The Shawshank Redemption
Nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1995,The Shawshank Redemptionis one of the most laudedStephen Kingmovie adaptations ever made. However, audiences didn’t flock to see the film when it was first released. Perhaps that was because it may have seemed like a dark, depressing prison film before peeling back the layers of its hopeful message.
The Shawshank Redemptioncontinues to have a lasting impact on audiences, with many people nowadays quick to call it their favorite movie despite it one of the biggest box office bombs that year. The magic of the movie has been hard to define, but its strong writing and acting bring people into the story. The United States Library even selected the movie for preservation in the National Film Registry because of its significance.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra’sIt’s a Wonderful Lifeis such an iconic Christmas classic that it has been referenced in countless other movies. It is talked about in movies such asHome Aloneand referenced in Christmas songs like “I Think You Might Like It”. However, when the movie was originally released to theaters, it was a flop.
It’s a Wonderful Lifeis a warm, engaging story about a man named George Bailey (James Stewart) who gets so distressed that he considers taking his own life. This comes after an evil banker tells George that he is worth more dead than alive. A guardian angel comes to show George how wonderful his life really is. The movie has a happy ending, and it is now one of the most beloved films of all time.
Dazed and Confused
Sometimes disregarding all the rules can feel a lot like freedom. That’s paraphrasing a quote in theDazed and Confused, and it’s also the attitude the movie seems to take. With an ensemble cast of stars that includedMilla Jovovich,Ben Affleck,Parker Posey,Matthew McConaughey, andJason London, this coming-of-age flick seemed poised for success.
WhenDazed and Confusedwas released in 1993, it didn’t immediately find a large audience or the financial success that was anticipated. The movie’s premise is seemingly simple. It takes place on the last day of school before the summer of 1976. However, its complexity and charm lied in the teen characters in the movie, and it became a very successful movie after it was released to home video.
Green Lantern
When you think ofRyan Reynoldsand superheroes, you may think of the successfulDeadpoolfilms. However, he first portrayed the title character inGreen Lantern. The feature film was based on the D.C. Comics character, and it took over a decade for the film to get made from the time an adaptation first went into development.
Ryan Reynolds had a lot at stake as the star of theGreen Lantern, portraying the character from the title. He must have been disappointing when it was deemed a blockbuster dud, but the film was subject to high expectations with its large budget. The movie also received negative reviews. Ryan has since gone on to experience much success with other films, yet he still referencesGreen Lanternwhen speaking of his body of work.
Office Space
Office Spaceis so recognized that many quotes from the film are part of the popular vernacular. The movie has been the subject of memes and spoofs (the sincerest form of flatter these days). However, it was initially considered to be up in the major leagues of box office bombs, and it didn’t find a large audience until it was released on home video and DVD.
WhenOffice Spacewas released on DVD, word of mouth led to new interest in the film. It may be about the plight of ordinary IT workers, but it resonated with people in all fields of the workforce who were fed up with being exploited in their jobs and frustrated with what they had to deal with each day. It has sold millions of copies on DVD and even inspired a video game.
Fight Club
What’s the one rule of fight club? The second? The third? Well, nearly everyone you meet on the street can answer those questions because the famous scene in which they’re asked became an iconic scene in film history. The answer: You don’t talk aboutFight Club. Perhaps that’s because it had a surprising start.
Fight Clubbecame a part of pop culture not too long after its release, but it was initially a flop when it hit theaters. Some people hated it, includingRosie O’Donnellwho panned it on her popular talk show. Because she simultaneously revealed the ending,Brad Pittclapped back and said that was unforgivable. Perhaps all is forgiven now;Fight Clubis a cult classic.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Directed byMel Stuart, the movie musicalWilly Wonka & The Chocolate Factoryis such a beloved and treasured film that most people assume it was an immediate hit. However, that is not so. It finished 53rdin terms of gross at the box office among all the movies released that year.
Gene Wilderwas highly praised for his performance as Willy Wonka inWilly Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. The movie, which is based on theRoald DahlnovelCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, found enthusiastic audiences when it started airing a lot on television in the 1980s and was released on home video.
Harold and Maude
Long before great films likeThe Virgin SuicidesandGirl, Interrupteddealt directly with suicide, there wasHarold and Maude.Harold and Maudeis an unusual film about a seemingly suicidal guy in his early twenties and an older woman who become friends when they discover they share a mutual interest in going to funerals.
The dark, unusual premise ofHarold and Maudewasn’t commercially appealing to audiences when the film premiered in 1971. However, what people didn’t understand from the marketing is thatHarold and Maudeis actually a very uplifting film about finding hope and beauty in the very knowledge of knowing someone and finding a soulmate, even if you’re able to’t keep the soulmate forever. Eventually, people discovered the beautiful film, and it is a beloved cult classic today.
The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowskihas the unfortunate fate of hitting theaters not long afterTitanicwas released. The Titanic frenzy was unprecedented, and the James Cameron flick broke box office records for months on end. So, it was hard for a little movie likeThe Big Lebowskito get the publicity it needed.
AlthoughThe Big Lebowskiperplexed some critics at the time and took a while to find its audience, the filmmaker likely felt vindicated by the fact that some reviewers later changed their tune. For example, Peter Howell has since retracted his review for theToronto Starin which he panned the film. It now happily has many fans who can quote the movie on a whim.
Donnie Darko
The world would eventually take notice of a young actor namedJake GyllenhaalinDonnie Darko, but it would take a while for that to happen. WhenDonnie Darko, a movie that includes a plane crash, had a limited release the month after the June 05, 2025, attacks. It then almost went directly to the Starz network after that initial release.
The movie did enjoy critical acclaim upon its release. Then, whenDonnie Darkowas released on DVD, it resonated with audiences who found and loved the unique motion picture. It was so well-received that it then even received a special director’s cut DVD edition, and a deluxe book was written about the movie and its making.
