Why do original movies about fictional musicians always flop

[Jonathan Michaels]

Walk Hard
Almost Famous
Josie and the Pussycats
That Thing You Do!
Popstar
This Is Spinal Tap

Every single one did poorly in theaters, and these are all great, let alone the lesser ones.

So what is it that keeps people away from these movies on the big screen?

You would think a theater would be ideal to see these kinds of films and enjoy the music.

[agent817]

The only one I found that didn't actually flop was CB4. Don't forget Fear of a Black Hat, especially since you mentioned Popstar and This is Spinal Tap. I guess Fear of a Black Hat might be a different case as that was more of an indie film and was distributed to only a small number of theaters. Hell, I remember first watching it on the Sundance channel back in 1996.

Also, since you mentioned Josie & the Pussycats, I suppose Jem & the Holograms should count, except that was not a good movie. I didn't mind the music, however.

[DSR]

Airheads
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Eddie and the Cruisers

[Bo Rida]

It's hard to top real life.
I assume Spinal Tap was pretty unique at the time so was a hard sell.

[mcmahonfan85]

Apr 1, 2021 23:22:59 GMT -5 Jonathan Michaels said:

This Is Spinal Tap

Every single one did poorly in theaters, and these are all great, let alone the lesser ones.

So what is it that keeps people away from these movies on the big screen?

that's what happens when you've got Stonehenge monument that's in danger of being crushed by a dwarf

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

I actually have a soft spot for Airheads, if only to watch Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler being stupid.

“Cause I’m a MAD MAN!”

[4real]

School of Rock was a success though right. Slightly different cos it’s kids and Jack Black is in it but still it has bands!

[Deleted]

I mean, Blues Brothers did well.

Now, 2000...

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Apr 2, 2021 1:57:10 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

Apr 1, 2021 23:22:59 GMT -5 Jonathan Michaels said:

This Is Spinal Tap

Every single one did poorly in theaters, and these are all great, let alone the lesser ones.

So what is it that keeps people away from these movies on the big screen?

that's what happens when you've got Stonehenge monument that's in danger of being crushed by a dwarf

It understated the hugeness of the object.

[Feyrhausen]

Did Rock Star also flop? It seems like it would have.

[Push R Truth]

Apr 2, 2021 5:00:00 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

I actually have a soft spot for Airheads, if only to watch Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler being stupid.

“Cause I’m a MAD MAN!”

I'm gonna stab your head off!

With what?

WITH MY DICK!

[SHAKEMASTER TV9 is Don Knotts]

Probably due to marketing and studios not knowing how to inform audiences about what type of movie they want them to watch. Movies about real musicians are biopics and biopics are generally dramas, they don't know how to market a comedy. Like Josie and the Pussycats ad campaign was that it was a teeny bopper movie and it's weirder than that. When This Is Spinal Tap came out, the mockumentary wasn't a genre that really existed in the 80s. Walk Hard is a parody of the musical biopic, but is so much better quality than the junk Friedberg and Seltzer parody movies that came out around the same time.

But then it also does extend to dramas like the mentioned Rockstar didn't do great business. Neither did Her Smell starring Elizabeth Moss from a few years ago. It got her some award nominations though. I guess the appeal of the "rockstar" life is that it's so crazy and wild, so seeing it done with fictional characters loses its authenticity.

Blues Brothers doesn't count to me since its based on very popular Saturday Night Live characters and they performed in front of live crowds and released an album. Jake and Elwood are characters, but they are aren't fictional musicians anymore.

8 Mile, however, is successful drama about a fictional character.

[Milkman Norm]

I'd argue that Almost Famous is more a coming of age and rock journalism story then it is a movie about rock stars. Which makes sense since it's based on Cameron Crowe's own story.

[DSR]

Apr 2, 2021 5:00:00 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

I actually have a soft spot for Airheads, if only to watch Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler being stupid.

“Cause I’m a MAD MAN!”

I like Airheads, but I think it would've been a better movie if it turned out The Lone Rangers actually sucked. We don't get to hear them play any music until the very end of the movie, so it wouldn't affect the plot at all. Just would've been a funnier ending if it was like "That's why they couldn't catch a break!"

[wildojinx]

Apr 2, 2021 5:56:22 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

Did Rock Star also flop? It seems like it would have.

Should have been the Ripper Owens biopic it was originally designed to be.

[Douglas]

Walk Hard is a cinematic masterpiece.

[Zaq "That Guy" Buzzkill]

Apr 2, 2021 5:55:02 GMT -5 Bob Schlapowitz said:

Apr 2, 2021 1:57:10 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

that's what happens when you've got Stonehenge monument that's in danger of being crushed by a dwarf

It understated the hugeness of the object.

Making a big thing out of it would have been a good idea.

[Natural Born Farmer]

A Star Is Born did pretty well.

[DiBiase is Good]

The Commitments is another that didn’t flop.

[Muskrat]

Apr 2, 2021 12:20:42 GMT -5 Douglas said:

Walk Hard is a cinematic masterpiece.

Seriously, that movie is incredibly under appreciated. It came out at the peak of Apatow/Rogan/Hill/Rudd being the kings of the comedy world, and it’s probably the best of all of them.