MovieChat Forums > MASH (1970) Discussion > How come MASH is not cult movie, but cla...

How come MASH is not cult movie, but classic American mainstream film?

posted 12 years ago by Cleon29
4 replies | jump to latest

I watched it couple of years ago and didn't like it, but then I watched it last night and I must say that my opinion about it improved a lot. It's unusual storytelling, but it has many funny moments and I love the thing that most people seem to hate. I'm talking about how main characters treat women, how they're not likable to most people, blah, blah, blah... All that is fine, but that film is on few AFI lists, on very high places, it's significant part of American film history of that period, among The wild bunch, The French connection, Midnight cowboy, Easy rider.... To me, this film seems like material that in 9 of 10 cases is considered to be cult masterpiece, but definitely not mainstream. I don't know, maybe something like "This is Spainal Tap" or something.
So... the question from the title of this subject.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mcintyro 12 years ago

Because 'it made money' on it's release. That is why it was a big commercial success, and played and played mainstream theaters.

HAROLD AND MAUD didn't make dime when it was released and it went as fast as it came, and that is why that film is a cult favorite.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 11 years ago

Very true, hard to be deemed a "cult" classic when you have such massive commercial success.

MASH grossed $81.6M in 1970 dollars, on a budget of $3.5M as nearly all of the actors were "introduced" during this movie.

Adjusted for today's dollars and movie ticket inflation this equates to $438M, and Box Office Mojo says MASH is the 85th highest grossing movie of all time, ahead of such movies as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, T2, and Top Gun...pretty amazing if you think about it. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?