19 Classic Movies: The Silver Screen’s Beloved Box Office Misfires

1. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 1971，IMDB Rating: 7.8, IMDB Votes: 229741, ID: 0067992
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It is about a young boy, Charlie, who wins a chance to visit a mysterious chocolate factory and in the process experiences an adventure full of fantasy and surprises. Despite its childlike, marvelous storyline, the movie underperformed at the box office, earning only $4 million worldwide. However, it became a beloved classic years later.
2. Annihilation 2018，IMDB Rating: 6.8, IMDB Votes: 366040, ID: 2798920
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Annihilation is the story of an expedition into the mysterious Area X. Natalie Portman’s biologist Lena and her crew experience bizarre and terrifying events in the ever-changing area. Despite its unique narrative and compelling performance by Natalie Portman, the movie fell short of its $40 million budget at the box office. Its exploration of self-destruction, evolution and biology makes it a gem in the science fiction genre.
3. Ali 2001，IMDB Rating: 6.7, IMDB Votes: 106178, ID: 0248667
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Ali, a biographical film about the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, was a milestone for Will Smith’s career, earning him his first Oscar nomination. Despite Smith’s powerful performance, the film barely broke even, failing to recoup its $107 million budget. Yet, it remains a significant portrayal of Ali’s life, reflecting the societal and personal battles he fought.
4. The Big Lebowski 1998，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 866745, ID: 0118715
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The Big Lebowski centers on Jeff Bridges as Lebowski, an “iron-fan” who is accidentally caught up in a complex kidnapping plot. With a budget of $15 million, this quirky blend of comedy and crime starring Jeff Bridges grossed just over $3 million. Its unique style has won it a loyal fan base.
5. Blade Runner 1982，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 829230, ID: 0083658
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Blade Runner is about a replicant hunter in a futuristic world who hunts down escaped replicants. The movie explores profound themes of humanity, memory, and existence, and despite its initial box office failure, its unique visual style and philosophical depth have made it a major player in science fiction cinema. Considered a classic, it has influenced countless subsequent works of science fiction.
6. Blade Runner 2049 2017，IMDB Rating: 8.0, IMDB Votes: 676354, ID: 1856101
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Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to Blade Runner, tells the story of K, a replicant hunter who discovers a secret that could change the order of society during a mission and consequently embarks on a journey to find his predecessor, Rick Decker, a hunter. Despite being narratively satisfying and critically acclaimed, the film was not the box office success it was expected to be.
7. Blow Out 1981，IMDB Rating: 7.4, IMDB Votes: 65083, ID: 0082085
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‘Blow Out’ is about Jack (John Travolta), a sound recordist who accidentally records the sounds of a car crash and discovers a hidden conspiracy. Despite the film’s initial box office failure, its intricate plot and innovative cinematography cemented its status as a classic. It proved the power of creative storytelling, even when commercial success was elusive.
8. The Iron Giant 1999，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 230920, ID: 0129167
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The Iron Giant is about the deep friendship that develops between a young boy, Hogarth, and a giant robot that falls from the sky. Although the movie did not do well at the box office in its early years of release, its heartwarming and touching story as well as its great animation made it a beloved animated classic.
9. Citizen Kane 1941，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 468802, ID: 0033467
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Although Citizen Kane was a box office flop when it was released, today it is revered as one of the greatest films of all time. Telling the life of newspaper mogul Charles Foster Kane, it reveals his quest for power and achievement, and ultimately his lonely end, through multiple perspectives. Its initial commercial failure underscores the timeless maxim that true art often takes time to be appreciated.
10. Dredd 2012，IMDB Rating: 7.1, IMDB Votes: 296712, ID: 1343727
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Dredd is about the story of Dredd, a SWAT Judge who enforces justice and punishes crime in a futuristic anti-utopian society. The movie portrays an oppressive future world. Despite the excellent special effects and great performances, the movie fell short of expectations at the box office, but its unique style and profound theme won the hearts of many fans.
11. Fight Club 1999，IMDB Rating: 8.8, IMDB Votes: 2352069, ID: 0137523
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‘Fight Club’ is about a white-collar man who is struggling to make ends meet and creates an underground fight club after befriending a mysterious man named Tyler, thus releasing his ego and fighting against the consumer culture. The movie explores the themes of male identity and self-identity through intense fights and a deep satire on social phenomena.
12. Heaven’s Gate 1980，IMDB Rating: 6.7, IMDB Votes: 17388, ID: 0080855
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The movie is set against the backdrop of the Johnson County War in the late 1800’s and follows the bitter conflict between immigrant ranchers and landowners. The movie seeks to recreate the reality and brutality of that tumultuous period. Despite the high production costs and poor box office performance, its artistic value and deep portrayal of history make it a classic worth exploring.
13. Hugo 2011，IMDB Rating: 7.5, IMDB Votes: 338224, ID: 0970179
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Hugo is the story of Hugo, an orphaned boy who lives secretly in a Parisian train station. Hugo discovers a mysterious cyborg left behind by his father and embarks on an adventure with a young girl, gradually unraveling the machine’s connection to film pioneer Georges Méliès. In a moving narrative style, the movie presents a tribute to the history of cinema.
14. It’s a Wonderful Life 1946，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 502915, ID: 0038650
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It’s a Wonderful Life is about the main character, George Bailey, who is in despair on Christmas Eve due to life’s setbacks, and the angel Clarence comes to his aid, helping George to reconnect with the value of his life by showing what the world would be like without him. Although the film did not do well at the box office when it was released, its heartwarming story made it a beloved classic.
15. Killers of the Flower Moon 2023，IMDB Rating: 7.6, IMDB Votes: 252607, ID: 5537002
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Killers of the Flower Moon is the story of a series of murders that befell the native inhabitants of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, USA in the 1920s after they became rich from oil. The movie exposes the dark truth behind greed, intrigue and racial prejudice.
16. Mulholland Dr. 2001，IMDB Rating: 7.9, IMDB Votes: 387265, ID: 0166924
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Mulholland Dr.centers around an amnesiac woman and an aspiring actress, and as they hunt for memories and the truth in Los Angeles, the story gradually enters a disorienting interplay of the surreal and the dreamlike. Despite its poor performance at the box office, the film’s delicate narrative structure and surreal visual style make it an artistic classic.
17. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 2010，IMDB Rating: 7.6, IMDB Votes: 469038, ID: 0446029
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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a movie that skillfully blends elements of comedy, action and romance to tell the story of young man Scott, who has to defeat seven evil exes of the girl he loves, Ramona, in order to woo her. The film is filled with quirky characters and humorous dialogue.
18. The Shawshank Redemption 1994，IMDB Rating: 9.3, IMDB Votes: 2919681, ID: 0111161
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The Shawshank Redemption is a classic movie that explores the themes of hope, friendship and redemption, telling the story of Andy, a banker who is imprisoned for a wrongful conviction and wins his freedom in Shawshank Prison through perseverance and faith. Despite a poor box office at the time of its release, largely due to competition and publicity issues. Its widespread acclaim and loyal fan base have made it a monumental piece of movie history.
19. The Fabelmans: A Family in Film 2023，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 250, ID: 26444112
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The Fabelmans: A Family in Film is an autobiographical family drama that shows Spielberg’s childhood and upbringing. Despite its poor performance at the box office, the movie’s profound and touching narrative allows the audience to feel the sweet and sour of growing up, making it a masterpiece full of sincere emotions.