We’ve all seen blockbusters that simply blew us away. And we’ve all sat through absolute turkeys that made us want to demand that the cinema refunds us our cold, hard cash (We’re looking at you, The Cell). But what about the ones that didn’t blow anyone away at the movies, but went on the become some of the best loved films of all time? Films like…
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption is considered by many to be the pinnacle of modern storytelling. But when it was released in 1997, critics despised the film. It wasn’t until it hit the home video rental market that it really took off, cementing its place in the hearts of millions. And Shawshank is now talked of as being ‘the audience’s film’ – because it wasn’t the critics who made it a success.
Blade Runner
Who doesn’t love Blade Runner, Ridley Scott’s grimy, thought-provoking sci-fi noir? Well, pretty much everyone when it hit the big screen in 1982. Despite its intensely creative visual effects, a thrilling narrative and possibly Harrison Ford’s best acting gig, it wasn’t a big success partly thanks to studio interference. They took out much of the subtext and included possibly Harrison Ford’s worst acting gig when he provided a very bored voice over that added precisely nothing to the film.
Citizen Kane
It’s one of the greatest movies of all time, right? Frequently heralded as the absolute best film ever made. And that’s all down to Orson Welles’ stellar performance as a newspaper magnate with a messed up life. Hard to believe that the film that almost always tops the best movies list was a flop – but it was, thanks to real-life paper baron Randolph Hearst, who thought Welles had based his portrayal of the unsympathetic Kane on him.
The Wizard of Oz
Who’s off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz? Well, back in 1939, no-one apparently, since MGM’s technicolour tale wasn’t a major hit when it was first released. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s in black and white for the first 30 minutes, before plunging into glorious colour; maybe audiences back then weren’t ready for such an impressively realised film. Whatever it was, we’re glad that audiences saw how good to film is. We can’t imagine a world where nobody followed the yellow brick road!
It’s a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra’s heart-warming tale has become a Christmas staple every year. After all, who doesn’t want to watch an angel earn his wings or James Stewart whooping with glee along snow-banked streets? Again, no-one back when it was released in 1946. Maybe everyone was too jaded after the war, but this flopped big time. Thankfully, it received a renaissance and it now considered the quintessential Christmas movie; the one every other festive film measures itself against.
At least we all had a change of heart and realised how awesome these former flops were – although time will tell whether or not Batman vs. Superman will one day be heralded as the greatest film of all time. Want to see these stone-cold classics the way they deserve to be seen? Check out our extensive range of cheap TVs or drop the team a line to get busy watching.
