Posted by ChasedByAmy at 5atwdial192.famvid.com on July 07, 2001 at 02:23:55:
In Reply to: Why such a non hype? posted by WeezerB on July 07, 2001 at 02:14:03:
It's kind of a phenomenon...some movies that tank in theatres go on to become cult favorites on video. Take "Austin Powers" for example. Made like $50 million in its domestic run, then became a cult classic on video. The sequel went on to gross $50 mil in its first weekend alone! 'Rats was like that.
Kevin said it many-a-time himself, but Gramercy wasn't the greatest studio. They're ad campaign was weak, and (as he said on the DVD) they were asking him for marketing advice which is a bad sign. It's like when they did the "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" movie. They had been after them to do a movie for a long time, then they gave them $2 million to make it and changed/toned down the whole thing. They put it out in no more than 30 cities and barely advertised it. Thusly, it only made about $1 million back. It has since become a cult fav on video (and a collectible on DVD).
It's weird how it happens like that. 'Rats happened before the whole gross-out genre become mainstream again, like "There's Something About Mary" in 98. It's kind of ahead of its time in that respect.