Thursday Movie Picks-Blockbuster Flops

Wandering Through The Shelves picked a good one this week because it is all about the big budget flops that we see almost every year. Sometimes the films, I find, are pretty good(Adventures of Baron Munchausen) but, often, they are flops for a reason-they are crap! I chose 3 that are all from the 1960's because I have seen them when they come on TV and here they are...

1. CLEOPATRA-1963

Oh That Elizabeth Taylor who was a great choice as Cleo but the backstage antics catapulted the film's costs to over 44 million(almost $375 million today). Liz wanted her special food from a certain restaurant in Hollywood so they shipped it in for her. She started a huge affair with Richard Burton, who played Marc Antony, that created a world wide stir where the Pope condemned them. She also became very ill with pneumonia and almost died. An emergency tracheotomy had to be performed so she could breathe.. There were cast changes, thousands of costumes and changes in location shoots. This film is almost 4 hours long and it drags. Yes, it is all about Cleo's life when she is is presented (rolled in a rug) to Julius Caesar, played by sexy Rexy Harrison. Cleo has an affair with Antony all the while ruling Rome and Egypt before taking her life with an Asp (that's a snake by the way). This film almost bankrupted Fox but was saved by the Sound of Music, which became a huge hit. To be honest, even though, it drags a bit, it's still worth seeing just once, oh, it eventually recouped its cost.

2. DR. DOOLITTLE-1967

Rex Harrison (yup Sexy Rexy) was cast as the lead in this horrible movie about a man who can talk to the animals. It was thought that the best thing was to make this a musical and it sucks especially when they show the Pushme-Pullyou animal..yuck-a Doodle! Dr. Doodie  travels all around and meets up with Samantha Eggar and Anthony Newley(who can sing but I hate his style of singing). It's quite the stupid movie where the Doc, freed from the nut house sets sail to find the elusive pink sea snail...ughhh...watch the Eddie Murphy film instead. Oh it cost 17 million to make(over $128 Million today) but only made 6.2 million (46.7Million). Poor Rex had to deal with bad weather, irate villagers from one of the film locations, and being bitten by many of the animals. Once again, almost bankrupted Fox Studios (they never learn)

3. PAINT YOUR WAGON-1969

I watched a ton of movies on TV when I was young. I wish Movies for a Sunday Afternoon would come back. Anyhoo, This wretched musical, from a Tony Winning Broadway show takes place during the wild west days of mining. 2 men, one old and one young vie for the love of a pretty lass who can't decide whom she loves so she lives with both. They not only mine but rob a stagecoach to kidnap 6 prostitutes to create a boomtown. It stars the non singing Lee Marvin as the old coot, Clint Eastwood(yup!) as the young guy and Jean Seberg as the lassie...none can sing well even though Clint loves music and composes many songs that you hear in his films. The only saving grace for this movie is when the song , "They Call the Wind Mariah" is sung by Harve Presnell and other miners. I recall covering my eyes when Clint sang. Bad weather, Clint having an affair with the mentally unstable Jean Seberg, (who thought she was going to marry him. She had no idea he was having another affair with a bit player as well) and Marvin being drunk most of the time, the budget soared to 20 Million(over $138 million) but only made  ($14.5 million which is $100 Million).

Which 3 films would you choose?