AVATAR

[Bookstore Guy]

They make calculations based on the inflation of ticket prices and number of screenings.  There was a major discussion about this when Dark Knight came out and people brought up the same question.

[mtlhddoc2]

but they are not using that now. Just straight numbers. Titanic was $700 Million, I think, and if adjusted for inflation it would be around $1.2 billion. Avatar has a long way to go to get there.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

If you adjust for inflation all the way back, Gone with the Wind is unlikely to ever be surpassed. http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

[Patriotic Kaz]

The most expensive movie ever made, in real dollars, was Birth of A Nation which glorified the KKK, it cost about 2 bucks for admission in 1915 (approximately $40.00) today and was the most popular movie in the US when released. I'm surprised I didn't see it on your list Peter.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

According to Wikipedia, Birth of a Nation took in only a bit more than $10 million, equivalent to $200 million in 2007 dollars. So it wouldn't make the list.

[Miyabi]

That site is way helpful.

Thanks Peter.

[guessingo]

The highest grossing film of all time adjusted for inflation is Gone with the Wind and it is the highest by alot. There were alot less releases back then and it ran for a year. 

www.boxofficemojo.com

Has the reciepts of movies, but it does not adjust for inflation. I think I saw Roger Ebert come up with the highest grossing films once adjusted for inflation. I think that is where I saw the stuff about Gone with the Wind.

I am a programmer so by nature I really like science fiction. So do alot of the nerds that I work with. None of us thought this movie was that good and people got caught up in the effects. I really did not think the 3D was anything all that special. The story was generic. Alot of the story was just an excuse to show off the special affects. I like James Cameron. I thought the lower budget science fiction film District 9 was much better.

The movie was not bad. I give it a B. It was kind of generic.

[Shivertongue]

I saw it in 3D and loved it. There was really no good part, during the last two thirds, to get up and use the restroom.

I should mention that I went into the movie knowing nothing about it. Everything I'd heard beforehand (which consisted of 'James Cameron is making a movie called Avatar' and 'it's expensive') for some reason led me to believe it was a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The reason I saw it was because my girlfriend and I went to the theater, not knowing at all what they were showing. Only two movies had showtimes starting within the next half hour - Avatar and Sherlock Holmes. We flipped a coin.

The 3D was the best I've ever seen... having seen a total of two movies now in 3D. 

[Peter Ahlstrom]

guessingo, the link I gave is for the list adjusted for inflation, and it does have Gone with the Wind on top.

[guessingo]

Thanks peter. I have wondered for a while that when people talk about all time gross they talk about domestic first and then maybe world wide. They act like domestic is more important.

I wonder if there is a total world wide gross. It is about how much money you make total.

[Patriotic Kaz]

Odd question, simple answer Americans are by nature arrogant, we believe in the superiority of our culture.... witness the "attempt" to setup a republic in the Middle East. Majority rule w/ minority rights isn't going to fly there....but this is a tangent.

[guessingo]

I forget where this article was... but the Chinese government removed Avatar in 3d from theaters. They were selling too many tickets and hurting Chinese movies.  Supposedly they limit the release of foreign movies in China to protect Chinese movies.

[Miyabi]

I saw that article as well Guessingo.

[Bookstore Guy]

Avatar was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar?  Come on now.  A fun movie, deserving of the Oscar for best effects, but not Best Picture worthy by a long shot.  Now I remember why I hate the Oscars.

Edit:  And neither does Avatar deserve the Oscar for best Score.  That closing Titanic-rehash song was shameful and should immediately disqualify it.  The score for Sherlock Holmes is the best of the rest.

[Patriotic Kaz]

I think it was nominated b/c of the sales but I don't think anyone actually voting is seriously considering it.