I’ve cherry-picked the dramas. Many of these films held the #1 spot at the box-office for more than 3 weeks. (For obvious reasons, this list sifts out most all the sci-fi, fantasy, raunchy comedies, animated and franchise films that held at #1 for multiple consecutive weeks).
It’s a fact that only 4 or 5 films per year pull off box-office champ 3-peats. It almost never happens for a drama. I think those dramas that manage to achieve the feat comprise an interesting list. You might disagree. You’re invited to make lists of your own that prove 3 weeks at #1 for a serious drama means nothing.
The Butler
The Help
The Dark Knight
Inception
Avatar
The Passion of the Christ
Black Hawk Down
Erin Brockovich
The Sixth Sense
Saving Private Ryan
Titanic
(continued after the cut)
Toy Story
Seven
Apollo 13
Legends of the Fall
The Fugitive
The Firm
A Few Good Men
Unforgiven
The Silence of the Lambs
Pretty Woman
Born on the Fourth of July
Rain Man
Fatal Attraction
Platoon
Aliens
Terms of Endearment
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Tootsie
On Golden Pond
Star Wars
Mojo is the source of this larger list. 131 movies over the past 33 years have held onto #1 for 3 or more weeks.
Great list Ryan, thanks for compiling. I know you cherry picked the dramas, but even so it’s funny to see how once a film gains some success at the box office the Academy takes note. Only a couple of those sneaked by without at least one Oscar nom.
And to the haters, you missed the point. Ryan excluded the “expected” hits because the box office is solely about making money, not about showcasing artistic cinema. So, when a film manages to lead the pack for three weeks (thus signaling financial success) but then also go on to critical acclaim, it’s worth mentioning. The Butler wasn’t “supposed to” top for three weeks, like an “Elysium” for example, so when it does it’s noteworthy.
Can you please not do a new post about Lee Daniels’ The Butler for the entire month of September?
I’m glad that Oprah finally has another successful film. Her television films have been stellar (remember Before Women Had Wings when everyone fell in love with Julia Stiles?) and I felt like Beloved was an ugly hit on what should and still could be a remarkable film legacy.
And Yaya Dacosta is turning in some fierce work as well. And I couldn’t stand her pretentious ass when she was on “America’s Next Top Model”. Don’t judge me. Vh1 was doing a marathon.
Ok, judge away.
(toyed with “he’d share his last bon mot with me”)
“my pal Tony”
Ryan’s my pal! 🙂
He’s me pal; he’s me pal. There ain’t nobody else I would read. I know he’s real gruff, and his words can be tough. He’ll always have snark as his creed. I’d rather have him with his words quite caustic, than Thompson the indiewire gal. He’s mean as the fuzz, but I likes him because…he’s me pal; he’s me pal.
😀
I mean it.
(Sasha, Craig and I talked about Ironweed on OscarPodcast 2 weeks ago)
Off topic: I always thought it was a shame that Meryl’s “I’m Checkin’ Out” was never released as a commercial single. She might have won a Grammy. Maybe she’ll get one as part of next year’s “Into the Woods” soundtrack.
If it makes anybody feel any better, as much as I liked The Butler it won’t matter to me at all if there are 10 or 12 other films this year that I end up liking more.
Why would I mind if I see 12 or 15 more movies that I like between now and year’s end? I actually hope to God there are a dozen upcoming movies worthy of a BP nomination this year. Why wouldn’t I want that?
What’s rather weird is how I can’t say that I think it’s great that The Butler has held onto to the top spot at the box office this long — without getting scolded by some of you.
Want me to pretend that it’s no big deal that there have only been 31 film dramas over the past 3 decades that have stayed at #1 for 3 weeks straight? Forget it. When a grown-up drama can maintain the top spot this long, it’s a rare big deal and I’m glad to say so.
Am I supposed to be like my pal Tony and hope some piece of shit teenboy bait comes along ASAP to destroy the impressive run of a movie I admire? Forget it.
Since 1981, only 31 serious film dramas have been #1 at the box office for 3 consecutive weeks. Roughly 2 dozen were nominated for BP and 6 of them won.
Btw, while I am no fan of Vin Diesel (have seen him only in “Boiler Room” and “Saving Private Ryan”), I hope that his movie is #1 next weekend — if only to take a break from “The Butler” until guilds and awards are imminent!
I wouldn’t count on a 4-month moratorium on posts about The Butler if I were you.
Right now the film marketplace is rather like the NYC mayoral race — you’re lucky if you like even one of the choices.
This list is incomplete. Home Alone was #1 for several weeks in 1990 and 1991.
I left out all the slapstick comedies and other genres of films that would never be nominated for BP in a million years.
Thought I made that clear. The titles I wanted to highlight are the serious dramas and a few prestigious sci-fi movies and intelligent comedies like Tootsie.
There are 131 films since 1981 that have stayed #1 at the box off for 3 or more weeks in row. I wanted to spotlight the fact that film dramas rarely have those “legs” — but almost all the dramas that do are significant films that have an impressive history of awards attention.
So essentially you’re saying you narrowed down the criteria to give the false impression that this is a significant feat when actually looking at all of the data clearly says it isn’t.
The criteria make perfect sense. Are you telling me Home Alone and Terms of Endearment should be given equal regard as potential BP material?
I invited you to make your own list to make a case for all your favorite fluky popcorn hits of the past 33 years. Let’s see it.
“All the data”? What data do you mean? Throw a list together and make your own counterpoint, wise guy.
And, as I added on the other thread:
From a financial perspective, filmmakers care much more about a film’s total gross than they do about ranking #1 any particular week(s).
“The Butler” had weak competition. Heck, a slight adjustment in the release date of “We’re the Millers” (which I have not seen and most likely won’t see) and everything would change.
“filmmakers care much more about a film’s total gross than they do about ranking #1”
I’m only showing that consecutive weeks at #1 is a very fine indicator of filmlovers’ enduring affection for a film — and solid evidence that any drama that pulls off a 3-peat frequently gets nominated for BP.
(er, setting in)
The 5 films on the list immediately before “The Butler” were made in the past decade. “The Help” had the lowest gross at about $170M — a figure that “The Butler” won’t reach.
“Blackhawk Down” barely made $100M (in 2001) and wasn’t nominated for BP.
“The Butler” overkill is setting it.
It’s a decent movie making a decent amount of money that might get a BP nomination if some of the Nov/Dec films turn out to be duds.
[Streak is 2 weekends at 3-day; 3 weekends only w/4-day.]
I included several movies that weren’t nominated for BP. As evidence of their enduring reputation.
Scoff and sneer all you want. Ridley Scott got an Oscar nomination for Blackhawk Down.
Let’s not get in a fight about whether that year’s BP winner, A Beautiful Mind, is a better movie than Blackhawk Down.
I noticed that. To me that means the relative scarcity of dramatic films managing #1 for 3 consecutive weeks is even more important recently that it used to be in the past.
No need for a fight. Neither one was the best picture of 2001.
🙂
Don’t tempt me!