Exploring Hollywood’s Blockbuster Flops and Tim Robey’s New Book

As the year winds down, film studios roll out their high-stakes projects, aiming for box office glory and hoping to avoid financial disasters. This period is crucial for studios, as a successful film can help mitigate the usual decline in ticket sales during the early months of the following year.

Despite meticulous efforts to predict audience preferences, the film industry remains fraught with risk. Major financial losses from ambitious movies often lead to public ridicule, a phenomenon that intrigues film critic Tim Robey. His book, “Box Office Poison: Hollywood’s Story in a Century of Flops,” delves into this enduring fascination with cinematic failures.

Tim Robey Discusses the Evolution of Box Office Obsession

In a conversation with Sam Dingman, Robey explores the origins of public interest in a film’s financial success, suggesting it began between the 1960s and 1970s with movies like “The Godfather” and “Jaws.” These blockbusters drew attention to the huge budgets and profits, making box office performance a mainstream interest.

Robey recounts the skepticism surrounding “Apocalypse Now,” a film predicted to fail but ultimately redeemed itself. This reflects a public intrigue with the potential downfall of ambitious projects over their artistic triumphs, a theme Robey believes is still relevant today amidst fears of artificial intelligence and what he terms Hollywood’s “nervous unoriginality.”

The Impact of 2008 on Hollywood

Robey attributes a shift in Hollywood dynamics to 2008, marked by the success of “Iron Man” and the financial crisis. Studios began to favor superhero films, which impacted films like “Speed Racer” and “Synecdoche, New York.” These movies struggled financially, with “Speed Racer” overshadowed by “Iron Man” and Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut failing to recover its $20 million budget, grossing only $4.5 million worldwide.

Lessons from Notorious Flops

Even established directors aren’t immune to failure, as seen with “Speed 2: Cruise Control.” Despite the success of its predecessor, the sequel’s lack of a coherent storyline led to its downfall. Keanu Reeves, recognizing the script’s flaws, opted out of the project, highlighting the importance of a strong narrative.

Conversely, “Titanic,” initially predicted to flop due to its massive budget and production delays, became a box office phenomenon. Robey notes this unpredictability as a core element of storytelling that captivates audiences.

The Love for Cinematic Flops

Robey expresses a fondness for movies that, despite commercial failure, hold artistic merit. He laments the decline of mid-budget films, which once bridged the gap between blockbusters and indie projects, voicing a desire for their resurgence in the industry.

The conversation highlights a cinematic landscape increasingly focused on extremes, overshadowing films offering reliable entertainment. Robey misses the days when unexpected gems could find an audience without the weight of pre-release hype.