The PowerPoint for the first class of the "Science in the Cinema" course taught by Dr. Aldemaro Romero Jr. and Dr. John M. Pratte at Arkansas State University in the Spring of 2009.

1. HowHow
WorksWorks
Dr. Aldemaro RomeroDr. Aldemaro Romero
Spring 2009Spring 2009
Akkansas State UniversityAkkansas State University

3. Things to remember…Things to remember…
• It is an industry that produces and
distributes commodities
• Therefore its mission is to make money
• Movies are very expensive to produce
• It responds to cycles
• It is a risky business: only 1 in 10 cover
the investment from the domestic market
• 4 in 10 either barely break even or lose
money

4. Movie Budgets/RevenuesMovie Budgets/Revenues
(in 2007 dollars)(in 2007 dollars)
1. Cleopatra (1963). $290.2 Million. U.S. Box Office $381 Million.
2. Superman Returns (2006). $268.5 Million. U.S. Box Office $199 Million.
Foreign Box Office $190.
3. Titanic (1997). $250.2 Million. U.S. Box Office $751.6 million. Foreign Box
Office $1.6 billion.
4. Waterworld (1995). $231.6 million. U.S. Box Office $116.8 Million. Foreign
Box Office $232.9 Million.
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006). Budget $223.1
million. U.S. Box Office $419.8 million. Foreign Box Office $635.million.
6. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Budget $219.5 million. U.S.
Box Office $165. Foreign Box Office $310.5 million.
7. Spider Man 2 (2004) $212.8 million. U.S. Box Office $397.4 million. Foreign
Box Office $436.6 million.

5. 1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
(1999) $920 M
2. Star Wars (1977/1997) $461 M
3. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial (1982) $400 M
4. Jurassic Park (1993) $357 M
5. Return of the Jedi (1983/1997) $310 M
6. Independence Day (1996) $306 M
7. The Empire Strikes Back (1980/1997) $291 M
8. Batman (1989) $252 M
9. Men in Black (1997) $251 M
10.The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) $230 M

6. 12. Back to the Future (1985) $211 M
13. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) $205 M
14. Armageddon (1998) $202 M
15. Batman Forever (1995) $185 M
16. The Matrix (1999) $164 M
17. Batman Returns (1992) $163
18. Gremlins (1984) $149 M
19. Deep Impact (1998) $141 M
20. Godzilla (1998) $137 M
21. Superman - The Movie (1978) $135 M

7. 22. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(1977) $129 M
23. Total Recall (1990) $120 M
24. Back to the Future Part II (1989) $119 M
25. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
$110 M
26. Superman II (1980) $109 M
27. Batman & Robin (1997) $108 M
28. Contact (1997) $101 M
(More than 14,000 since 1902)

8. • It is an industry dominated by “power
players”
• The way they are managed is financially
obscure
• Most of the money made by a Hollywood
movie today comes from the international
markets
• Hollywood dominates the world film
market

9. • Hollywood is the “window to America” to
the world
• Hollywood movies are produced by
multinational corporations that are
involved in other entertainment
businesses (.e.g., Disney, SONY)
• This business is divided in three phases:
production, distribution, and retailing

10. ProductionProduction
• This is a process that takes a minimum of 1-2
years, sometimes many more
• Ideas for movies originate from:
– Actual events (“inspired by…”)
– Adaptations from books, comics, video games
– Movie version of TV shows
– Plays, musicals
– Sequels
• 50% are adaptations from other sources (They
generate most of the revenue)

11. Production StepsProduction Steps
• Acquisition/development: the material becomes
a “property”
• Even ideas can be copyrighted
• Creativity (why there is so little)
• Players:
– Writers (Make between $30,000 and $600,000/movie.
I.e., very few make a living out of it)
– Agents: Make good money/very difficult to get one
– Managers, Lawyers, producers, production
companies

12. ExamplesExamples

13. Feature Films Released in the U.S.Feature Films Released in the U.S.
(1990-2002)(1990-2002)
Year MPAA Others Total
1990 169 241 410
1995 234 177 411
1996 240 231 471
1997 253 257 510
1998 235 235 509
1999 218 243 461
2000 197 281 478
2001 196 286 482
2002 225 242 467

14. Average Negative and MarketingAverage Negative and Marketing
Costs for Feature FilmsCosts for Feature Films
Year Average Negative
Cost (in millions)
Average Marketing
Cost (in millions)
1985 16.8 5.2
1990 28.8 11.9
1995 36.4 17.7
1998 52.7 25.3
1999 51.5 24.5
2000 54.8 27.3
2001 47.7 31.1
2002 58.8 30.6

15. Best Sci-Fi Movies (AFI)Best Sci-Fi Movies (AFI)
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
4. A Clockwork Orange
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still
6. Blade Runner
7. Alien
8. Terminator 2: Judgments Day
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
10. Back to the Future

16. The Best Sci-Fi MoviesThe Best Sci-Fi Movies
(some critics)(some critics)
1. Metropolis (1926)
2. The Thing (1951)
3. Things to Come (1936)
4. Frankenstein (1931)
5. King Kong (1933)
6. Forbidden Planet (1956)
7. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind - The Special
Edition (1980)
10.Alien (1979)
11.Blade Runner (1982)

17. Best Alien FilmsBest Alien Films
1. The Thing (1951)
2. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
3. Invaders from Mars (1953)
4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
5. Quatermass II (1957)
6. I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)
7. Village of the Damned (1960)
8. Children of the Damned (1963)
9. God Told Me To (1977)
10.The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

18. Best Apocalypse FilmsBest Apocalypse Films
1. Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
2. The Terminator (1984)
3. Mad Max 2 (1981)
4. Miracle Mile (1989)
5. Fail-Safe (1964)
6. Panic in Year Zero (1962)
7. Testament (1983)
8. Planet of the Apes (1968)
9. Rocket Attack, USA (1959)

19. Best Futuristic FilmsBest Futuristic Films
1. Metropolis (1926)
2. Things to Come (1936)
3. This Island Earth (1955)
4. Forbidden Planet (1956)
5. Alphaville (1965)
6. THX 1138 (1971)
7. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
8. Blade Runner (1982)
9. Dune (1984)
10.Brazil (1985)

20. Best Mad Scientist/Doctor FilmsBest Mad Scientist/Doctor Films
1. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919)
2. Dr Mabuse, der Spieler (1922)
3. Metropolis (1926)
4. The Testament of Dr Mabuse (1933)
5. Island of Lost Souls (1932)
6. The Invisible Man (1933)
7. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
8. Flesh and the Fiends (Mania) (1959)
9. Les Yeux Sans Visage (1959)
10. The Creeping Flesh (1973)

21. Best Monster Sci-Fi FilmsBest Monster Sci-Fi Films
1. King Kong (1933)
2. The Beast from 20000 Fathoms (1953)
3. The Giant Behemoth (1959)
4. Them! (1954)
5. Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956)
6. Mothra (1962)

22. Best Robot FilmsBest Robot Films
1. The Terminator (1984)
2. Creation of the Humanoids (1962)
3. I, Robot (2004)
4. Blade Runner (1982)
5. Robot Monster (1953)
6. Robocop (1987)
7. Alien (1979)
8. Forbidden Planet (1956)
9. Android (1982)
10. Who? (1974)

23. Best Telekinetic FilmsBest Telekinetic Films
1. Scanners (1981)
2. The Sender (1982)
3. Scanners III: The Takeover (1992)
4. The Man Who Could Work Miracles
(1936)
5. The Fury (1978)
6. Carrie (1976)
7. Psychotronic Man (1980)

24. Worst Movies EverWorst Movies Ever
1. Glen or Glenda (1953)
2. Robot Monster (1953)
3. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
4. The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
5. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
6. Battlefield Earth (2000)

25. Star Wars Episode III: RevengeStar Wars Episode III: Revenge
of the Sithof the Sith (2005)(2005)
This movie is/contains:
• Aliens
• Apocalyptic
• Futuristic
• Mad Scientist
• Monster
• Robots
• Telekinetic

26. Le Voyage dans la LuneLe Voyage dans la Lune
(A Trip to the Moon)(A Trip to the Moon) (1903)(1903)