[Helena]

yeah, that pisses me off too...
they say TITANIC is the highest grossing film of all time, but the figures from movies like 'Star Wars' 'ET' 'Gone with the wind' 'Jaws' 'A hard Days Night' and whatever, are figures reprenting that time of economy aswell!!!

an ice cream that cost 10 cents in 1977 now costs 2 bloody dollars!!!
a house that cost $20k now costs $500k!

the records stink, and should be put together by cronolgical statititions and temporal accountants, Not cocain snorting hollywood propergandist assholes!!!

True - if inflation were taken into account, I imagine that the Original Trilogy movies would outrank the new ones by a large margin. It is heartening, though, to see that AotC took over $100 million less than TPM...

[Madam Corvax]

I suppose they do not adjust the box office with inflation because they are just lazy. I suppose there must be a way of depreciating the gross into present time dollars.

Andoff-topic,Ithink you might like to check this link- I found it a long time ago:

http://www.geocities...0/starwars.html

[Rory]

Well, what with the economy being a creepy, twisted, complex puzzle, I can forgive them for not trying to calculate inflation. My biggest beef against inflationists is their precious Judus Statistic. Apparently, the 50 silver pieces or whatever that Judus received for betraying Jesus only added up to like $10.57 of real America money, or something utterly ridiculous like that.

Firstly, what the fuck did having the equivalent of $10.57 mean back then? Was it the difference between poverty and starvation? Could you buy a goat for that much money? Were gasoline prices as high back then as they are today? I'd imagine a technicolor dreamcoat used to cost a lot more back then compared to now; could you buy one for $10.57 real American dollars?

[barend]

Apparently, the 50 silver pieces or whatever that Judus received for betraying Jesus only added up to like $10.57 of real America money, or something utterly ridiculous like that.

tsk tsk, typical american propaganda!!!
Nothing beats the american dollar

$10.57? that's a poor price to turn in someone trying to kill you...
tell you what, if they crucify jesus... I owe you a coke!

[Rory]

Huh?

tsk tsk, typical american propaganda!!!
Nothing beats the american dollar

Well, something has to be Real Money. And really, what other currency fits the bill? Canadian currency? LOL. Your dirty relativism isn't welcome here Berand.

$10.57? that's a poor price to turn in someone trying to kill you...
tell you what, if they crucify jesus... I owe you a coke!

Yeah... and people always seem to use it to talk about why Judus is such a jerk. If anything, though, it seems to indicate that he isn't as much of a jerk. Since its just completely ridiculous to imagine someone betraying a close ally for $10.57 it follows Judus must have had another reason for doing so. Now, granted, that reason might be complete crap, but I can only imagine it would be more forgivable than betraying a friend for some money... even a lot of money.

I think I'd just be insulted if someone offered me 10 bucks to betray my friend, even if I'd grown to hate him. That's just so little money.

Though, I still tend to think the Inflationists are off their rockers, and really dont have a good idea what they're talking about when they make that claim. (or maybe THEY do, but they failed to adequetly communicate their views.)

[barend]

sorry dude, it's properganda!!! the box office results are intentialy not infaltion-sensitive, to push the concept that new things are always bigger and better... it would be hard to pump up hype about a film that was 47th highest grossing movie of all time!

that $10.57 smells of similar omissive sneekiness...

as for Judas... maybe he thought it would be the only way for Jesus to gain Audience with the Priests. who knows, we can't ask him...

[Just your average movie goer]

While a film's grosses are important from a studio's or a distributor's point of view, they are no measure of how good a film is. As Barend said, The Titanic is said to be the highest-grossing film of all time. Well, so what? Does it make it a better film? No. Would I go to see a film because it did well at the box-office? No.

I go to see a film because it looks or sounds interesting. Maybe it's on a subject I'm interested in, maybe the preview looked fantastic, maybe I read a good review... these are the reasons I will see a film. How much money it raked in really doesn't mean much to me.

The ONLY point where a film's profits are important to the audience is when it affects how well it's marketed and how widely played it is. If a film doesn't do well enough that the distributor can't afford to play it in many theatres or advertise it, then most of probably wouldn't hear about it... and therefore wouldn't watch it.

So talk about inflation and film profits if that's what you think makes the film. I'm going to judge films on their own merits.

- Movie Goer

[civilian_number_two]

I agree in a way with everything everyone's said about film grosses and inflation. But this thing abut GONE WITH THE WIND and all the tickets it's sold needs to be considered a few different ways as well:

1 ) in 1939, running until, say, 40 years later, there was no home video. Sure, tv runs cut into rereleases from the late fifties on, but that film had 20 years of unchallenge re-releasability. So of course it sold some tickets.

2 ) ordinary people, people with little or no money, typically went to the movies twice a week up until the late fifties. they could see the news, a bunch of shorts, a b-feature, and then the main event, all on one ticket, and if they felt like staying they could watch the whole program twice in one day. So the ticket price wasn't just less back then, it was comparatively less. Two people could see a movie for the price of a loaf of bread (or whatever; figures not researched). These days, movies cost more than the majority of live theatre, and their theatrical profitability is a lot more impressive for this reason. That anyone goes to them at all is a testament to how well-placed in our minds the "dinner and a movie" date still is. The reason most films are targeted at twenty-somethings: they are still willing to spend loads of money trying to get laid. Married folk with kids and responsibilities can just wait for the video, thank you.

3 ) actually, I think I used up my rant on point_number_two. So I'm done.


Episode 3 prediction: it will suck.

[Paladin]

Apparently, the 50 silver pieces or whatever that Judus received for betraying Jesus only added up to like $10.57 of real America money, or something utterly ridiculous like that.

The buying power of 50 silver pieces back in Jesus's day probably had quite a bit of buying power. Remember, King Richard the Lionhearted was ransomed for 150,000 silver marks.

And back then, they had LOTS of silver coins of various demoninatons (misspelt). And a single gold pound would have been enough to see you through a whole YEAR!

[Just your average movie goer]

Lucas, a long time have I watched... all his life, as he looked away to the toys, to the computer games...

never his mind on where he was! Hm! What he was directing! Hm!

CGI - heh! N'sync - heh!

You are BORING.

He is too stupid! Yes, too stupid to make the prequels.

[Rory]

Well thats my point, Paladin. Judging inflation is sticky business. So sticky, in fact, that to say 50 silver pieces was worth $10.57 in real money seems meaningless without something to compare it to. Its similar to saying that people in certain countries live on the equivalent of 200 dollars a month. What does that mean? In the US, thats basically what a beggar, or a homeless person makes. Yet, in some countries people seem to do alright (not great, but at least they have food and a place to live) on that much. So clearly determining inflation, and money equivalency and what not isnt so cut and dry. I can understand why no one (save a very savy economist) would want to touch the movie blockbuster sales with a ten foot pole.

[civilian_number_two]

I need to say two things:

1. 30 Pieces of silver.
2. Judas.

Sorry, it was driving me crazy. Carry on.

[barend]

so it was only $6.75_USD



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Leorge Judas?