# Too early to declare King Kong a flop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068 "2005-12-17T17:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/121 "2006-01-03T19:27:54Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Don’t be disingenuous. I don’t think I’m being disingenuous. Is there a scientific way to gauge movie expectations as measured by the hype in the press? Until there is, you’re the one being disingenuous. > [@](#): > > Were the stars of Narnia on Letterman and Leno the week leading up to it? I have no idea. I don’t watch Letterman or Leno every night. If you’re certain that none of the stars of Narnia appeared on any major talk shows (including daytime shows like Oprah - after all, Narnia was targeted at family audiences, not the kind you go on to Letterman to attract) I’d like to see your cite. > [@](#): > > Was the star of Narnia hosting SNL? I saw a hysterical sketch on SNL where two white, nerdy cast members did a gangsta rap video about going to see _Narnia_. One of the funniest things I’ve seen on SNL in years. But still, see previous comment regarding target audience, cite for major talk shows. Please also add a cite for relevance of SNL. > [@](#): > > Did Narnia get a Wednesday opening with midnight showings? I don’t know. Do you? > [@](#): > > Were Narnia trailers all over the web in the middle of July? I saw the first trailers for Narnia on line over a year ago. They started pumping the hype pretty quickly after _Return of the King_ in fact. > [@](#): > > Were there prime-time shows promoting their commercial breaks with “never before seen trailers” of Narnia? I didn’t see any prime time shows doing this for either movie. Please show a cite saying the did this for one and not the other. > [@](#): > > Was American Movie Classics showing a week of the previous versions of Narnia leading up to it? Gee, why didn’t they do this? Oh, let me think for a moment… BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER A PREVIOUS MAJOR RELEASE OF A NARNIA FILM. Now who’s being disingenuous again? > [@](#): > > Was HBO doing “Making Of Narnia” promos? Again, I didn’t see any for either movie, but I would be shocked if there wasn’t. Please show a cite. > [@](#): > > How many commercials have you seen for the Narnia video game compared to Kong? I’ve seen zero ads for either a \*Narnia \* or _Kong_ video game. Point of fact, I have also seen almost no ads whatsoever for _King Kong_ **the movie**. I have seen dozens and dozens of ads for _Narnia_. I assume you and I are in a different advertising market. > [@](#): > > The promotion for these two movies wasn’t even in the same universe. I’ve have seen more articles written on CS Lewis and the impact of Narnia in the last year than any upcoming movie I’ve seen prior, Including _LOTR_. There has been serious debate over the religious statement made in _TLW&TW_, as well as a targeted marketing campaign towards Christian Fundamentalists (in an attempt to capture the _Passion of the Christ_ crowd.) I can’t turn on the TV without seeing that stupid lion. _King Kong_, by compairison, has been a blip on the radar. It was just the standard Burger King tie in garbage. So yes, I agree - the promotion wasn’t even in the same universe. **Trunk** , why does this bother you so? Did \*Kong \* offend you somehow? ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/122 "2006-01-03T19:46:26Z")
> [@Leviosaurus](#): > > I’ve have seen more articles written on CS Lewis and the impact of Narnia in the last year than any upcoming movie I’ve seen prior, Including _LOTR_. There has been serious debate over the religious statement made in _TLW&TW_, as well as a targeted marketing campaign towards Christian Fundamentalists (in an attempt to capture the _Passion of the Christ_ crowd.) I can’t turn on the TV without seeing that stupid lion. _King Kong_, by compairison, has been a blip on the radar. It was just the standard Burger King tie in garbage. So yes, I agree - the promotion wasn’t even in the same universe. > > **Trunk** , why does this bother you so? Did \*Kong \* offend you somehow? Just noting that it clearly seemed to me that King Kong has been everywhere compared to Narnia. A friend of mine didn’t even know the movie (Narnia) was out when I told her I went to see it. I’m sure that if I were to run outside and ask 100 people if they could name 3 movies currently playing, a much greater % would know that King Kong is currently at the theaters than would know that Chronicles of Narnia is. ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/123 "2006-01-03T19:53:54Z")
> [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](#): > > I’m sure that if I were to run outside and ask 100 people if they could name 3 movies currently playing, a much greater % would know that King Kong is currently at the theaters than would know that Chronicles of Narnia is. In other words you agree with me - this is an entirely subjective assessment. You are making assumtions based on non-empirical criteria, as am I. I find this entirely reasonable, given the subject matter. And it’s still silly. The OP’s question has been quite thoroughly answered - _King Kong_ is not a flop by any stretch of the imagination - and the plausible deniability asserted by the supposition that _Kong_ “did not meet expectations” is obviously squishy at best. Let it go. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/124 "2006-01-03T21:33:44Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Do they still do that stuff? You’d think that eventually word would get out and people would quit signing contracts for a percentage of a phony number that always turns out to be zero or less… > > People did wise up, so now they sign on for the gross instead of the net. It’s the net that gets jiggered around to show a loss. That’s precisely my point – are there still enough people stupid/desperate enough to sign for a percentage of net to make it worthwhile to falsify it? Or is there some other reason for cooking the books? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/125 "2006-01-03T21:44:57Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Perhaps the fewer showing times are contributing it. One screening, per day, per theatre. That’s potentially as much as 3500 fewer US screenings per day than Narnia (it’s also playing in less US theatres than Narnia). That’s a hell of a lot of missed income contributing to its “low” box office take. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/126 "2006-01-03T21:53:43Z")
> [@Leviosaurus](#): > > There has been serious debate over the religious statement made in _TLW&TW_, as well as a targeted marketing campaign towards Christian Fundamentalists (in an attempt to capture the _Passion of the Christ_ crowd.) Aye, I think this has a lot to do with the film’s success. (Although I am looking forward to seeing it myself, when it comes out on DVD.) It’s not just that the film is being marketed _to_ fundamentalists, it’s that it’s effectively being [pitched from pulpits](http://newsok.com/article/1720486/?template=life/main) of nearly every Christian denomination, fundamentalist or not. > [@](#): > > The film based on British author and renowned Christian apologist C.S. Lewis’ beloved “Chronicles of Narnia” fiction book series, drew the faith community to local movie houses and inspired pastors’ sermons along with outreach efforts and study series. The “Remember: King Kong Died For Your Sins” outreach movement has been limited to a very few Discordians, with very little practical effect on the box office take. And they’re out there totally on their own. Not so, the Narnia evangelists. The lengths Disney has gone to to enlist them is quite impressive. Take a look at all the [slick marketing packages that churches and religious study groups can get for free](http://www.narniaresources.com/ordermaterials/). Study guides, lesson plans, teacher’s aids, posters, pamphlets DVDs elaborating on the religious themes. And of course, it’s not just word-of-mouth advertising – it’s [direct box office](http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1211&dept_id=169689&newsid=15777308&PAG=461&rfi=9). > [@](#): > > Last week’s movie release of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” has pushed many schools and churches to take students, youth and parents to the theaters in droves, and it doesn’t look to taper off any time soon. > > “We’ve done well,” said Todd Holt, owner of Reel Theatres in Sevierville, which has hosted several church and school groups to watch the movie since its release. > > “We’ve had a steady flow for this film. It wasn’t off the charts, but we do have a lot of speciality groups…” ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/127 "2006-01-03T22:12:08Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > The “Remember: King Kong Died For Your Sins” outreach movement has been limited to a very few Discordians, with very little practical effect on the box office take. And they’re out there totally on their own. Mind if I grab “Remember: King Kong Died For Your Sins” as a sig line? It made me laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/128 "2006-01-03T22:28:44Z")
> [@Leviosaurus](#): > > Mind if I grab “Remember: King Kong Died For Your Sins” I have no claim on it. It’s from the _[Principia Discordia](http://www.ology.org/principia/body.html)_, and you’re totally free to quote from it – unless you have a lopsided pineal gland, in which case you have simply to read the words inscribed therein to get yourself sorted. ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/129 "2006-01-04T01:33:19Z")
Just to chime in with another totally non-scientific opinion on the advertising. I go to the movies all the time, and spend half of each year at college in Pennsylvania and the other half at home in California. In both places, I’ve been seeing the “Narnia” trailer attached to just about everything, starting early in the summer. I only ever saw the trailer to “King Kong” _once_, attached to “Serenity.” I didn’t see _any_ serious non-web-based advertising until the week “Kong” opened, and then it was mostly that Burger King commercial with the giant hamburger. Between the paltry advertising penetration and a general sense of “meh” that I got from friends and family regarding “Kong,” its mediocre showing at the box office came as no surprise to me. That said, I think “Kong” is the far superior film, and all things considered, it’s doing fine. It’ll turn a profit (albeit one lower than expected), and Jackson will move on… hopefully to “The Hobbit.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/130 "2006-01-04T02:05:49Z")
More meaningless anecdotal evidence: I, too, agree that _Narnia_ was far more heavily advertised than _Kong_. I also agree that, while _Kong_ isn’t a “flop”, it isn’t doing as well as expected/hoped. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068/131 "2006-01-15T07:11:13Z")
The latest article I’ve seen on the subject: [link.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060113/en_usatoday/a500millionfilmaintwhatitusedtobe) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-early-to-declare-king-kong-a-flop/336068.md?page=6)