The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Hannibal (2001)

[John Marston]

both of these movies did incredible business for hard R rated movies

 

 

 

Silence of the Lambs made  $130,742,922  which adjusts to   $268,628,500.  It released on Valentine's Day 1991. Way before it was nominated and won Best Picture 

 

 

Hannibal broke the February opening weekend record at the time. It made  $165,092,268 which adjusts to $252,305,300

 

amazing considering the pretty poor reception it got. 

Edited February 13, 2017 by John Marston

[Joel M]

When serial killers, psycho exes, evil babysitters and conspiracies that go all the way to the top ruled the box office:

 

R rated thrillers of any kind 1987-2001

 

Fatal Attraction                        320m WW

War of the Roses                     160m

Presumed Innocent                  221m

Silence of the Lambs                273m 

Sleeping with the Enemy          175m

Cape Fear                               182m

Basic Instict                             353m

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle  88m just DOM

The Fugitive                            369m

The Firm                                 270m

Indecent Proposal                    267m

Pelican Brief                            195m

Disclosure                               214m

Seven                                     327m

Crimson Tide                           158m

Ransom                                  310m

A Time to Kill                          152m

Air Force One                          315m

Enemy of the State                  251m

Double Jeopardy                     178m

The Bone Collector                  152m

What Lies Beneath                  291m

Unbreakable                           248m

Hannibal                                352m

[John Marston]

On 2/13/2017 at 11:29 AM, Joel M said:

When serial killers, psycho exes, evil babysitters and conspiracies that go all the way to the top ruled the box office:

 

R rated thrillers of any kind 1987-2001

 

Fatal Attraction                        320m WW

War of the Roses                     160m

Presumed Innocent                  221m

Silence of the Lambs                273m 

Sleeping with the Enemy          175m

Cape Fear                               182m

Basic Instict                             353m

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle  88m just DOM

The Fugitive                            369m

The Firm                                 270m

Indecent Proposal                    267m

Pelican Brief                            195m

Disclosure                               214m

Seven                                     327m

Crimson Tide                           158m

Ransom                                  310m

A Time to Kill                          152m

Air Force One                          315m

Enemy of the State                  251m

Double Jeopardy                     178m

The Bone Collector                  152m

What Lies Beneath                  291m

Unbreakable                           248m

Hannibal                                352m

 

 

nice list but Fugitive, What Lies Beneath. and Unbreakable are PG-13

Edited February 16, 2017 by John Marston

[La Binoche]

Silence lost out on so much box office because 1) it was released during Orion's bankruptcy and 2) it was released over a year before the Oscars, so the noms/wins had no impact on its box office run. 

But it's truly a testament to the quality and impact of the movie that it lingered all year and ended up sweeping the Oscars against the odds. 

A true classic.