Tentpole Trauma

1982 was a big year for genre films, and Disney was hoping that Steve Lisberger’s video game fantasy Tron would be a Star Wars sized phenomenon. Sadly the bits did not fall in their favor and despite being a visual feast and a technological trendsetter, the film fell short with sci fi fans and box office receipts. Join Sebastian, Troy and super-fan Steve as they bust out the data discs and fire up the light cycles for this computerized cult classic.

The Jaws franchise was sinking steadily by 1987, yet no one could have predicted how viciously Joseph Sergeant’s Jaws: The Revenge would be  received. With Lorraine Gary as the only holdover from the original there was no righting this misguided shark hunt and not even the addition of Michael Caine could save it, but is it really worthless chum? Join Sebastian, Jennifer and Troy as they get personal with this notorious great white flop.

1986 was a wildly eclectic year for genre cinema, but arguably no offering was as a harder sell than John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. Re-teaming with leading man Kurt Russell and bringing in future Sex and the City cougar Kim Cattrall, Carpenter’s chop-socky supernatural adventure failed to ignite the box office and left audiences baffled before earning its place as a cult classic decades later. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they brace against the three storms and Kung fu fight their way through this delightful cinematic oddity.

Though not a total financial disaster, 1992’s Alien 3 met with a hostile reaction from audiences and earned a toxic reputation that threatened to derail what had proven a sturdy sci fi horror franchise. Fans of James Cameron’s crowd pleasing Aliens hoped for more of the same from Ripley and co, but taken on its own terms is David Fincher’s disowned directorial debut really that bad? Join Sebastian, Chris and Steve as they spit acid at each other over the pros and (space) cons of this much maligned sequel.

Coming hot off the surprise success of Darkman, director/visionary Sam Raimi chose to parlay his newfound studio cred into reuniting with star Bruce “the Chin” Campbell and completing the Evil Dead trilogy, a prospect that had horror fans ready to swallow their souls. But the sword and sorcery slapstick tribute to Ray Harryhausen he delivered received an initially tepid response from fans, and the box office wasn’t much better. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they pry open the Necronomicon and resurrect the now beloved camp classic Army of Darkness.

A sequel to the blockbuster smash The Exorcist wouldn’t have seemed a devil’s bargain in 1977, and with Richard Burton joining returning players Linda Blair and Max Von Sydow, signs were favorable for another horror hit. But Zardoz director John Boorman’s fever dream of a film was reviled by critics and ticket buyers, resulting in one of the most universally lambasted movies of all times. Join Sebastian, Jennifer and Rodney as they attempt to exorcise the demons of Exorcist II: The Heretic.

FLASH! Aaahaaa! After the mega-success of Star Wars, producer Dino De Laurentis hoped to cash in on space opera fever with a big screen adaptation of the comic strip/serial that inspired George Lucas to create a galaxy far far away. But despite wild, colorful sets, sexy stars and a killer rock score by Queen, director Mike Hodges’ campy film failed to reach cosmic heights, either with critics or the box office. Join Sebastian, Jennifer and Troy the Merciless as they blast off to save the universe with Flash Gordon.

By the mid 90s Kevin Costner was riding high as both a leading man and director, so the idea that he should headline (and largely ghost direct) a big budget post apocalyptic blockbuster seemed a fail-safe proposition. But after a high profile shoot plagued with problems and cost overruns the film was released to tepid box office receipts and a merciless drubbing from critics who mocked Costner’s hubris and cruelly dubbed the film “Fishtar”, preordaining it as one of the most massive filmic failures of all time. But does it truly deserve this reputation? Join Sebastian, Chris and Troy as they reel in the big one and plumb the murky depths of the legendary Waterworld.

Though universally accepted as a modern classic, Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption went virtually ignored at the box office when it was released in late 1994. But how could the top rated film on IMDB be guilty of such a crime? Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they revisit The Shawshank Redemption and dig deep into the truth of why it did hard time as a financial failure before finding redemption with audiences.