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The Fifty Worst Films of All Time

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344:: "There are so many factual errors and sweepingly inaccurate generalizations that to list them all would take a volume of the same size.... The authors of the book are both teen-agers. This is hardly their fault. And some often remarkable writing has been done by teen-agers. But NOT in any field of historical research, where experience and the perspective that can ONLY come about by years in a chosen field, are absolute essentials.... If nothing else, 326:
because the authors consider them to be "a separate and unique art form and that judging them alongside talkies would be like weighing apples together with oranges." It limits the foreign films considered to only those distributed in the United States, judging it unfair to evaluate local obscurities
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is a 1978 book by Harry Medved with Randy Dreyfuss. Despite its broad title, it presents the authors' choices for the 50 worst sound films made or distributed in the United States. Each film's entry includes a story synopsis, the authors' opinions of its quality, and a selection of contemporary
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unquestionably qualifies as The Worst Movie Book Of All Time - and in view of the mediocrity being spewed forth these days, that in itself is a monumental achievement." Critic Hal Erickson wrote, "How easy it is to tear something down. A child of four can do it."
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denied an international release alongside mainstream Hollywood products while realizing that it would not only be difficult for the authors to view the films, but unlikely that any readers would ever come across them.
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which examined in some detail several major Hollywood financial disasters, focusing on both the artistic treatments coupled with the technical and organizational ineptitude in the mounting of these films.
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Despite the popularity of the book among some members of the general public, film scholars and historians largely denounce the book for its lack of understanding and perspective. Acclaimed film historian
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marked the beginning of an explosion of "worst in cinema" prizes nearly resulting in "a state of redundancy almost approaching that of ordinary prizes."
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The authors also used egregious examples to represent less reputable film genres, such as
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The Medveds continued the theme of "celebrating" bad cinema with the publication
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The Economy of Prestige: Prizes, Awards, and the Circulation of Cultural Value
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In compiling their list, the authors divided films into several categories:
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The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (and How They Got That Way)
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The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (and How They Got That Way)
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Greatest Box-Office Bombs, Disasters and Flops - filmsite.org
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The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (and How They Got That Way)
1625: 94: 86: 76: 66: 58: 50: 36: 1600:(cased edition), 0 207 95892 0 (limp edition). 8: 19: 384: 25: 18: 194:"Tarnished Stars" such as Yul Brynner in 1484: 7: 950:(credited as Nicholas Merriweather) 1588:Medved, Harry, and Randy Dreyfuss. 1573:Medved, Harry, and Randy Dreyfuss. 1346:Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia 293:Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia 1452:List of films considered the worst 20:The Fifty Worst Films of All Time 14: 1605:The Fifty Worst Films of All Time 980:Santa Claus Conquers the Martians 375:The Fifty Worst Films of All Time 322:The book intentionally excludes 284:), and mainstream films such as 1626:The list of films on Letterboxd 953:Fairway International Pictures 824:American International Pictures 346:The 50 Worst Movies Of All Time 158:"Implausible Oddities" such as 1278:Cinerama Releasing Corporation 1002:Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! 762:Woolner Brothers Pictures Inc. 728:King Richard and the Crusaders 305:King Richard and the Crusaders 144:"Overrated Art Films" such as 1: 1541:, Narkive Newsgroup Archive, 1200:Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster 202:"Oldies but Baddies" such as 180:"Grade-Z Atrocities" such as 1468:Mystery Science Theater 3000 1264:The Assassination of Trotsky 1543:retrieved September 2, 2022 1306:Jonathan Livingston Seagull 366:The Hollywood Hall of Shame 340:wrote a scathing review in 166:"Big Budget Flops" such as 130:"Popular Triumphs" such as 1687: 664:Twilight on the Rio Grande 462:Samuel Goldwyn Productions 1553:English, James F. (2008) 960:The Horror of Party Beach 556:North West Mounted Police 396: 393: 390: 387: 24: 1559:Harvard University Press 360:The Golden Turkey Awards 1651:Books by Michael Medved 1577:. 1978, Warner Books. 1474:Golden Raspberry Awards 1366:The Trial of Billy Jack 492:The Terror of Tiny Town 236:), Spaghetti Westerns ( 161:The Terror of Tiny Town 1656:English-language books 1641:1978 non-fiction books 1189:Michelangelo Antonioni 916:Last Year at Marienbad 686:Daughter of the Jungle 622:Dick Tracy vs. Cueball 373:It has been said that 245:Daughter of the Jungle 153:Last Year at Marienbad 16:Book by Michael Medved 1671:Film and video fandom 1524:Everson, William K., 528:Mayflower Productions 242:) and jungle movies ( 118:reviews of the film. 1193:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1133:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1033:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 790:The Story of Mankind 549:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 258:), disaster movies ( 233:Godzilla vs. Hedorah 1399:Universal Pictures 1319:Paramount Pictures 1253:Gianfranco Parolini 1100:Valley of the Dolls 1093:Paramount Pictures 783:RKO Radio Pictures 448:The Goldwyn Follies 440:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 266:sexploitation films 139:Valley of the Dolls 21: 1339:Columbia Pictures 1236:Universal Pictures 1120:A Place for Lovers 1073:Columbia Pictures 1053:Columbia Pictures 882:Daisaku Shirakawa 872:Alakazam the Great 699:Republic Pictures 636:RKO Radio Pictures 570:Paramount Pictures 338:William K. Everson 255:Alakazam the Great 1603:Medved, Michael. 1539:Everson v. Medved 1443: 1442: 1439:20th Century Fox 1419:20th Century Fox 1415:Peter Bogdanovich 1406:At Long Last Love 1299:20th Century Fox 1173:20th Century Fox 1160:Myra Breckinridge 1153:20th Century Fox 1149:Richard Fleischer 1113:20th Century Fox 973:20th Century Fox 852:Solomon and Sheba 845:20th Century Fox 678:Republic Pictures 631:Gordon M. Douglas 609:Sergei Eisenstein 600:Ivan the Terrible 545:Robert Z. Leonard 506:Columbia Pictures 287:At Long Last Love 271:Myra Breckinridge 197:Solomon and Sheba 147:Ivan the Terrible 110: 109: 87:Publication place 1678: 1646:Books about film 1562: 1551: 1545: 1535: 1529: 1522: 1516: 1511: 1505: 1500: 1494: 1489: 1244:Return of Sabata 1209:Yoshimitsu Banno 1129:Vittorio De Sica 1040:Three on a Couch 1010:George Marshall 994:Embassy Pictures 989:Nicholas Webster 592:20th Century Fox 565:Cecil B. DeMille 523:Alfred Hitchcock 385: 239:Return of Sabata 78:Publication date 29: 22: 1686: 1685: 1681: 1680: 1679: 1677: 1676: 1675: 1661:Lists of worsts 1631: 1630: 1622: 1570: 1568:Further reading 1565: 1552: 1548: 1537:Erickson, Hal, 1536: 1532: 1528:, January, 1979 1526:Films in Review 1523: 1519: 1512: 1508: 1501: 1497: 1490: 1486: 1482: 1448: 1359:United Artists 1335:Charles Jarrott 1257:United Artists 1180:Zabriskie Point 1013:United Artists 949: 903:Albert Zugsmith 881: 880:Taiji Yabushita 865:United Artists 644:That Hagen Girl 470:Swing Your Lady 457:George Marshall 404:Abraham Lincoln 383: 355: 342:Films in Review 333: 320: 214: 175:Zabriskie Point 124: 95:Media type 79: 71:Popular Library 43: 41: 32: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1684: 1682: 1674: 1673: 1668: 1666:Cult following 1663: 1658: 1653: 1648: 1643: 1633: 1632: 1629: 1628: 1621: 1620:External links 1618: 1617: 1616: 1601: 1586: 1569: 1566: 1564: 1563: 1546: 1530: 1517: 1506: 1495: 1483: 1481: 1478: 1477: 1476: 1471: 1464: 1459: 1454: 1447: 1444: 1441: 1440: 1437: 1435:Richard Donner 1432: 1429: 1421: 1420: 1417: 1412: 1409: 1401: 1400: 1397: 1392: 1389: 1381: 1380: 1377: 1372: 1369: 1361: 1360: 1357: 1352: 1349: 1341: 1340: 1337: 1332: 1329: 1321: 1320: 1317: 1312: 1309: 1301: 1300: 1297: 1292: 1289: 1281: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1267: 1259: 1258: 1255: 1250: 1247: 1239: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1225: 1222:The Last Movie 1217: 1216: 1211: 1206: 1203: 1195: 1194: 1191: 1186: 1183: 1175: 1174: 1171: 1166: 1163: 1155: 1154: 1151: 1146: 1143: 1135: 1134: 1131: 1126: 1123: 1115: 1114: 1111: 1106: 1103: 1095: 1094: 1091: 1089:Otto Preminger 1086: 1083: 1075: 1074: 1071: 1066: 1063: 1055: 1054: 1051: 1046: 1043: 1035: 1034: 1031: 1026: 1023: 1015: 1014: 1011: 1008: 1005: 997: 996: 991: 986: 983: 975: 974: 971: 966: 963: 955: 954: 951: 944: 941: 933: 932: 927: 922: 919: 911: 910: 908:Allied Artists 905: 900: 897: 889: 888: 883: 878: 875: 867: 866: 863: 858: 855: 847: 846: 843: 838: 835: 832:Say One for Me 827: 826: 821: 819:Edward L. Cahn 816: 813: 805: 804: 801: 796: 793: 785: 784: 781: 776: 773: 765: 764: 759: 754: 751: 743: 742: 739: 734: 731: 723: 722: 720:Astor Pictures 717: 712: 709: 701: 700: 697: 692: 689: 681: 680: 675: 673:Frank McDonald 670: 667: 659: 658: 655: 650: 647: 639: 638: 633: 628: 625: 617: 616: 611: 606: 603: 595: 594: 589: 584: 581: 573: 572: 567: 562: 559: 551: 550: 547: 542: 539: 531: 530: 525: 520: 517: 509: 508: 503: 498: 495: 487: 486: 481: 476: 473: 465: 464: 459: 454: 451: 443: 442: 437: 432: 429: 421: 420: 418:United Artists 415: 413:D. W. Griffith 410: 407: 399: 398: 395: 392: 389: 382: 379: 354: 351: 332: 329: 319: 316: 311:Say One for Me 228:monster movies 218:blaxploitation 213: 210: 209: 208: 200: 192: 178: 164: 156: 142: 123: 120: 108: 107: 96: 92: 91: 88: 84: 83: 80: 77: 74: 73: 68: 64: 63: 60: 56: 55: 52: 48: 47: 45:Michael Medved 42:Randy Dreyfuss 38: 34: 33: 30: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1683: 1672: 1669: 1667: 1664: 1662: 1659: 1657: 1654: 1652: 1649: 1647: 1644: 1642: 1639: 1638: 1636: 1627: 1624: 1623: 1619: 1614: 1613:0-449-04139-5 1610: 1606: 1602: 1599: 1598:0-207-95891-2 1595: 1591: 1587: 1584: 1583:0-445-04139-0 1580: 1576: 1572: 1571: 1567: 1560: 1556: 1550: 1547: 1544: 1540: 1534: 1531: 1527: 1521: 1518: 1515: 1510: 1507: 1504: 1499: 1496: 1493: 1488: 1485: 1479: 1475: 1472: 1470: 1469: 1465: 1463: 1460: 1458: 1455: 1453: 1450: 1449: 1445: 1438: 1436: 1433: 1430: 1428: 1427: 1423: 1422: 1418: 1416: 1413: 1410: 1408: 1407: 1403: 1402: 1398: 1396: 1393: 1390: 1388: 1387: 1383: 1382: 1379:Warner Bros. 1378: 1376: 1373: 1370: 1368: 1367: 1363: 1362: 1358: 1356: 1355:Sam Peckinpah 1353: 1350: 1348: 1347: 1343: 1342: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1330: 1328: 1327: 1323: 1322: 1318: 1316: 1315:Hall Bartlett 1313: 1310: 1308: 1307: 1303: 1302: 1298: 1296: 1293: 1290: 1288: 1287: 1283: 1282: 1279: 1276: 1274: 1271: 1268: 1266: 1265: 1261: 1260: 1256: 1254: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1245: 1241: 1240: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1231:Dennis Hopper 1229: 1226: 1224: 1223: 1219: 1218: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1204: 1202: 1201: 1197: 1196: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1184: 1182: 1181: 1177: 1176: 1172: 1170: 1169:Michael Sarne 1167: 1164: 1162: 1161: 1157: 1156: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1141: 1137: 1136: 1132: 1130: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1121: 1117: 1116: 1112: 1110: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1101: 1097: 1096: 1092: 1090: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1081: 1080:Hurry Sundown 1077: 1076: 1072: 1070: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1061: 1060:The Ambushers 1057: 1056: 1052: 1050: 1047: 1044: 1042: 1041: 1037: 1036: 1032: 1030: 1029:Norman Taurog 1027: 1024: 1022: 1021: 1017: 1016: 1012: 1009: 1006: 1004: 1003: 999: 998: 995: 992: 990: 987: 984: 982: 981: 977: 976: 972: 970: 967: 964: 962: 961: 957: 956: 952: 948: 947:Arch Hall Sr. 945: 942: 940: 939: 935: 934: 931: 928: 926: 925:Alain Resnais 923: 920: 918: 917: 913: 912: 909: 906: 904: 901: 898: 896: 895: 891: 890: 887: 884: 879: 876: 874: 873: 869: 868: 864: 862: 859: 856: 854: 853: 849: 848: 844: 842: 841:Frank Tashlin 839: 836: 834: 833: 829: 828: 825: 822: 820: 817: 814: 812: 811: 807: 806: 803:Warner Bros. 802: 800: 797: 794: 792: 791: 787: 786: 782: 780: 777: 774: 772: 771: 770:The Conqueror 767: 766: 763: 760: 758: 755: 752: 750: 749: 745: 744: 741:Warner Bros. 740: 738: 735: 732: 730: 729: 725: 724: 721: 718: 716: 713: 710: 708: 707: 706:Robot Monster 703: 702: 698: 696: 693: 690: 688: 687: 683: 682: 679: 676: 674: 671: 668: 666: 665: 661: 660: 657:Warner Bros. 656: 654: 653:Peter Godfrey 651: 648: 646: 645: 641: 640: 637: 634: 632: 629: 626: 624: 623: 619: 618: 615: 612: 610: 607: 604: 602: 601: 597: 596: 593: 590: 588: 587:Mal St. Clair 585: 582: 580: 579: 578:The Big Noise 575: 574: 571: 568: 566: 563: 560: 558: 557: 553: 552: 548: 546: 543: 540: 538: 537: 533: 532: 529: 526: 524: 521: 518: 516: 515: 511: 510: 507: 504: 502: 499: 496: 494: 493: 489: 488: 485: 482: 480: 477: 474: 472: 471: 467: 466: 463: 460: 458: 455: 452: 450: 449: 445: 444: 441: 438: 436: 435:John M. 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Index


Michael Medved
Popular Library
hardback
paperback
The Omen
Valley of the Dolls
Ivan the Terrible
Last Year at Marienbad
The Terror of Tiny Town
Lost Horizon
Zabriskie Point
Robot Monster
Eegah
Solomon and Sheba
Jamaica Inn
blaxploitation
Trouble Man
monster movies
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Return of Sabata
Daughter of the Jungle
anime
Alakazam the Great
Airport 1975
sexploitation films
Myra Breckinridge
Elvis Presley
Spinout
At Long Last Love

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