the lowest box office of all time

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In Hollywood's rebound year at the B.O., some films certainly fell a little short. But even the year's biggest bombs surpassed the curiously titled "Zyzzyx Road," whose domestic cume reached just $30. That's no typo. It's the lowest tally for any pic since modern record-keeping began in the 1980s.
The vigilante thriller starring Tom Sizemore, Katherine Heigl and Leo Grillo bore the ominous tagline "Dead Ahead." Like many on the dishonor roll of 60-plus titles cuming less than $1,000 over the past two decades, its stint in a single theater had more to do with contracts or four-wall rentals than mass audience desertion. Unheralded, it opened to $20 in February in Dallas, tacking on an additional 10-spot (repeat biz?) before slinking off to the video shelf.

Lest anyone assume the B.O. basement is reserved for unrated indie fare bound for pay-per-view, it's worth noting a PG-13 Warner Bros. release ranks as the fifth-lowest grosser. "Trojan War," a teen comedy starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Will Friedel (with bonus turns by Lee Majors and Anthony Michael Hall), collected $309 in its entire 1997 run. The director? George Huang, best known for "Swimming With Sharks."

from variety

― spectre (gear), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:37 (eighteen years ago)

domestic cume
cuming less than $1,000

This is the least attractive industry shorthand EVER. Just pronouncing these phrases in my own head makes me feel gross. It sounds like someone from the Upper Peninsula talking about prostitution.

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:45 (eighteen years ago)

Like many on the dishonor roll of 60-plus titles cuming less than $1,000 over the past two decades

They didn't happen to run the list, did they?

― Beth S. (Ex Leon), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:46 (eighteen years ago)

Or like Groundskeeper Willie working blue.

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)

they didn't, unfortunately.

― spectre (gear), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)

Zyzzyx Road

LOOK MA LAST IN TEH DICSHUNARRY

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:48 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=8420

― cousin larry bundgee (bundgee), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:48 (eighteen years ago)

I want to cume all over you

― Latham Green (mike), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:56 (eighteen years ago)

this is all very appropriate for a thread about a tom sizemore film

― spectre (gear), Thursday, 4 January 2007 21:00 (eighteen years ago)

These guys should make second-lowest grossing movie about the second-lowest grossing record on Columbia: Hampton Grease Band's "Music to Eat." It should be a serious documentary billed inappropriately as a comedy, like "Music to Eat" was (the comedy bit, not the documentary bit).

― Abbott (Abbott), Thursday, 4 January 2007 22:51 (eighteen years ago)

what is the lowest box office take in relation to budget/expenditure (still Ishtar? not Waterworld i presume) or expectations?

― reverto levidensis (blueski), Thursday, 4 January 2007 22:53 (eighteen years ago)

waterworld wasn't that big of a flop in the long run IIRC

cutthroat island?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

I'm kind of on a Paul Williams kick at the moment but should I still avoid Ishtar?

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:13 (eighteen years ago)

Battlefield Earth?

― reverto levidensis (blueski), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

is it still Heaven's Gate?

Waterworld made its money back overseas, and per Kevin Costner's contractual agreement, he was allowed to spend $70 million on The Postman, which drew in about 17 or so.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

'you have a gift, postman'

― spectre (gear), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:37 (eighteen years ago)

You have a gift, Postman.

I saw it back in Pineview.

You've given us all back
what we'd forgotten.

You made Mrs. March feel like
she could see again.

You made Ford feel like
he was part of the world.

You give out hope like it was. . .

. . .candy in your pocket.

― spectre (gear), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:40 (eighteen years ago)

Battlefield Earth was hugely popular in Europe iirc

― t0dd swiss (immobilisme), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

Wasn't The Postman supposed to be the 'sure thing' against Titanic?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 4 January 2007 23:45 (eighteen years ago)

Wasn't The Postman supposed to be the 'sure thing' against Titanic?

haha. how could they have gotten it so wrong...

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Friday, 5 January 2007 00:02 (eighteen years ago)

MONKEYBONE

Budget
$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend
$2,685,078 (USA) (25 February 2001) (1,722 Screens)

Gross
$5,409,517 (USA) (22 April 2001)

― timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 5 January 2007 01:52 (eighteen years ago)

The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)

Budget
$100,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend
$2,182,900 (USA) (18 August 2002) (2,320 Screens)
Gross
$4,411,102 (USA) (29 September 2002)

Eddie Murphy got $20M out of it!

― onimo (onimo), Friday, 5 January 2007 01:56 (eighteen years ago)

Town & Country

Budget
$90,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend
$3,029,858 (USA) (29 April 2001) (2,222 Screens)
Gross
$6,712,451 (USA) (27 May 2001)

how the fuck did a non-fx movie with a bunch of old people/has beens cost $90M?

― timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 5 January 2007 02:01 (eighteen years ago)

while you're looking at b.o.'s, i note that 98-05 (ie Gia->Mr & Mrs Smith), jolie and pitt's are almost identical

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 5 January 2007 02:04 (eighteen years ago)

Those Pluto Nash stats make me so happy.

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Friday, 5 January 2007 02:36 (eighteen years ago)

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