MovieChat Forums > Eight Men Out (1989) Discussion > Why the poor box office?

Why the poor box office?

posted 15 years ago by LibraryUser
17 replies | jump to latest

From the time I saw it in 1988, I've wondered why a movie as good as Eight Men Out did so poorly at the box office. My idea is that the public is not keen in general to watch a movie that seriously exposes and criticizes our entertainment culture. That may also be the main reason why another very good movie, Quiz Show, did so poorly at the box office in 1994.

This is mostly a speculation on my part, not the result of a long study of the history of movies in this country. Any comments?

[–] ccr1633 7 years ago

There may have been just a bit of baseball movie fatigue. The Natural beat Eight Men Out to the box office with the old time baseball vibe. Bull Durham came out just a couple months before and was extremely successful with the comedic angle. Although a slew of generally inferior baseball films followed in the wake of 1988, I think The Natural might have given Eight Men Out a "been there done that" feel, while Bull Durham may have shifted audience tastes toward more lighthearted sports fare, as we were soon given with Major League.

[–] SandyR (7341) a year ago

John Sayles's directing style isn't Hollywood enough for the general public.