Richard Stanley Adapting H.P. Lovecraft's Color Out of Space

[Tom Clark Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tom Clark]

'The Last Full Measure' And 'Color Out Of Space' Have Solid Debuts, 'Parasite' Crosses $30M - Specialty Box Office

Also having a solid opening this weekend was RLJE Films' Color Out of Space, directed by cult filmmaker Richard Stanley and starring Nicolas Cage. The sci-fi horror grossed an estimated $217,800 on 81 screens this weekend. When added to the $140,364 grossed at Wednesday's special sneak preview screening, the estimated cume comes in at over $350,000.

Based on H.P. Lovecraft's short story, Color Out of Space expectedly performed well in New York and Los Angeles. It grossed an estimated $12,000 at the IFC Center in New York and $14,000 at Arclight Hollywood. Various Alamo Drafthouse locations — a perfect venue for a genre film like this — were selling out during the weekend in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and Denver.

“Richard, Nic, and the Spectrevision team have brought Lovecraft's story to life in a way that demands to be seen on the big screen,” said Mark Ward, RLJ Entertainment's Chief Acquisitions Officer. “Color Out of Space is not just a movie, it's an experience, and we're thrilled that audiences are coming out to fill up theaters and take the ride together.”

The film, which currently is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 84% score, is very much in a similar genre world like Mandy, which also starred Cage and was a collaboration between RLJE, Elijah Wood's SpectreVision, and XYZ films. Color Out of Space nearly matched Mandy in its opening weekend gross of $225,723. The film is set to expand next weekend.

[Curwen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Curwen]

At the surface level, people go to RottenTomatoes and go "Wow, 84% positive!"

Yeah, I don't understand why people use RT instead of MetaCritic or something else.

Because it sounds snazzier in Deadline box office reports?

"[...]The film, which currently is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 84% score[...]"

[JoeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoeS]

On the more general topic of niche films that get good responses at film festivals: I find myself tired of films being declared "instant cult classics." The whole point of cult followings is that they're not achieved "instantly"!

Having attended a fair amount of film festivals myself, one thing that always must be kept in mind is that often times even the mildest 'surprise' can get totally blown out of proportion. A film that nobody expected much out of isn't half bad? "OMG!! It's the greatest thing since sliced bread!!" The opposite also happens when a highly touted picture is a tad disappointing and it's labeled "a disaster".

Weeks or months later when said film finally gets released to commercial theaters/streaming and emotions have cooled often has the general public scratching their heads: "What was all the hubub about?!!"

[Wernski Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wernski]

Having attended a fair amount of film festivals myself, one thing that always must be kept in mind is that often times even the mildest 'surprise' can get totally blown out of proportion. A film that nobody expected much out of isn't half bad? "OMG!! It's the greatest thing since sliced bread!!" The opposite also happens when a highly touted picture is a tad disappointing and it's labeled "a disaster".

Weeks or months later when said film finally gets released to commercial theaters/streaming and emotions have cooled often has the general public scratching their heads: "What was all the hubub about?!!"

Yeah, I find that listening to podcasts where the hosts go to festivals, they come back ranting about all these films that turn out to be just okay at best, like "I know it's not even out yet, but I just can't resist putting it on my Top Ten of the Year list!" And I've slowly learned to stop noting their opinions... I guess it's because many/most(?) films in horror fests are amateurish crap that never winds up breaking out, so within that context, a movie that tells a story with a beginning, middle and end feels like a thrill?

That said, though, I really liked Color Out Of Space more than I thought I would.

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

I thought The Curse with Will Wheatthin was better. Fight me.

[JoeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoeS]

Yeah, I find that listening to podcasts where the hosts go to festivals, they come back ranting about all these films that turn out to be just okay at best, like "I know it's not even out yet, but I just can't resist putting it on my Top Ten of the Year list!" And I've slowly learned to stop noting their opinions... I guess it's because many/most(?) films in horror fests are amateurish crap that never winds up breaking out, so within that context, a movie that tells a story with a beginning, middle and end feels like a thrill?

Funny!

And, it's not just the low bar scenario, it's also the I SAW IT FIRST!! effect. Fest folks like to brag that they were the ones who "discovered" a film.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

[Dark Horse 77 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dark Horse 77]

Santa Sangre, The Stunt Man, Horror Express...the man's got taste.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

British theatrical release poster art.

[Mark Tolch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Tolch]

Poster art trying to cash in on the success of Mandy? Looks like it.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

Poster art trying to cash in on the success of Mandy? Looks like it.

They both come from Elijah Wood's production company SpectreVision. They also share the same editor.

[Matt H. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt H.]

Poster art trying to cash in on the success of Mandy? Looks like it.

She burns brightly.

[Mark Tolch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Tolch]

They both come from Elijah Wood's production company SpectreVision. They also share the same editor.

That would explain it!

[Mark Tolch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Tolch]

Pretty much this.

I really wanted to like it but I hated it. It was mid-way through that I realized that I thought Dust Devil was a "pretty good" movie. Not bad at all, but maybe a little over-hyped? Whereas Hardware was decent. Some good visuals but it plodded along.

All the elements were in place for something great. What happened?

I like the idea of Richard Stanley, but yeah, his films are just OK in my opinion.

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

I like the idea of Richard Stanley, but yeah, his films are just OK in my opinion.

Whenever I read your posts, Mark, I imagine you sound like a drunk Canadian. Exactly like that guy from Things.