IMDb's report on the financial records of this film only reports rentals. I've always been curious about this film's performance at the Box Office. Was it a hit or a miss? What was its budget? Does anyone here know?
shareOver here in England back in the 1960's - films when released where shown first in London West End Cinemas only and then, subsequently around the rest of the Country from say, within 2 weeks to a month later. However, in the case of the BOTB it was a Cinerama production and there were very few Cinemas equipped to show same - probably only 2 in the aforesaid West End. I saw it in May 1965 in Cinerama (15th birthday treat!) and guess it was only released countrywide a few months later - and most importantly, not shown regionally in Cinerama!
Wow, you got to see "Battle of the Bulge" when it first came out?!? Awesome! I first saw this film on TV way back when I was seven. I later did a school report assignment on our favorite films and I did this one. And boy, I was the only one there who did not do their assignment on "The Little Mermaid" or "E.T." Unfortunetly, on TV, BOTB was butchered down to the core and I didn't see all of the missing scenes and experience the true BOTB until a few months ago. Ahhh...what an awesome film! Inaccurate, but why carp? Great performances and I LOVED the neat little model effects. I wish that I could've been around to see it in its true Cinerama format that it was intended in the first place. You rock man!!!
sharefwiw - BOTB was filmed in Ultra Panavision, not in the 3 camera/3 screen CINERAMA process. Same thing with ITS A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD.
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Yeah. That confused me for awhile as I remember seeing the Cinerama Logo in the credits. The feature was filmed in Ultra Panavision 70 and exhibited in 70 mm Cinerama.
Push the button, Max
well i got to see it just yesterday,in high definition and with all the scenes put back in...
it rocked! the massacre-scene was a bit stomach-strong,but as it happened for real i understand why they filmed it... i wish people back then could have seen it in this crystal clear quality.
it was hilarious to see telly savalas in this,i only thought he did kellys heroes and dirty dozen movies,but i guess the war movies were very big back then so most actors did alot of them ..
from what I recall it was a huge success on release and seemed to play for weeks in a London West End cinema (?Leicester Square?), the attraction being the widescreen presentation replicated by a huge banner across the front of the cinema. It was definitely the 'place to go' when up west for a night out in the mid 1960's.
shareI saw it when it first came out. From what I remember it did good business but not great. I remember being impressed with Robert Shaw's acting in it even though it was to be a few years before he became a big star thanks to Jaws.
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