Trivia question

[Eric_JWFAN 11]

Name the film composer that committed suicide. This composer didn't score many films, but one of them is one of the most famous movies of all time.

[Dole 17]

Well, Frank Churchill committed suicide shortly after finishing Bambi.

[Eric_JWFAN 11]

Well, Frank Churchill committed suicide shortly after finishing Bambi.

Darn, I hate when the first person gets it right. Nice job.

Churchill also wrote the score to Snow White, including the famous "Some Day My Prince Will Come". Adjusted for inflation, Snow White would be a top 10 grossing film all-time.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Adjusted for inflation, Snow White would be a top 10 grossing film all-time.

Shhh... Joe might be reading.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Adjusted for inflation, Snow White would be a top 10 grossing film all-time.

Shhh... Joe might be reading.

you know I did, I just wish that there was a "actual" mathematical formula that was valid, in the case its total bullsh!=

I've never understoond why they don't count tickets, thats valid but there is no formula to adjust for inflation thats valid, how do you measure the variables, afterall there are adult, senior, and children's, not to mention matinee prices

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Wouldn't inflation also take into account the cost of making a movie today compared to back then?

- Marc, who doesn't know.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Guys, you are confusing your inflations.

Ticket price inflation (if the adjusted table you are looking at is made by someone competent) is different from the consumer price index and GDP Deflator inflation that you normally use. It's narrowed down to a single industry for greater accuracy.

Discounting extraneous variables (such as market saturation, phenomenon causing market shifts, etc.) the formula is accurate to within ±$5M.

In addition many movies from the 20s to 50s did indeed have their actual ticket counts recorded and disclosed, so they are dead accurate. This is extremely helpful, as during that time there was great variation in ticket prices, not only from theater to theater but also from movie to movie. Differences which in todays number would be like watching a movie for $2.50 at one place and watching it for $15 at another.

Wouldn't inflation also take into account the cost of making a movie today compared to back then

Nope, not the formula used for the grosses anyways. Think about it, how many industries does it take to make a movie? From janitorial services to catering to visual effects and directing. Whereareas all the theaters that sell movie tickets are part of one industry.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

does anyone know the formula?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Adj. Gross = (G/T[sub]year[/sub])*C

G = undadjusted gross

T_year = average ticket price in the year the movie was released

C = the average ticket price in the year you want to change to (2008 = ~6.80)

It'll give you very accurate data if you have the specific numbers from the MPA or the company they get it from.

Adj. Gross = [G/(0.0013(x-1940)^2 + 0.0094(x-1940) + 0.0515)]*C

x = the year the movie you want to adjust was released in.

That's a streamlined one and it will predict average ticket prices as part of the equation, not completely accurately though.

But keep in mind as with all statistics, there is no ONE formula, but most of them, especially ones used by the pro statistical analysts, are pretty damn accurate.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

what a completely garbage formula, as I thought.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Formulas aside, reading the other thread, it seems to me you either don't know what an adjusted gross is or what it is for, or you just enjoy having your head up your ass.

Face it Joe, the only way anything will ever top Gone With the Wind is if you factor in per capita ticket trends, population growth, and market saturation and take out re-releases or factor in DVD/VHS sales for more modern films.

At which point, you're getting very unreliable...in the reverse direction.

[Dole 17]

I agree with Joe that the formulas are screwed up and it's somewhat ridiculous to try to come up with exact figures. However, I think it's just common sense to admit that most of the films that are in the top 20 as adjusted for inflation are in fact among the higest grossing movies of all time if ticket prices had remained the same since 1930 to the present. Something like 70% of the American public went to a movie every week in the 30's and 40's before TV came along. Today, I think it's less than 20% on a good week. If 70% of Americans went to see a movie next week, the top grossing film at the box office would vault itself into the top 10 in one weekend.

Films like Snow White, Gone with the Wind, The Sound of Music, The Ten Commandments, etc. broke all kinds of records when they were released, and they were re-released several times. Unless you knew the number of tickets sold and how much $ each was sold for, it would be impossible to come up with an exact figure for an inflation adjusted gross. But at the same time, I think that not recognizing that a film like Gone with the Wind must have taken in at least somewhere near Titanic's cash haul if people had been paying 1997 ticket prices in 1939 just defies logic.

Just my thoughts.

[indy4 155]

Nicley said!

[nicholas 1]

Sorry - I forgot. Who committed suicide?