The most popular movie of all time?

[icatch9]

Do you ever wonder what the most popular movie of all time is? My money is on Star Wars. I know it hasn't made the most money. I think Titanic still holds that one. However, it could be the most popluar movie of all time.

In what way could we judge popularity? That's a tougher question. For some reason movies are judged sucesses or failurs by the amount of money they bring in. This is good, because if the movie doesn't make any money then it should be a failure. Still, it's unfair to judge these movies with money. Case in point. I've seen AOTC 5 times. Four times I paid $3.50 to see and once I paid $6.00 to see it. Add that up and you get $20.00. Now, if I where to see the movie down town Chicago it would cost me $10.00 to just see it once. So, as you can see the money total just isn't fair.

Plus, ANH was the highest grossing movie ever for years. That made it's money in the late 70's and early 80's. I don't remember how much is cost to see a movie then, but it sure was a heck of a lot less than it was when Titanic was out.

So, my point to this is that I bet Star Wars has been seen more than any other movie ever. Smart Money is on ANH, but the other two may hold the title. I wish they would count tickets sold, rather than money. I think Star Wars would dwarf all other movies by millions.

Any one else have any thoughts on this?

[billfremore]

That would require a whole lot of work to pull in all of the numbers required to see which movie is most popular.

You'd need movie attendance, rentals, purchases and how many times those people have watched it.

It wouldn't be an exact science but I'm sure it could be done.

Any volunteers?

[jet chan]

in the last 25 years star wars anh is one of if not the most popular
but if you want most popular of all time back in 1939 when gone with the wind came out it made over 80 million at the box office and that was back when you paid a dime or if you were a big spender a quarter to see a movie so in a sense our grandparents went nutty over this film.

[icatch9]

I realize that Gone with the Wind and The Sound of Music where very popular. Still your baseing facts on $$ not attendance. There are more people in the world now and in 77' compaired to the 30's and 40's. Plus, there are more movie theaters. Tickets sold is what I'm looking for. I guess movie rentals would be considered too.

It's hard to figures. In fact impossible, but smart money as far as tickets sold has got to be on ANH.

[El Chuxter]

jet chan beat me to it!

Also, when inflation is figured in to the total gross, Gone With the Wind has blown pretty much every other movie into oblivion.

But don't feel bad. SW:ANH beats Titanic by a pretty nice margin when you look at inflation. And its influence on popular culture is pretty much incalulable.

[icatch9]

Inflation, money, price. These are all things that do not concern me. My question and statement is what has been watched the most. What movie has sold the most tickets. Sure price has a lot to do with that. But no way does inflation cover the differnce it costs to see a movie in Down Town Chicago vs. the price it costs to see a movie in Farmersville IL (wich is a real town btw). See, that is the key to my argument. I've seen AOTC 5 times, but only paid $20 to see it. Where as someone who may have seen Titianic only 3 times but paid $10 each time to see it still spent more money. Thus makeing Titanics numbers go up.

Still none of this is relevant because when GWTW came out tickes where much cheeper. Still they where more in NYC than in Boreing OR (another real town).

So you see, value and price have nothing to do with my argument. I center around what has been seen the most. I'm sticking with Star Wars

[DarthSetnom]

I don't think ANY of the SW films can be labeled as the most popular film ever on its own. Together, they are the most popular and profitable film franchise, granted but if you ask people about them separately, they won't be as recognized.

[JediTricks]

Icatch, the inflation brings the ticket sales to the same price, so if Gone With The Wind made the most money after adjustment, that means it's sold the most tickets.

[stillakid]

I understand your question. Tickets sold, not money made. I do believe that Gone With the Wind still holds both records (the money aspect of it is in adjusted dollars). But if you were to conduct a poll tomorrow of every Joe Shmoe out there, undoubtedly Gone With the Wind would turn out to be the most recognized and remembered and seen film of all time.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime

[Exhaust Port]

I would still bank on GwtW as been the most popular in the last century. The "adjusted for inflation" figure blows everything else out of the water. Sure, not every kid on the street has seen or even heard of the movie but GwtW has been around for 70 years and SW has been there for a third that.

Again, I think GwtW has reached more individual people in it's existance than SW. How many of the millions of $$ that the SW movies have made to this point have been repeat viewers? I know I've paid to see the first 4 movies quite a few times. In the fanboy community that series is huge but doesn't necessarily translate into a more watched movie outside of that.