The Greatest Misfires In Movie History

Much has been said about the dumpster fire that is "Battlefield Earth." This 2000 disaster is probably the biggest mistake in sci-fi history – with a staggering nine Razzies to prove it. Many have wondered how such a movie was even made, but it all comes down to the determination of one man: John Travolta.

"Battlefield Earth" is based on a 1982 science fiction novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Travolta, a Scientologist since 1975, spent over 15 years looking for a studio willing to adapt the book. "I have a special affection for this book," he told The New York Times in 2000, praising Hubbard's writing prowess. "Battlefield Earth" bounced around various studios, including MGM and 20th Century Fox, until finally finding a home at Warner Bros. Pictures. During this time, the script rotated through two different writers: J.D. Shapiro and Corey Mandell. Both Mandell's manager and agent warned him against taking on the project. "I wasn't smart enough to listen," he confessed to Vice.

The movie was released on May 12, 2000, three days after a major Scientology holiday. This only bolstered the flick's religious association. "There is NO connection to Scientology," the film's director, Roger Christian, told Vice. Sure. With a budget of $73 million and a worldwide gross of $30 million, "Battlefield Earth" was a failure. Moreover, it stained Travolta's acting career. "It will be like 'Star Wars,' only better," the actor once boasted (via The Guardian). Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

"On the Silver Globe" should have been Andrzej Żuławski's magnum opus. As it stands, it's a phenomenal piece of sci-fi cinema. Surrealist imagery, extravagant costumes, and breathtaking location shots make "On the Silver Globe" striking. So, what went wrong?

Żuławski adapted his epic from "The Lunar Trilogy," a collection of novels written by his great-granduncle in the early 1900s. According to Mubi's Notebook, in the mid-1970s, the Polish government funded his film on the condition that it contained no anti-communist sentiments. After two years of adapting the screenplay, Żuławski finally started shooting "On the Silver Globe." The filmmaker completed four-fifths of the movie using the Gobi Desert, the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, and the Wieliczka Salt Mines near Kraków as locations for his alien terrain. In 1977, Poland's newly-appointed Vice Minister of Cultural Affairs, Janusz Wilhelmi, abruptly halted production, citing its overly expensive budget.

However, the movie's themes of religion and totalitarian regimes were rumored to agitate Wilhelmi. Consequently, he demanded the film and all props and costumes be destroyed. Disheartened, Żuławski moved to France. A decade later, during the fall of communism in Poland, the director decided to finish the movie. By using bustling images of Poland, Żuławski also adds voiceover narration to further the plot — boldly claiming government censorship is to blame. The Cannes Film Festival premiered "On the Silver Globe" in May 1988. While the movie is choppy, it's also visually stunning. Imagine what a triumph it could have been if Żuławski had finished it properly.

The visual decadence of 1963's "Cleopatra" perfectly represents Hollywood's Golden Age. That said, it also contributed to the era's demise. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's historical drama was the most expensive film of its time. It cost $44 million to make — over $360 million today after inflation (via Den of Geek). Consequently, 20th Century Fox almost went bankrupt.

The studio system changed as television gained popularity, and "Cleopatra" was supposed to be Fox's salvation. One former Fox publicist shared with Vanity Fair, "We were the only people who could put John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe in movies and not have them do any business." Having seen Cecil B. DeMille's 1934 version of "Cleopatra," producer Walter Wanger salivated at the prospect of remaking it. With a budget of $5 million and Elizabeth Taylor cast as the lead, things seemed to be moving along. The catch? Taylor demanded $1 million — and became Tinseltown's first leading lady to secure it.

Taylor's addition spelled disaster. She demanded that "Cleopatra" be shot internationally, which was costly. A studio backlot in London was ultimately chosen. Authentic? No, but at least Fox saved some money. Production stalled after rain ruined the set, and Taylor was bedridden with pneumonia. Moreover, director Rouben Mamoulian was fired. Los Angeles Times reports that filming then moved to Rome, requiring brand new sets. Mamoulian was replaced by Mankiewicz, who also rewrote the script. Amid a budget overrun, Mankiewicz was stressed. To stay afloat, Fox sold nearly 300 acres of its Los Angeles backlot. Sadly, as Mankiewicz's son told the Los Angeles Times, the completed film failed to live up to his father's vision.

"Death Proof," Quentin Tarantino's catastrophic exploitation throwback, teaches us that not everyone understands cinema history. Although We love the flick, this self-aware action-comedy is often regarded as Tarantino's worst. As part of the 2007 "Grindhouse" double feature with Robert Rodriguez, "Death Proof" pays homage to classic exploitation movies of the 1970s — to a fault.

It's no secret that Tarantino adores this genre. He even compiled a list of his favorites for Grindhouse Cinema Database and regularly discusses exploitation cinema on "The Video Archives," his podcast with Roger Avary. According to The Telegraph, Rodriguez expressed interest in making a double feature after spotting a poster for a 1957 double bill at Tarantino's pad. The project was born then and there. Both filmmakers intentionally included "missing reels" in their movies to keep things authentic. They also employed prolific horror directors, including Rob Zombie and Eli Roth, to create fake B-movie trailers to run during the "intermission." Reuters reports that the estimated final cost of "Grindhouse" was $67 million. Domestically, it only grossed $25 million.

"[Audiences] had no idea what the f**k they were watching," Tarantino explained to Empire, adding that he and Rodriguez overestimated their fans' understanding of exploitation cinema. The Weinstein Company released both flicks separately overseas to prevent a repeat of the financial flop. Ironically, this only agitated B-movie sticklers expecting a legitimate double-feature experience.

Misfires in 1956's "The Conqueror" abound. In this historical epic, John Wayne plays Genghis Khan, complete with yellowface makeup and a Fu Manchu mustache. The visuals are alarming, and the script isn't much better. In "The Conqueror," choppy, confusing dialogue is used to signify non-English speakers. The result would be laughable, if not so blatantly offensive.

Following a string of flops, RKO Pictures was on thin ice in the early 1950s. In 1948, Howard Hughes, who acquired RKO, desperately needed a hit. At the time, sprawling epics were popular at the box office, so the producer decided to make his own. Since Wayne was still signed to RKO, Hughes had little trouble snagging him. According to The Guardian, Dick Powell, looking for a sizable paycheck, came on board as director.

Wayne and Powell's decisions proved fatal — literally. The atomic testing range at Yucca Flat, Nevada, was just 137 miles from Saint George, Utah, where "The Conqueror" was shot. Per Production Hub, the previous year, 250 kilotons of nuclear weapons were detonated at Yucca Flat, releasing 35,000 kilocuries of radioactive iodine. Federal authorities declared the testing safe, leaving Powell's team unfazed. Unsurprisingly, of the 220 cast and crew members, 91 developed cancer, and 46 died — including Powell and Wayne. The film earned almost $12 million at the box office, but its notoriety haunted Hughes. In his old age, he reportedly watched "The Conqueror" relentlessly after purchasing all of the remaining copies, perhaps in an attempt to shield someone from the catastrophe.