There is no denying that the landscape of cinema is constantly evolving, with art reflecting culture and the continued advancements in the medium yielding more relevant and visually stunning productions that often surpass many of the classic box office hits. Of course, there will always be those that remain timeless, whether it be the stunning visuals envisioned and meticulously crafted in George Lucas’s Star Wars, or the unrelenting terror of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist. At the same time, it would be arguable that those movies would still find success in the modern era as they are.
Other box office successes of the past, however, upon re-examination, reveal shortcomings that would almost guarantee they would be bombs today. Whether it be being far removed from the current culture or being overshadowed by the many movies that have done the same things better since their initial release. We are not necessarily saying that all these 8 movies are bad (some are), but rather that these box office hits of yesteryear would fail today.
‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974)
The Mel Brooks-directed and Gene Wilder-starring Young Frankenstein offered a comedic take on the Mary Shelly novel while paying homage to classic horror. The film’s humor, which combines slapstick, wordplay, and deadpan performances, is timeless in itself, and the film still holds up under modern-day scrutiny.
Too Many Horror Parodies Today Would Bury Young Frankenstein’s Success
However, in the modern landscape, Young Frankenstein would be more likely to end up as an underrated B-movie on Tubi, among the many other parodies/homages to horror of the past. This is a genre that is oddly oversaturated, and one that tends to walk a fine line among horror fans between entertainment and trash. Young Frankenstein benefits from being an early archetype; however, the same movie today would arguably not be met with the same praise and success it received upon release.
‘Grease’ (1978)
Grease is one of those films whose infamy endures through cultural osmosis; even those who have never seen it will instantly recognize some of the songs and any Halloween costumes associated with it. The musical numbers are infectious, the performances iconic, and the movie features a classic love story that still has the potential to make viewers swoon over John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Lack of Modern Interest in the 1950s Culture and Musicals
While a box-office hit on its release, times have certainly changed for the musical genre, and it is much harder to replicate those exact numbers with a musical, particularly given the era it romanticizes. If you are speaking with someone nostalgic for the 1950s, you are either talking to a senior citizen or someone who is choosing to indulge in an era they were not born into. Neither reason to adore the era is fundamentally wrong, but it is such a limited fan base to try to build into a blockbuster; Stephen Spielberg’s West Side Story, in itself, was a commercial disappointment. Musicals have also become a niche rather than the norm.
‘Porky’s’ (1982)
Porky’s is one entry here where it is hard, even retrospectively, to say that it still stands up today. The movie was one of many, but also one of the first, that created what is now more commonly referred to as college humor—a term in itself that has transitioned from popular to cringeworthy.
Cringey and Unacceptable Humor by Modern Standards
Stereotypes, racism, and objectification of women are all played for humor with a lack of self-awareness that would be seen later in other movies like Superbad or American Pie. Laughing at sexual harassment on screen is going to be the joy of a very sad, select few. At best, you could say the film influenced better productions in the future, but taking the blunt, crude comedy of the movie into theaters today would be beyond disastrous.
‘Three Men and a Baby’ (1987)
A lighthearted comedy, Three Men and a Baby, centered around three lifelong New York bachelors in the roles of fathers, played by Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson. The movie would go on to be a box office smash, which seems baffling when viewed today. Yet this was the highest-grossing film of 1987, earning $240 million worldwide on an $11 million budget.
Movies Around Parenthood Don’t Quite Appeal in the Same Way They Used To
Why have you not heard of it? It is a movie from one of the most romanticized eras of cinema. Well… the film has aged like milk, with many of the attitudes depicted in it having changed. Notably, the view of family dynamics has undoubtedly changed since the ’90s, from the roles of parents to the actual interest in kids; the percentage of adults having kids in 1987 was double that of 2023, according to Pew Research. The truth is, the scenario presented in Three Men and a Baby had cultural appeal then; now it would be considered niche.
‘Ghost’ (1990)
For typical clichés and tropes to be established within a genre, there must be one film that first achieves deserved success, warranting countless imitators. Ghost is a quintessential and by-the-numbers 1990s romantic comedy that, when immersing oneself in the era, remains utterly charming to this day. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore are perfect; the pottery scene is iconic. While Ghost is far from being ‘bad,’ rom-coms have evolved, and audiences expect more complexity, subtler humor, and tighter pacing.
Theater Audiences Now Expect More Substance From Their Rom-Coms
Ghost, if released today, would likely be a Hallmark or Netflix original rom-com and not a box-office titan. Its melodramatic tone, sentimental portrayal of the afterlife, and deliberate pacing make it better suited to a platform where viewers seek guilt-free, nostalgic romance rather than a cinematic blockbuster. Don’t get us wrong, we love a good Hallmark movie, and a modern-day Ghost would be a welcome addition.
‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993)
Mrs. Doubtfire thrived on the back of Robin Williams’ performance, and that is something no one would ever take away from the comedy icon. The culture surrounding the film at the time also did not raise significant concerns about its problematic aspects, so it cannot be faulted for that. Still, it’s heavily leaning into gender stereotypes, creating comedy that, by many, would be seen as insensitive today.
Cultural Shift in Views of Gender Identity Would Make It Impossible To Find Box Office Success
Not to make this a left vs. right argument, the idea of a modern-day Mrs. Doubtfire would come under scrutiny from both sides; it is one of those paradoxes that can not be solved. There is no magic equation to make it appeal to today’s audiences. At best, the movie could be given to Adam Sandler, who seems to be the only comedian capable of navigating awful material and still finding an audience, for better or worse. Still, there is no way a movie like Mrs. Doubtfire could thrive in today’s theaters.
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
Is there any genre that has grown as much as horror in the modern cinematic landscape? While people have mixed feelings about the term ‘elevated horror,’ there is no denying that, through studio companies like A24 and Neon, a broader shift in the genre has occurred toward more polished, thought-provoking horror that appeals to a wider audience and is not limited to the arthouse and indie scene.
The Evolution of Horror Leaves ‘The Sixth Sense’ a Product of Its Time
The Sixth Sense thrives on its tense atmosphere and its twist. However, this is something that, since its release, has become commonplace and done to better effect. You could argue that The Sixth Sense was an early precursor to the elevated horror movement, but that downplays its cultural impact and word of mouth, which propelled it to such box office success. Today, it would not stand up against the plethora of horror films that do both twists and atmosphere better, even if given a modern-day visual upgrade.
‘The Da Vinci Code’ (2006)
One of the few times pseudo-historical conspiracy fiction was given a major blockbuster platform, The Da Vinci Code would find itself thriving under the mystery of secret societies and symbology made famous by Dan Brown’s 2003 bestseller of the same name. It became a much-talked-about film, with many enraptured by a mystery that they felt had some profundity and historical accuracy behind it, despite being based on a fictional book.
Cliché Thriller From Questionable Now Disliked Source Material Would Flounder at the Box Office
The truth is that, as a mystery-thriller, The Da Vinci Code, by today’s standards, is pretty bland and cliché. Moreover, the source material, after its success, would be analyzed for greater scrutiny and deservedly picked apart for its flimsy approach to religious history. Here, time would be the killer of The Da Vinci Code in the theaters, as even cliché thrillers can thrive at the box office, but people are not as keen to embrace a story they know to be factually inaccurate and panned; pseudo-intellectualism is definitely no longer in style.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
