From grand follies to misunderstood masterpieces, disastrous sequels to catastrophic literary adaptations, Tim Robey's hugely entertaining Box Office Poison tells an alternative history of Hollywood, through a century of its most notable flops.
Freaks, Land of the Pharaohs, Dune, Speed 2, Catwoman, Cats: what can these films tell us about the Hollywood system, the public's appetite - or lack of it - and the circumstances that saw such box office disasters actually made? Away from the canon, here is the definitive take on these ill-fated, but essential celluloid failures.
"Highly entertaining...A generous, rather than gloating overview [which is] consistently insightful."
Sight and Sound
"Fascinating . . . a compelling look at all the pitfalls of filmmaking, which not only makes you appreciate the hits a little more deeply, but also the failures."
