"It's a Wonderful Life" only became a holiday favorite when it entered public domain.
Although it's now a staple in many holiday movie collections, "It's a Wonderful Life" performed poorly at the box office in 1946. The movie's success took a turn for the better when it was picked up by TV networks in 1974 when the movie's copyright expired.
Repeat viewings helped it get recognized as a warm, moving touchstone in American households each Christmas.
"Troll 2" gained fans with it's "so bad it's good" reputation.
Like Tommy Wiseau's "The Room," "Troll 2" also found a cult following for its reputation as one of the worst films of all time.
The 1990s horror movie followed a family who is terrorized by goblins that turn their victims into plants before eating them. Fans found the accidental humor in the absurd goblin fest and still flock to screenings.
"Heathers" initially only made back less than half of its budget.
"Heathers," a dark comedy about a high school student who murders her classmates, has gained a following over the years for its biting humor. It premiered in 1989 and starred Winona Ryder as the unforgettable Veronica Sawyer.
Unfortunately, with a budget of $3 million, "Heathers" only made $1.1 million domestically. It gradually gained acclaim due to Ryder's rise to fame.
The film's popularity has inspired a stage musical of the same name as well as a television reboot that aired in 2018.
"Fight Club" was panned by critics at first glance.
"Fight Club" may be constantly referenced today, but it didn't initially impress many critics when it came out in 1999.
The film follows a dismal soap salesman (Edward Norton) who joins a fight club led by Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt).
The Chuck Palahniuk novel-turned-film proved too dark for mainstream audiences, but it would go on to sell 6 million DVD copies when people gave it a second chance.
"Office Space" later found a niche audience.
The slice of life film "Office Space" perfectly captured the mundane nature of cubicle life, but failed to capture the attention of filmgoers in 1999.
Just as raunchy comedies like "American Pie" were winning big at the box office, wry satires like "Office Space" fell through the cracks in the late '90s — only bringing in $10.8 million.
Over time, the comedy has gone on to become one of the top films listed on many critics' lists, allowing a new generation of fans to discover it.
"Citizen Kane" only found acclaim in the years after its release.
"Citizen Kane" has established itself firmly in film history as one of the most revered films ever made, but it only made about $1.5 million when it was released in 1941.
Historians have pointed to William Randolph Hearst as the man who impeded the film's initial success, since its villain was blatantly inspired by Hearst himself. The influential newspaper tycoon forbade the press from mentioning it by name.
Now, the film has 99% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, which is no easy feat.
"The Shawshank Redemption" was overlooked during a year filled with cinematic contenders.
It goes without saying that 1994 was a big year for movies: "Pulp Fiction" and "Forrest Gump" both premiered to immense acclaim. Unfortunately, "The Shawshank Redemption" received less attention when it was released that same year.
The moving prison drama later found an audience on television and is now listed as the top-rated film on IMDb by its users, topping films like "The Godfather," "12 Angry Men," and "Schindler's List." It also has rave reviews on Rotten Tomatoes from audiences and critics.
"Vertigo" was a flop compared to "Psycho."
"Vertigo" is now widely considered to be one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest movies, but it was poorly received upon release in 1958.
The film explores the life of an ex-cop with a fear of heights and his whirlwind romance, based on the thrilling novel by Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narcejac, and Geoffrey Sainsbury.
It was considered a box-office flop and a failed thriller and made $3.2 million domestically.
"Event Horizon" lost over $30 million when it flopped.
The 1997 sci-fi thriller "Event Horizon" focused on a rescue crew in space that investigates a missing ship. The film, starring Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, and Kathleen Quinlan, was compared to other space horror movies like "Alien" upon its release.
Despite generating a gross $27 million worldwide, the movie was considered a bomb since it cost an estimated $60 million to make. Even though critics ran it through the mud, "Event Horizon" found fans as a niche space cliffhanger with surprisingly strong visual effects for its time.
"Wet Hot American Summer" was a hilarious film that went unwatched by many.
With big names like Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, and Molly Shannon, it's a shame the 2001 film did so poorly at the box office.
At the time of its release, however, most of the cast was still relatively unknown. The movie, which followed summer campers in 1981, was made with a $1.8 million budget and it produced $295,206 at the box office.
As the stars skyrocketed to success, the movie gained a cult following. Netflix has since produced both a prequel and sequel television series starring the original cast.
"A Christmas Story" didn't gain fans until TV syndication.
The 1983 Christmas classic was initially seen as a sleeper hit when it first premiered.
Critics were not sure what to think of it upon release, and a particularly scathing New York Times piece by Vincent Canby called it less funny than a TV sitcom and "exceedingly busy."
It has since found fans on TV over the years and is a must-watch for many families during the holiday season. It even has its own 24-hour marathon on both TNT and TBS.
"Atlantis: The Lost Empire" was considered a flop by Disney standards.
Like most Disney films, animated features like "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" will always find their fans despite how well they fare critically.
The 2001 fantasy adventure featured the voice talents of Michael J. Fox, Leonard Nimoy, and Claudia Christian. It followed a crew's underwater voyage for the lost city of Atlantis.
Although it earned back its budget, and more, it was still considered a disappointment by Disney standards at the box office. It even had a pre-planned theme park attraction and television series canceled, reportedly due to its underperformance.
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