Films
10 Famous Film Flops
August 30, 2011 | 
Author The controversy about film making is just like the way Charlton Heston put it “The trouble with movies as a business is that it’s an art, and the trouble with movies as art is that it’s a business.” The intricacy of movie production entails the cost of budget which considering our current state of technology, if the theme is science fiction, would most certainly require costly props and special effects to convince the viewers. Choosing the right cast for the play will also determine the success at the box office. Credible,” most sought after” actors and actresses however will demand high pay for the role (which if the publicity and advertisement fails will still not guarantee the success of the film). In short, movie making without the budget to finance all expenses for the cast, set and promotions is a gamble. Just try to consider these films and even though you may be satisfied with it on screen, they sure made a big headache out of their directors and producers.
Image Credit
Cutthroat Island (1995)
A pirate movie which stars Geena Davis (A League of their Own) as a lady pirate, Matthew Modine (Private Joker in Full Metal Jacket) and Frank Langella (Skeletor in Masters of the Universe). This film was listed as the biggest film flop in the Guinness Book of World Records. I have personally watched this film and I was stunned and satisfied at Davis’ performance on the lead role. What could have gone wrong then? Maybe it was just a wrong chemistry as Davis then husband Renny Harlin directed and produced the film.
Film Production Cost: US $ 115,000,000.00 Gross Revenue: US $ 10,017,322.00
Net Losses: US $ 104,982,678
Image Credit
Sahara (2005)
An action-adventure film based on Clive Cussler’s bestselling book, it stars Matthew McConnaughey, Penelope Cruz and Steve Zahn. I have no comments about the production of the film as I was quite satisfied how a cannon buried on desert sand for centuries could still fire a cannonball and hit a helicopter gunship.
Film Production Cost: US $ 241,000,000 Gross Revenue: US $ 119,269,486
Net Losses: US $ 121,730,514
Image Credit
The 13thWarrior (1999)
A film having Antonio Banderas on the lead role as a knight in medieval times battling monsters based on Michael Crichton’s book “Eaters of the Dead”. I am personally satisfied by this film considering the difficulties of laying out props of dead bodies and human skeletons at the lair of the cannibalistic tribe, “Wendols”. I suppose Michael Crichton’s role in taking over the last phase of the film’s production simply shows that graduating from Harvard Medical School and gaining initial success in writing novels doesn’t guarantee another successful directorial role in turning one’s novel into a film. I presume this has the same connection as with Renny Harlin’s directorial role in having his wife on the lead role in Cutthroat Island. Being too personal about a subject tends to lose some aspect of professionalism, a speck of millions in financial loss.
Film Production Cost: US $ 160,000,000 Gross Revenue: US $ 61,698,899
Net Losses: US $ 98,301,101
Image Credit
The Postman (1997)
Based on a novel by David Brin, this film adaptation must have inspired Kevin Costner of earning a role as lead actor and director. Having Olivia Williams as leading lady, this film takes a post nuclear detonation future where governments are wiped out and a few surviving people try to pick up the pieces of starting life anew. Costner plays the role of a postman fighting against the oppressive army of survivors led by Gen. Bethlehem (Will Patton). As in the 3 previous movie flops, one could easily spot Costner’s double role as actor and director which (to me is a breach of the code of professionalism, being too personal with something).
Film Production Cost: US $ 80,000,000 * Gross Revenue: US $ 17,626,234
Net Losses: US $ 62,373,766
Image Credit
Red Planet (2000)
This was basically a sci-fi film based on a future where our planet has gone to the extent of overpopulation and pollution. A team of astronauts were sent to Mars to check the progress of terraforming operations in light of an option of relocating our species. The film stars Val Kilmer (Batman) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Matrix). I recall watching this film failing to get into the flow of the story as I slept several times on my seat.
Film Production Cost: US $ 100,000,000 Gross Revenue: US $ 33,463,969
Net Losses: US $ 66,536,031
Image Credit
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
This was one of those Jules Verne-inspired movies which owing to the twist making it a comedy adventure film may have brought a factor of negative critic causing its bad performance in the box office. The movie plot also deviated from the actual story added by inconsistencies that if closely examined by the meticulous viewer shows prop elements in conflict with the time the story took place. Steve Coogan may have been a famous actor in the UK but his international impact may have been a factor to this movies’ failure which Jackie Chan’s wacky performance failed to save. It would have been a fitting chemistry for Robert Downey, Jr. taking the role in the lead having made a 5-fold gross revenue out of Sherlock Holmes ( US $ 516,767,822 out of US $ 90,000,000 budget) despite of negative media critics.
Film Production Cost: US $ 140,000,000 Gross Revenue: US $ 72,178,895
Net Losses: US $ 67,821,105
Image Credit
Stealth (2005)
This movie has it all in creating a spectacular scene featuring the peak of UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle) technology. Despite the line of hot cast to begin with Jessical Biel, the roles of Josh Lucas and Jamie Foxx may have placed a bed chemistry that didn’t clicked well with the taste of the moviegoers. Or anything not connected with the cast but with the theme of the film being a techno-thriller that adopted the old plot of “man versus machine” when the on board computer “EDI” goes haywire and fights back its operators. The cost of production may have a thing to do with the realistic mock-up of 3 single seat, full scale F/A-37 Talon jets used in the film.
Film Production Cost: US $ 138,000,000* Gross Revenue: US $ 76,932,872
Net Losses: US $ 61,067,128
Image Credit
Catwoman (2004)
This movie has the same trademark of other superhero film genres. You have to believe in the impossible and out of this world stuffs in order to buy the idea. If you don’t have the inclination to fantasize and be lost at imaginings, this film will not entertain well. I suppose all the people all over the world were just not at the mood to lose grip of the reality to get entertained the reason why this film has a poor performance during the time it was shown. As for me I could remember well when I have lost track of the flow of the sorry after napping on the cinema seat. This was one of those films where I was tempted to close my eyes a bit while.
Film Production Cost: US $ 135,000,000 Gross Revenue: US $ 82,102,379
Net Losses: US $ 52,897,621
Image Credit
Windtalkers (2002)
This film has Nicolas Cage’s credible performance as a marine soldier in fighting Japanese Forces in the Solomon Islands. His assignment in protecting Navajo code talkers became the central focus of this film and gave it a different twist against other war movies. Directed by John Woo who also got the directorial job in having Cage caged at Face/Off, what could have made this movie a failure? Well I suppose it was the same old reason that film making is indeed a gamble. John Woo sure did made quite a profit in Face/Off but this is just the downside of his directorial job.
Film Production Cost: US $ 115,000,000* Gross Revenue: US $ 77,628,265
Net Losses: US $ 37,371,735
Image Credit
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
This film was one of Harrison Ford’s best film performances as a Soviet naval officer in a fact-based fictional movie about the first nuclear powered Soviet submarine launched in 1959. The undersea drama was what made this film unique and compelling when the sub’s captain must maintain control under pressure amidst a brewing mutiny of command and the added pressure of emergency issues when the nuclear reactors powering the sub began to leak exposing the crew who were tasked to fix the problem in radiation poisoning and impending death. Despite of the film’s near perfect cast and performance however, the gross profit didn’t get past the production cost. I suppose the nature of the submarine (from where the story was based) being jinxed has something to do with it (or how you may take it).
Film Production Cost: US $ 100,000,000* Gross Revenue: US $ 65,716,126
Net Losses: US $ 34,283,874
Note: Film Production Cost with asterisk doesn’t include marketing costs
Written by HaveBlue
Posted in 
Tags: 
Yuck! Sick, Sick, Sick. The Worst Film I Have Ever Seen
My Thoughts
Wow! I don’t really quite know where to begin to tell you quite how awful this film really is. After seeing Orphan and Drag Me to Hell I was very impressed with them both. I was on the look out for another film. With hopes of finding one as good as they both were. Even though I have never liked horror films overly much. After seeing both of those films, it has made me want to see more. So I flicked through all the options on virgin media’s on demand section and decided to give this film a try and I wish that I hadn’t. If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew I was going to review it afterwards. I would of turned it off within the first few minutes because this is without a doubt, the worst film that I have ever seen! It has subtitles the whole way through it. So you will have to concentrate to keep up with the story and I found this highly irritating and hard to do because the story was so awful! Now, don’t get me wrong, if a film is good and enjoyable. I don’t even mind having to read subtitles but this was just so bad. I found it hard to find any motivation to even want to read them.
This was a total waste of money and I hope that I can save anyone who reads this from wasting theirs on it as well. The start of this film actually made it seem as if it was going to be great. It began with all of the usual elements that I expect to be present in a good horror film and it even managed to intrigue me for a few minutes but only a few and it wasn’t long before the boring,sick and uninteresting story began to unfold. The things that made me think that it was going to be good were the creepy music at the beginning and the introduction of the creepy characters because to a small extent the characters were ok. They were creepy and unusual and they were the first thing that made me think that this would be good. This film has some graphic torture scenes and that’s not even mentioning all of the bad parts. I have never seen a film like this before, I was not expecting them and I found it very sickening.
If you do not like this sort of thing then I advice you to avoid it. When i was younger I use to sneakily watch films which were intended for older viewing behind my parents back but this! I am glad that I never seen a film like this then because it might have scarred me for life! LOL This has some very sick scenes and if you do not like blood and guts, this is far from the sort of film you are going to want to watch. If you dislike bugs, dismembered bodies and gross things. Then don’t even bother watching it because that really is all that it has to offer. In this film you can expect scenes of violence,rape and other very unpleasant things. I actually feel physically sick after seeing particular parts in it.
I have seen the “saw” films for example and although they are scary. They never had that effect on me. This is just gross and disgusting for the most part and even though I was concentrating and reading all of the subtitles. I found certain parts very confusing. Most parts are very disturbing and I really didn’t enjoy it at all, in fact I hated it! Some special effects are used in this but for me they are not that important anyway. So it was completely crap in my opinion and I believe that even the best special effects couldn’t improve such a disastrous film. It is strange but too strange, this film is incredibly sick. It has scenes of human depravity and perversion and it is not one that I can say that I am glad I watched. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this, sometimes in my reviews. I say if a film was just ok in my opinion and then I suggest that people should wait until it comes on tv. Rather than rush out to buy it but with this, I don’t even recommend that!
Unless of course there is people who like the sounds of this? And everyone has different opinions. So there is a chance some will like it but quite frankly. I cant think of a film that I have seen yet. That is worse and that includes even the crappiest ones that I have seen. Nothing about this film appealed to me except, what I mentioned before about the creepy characters because they seemed well thought up but with those you would think they could of took them and made it a brilliant film! Maybe it could of even been interesting if the script was better but no the story never picks up or gets better at any point and the ending is terrible! Some of the things you will see in this film, you probably wouldn’t see in your worst nightmares! I really didn’t like it and apart from the different places, that were used for the scenes in the film and the costumes. I was far from impressed! ,Maybe it is just that i am not into “that sort of thing” and maybe this could be someone, who likes this sort of film’s idea of a classic or something but my own opinion of it, is that it is far from worth “wasting your time” on it.
I don’t like films which leave me feeling sick and that make it hard to even look at the screen for most of the parts because they are so disturbing and this is one of them. Ewww, that is the word I would use to describe this and I would also say that there is a possibility that the original and the sequel were a lot less like this and better. Keep in mind, I am judging by the newest addition. Saying that though I have a sneaking suspicion that they are all the same because this film certainly was not relying on a smart script or an intriguing storyline. Instead it was a struggle to watch it to the end and I dare say if the rest are anything like this one they will be just as horrible. If not worse, in fact maybe the first one is even worse because usually the first film is the best and if this is anything to go by. Then the first and second will be even more sickening than this one, if that is even possible? I was expecting this to be frightening and instead it quite honestly turned out to be the biggest load of crap, that I have ever seen. I wasn’t even frightened by it. No! Instead I was sickened and left wishing that I had never watched it in the first place.
The storyline in my opinion is ridiculous and what there is of it is well… almost non-existent. This sets the tone for the rest of the film because it is exactly that. Some of the scenes didn’t even seem to relate to the film in any way. I mean, for instance! The flashbacks that he had didn’t even seem to relate to this film and it must be going back to the previous ones but where does that leave those like myself who have not watched them? This sequel is set years and years later from when the other films were first made. I think that a lot of other people may be unaware of them as well. The only overly good thing in this whole fiasco was the creepy music which give the false impression that it would be scary. I feel like this could have done with a lot more things added to it, a sort of introduction or something?
Because that way the people who didn’t know about the previous films, would be able to “get into it and understand it a lot more.” Watching it feels the way you would feel, if you were to watch any film, that had other ones released before it and you had not seen them. You really will be left confused and thinking wtf is going on? It feels like being dropped in the middle of this place that is manic and a lot is going on but you really haven’t a clue why. I think though, that even if you had watched the previous films. This would still be just as crap! This is mainly focused on sadistic things and even if there was a strong storyline, it would be drowned out by all the blood, guts gore and grossness of this. I hope that I never see a film that is this crap again!
Jose Mojica Marins
Jose plays the role of Coffin Joe, he is a undertaker and has been in previous films. This film completes a trilogy of similar films, which first came out in 1964. The first one was called “at midnight ill take you soul” and the one that was released after that was called “This night ill take your corpse.” I had no idea of these other films prior to watching this but if I was I wouldn’t of given it a second look. Coffin Joe is a very evil man. A man who gets joy from inflicting pain on others and causing others to suffer. He beats,terrorizes and rapes women and is in search of a new woman for reasons that I will get to later. He wears a top hat, dark clothing, has freakishly long nails and a long beard. He has a assistant that he reunites with when he is freed from a mental hospital. He has been confined in that hospital for more than 40 years and he also has four fanatical followers, with souless looks in their eyes. They are willing to do anything he requests and they have been awaiting his release.
These sick beings watch on with enthusiasm as he inflicts his torture on numerous amounts of people. In some areas the film goes black and white and flashes back to the horrible things that he did in his past. You will also hear him be referred to as the devil and a grave digger. He is haunted by visions of people who’s lifes he has previously stolen but he believes that it is all in his head and that he is just imagining things. Although they seemed more realistic in my opinion and were more like zombies than ghosts. They didn’t really seem like visions at all. He stalks the streets in search of women. He is looking for one who he believes is “superior enough” and then he will get her pregnant. So that he can have a son, he believes his bloodline is the best and that if he succeeds he will live on through her blood but will he manage to do that? This has been a life long obsession for the creep! Will he be found out? By the time I found out the answers to these questions. I was already highly fed up with the film and feeling sick at what I had seen.The mostly disturbing parts of this and a high percentage of the film are all based in a weird place that his assistant leads him to that Coffin Joe refers to as his “quarters.” When Coffin Joe is let out of jail. It as if he has been placed on another planet and he doesn’t seem to understand, that it is against the law to randomly attack strangers!
Rui Rezenede
Rui is Coffin Joe’s loyal assistant, he has a hunch in his back which makes him walk slightly bent over. He is very tall, has a strange limp and has a funny, nearly always startled look on his face. When he talks he makes a mumbling sound and he says “yes master” to Coffin Joe. He would be funny if this film was not so bloody twisted! He is probably the only “good character in this” and he is not even that convincing either. The person who plays the role of Coffin Joe is convincing but the role and the story are too awful for him to shine for the good actors that he is.
Jece Valadao
Jece plays the role of Coronel Claudiomiro Pontes. He has a major grudge against Coffin Joe after he caused him to go blind in one eye. When he hears of Coffin Joes release he is determined to make him pay. Along with a priest named Father Eugênio (played by(Milhem Cortaz) Who is the son of one of Coffin Joes past victims. He is a rather unstable guy and he joins forces with Coronel Claudiomiro Pontes and they both set out for revenge. Will they get it?
Price
This is available on Amazon for £3.98 and this included free delivery.
This review can also be seen on dooyoo and ciao under my name danielleg1989
Written by danielleg1989