New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

20 years ago - August 25, 1995

Desperado
The sequel to director Robert Rodriguez’s 1992 film El Mariachi stars Antonio Banderas as the mariachi out for revenge. Salma Hayek plays the woman who helps him. The first movie was produced independently for $7,000 with a largely unknown cast speaking Spanish, while this sequel was given a $7 million budget and shot in English. Reviews were good and Desperado opened at #2 behind Mortal Kombat with $7.9 million. It went on to earn $25 million and its success helped Rodriguez finish his Mexican trilogy with Once Upon a Time in Mexico in 2003.

Lord of Illusions
Scott Bakula stars in this horror movie as occult detective Harry D’Amour, from Clive Barker’s stories. To date, this is the last film that Clive Barker directed. Reviews were decent and Lord of Illusions opened at #5 with $4.8 million, eventually earning $13.2 million.

The Amazing Panda Adventure
Child actor Ryan Slater plays an American boy who visits China and ends up rescuing a panda from poachers in this family-friendly adventure. Reviews were okay but The Amazing Panda Adventure failed to draw an audience, earning just $2.4 million in wide release. Ultimately it earned $7.5 million.

Beyond Rangoon
Patricia Arquette plays a tourist caught up in the 1988 uprising in Burma in this drama from director John Boorman. Reviews were mixed. On 802 screens, Beyond Rangoon earned $2 million for the weekend and $5.7 million overall.

The Show
The Show is a documentary narrated by Russell Simmons and covering a multitude of hip hop performers. The soundtrack to the film peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart. The Show opened well in limited release, earning $1.4 million on 336 screens and $2.7 million overall.

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde
Tim Daly stars in this comedy set in contemporary times, about a perfume chemist who accidentally transforms himself into a woman, portrayed by Sean Young. Together they received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Screen Couple. Fortunately for Daly, he had the TV series Wings to fall back on. Dr. Jekyll and Ms Hyde opened in limited release and finished its run with $2.7 million.

25 years ago - August 24, 1990

Darkman
Darkman is an interesting case of a comic-book hero that wasn’t based on an established comic book. Evil Dead writer Sam Raimi wrote the screenplay and also directed. Liam Neeson stars as a scientist left for dead who returns with superhuman strength with no sensitivity to pain. Frances McDormand plays his love interest. Neeson spends most of the movie under facial bandages but did earn a Saturn Award nomination. Good reviews helped Darkman edge out Ghost for the #1 spot with $11.2 million at 1,786 theaters and a total gross of $33 million.

Men at Work
Brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez play garbage men who get caught up in this accidental crime comedy, with Keith David. Emilio Estevez wrote and directed the film. Reviews were poor and Men at Work opened at #7 with $3.1 million at 962 theaters. It eventually grossed $16.2 million.

The Witches
Based on the book by Roald Dahl and produced by Jim Henson, The Witches stars Jasen Fisher as boy who discovers the presence of witches who want to destroy children. Anjelica Huston plays lead witch. Henson died before the film was released and Dahl followed in November. The movie received very good reviews and earned five Saturn Award nominations. The Witches opened at #10 in moderately wide release with $2.2 million and went on to earn $10.3 million.

Delta Force 2: Operation Stranglehold
That’s right, Chuck Norris was still kicking butt in the ‘90s! This sequel to 1986’s The Delta Force pits Maj. Scott McCoy up against Colombian drug lords. Reviews were negative and the movie failed to open in the top 10 with $1.8 million in moderately wide release. The movie grossed $6.6 million and although there was another sequel, Norris declined to appear in it as he transitioned to television with Walker: Texas Ranger in 1993.

Continued:       1       2       3