delilah (1949)
  5.  Fantasia (1940)
  6.  The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
  7. The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)
  8. Duel in the Sun (1946)
  9. This Is the Army (1943)
  10. The Jolson Story (1946)
  11. For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
  12. Sergeant York (1941)
  13. Going My Way (1944)
  14. Mom and Dad (1945) (tie)
  15. Forever Amber (1947) (tie)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1940s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1940: Pinocchio (1940)
1941: Sergeant York (1941) 
1942: Bambi (1942)
1943: This Is the Army (1943)
1944: Going My Way (1944)1945: The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)
1946: Song of the South (1946)
1947: Forever Amber (1947) 
1948: The Snake Pit (1948) 
1949: Samson and Delilah (1949)



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1950s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
  2. Peter Pan (1953)
  3. Cinderella (1950)
  4. The Ten Commandments (1956)
  5.  Ben-Hur (1959)
  6. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  7. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
  8. South Pacific (1958) (tie)
  9. From Here to Eternity (1953) (tie)
  10. The Robe (1953) (tie)
  11. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) (tie)
  12. Giant (1956) (tie)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1950s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1950: Cinderella (1950) 
1951: Quo Vadis (1951)
1952: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) 
1953: Peter Pan (1953) 
1954: White Christmas (1954) and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) (tie) 1955: Lady and the Tramp (1955) 
1956: The Ten Commandments (1956)
1957:  The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
1958: South Pacific (1958) 
1959:  Ben-Hur (1959)



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1960s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1. The Sound of Music (1965)
  2. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
  3. The Jungle Book (1967)
  4. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
  5.  The Graduate (1967)
  6. Mary Poppins (1964) (tie)
  7. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) (tie)
  8. My Fair Lady (1964)
  9. Thunderball (1965)
  10. Funny Girl (1968)
  11.  2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  12. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
  13. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
  14. Cleopatra (1963)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1960s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1960: Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1961: 101 Dalmatians (1961) 
1962:  Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (or The Longest Day (1962))
1963: Cleopatra (1963) 
1964: Mary Poppins (1964) 1965: The Sound of Music (1965)
1966: Hawaii (1966) (or The Bible (1966))
1967: The Jungle Book (1967)
1968: Funny Girl (1968) 
1969: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1970s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1.  Star Wars (1977)
  2.  Jaws (1975)
  3. The Exorcist (1973)
  4. Grease (1978)
  5. The Sting (1973)
  6. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
  7.  The Godfather (1972)
  8. Superman (1978)
  9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977/80)
  10. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
  11. Blazing Saddles (1974)
  12. Rocky (1976)
  13. The Towering Inferno (1974)
  14. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  15. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1970s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1970: Love Story (1970) 
1971: Billy Jack (1971) 
1972:  The Godfather (1972) 
1973: The Exorcist (1973)
1974: Blazing Saddles (1974) 1975:  Jaws (1975)
1976: Rocky (1976) 
1977:  Star Wars (1977)
1978: Grease (1978) 
1979: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) 



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1980s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1.  E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  2. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
  3. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  4. Batman (1989)
  5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  6. Ghostbusters (1984)
  7. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
  8. Back to the Future (1985)
  9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
  10. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1980s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1980: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 
1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
1982:  E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
1983: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) 
1984: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)1985: Back to the Future (1985) 
1986: Top Gun (1986)
1987: Three Men and a Baby (1987)
1988: Rain Man (1988)
1989: Batman (1989) 



TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 1990s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1. Titanic (1997)
  2. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
  3. Jurassic Park (1993)
  4. Forrest Gump (1994)
  5. The Lion King (1994)
  6. Independence Day (1996)
  7. The Sixth Sense (1999)
  8. Home Alone (1990)
  9. Men in Black (1997)
  10. Toy Story 2 (1999)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 1990s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
1990: Home Alone (1990) 
1991: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 
1992: Aladdin (1992) 
1993: Jurassic Park (1993) 
1994: Forrest Gump (1994) 1995: Toy Story (1995) 
1996: Independence Day (1996) 
1997: Titanic (1997) 
1998: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
1999: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)


TOP TEN FILMS
OF THE 2000s (unadjusted domestic gross totals)
  1. Avatar (2009)
  2. The Dark Knight (2008)
  3. Shrek 2 (2004)
  4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
  5. Spider-Man (2002)
  6. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
  7. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  9. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
  10. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Also, in Top 10, in 2010: Toy Story 3 (2010)
TOP FILMS BY YEAR
IN THE 2000s
(unadjusted domestic gross totals)
2000: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) 
2001: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) 
2002: Spider-Man (2002)
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 
2004: Shrek 2 (2004) 2005: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) 
2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) 
2007: Spider-Man 3 (2007) 
2008: The Dark Knight (2008) 
2009: Avatar (2009)
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top 100 movies all time(world gross)

  1. Avatar (2009)
  2. Titanic (1997)
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
  5. Toy Story 3 (2010)
  6. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
  7. The Dark Knight (2008)
  8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
  9. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
  10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
  11. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
  12. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
  13. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
  14. Shrek 2 (2004)
  15. Jurassic Park (1993)
  16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
  17. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
  18. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
  19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
  20. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  21. Finding Nemo (2003)
  22. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  23. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
  24. Spider-Man (2002)
  25. Independence Day (1996)
  26. Inception (2010)
  27. Shrek the Third (2007)
  28. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
  29.  E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  30. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
  31. The Lion King (1994)
  32. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
  33.  Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
  34. 2012 (2009)
  35. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
  36. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
  37. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
  38. Shrek Forever After (2010)
  39. Up (2009)
  40. The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
  41. Transformers (2007)
  42. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
  43. Forrest Gump (1994)
  44. The Sixth Sense (1999)
  45. Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
  46. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
  47. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
  48. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
  49. The Incredibles (2004)
  50. Hancock (2008)
  51. Ratatouille (2007)
  52. Iron Man 2 (2010)
  53. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
  54. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
  55. Mamma Mia! (2008)
  56. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
  57. Casino Royale (2006)
  58. War of the Worlds (2005)
  59. Men in Black (1997)
  60. Quantum of Solace (2008)
  61. I Am Legend (2007)
  62. Iron Man (2008)
  63. Night at the Museum (2006)
  64. Armageddon (1998)
  65. King Kong (2005)
  66. Mission: Impossible II (2000)
  67. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
  68. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  69. Madagascar (2005)
  70. The Simpsons Movie (2007)
  71. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
  72. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
  73. WALL·E (2008)
  74. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
  75. Meet the Fockers (2004)
  76. Ghost (1990)
  77. Aladdin (1992)
  78. Troy (2004)
  79. Twister (1996)
  80. Clash of the Titans (2010)
  81. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
  82. Angels & Demons (2009)
  83. Toy Story 2 (1999)
  84. Bruce Almighty (2003)
  85. Shrek (2001)
  86. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  87. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
  88. Home Alone (1990)
  89. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
  90. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
  91. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
  92.  Jaws (1975)
  93. The Hangover (2009)
  94. The Matrix (1999)
  95. Pretty Woman (1990)
  96. Cars (2006)
  97. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
  98. Mission: Impossible (1996)
  99. Gladiator (2000)
  100. National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
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