Top Box Office, 70's and the 2000's: A contrast

[ChrisMC]

I don't know what my aim is here, I've been thinking about movies a lot today (I'm alone all day so I tend to obsess on things) and how much I love the decade of the 1970's for film. Just so many absolute classics there. I wanted to look at the top films from the 70's vs. the top films of the last completed decade. So, here is the top films of the 70's and 2000's....


1970's

1. Star Wars $460,998
2. Jaws $260,000
3. The Exorcist $232,671
4. The Sting $159,600
5. Animal House $141,600
6. The Godfather $134,966
7. Superman $134,218
8. Close Encounters $128,290
9. Smokey & the Bandit $126.737
10. Blazing Saddles $119.500
11. Rocky $117,235
12. Towering Inferno $116,000
13. American Graffiti $115,000                             
14. Rocky Horror Picture Show $112,892
15. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest $112.000             
16. Love Story $106,397
17. Kramer vs. Kramer $106,260
18. Every Which Way But Loose $105,918
19. Jaws 2 $102,922
20. Airport $100,489

2000's

1. Avatar $759,563
2. The Dark Knight $533.184
3. Shrek 2 $437.212
4. Pirates of Caribbean 2 $423.416
5. Spider-Man $407.681
6. Transformers 2 $402.077
7. Finding Nemo $380.482
8. Revenge of the Sith $380.271
9. Return of the King $377.019
10. Spider-Man 2 $373.378
11. The Passion of the Christ $370.774
12. The Two Towers $341.748
13. Spider-Man 3 $336.530
14. Shrek 3 $320.707
15. Transformers $319.222
16. Iron Man $318.298
17. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone $317.576
18. Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull $317.011
19. The Fellowship of the Ring $314.163
20. Attack of the Clones $310.677


Well, the first difference is that in the 70's only ONE sequel made it into the Top 20, and in the 2000's TWELVE of the Top 20 were follow-ups. Six films in the 70's 20 were based off of novels, and four in the 2000's (although really, Lord of the Rings is really ONE book). I think the main difference is the original stories, not adapted properties. Eleven out of the the 70's Top 20 are not only original stories, some of them changed Film.  Star Wars, Close Encounters, Rocky, American Graffiti...these are classic films. And Jaws invented the modern blockbuster, but really, it's a film about 3 guys in a boat, conquering fear in the form of a shark. It's my favorite movie. I think I feel that the current crop of movies, while TONS of fun, especially if you happen to be geeky, are huge sequel monsters that get funded. I wonder if George Lucas could have made Star Wars in the current environment, and if it would succeed. And in this year's op 10, there's a movie with 6 in it's title.

I wonder how different things will look in another 10 years?

[davekill]

From your 70's list...American Graffiti was an experiment of multiple story lines. I don't think anything like it had been made before.

Watched it just the other day and it's still a pretty cool movie - way to go G.L.! :)

[Bromptonboy]

So funny, I recall how big Jaws and Animal House were back when I was a kid.

[WillEagle]

I watched 4 of the 70's and 16 of the 2000's at the theater. I have now seen 10 of the 70's and all of the 2000's movies. My mom used to take us to movies when we were kids. I do remember taking us to see Superman, Smokey and the Bandit and Every Which Way But Loose. I cant remember if it was my Dad or Mom that took us to Star Wars.
Neat list, Chris.

[Bromptonboy]

I have seen all the 70's save for Blazing Saddles, and all the 2000's save for the Pirates & Transformers series.