"The Wizard of Oz" box-office
11-23-10, 11:02 PM
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
"The Wizard of Oz" box-office
Was curious how much TWOZ made in it's lifetime so I went to boxofficemojo.com and wikipedia and both said it has made only 16.7M domestic, 17.6M worldwide. Can that be correct? During it's lifetime/adjusted inflation!?
11-23-10, 11:46 PM
#2
DVD Talk Hero
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
That figure is correct, apparently, but not adjusted. It never made much money in the theater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiz...lm)#Theatrical
The film grossed approximately $3 million (equal to $46,990,384.62 today) against production/distribution costs of $2.8 million (equal to $43,857,692.31 today) in its initial release. It did not show what MGM considered a large profit until a 1949 re-release earned an additional $1.5 million (equal to $13,689,075.63 today).
11-23-10, 11:47 PM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
OK, wait. Looks like your source took the unadjusted $3 million original run, and added it to the adjusted 1949 run. Dorks.
11-24-10, 12:01 AM
#4
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
11-24-10, 09:11 AM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
I thought it was fairly common knowledge that the movie wasn't a huge hit in its initial theatrical release and mainly achieved it's 'classic status' and popularity when it became a television staple.
11-24-10, 09:23 AM
#7
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
That inflation adjustment is way off. Maybe for inflation in general but not ticket prices. Assuming a ticket price of .25 cents in 1939 against what? $8 today? That's $3M x 32 = $96M on initial release. Still a flop.
11-24-10, 12:05 PM
#8
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I thought so also. The Wizard of Oz had some pretty remarkable competition in 1939 and it was in the days of single screen theaters and months or years long runs.
11-24-10, 12:26 PM
#9
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
They also re-released it theatrically in the mid-'50s--1956, I think. Just before they started running it once a year on CBS. I remember my older siblings going to see it but not me--I was considered too young (I would have been 2 or 3).
But once it started airing on TV, we watched it every year. (A b&w TV in my household.) Of course, I would have to wait till I was in college to see it on the big screen, the first time I would see the color portion in color.
But once it started airing on TV, we watched it every year. (A b&w TV in my household.) Of course, I would have to wait till I was in college to see it on the big screen, the first time I would see the color portion in color.
11-24-10, 12:40 PM
#10
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
I remember it didn't do that much business in 1998. I saw it at the $1 theater since I wanted to see it on a movie screen.
BTW: Were ticket prices high as a quarter in 1939? Maybe they were. Just seems high to me.
BTW: Were ticket prices high as a quarter in 1939? Maybe they were. Just seems high to me.
11-24-10, 04:02 PM
#11
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
Most average successful films from 30s-70s probably made 300-500M adjusted for inflation. Big stuff like Bond, Disney, Ben-Hur, etc. are probably in the 800M-1B range adjusted for inflation.
11-24-10, 04:22 PM
#12
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
Trying to figure out grosses adjusted for inflation like this makes me wish they instead listed number of tickets sold. Because no matter what year it is or how much one costs, a ticket is a ticket is a ticket.
11-24-10, 04:34 PM
#13
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: "The Wizard of Oz" box-office
It would be a lot easier to just multiply number of tickets sold by current ticket prices. Especially since almost all kids under twelve were free but still counted as a ticket sold.
Looked up Mary Poppins at imdb. Initial 1964 release 148M gross USA + worldwide together. Given an average adult ticket at $1. If each adult took one child, and child price is one-half of adult that increases the 148M to 232M. Easily well over $1.5 billion gross at today's prices.
Looked up Mary Poppins at imdb. Initial 1964 release 148M gross USA + worldwide together. Given an average adult ticket at $1. If each adult took one child, and child price is one-half of adult that increases the 148M to 232M. Easily well over $1.5 billion gross at today's prices.
