In the shiny world of movies, the resounding crash of the box office cash register tends to outweigh all other metrics of film success. A blockbuster that generates billions in worldwide sales is quickly considered a convention if not a cultural phenomenon. But should only the number of tickets sold determine a movie’s quality? If so, we mistake popularity for art and financial success for a lasting contribution.
The Gap between Commercial and Craft
The indicators of box office performance and film quality are inherently different creatures. The path of a film toward profitability is beholden to a multitude of factors that are significantly divorced from the story it tells and the artistry that informs it. Multi-million-dollar marketing budgets, the star power of its talent, release timing, and the widest possible audience appeal are potent ingredients in the recipe for box office success. Movies can be well made, emotionally affecting, and resonant with rich themes and still not leapfrog to the box office throne simply because they do not have a marketing budget in the millions or a recognizable star in a leading role.
On the other hand, many of the films that make all the money take steps to ensure mass market appeal, sacrificing the risks of creative, artistic fulfillment. These “usual commercial concepts” rely on repetition of similar concepts, over-the-top special effects, and a pre-existing fan base to earn a profit. These mass-feted experiences are arguably entertaining and interesting, yet possibly lack the originality and emotional engagement that make a film great. To judge a film on only its money-making ability is to disregard the art of storytelling, the genius of an impressive performance, the courage of a director to be subversive, etc.
What Really is Cinematic Quality?
However, the essence of a quality movie extends far beyond the weekend box office. It exists in the richness of the storytelling, the complexity of the characters, and the skill of the direction. A quality movie does more than just provide entertainment; it activates something in the emotional and intellectual mind, oftentimes prompting us to examine our perspectives and forcing us to continue thinking about it long after we leave the cinema. It is a sense of art. Cinematography as an art form, a nuanced, powerful performance that gains new relevance on every viewing, and a screenplay we haven’t encountered. These are qualities that cannot be measured against the dollar sign.
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The History of When Box Office and Quality Branch
Time and again, this gap has shown up in examples, proving it’s not just a one-off thing. Films like The Shawshank Redemption and Blade Runner, which we now think of as timeless classics, didn’t make much money when they first came out. Some big-budget movies made a ton of cash, but they were all about flashy stuff and not much else. What constitutes a blockbuster (the scores of sequels or reboots to successful properties) is undeniably identifiable, but yes, you will have a hard time remembering the storyline or characters because they feel more like a donor drone than an experience that is artistic.
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s kind of shallow and usually wrong to just look at how much money a movie made to decide if it’s any good. Money’s important for keeping the movie biz going, but it doesn’t tell you if a film is great art or will stand the test of time. Quality’s all about personal taste, and it’s kind of disrespectful to filmmaking to just judge it by numbers.
Written by Nidhi Singh