Box Office Poison
Hollywood's Story in a Century of Flops
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Box Office Poison
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Narrated by:
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Tim Robey
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By:
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Tim Robey
About this listen
'Hugely entertaining.' Prospect
'An instant classic.' Andrew O'Hagan, author of Caledonian Road
'Expertly researched.' Sight & Sound
'A rollicking, gossipy triumph.' Daily Telegraph *****
'Failure fascinates, for all the reasons that success is a drag . . .'
From grand follies to misunderstood masterpieces, disastrous sequels to catastrophic literary adaptations, Tim Robey's hugely entertaining Box Office Poison tells an alternative history of Hollywood, through a century of its most notable flops.
Freaks, Land of the Pharaohs, Dune, Speed 2, Catwoman, Cats: what can these films tell us about the Hollywood system, the public's appetite - or lack of it - and the circumstances that saw such box office disasters actually made? Away from the canon, here is the definitive take on these ill-fated, but essential celluloid failures.
©2024 Tim Robey (P)2024 Faber & FaberListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Box Office Poison
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MikeTheHumphrey
- 17-12-24
Superb
Brilliantly incisive and utterly addictive. I didn’t want it to end. The writing was really great
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 11-11-24
Well read and engaging history
Really enjoyed this history of Hollywood. A well detailed history of forgotten films and tragedies, engaging anecdotes and interesting insights to the careers of film makers and actors following terrible movie decisions.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Strike
- 11-11-24
Informative and Entertaining
A fascinating look at how changes in the way movies have been made in the last 100 years gave filmakers new and exiting ways to burn enormous sums of money. With a couple of exceptions such as Cutthroat Island and Cats, Tim Robey avoids exploring the most infamous examples of critical and financial failure, making this book feel far more than a tired and lazy rehash. This is especially the case for films such as Synecdoche,New York that failed but Robey takes the opportunity to champion. This book is well read by the author.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alex Marsh
- 28-11-24
Entertaining romp through Hollywood history
I got this having read the review in the economist and it's exactly what I want in non fiction. Enjoyable lighthearted stroll through cinema history, most of which I didn't know, peppered with fascinating facts and jaw dropping stories of disastrous film shoots. The author is witty but is pleasingly not condescending to the films (with the possible exception of Cats). He clearly loves film and has a soft spot even for the bombiest bombs discussed here. nb: there are a couple of small editing glitches early on but they don't recur so don't let them bother you.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 15-12-24
Box Office Poison
Very thorough and enjoyable read/listen for the movie buff in your life. Great potential gift this time of year.
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