The summer box office of 1999: A film tournament

on

We've had a tournament for the best summer films of 1998 as well as a great showdown of favorite holiday films. Now, it's time to journey back and decide the best film from the summer of 1999.

In the summer of 1999 -- technically late spring -- back before movies from the Star Wars universe were being released once a year, fans were prepping themselves for the first new film in the Skywalker saga since The Return of the Jedi was released in 1983. We'd all been teased in the years prior with the re-release in theaters of the original trilogy, giving fans a chance to relive, or see for the first time, Luke, Leia, Han Solo, Chewy, and Lando save the galaxy.

These movies were fun to experience in surround sound, on the big screen, but ultimately the new editions altered the Star Wars universe with changed scenes, alternate endings, and bigger explosions.

On May 19, 1999, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace opened. Fans lined up to see this long-awaited event, setting up tents and lawn chairs, camping out days to get tickets and get good seats. Nearly five months prior, fans even bought tickets to the film Wing Commander in order to see the first trailer for The Phantom Menace. (In this pre-historic era, people would actually see the first trailer for upcoming film in the movie theater if they didn't want to wait a week to see it on t.v./online.)

All sorts of hype surrounded this film, with StarWars.com sharing photos, on-set diaries and more while the folks over at Ain't It Cool News shared any tidbit of information they could get their hands on regarding The Phantom Menace. We were even treated to a music video of the film before it came out.


Fans who had waited years to see the continuation of this universe, even if it were in prequel form, reached palpable levels of excitement. And this video only helped to amp up the adrenaline.

I watched this film at the Crystal Theater (the old one, not the new one) in Elko, Nevada. Twenty-years old and a lifelong devotion to Star Wars under my belt, this film thrilled me like no other. Having seen four Star Wars films in theaters since, the experience of seeing The Phantom Menace is rivaled only by seeing Revenge of the Sith at the ArcLight in Hollywood at three a.m. opening night.

Star Wars continues to be a cultural phenomenon, with the Skywalker saga to completed this December with The Rise of Skywalker. While The Phantom Menace had it's downsides i.e Jar Jar Binks, the Trade Federation, the film also had its moments, introducing us us to Darth Maul and to pod racing.

The Phantom Menace opened to the tune of nearly 65 million dollars and reached $431,088,295 during its initial run. Overall, thanks to a re-release in 2012, the film is the 15th-highest grossing film at the domestic box office with $474,544,677.

The real question: How will it fare in this tournament for favorite film from the summer of 1999?

The films of 1999

While productive, the summer box office of 1999 didn't have quite the blockbuster that 1998 did. Still, The Phantom Menace had some help. Films like Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Mummy, Big Daddy, Runaway Bride, and Wild, Wild West helped give the box office some juice.

It can also be said that this year was the summer of surprise hits. The Blair Witch Project, American Pie, and The Sixth Sense all surpassed box office expectations to become some of the biggest hits ever (at the time).

Outside of the purview of the summer, 1999 was a pretty good year for films. Toy Story 2 and The Matrix were released as Kevin Smith's newest foray into cinema, Dogma. The teen movie was in boon, with films like Varsity Blues, She's All That, and Ten Things I Hate About You. And let's not forget about The Talented Mr. Ripley, Magnolia, and Princess Mononoke.

But we're not here for them. We're here for the summer.

May region

The Phantom Menace is the top-ranked film released in this month. Studios, likely due to this film's release, had a quiet slate for May, so part of these rankings include a couple of films released in April of that year. Here are the matchups: 

  • 1) The Phantom Menace
  • 16) The Love Letter
  • 8) Go
  • 9) A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • 5) Life
  • 12) Black Mask
  • 4) Entrapment
  • 13) Extreme (IMAX)
  • 6) Never Been Kissed
  • 11) Tea with Mussolini
  • 3) Notting Hill
  • 14) The Thirteenth Floor
  • 7) Out of Towners
  • 10) Election
  • 2) The Mummy
  • 15) Trippin'

June region

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me was the top-grossing film released in the month of June. Some big names of this era had films come out this summer, including Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and John Travolta.

June was still a quiet month for movies so a few films released in September have been thrown into this region. The matchups: 

  • 1) Austin Powers: Spy Who Shagged Me
  • 16) Limbo
  • 8) American Beauty
  • 9) Double Jeopardy
  • 5) The General's Daughter
  • 12) Run Lola Run
  • 4) Wild, Wild West
  • 13) Stigmata
  • 6) South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
  • 11) Blue Streak
  • 3) Big Daddy
  • 14) For Love of the Game
  • 7) Instinct
  • 10) An Ideal Husband
  • 2) Tarzan 
  • 15) Wolves (IMAX)

July region

The number one seed in this region belongs to Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in their film Runaway Bride. This film will have to contend with upstarts The Blair Witch Project and American Pie, plus Stanley Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut. 

The matchups:

  • 1) Runaway Bride
  • 16) Trick
  • 8) Lake Placid
  • 9) The Wood
  • 5) The Haunting
  • 12) Drop Dead Gorgeous
  • 4) Inspector Gadget
  • 13) The Dinner Game
  • 6) Deep Blue Sea
  • 11) Muppets from Space
  • 3) American Pie
  • 14) Elvis Gratton 2
  • 7) Eyes Wide Shut
  • 10) Summer of Sam
  • 2) The Blair Witch Project
  • 15) Autumn Tale

August region

The number one seed in the August region belongs to The Sixth Sense. This film came out of nowhere, seemingly a late summer dump-off that became one of the most successful movies of all-time.

Will it reign supreme here? Or will the lure of Hugh Grant, Ben Stiller, or Steve Martin be enough to overtake it? The matchups:

  • 1) The Sixth Sense
  • 16) Dick
  • 8) In Too Deep
  • 9) The Muse
  • 5) The 13th Warrior
  • 12) Brokedown Palace
  • 4) Mickey Blue Eyes
  • 13) Dudley Do Right
  • 6) Mystery Men
  • 11) Universal Soldier: The Return
  • 3) Bowfinger
  • 14) Alien Adventure (IMAX)
  • 7) The Iron Giant 
  • 10) The Astronaut's Wife
  • 2) The Thomas Crown Affair
  • 15) Teaching Mrs. Tingle

Voting will take place on Twitter, and, if I can get the poll option to work again for me, on Facebook.

Happy voting.


photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org 

Comments

Post a Comment