10 Box Office Failures That Are Actually Brilliant

2. Grindhouse

For a lot of movie buffs, there is no concept more exciting than a "grindhouse-inspired double bill; two movies directed by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez shown back to back, with fake trailers inserted inbetween." And yet, for some reason, this mouthwatering experiment - despite clinging to marketing campaigns that made sure to emphasise Tarantino's name - was ignored when it was released, pulling in a pathetic $25 million on a $53 million dollar budget. A shame, since the actual "experience" of watching Grindhouse in a theatre is yet to be matched. The idea is inherently appealing, of course, but the results were equally brilliant: Rodriguez's Planet Terror is manic, zombie fun, whilst Tarantino captures the Giallo movie style in his cash crash slasher, Death Proof. Was it the 191 minute running time that put people off? Was it the Easter weekend release date? Viewed separately, these movies lose their impact somewhat; they belong together. "It was disappointing, yeah. But the movie worked with the audience," said Tarantino. "People who saw it loved it and applauded. I'm proud of my flop." And so he should be.