COMPASS & LOTR comparison - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Sauron the White · 12-26-2007, 02:23 PM

The whole COMPASS thing is dead as far as future film sequels go. What killed the franchise? Poor box office return on investment and the announced Jackson/Middle-earth deal. The nails are in the coffin and the body is now in the ground. Accept it.

And I find it interesting that some here castigate Jackson for his failue to repeat the LOTR box office numbers with KING KONG but are clinging to these COMPASS grosses as something better. They are not. In the end, COMPASS will not even take in what KONG did despite a budget in the same stratosphere. btw- KONG made a profit. Will COMPASS? I doubt it.

***Thenamir*** · 12-26-2007, 02:42 PM

FYI, while Kong failed to do the same kind of numbers as any of the LOTR movies, it cost $207M to make and the worldwide gross (not including DVD or other sales) was $550M -- a 250% return on investment, and #43 on the all-time worldwide box-office -- better than The Empire Strikes Back, not as good as Ratatouille. I'd say that was pretty doggone good.

davem · 12-26-2007, 02:51 PM

Yes, but Kong is still dreadful. I wonder how well it would have done if Jackson hadn't made LotR & they couldn't sell it as 'The new movie from the multi-Oscar winning director of the LotR trilogy!' I saw it once, but nothing could induce me to sit through it again.....

***Thenamir*** · 12-26-2007, 02:58 PM

As an interesting aside to Lal's comments about the tastes of the moviegoing public, I have perused the list at www.boxofficemojo.com, and found that of the THIRTY top grossing movies in the USA, only three (Titanic, Passion of the Christ, and Forrest Gump) could be called realistic -- in that none involved elements of the fantastic (leaving aside the fact that Forrest Gump didn't really exist...). The rest are either Sci-Fi (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), Fantasy (LOTR, Harry Potter), or Animated (Shrek, Finding Nemo).

Maybe we really are as dumb as Lal thinks we are.

Sauron the White · 12-26-2007, 03:15 PM

Does fantasy or science fiction equal stupidity? Thats quite a jump.

***Thenamir*** · 12-26-2007, 03:22 PM

Perhaps, according to some...

Quote:

average film audiences ... used to simpler fare, the old black/white type themes...aren't really capable of dealing with metaphysics...

Sauron the White · 12-29-2007, 10:20 AM

It now looks like the overseas box office will NOT save COMPASS from disaster. Here is the latest from an industry year end review.

Quote:

Sister studio New Line wasn't as fortunate with ``The Golden Compass.'' The film, made for an estimated $180 million, opened with sales of $25.7 million over the Dec. 7 weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. Overseas sales helped lift its total to $142.9 million after three weeks.

Rule of thumb says a film needs to take in at least twice what its budget was to break even because of what the theaters take as their cut of the action. With its big first few weeks behind it, GC has not even taken in an amount equal to its production budget.

Lalaith · 12-29-2007, 10:39 AM

Actually, the foreign figures are only up to December 16th, when the film had only been out a week in most countries. So I still say, hold your horses....

12-26-2007, 02:42 PM	#2
*Thenamir* Spectre of Capitalism Join Date: May 2001 Location: Battling evil bureaucrats at Zeta Aquilae Posts: 987	FYI, while Kong failed to do the same kind of numbers as any of the LOTR movies, it cost $207M to make and the worldwide gross (not including DVD or other sales) was $550M -- a 250% return on investment, and #43 on the all-time worldwide box-office -- better than The Empire Strikes Back, not as good as Ratatouille. I'd say that was pretty doggone good. __________________ The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. ~~ Marcus Aurelius

12-26-2007, 02:51 PM	#3
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Yes, but Kong is still dreadful. I wonder how well it would have done if Jackson hadn't made LotR & they couldn't sell it as 'The new movie from the multi-Oscar winning director of the LotR trilogy!' I saw it once, but nothing could induce me to sit through it again..... __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

12-29-2007, 10:39 AM	#8
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Actually, the foreign figures are only up to December 16th, when the film had only been out a week in most countries. So I still say, hold your horses.... __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

12-26-2007, 02:23 PM	#1
Sauron the White Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 903	The whole COMPASS thing is dead as far as future film sequels go. What killed the franchise? Poor box office return on investment and the announced Jackson/Middle-earth deal. The nails are in the coffin and the body is now in the ground. Accept it. And I find it interesting that some here castigate Jackson for his failue to repeat the LOTR box office numbers with KING KONG but are clinging to these COMPASS grosses as something better. They are not. In the end, COMPASS will not even take in what KONG did despite a budget in the same stratosphere. btw- KONG made a profit. Will COMPASS? I doubt it.

12-26-2007, 02:58 PM	#4
*Thenamir* Spectre of Capitalism Join Date: May 2001 Location: Battling evil bureaucrats at Zeta Aquilae Posts: 987	As an interesting aside to Lal's comments about the tastes of the moviegoing public, I have perused the list at www.boxofficemojo.com, and found that of the *THIRTY* top grossing movies in the USA, only three (Titanic, Passion of the Christ, and Forrest Gump) could be called realistic -- in that none involved elements of the fantastic (leaving aside the fact that Forrest Gump didn't really exist...). The rest are either Sci-Fi (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), Fantasy (LOTR, Harry Potter), or Animated (Shrek, Finding Nemo). Maybe we really are as dumb as Lal thinks we are. __________________ The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. ~~ Marcus Aurelius

12-26-2007, 03:15 PM	#5
Sauron the White Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 903	Does fantasy or science fiction equal stupidity? Thats quite a jump.