Movies that used to be really big - but they aren't anymore

[Mikey]

It's weird how some movies were huge back in the day but today some have become almost forgotten.

A few off the top of my head - Network and Coma

I might even add Close Encounters

any others ?

[palitoy]

Not a single one of my friends had ever heard of "Shaft" despite the youngest of them being born in 1973.

[Brazoo]

Well I guess there's room for only a few movies to get to be considered "timeless classics".

"Network" is maybe in my top 10, but it's true - compared to the accolades it received at the time it's not that well known. I do hear "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" sampled and quoted sometimes, though.

If you look at older movies you see this a lot. "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" is another favorite movie of mine. It was one of the biggest hits of 1944, and is on the AFI top 100 comedies list - but I rarely speak to people who know it.

[Brazoo]

Not a single one of my friends had ever heard of "Shaft" despite the youngest of them being born in 1973.

Whaa?!! That's crazy. They don't even know it a little from the theme song? Or the remake?

[Mikey]

Not a single one of my friends had ever heard of "Shaft" despite the youngest of them being born in 1973.

Back in the day (the 70's) I used to think Shaft was a porn film

I never knew it was a real movie until the early 80's

I always knew the theme but never put two and two together it was from the movie.
I just thought it was a song in itself

[HardyGirl]

You gotta remember...back in the day there were no DVDs, videos, movie downloads and cable seemed futuristic. It was maybe 2 or 3 years before movies were shown on network TV. Movies like Star Wars, Jaws, and Close Encounters were "blockbuster" films and were a big deal that produced tons of merchandising to keep the franchise alive, even to kids who were too young to see the films. But we're just too overloaded w/ choices and electronic trappings. There's no such thing as a "big" movie anymore....sad.

[ctc]

>There's no such thing as a "big" movie anymore

Hmmmm.... I think there is, but they burn brighter and shorter than they used to. Every year we get record earnings, but short-lived presence. Look at something like "Avatar;" months of build up, super-mega take at the box office, the disk comes out a few months later, and now it's gone. And it's not a question of quality; it's the sales cycle. Good, bad, whatever.... they get swept aside for the next big film. Until the sequel, remake or redo. (Kinda like the 40's again....)

Don C.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Earthquake in Sensurround!

[Figuremod73]

Batman 1989 is a good example of a movie that was really big when released, but isnt so much anymore. Is it on anyones best list? Probably not. Theres alot wrong with it. (much was improved apon in Batman Returns) I remember when this movie was released it was on Entertainment Tonight and Showbiz today every night during the spring prior to its released and overshadowed Indiana Jones 3 and Ghostbusters 2. So much hype was created for it you almost couldnt help being disapponted once seeing it...

[Cmonster]

There's no such thing as a "big" movie anymore....sad.

Really??? What do you call "Avatar"? The Transformers films? Harry Potter???

SC

[palitoy]

Really??? What do you call "Avatar"? The Transformers films? Harry Potter???

Mostly "Stuff I couldn't sit through"

Whaa?!! That's crazy. They don't even know it a little from the theme song? Or the remake?

The remake came out the year after these conversations. I put the movie on just before heading out with a group. As they arrived, they'd ask "watcha watching?", I'd say "Shaft" and automatically get "what's that?". Repeat it ten times.

[Den82]

Terminator 2? I saw it twice the day it was released.

[Figuremod73]

terminator 2 was big in its day for sure. so was true lies

[jwyblejr]

^One could argue the case for any of Arnie's movies.

[kennermike]

You gotta remember...back in the day there were no DVDs, videos, movie downloads and cable seemed futuristic. It was maybe 2 or 3 years before movies were shown on network TV. Movies like Star Wars, Jaws, and Close Encounters were "blockbuster" films and were a big deal that produced tons of merchandising to keep the franchise alive, even to kids who were too young to see the films. But we're just too overloaded w/ choices and electronic trappings. There's no such thing as a "big" movie anymore....sad.

yes well said!