REFERENCES

Newspaper review of Foolish Wives calling it a “sensational sex melodrama”

"Foolish Wives." Variety,  Jan 20, 1922. https://archive.org/details/variety65-1922-01/page/n130/mode/1up?view=theater 

Foolish Wives production story

Koszarski, Richard. "The Man You Loved to Hate : Erich von Stroheim and Hollywood." Oxford University Press, 1983. p. 73-80. https://archive.org/details/manyoulovedtohat0000kosz 

Foolish Wives 2 hour cut on Wikipedia

"Foolish Wives." Wikipedia, Accessed Dec 10, 2024. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Foolish_Wives_%281922%29_.webm 

When Knighthood Was in Flower production story

"When Knighthood Was in Flower." AFI Catalog, Accessed Dec 10, 2024. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/13208 

Story of the Ten Commandments Red Sea effects

Brosnan, John. "Movie Magic: The Story of Special Effects in the Cinema." St. Martin's Press, 1974. p.79-80. https://archive.org/details/moviemagic00john 

Ten Commandments behind the scenes photos and info

"De Mille's Greatest." LIFE, Nov 12 1956, p. 115. https://books.google.ca/books?id=vkEEAAAAMBAJ 

William Wyler on wanting to outdo DeMille

Herman, Jan. "A Talent for Trouble: The Life of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler." G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1995. p. 392. https://archive.org/details/talentfortrouble00herm

Ben-Hur production story

Herman, Jan. "A Talent for Trouble: The Life of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler." G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1995. p. 392-422. https://archive.org/details/talentfortrouble00herm 

Ben-Hur doctor drugging people.

Herman, Jan. "A Talent for Trouble: The Life of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler." G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1995. p. 402. https://archive.org/details/talentfortrouble00herm 

Cleopatra production story

Wanger, Walter. "My Life with Cleopatra: The Making of a Hollywood Classic." Vintage, 2013. https://www.amazon.ca/My-Life-Cleopatra-Hollywood-Classic/dp/0345804058 

Liz Taylor divorce newspaper

"Liz Taylor to divorce Eddie Fisher." Los Angeles Times, Apr 3, 1962. https://documents.latimes.com/taylor-divorce-fisher/ 

Article about Cleopatra's production and Liz Taylor

Kamp, David. "When Liz Met Dick." Vanity Fair, Mar 22, 2011. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/1998/03/elizabeth-taylor-199803 

Magazine cover calling Cleopatra the most talked about movie ever

"Cleopatra Most Talked About Movie Ever." LIFE, Apr 19, 1963. https://books.google.ca/books?id=XEkEAAAAMBAJ 

Charles Bronson earning 1 million a picture

Lardine, Bob. "Big Bad Bronson." The Miami Herald, Mar 18, 1973. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-long-bronson-profile/43990628/ 

The story of Marlon Brando in Superman

Freiman, Barry M."One-on-One Interview with Producer Ilya Salkind." Superman Homepage, Accessed Dec 12, 2024. https://www.supermanhomepage.com/movies/movies.php?topic=interview-salkind 

Waterworld production story

Eller, Claudia. Welkos, Robert W. "Plenty of Riptides on ‘Waterworld’ Set." Los Angeles Times, Sep 16, 1994. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-16-ca-39211-story.html 

Waterworld production rumors answered, confirming it's budget

"Waterworld -- The Big Guys Go On Record About All Those Rumors." The Seattle Times, July 28, 1995. https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19950728/2133681/waterworld----the-big-guys-go-on-record-about-all-those-rumors  

Cleopatra and Waterworld not being flops

Stewart, Andrew. "B.O. reality gets lost in perception." Variety, Aug 11, 2012. https://variety.com/2012/film/box-office/b-o-reality-gets-lost-in-perception-1118057706/ 

Titanic models and how they were made

Barrie, Richard. "TITANIC, the Model." Epoxyworks, 1998. https://www.epoxyworks.com/titanic-the-model/ 

Titanic production info from an interview with James Cameron

Schultz, Richard. "James Cameron tells the astonishing story of Titanic, his breathtaking labor of love." Industry Central, Accessed Dec 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20100206150228/http://www.industrycentral.net/director_interviews/JC01.HTM 

Leonardo DiCaprio not being a big star for Titanic

Lambe, Stacy. "James Cameron Explains Why Leonardo DiCaprio Was Almost Not Cast in 'Titanic' (Exclusive)." ET, Dec 9, 2022. https://www.etonline.com/james-cameron-explains-why-leonardo-dicaprio-was-almost-not-cast-in-titanic-exclusive-195760  

Titanic production story & James Cameron's "rightist" quote

Gumbel, Andrew. "Lights, cameras, blockbuster: The return of James Cameron." Independent, Jan 11, 2007. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lights-cameras-blockbuster-the-return-of-james-cameron-431615.html 

Titanic production info & James Cameron's "you'll have to kill me" quote

"Titanic." Entertainment Weekly, Nov 7, 1997. https://web.archive.org/web/20120415201818/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,290182,00.html 

James Cameron on Titanic’s budget

Welkos, Robert W. "The $200-Million Lesson of ‘Titanic’." Los Angeles Times, Feb 11, 1998. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-11-ca-17727-story.html 

Titanic being a co-production between Fox and Paramount

Brew, Simon. "Titanic, and how Paramount Pictures got an incredible deal on the world’s biggest film." Film Stories, Apr 15, 2020. https://filmstories.co.uk/features/titanic-and-how-paramount-pictures-got-an-incredible-deal-on-the-worlds-biggest-film/ 

Making of Titanic book that became a best seller

Parisi, Paula. "Titanic and the Making of James Cameron." Orion, 1998. https://archive.org/details/titanicmakingofj0000pari

Quote about Titanic getting a "negative media attitude"

"James Cameron's Titanic." Media Awareness Network, Accessed Dec 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20110609180647/http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teachable_moments/deconstructing_titanic_6.cfm 

Titanic getting negative press for its big budget

Masters, Kim. "Trying To Stay Afloat." TIME, Dec 8, 1997. p.92-98. https://time.com/vault/issue/1997-12-08/page/93/ 

More negative press over Titanic's budget

Puig, Claudia. "One More Long Hurdle for ‘Titanic’?" Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1997. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-29-ca-63589-story.html 

Spider-Man 3 being the highest "acknowledged" budget and execs starting to lie about budgets

Garrett, Diane. "Big-budget bang-ups." Variety, Apr 20, 2007. https://variety.com/2007/more/news/big-budget-bang-ups-1117963551/ 

Sam Raimi talked into including things like Venom

Lee, Patrick. "Producers Beefed Up Spidey 3." SCI FI Wire, Apr 27, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070903164630/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=41291 

Interview with Hollywood insider talking about Spider-Man 3 costing 350 million

Chadwick, Alex. Masters, Kim. "'Spider-Man 3': Why So Expensive?" NPR, Apr 30, 2007. https://www.npr.org/2007/04/30/9914883/spider-man-3-why-so-expensive 

Interview with Spider-Man 3 producer about budget

Topel, Fred. ""Spider-Man 3" Producer Explains Bigger Budget." Rotten Tomatoes, May 2, 2007. https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/spiderman-3-producer-explains-bigger-budget/ 

Story about the real production costs of Avatar

Keegan, Rebecca. "How Much Did Avatar Really Cost?" Vanity Fair, Dec 22, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100114015407/http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/12/how-much-did-avatar-really-cost.html 

Pirates of the Caribbean press kit

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." Buena Vista Pictures Marketing, Accessed Dec 11, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20100821040553/http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/atworldsend/downloads/prodnotes/potc3_productionnotes.pdf 

Pirates 4 budget from UK financial statements

Sylt, Christian. "Fourth Pirates Of The Caribbean Is Most Expensive Movie Ever With Costs Of $410 Million." Forbes, Jul 22, 2014. https://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/2014/07/22/fourth-pirates-of-the-caribbean-is-most-expensive-movie-ever-with-costs-of-410-million/ 

Star Wars production story & Hamill NDA quote

Hiatt, Brian. "‘Star Wars’ Strikes Back: Behind the Scenes of the Biggest Movie of the Year." Rolling Stone, Dec 2, 2015. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/star-wars-strikes-back-behind-the-scenes-of-the-biggest-movie-of-the-year-50719/2/ 

The Force Awakens' initial estimated budget

Fleming Jr, Mike. "No. 1 ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ – 2015 Most Valuable Movie Blockbuster Tournament." Deadline, Mar 28, 2016. https://deadline.com/2016/03/star-wars-the-force-awakens-movie-profit-2015-lucasfilm-disney-1201726142/ 

The Force Awakens' "final" reported budget

Reid, Caroline. "‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Becomes The Most Expensive Movie Ever Made." Forbes, Feb 26, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2023/02/26/star-wars-the-force-awakens-becomes-the-most-expensive-movie-in-history/ 

The Force Awakens' updated budget

Reid, Caroline. "The Disney Star Wars Movie That Shattered Spending Records." Forbes, Oct 13, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2024/10/13/the-disney-star-wars-movie-that-shattered-spending-records/ 

2015 article citing Star Wars production at 200 million

Child, Ben. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens likely to make $2bn at box office." The Guardian, Jun 24, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/24/star-wars-the-force-awakens-likely-to-make-2bn-at-box-office 

Endgame estimated budget of $356 million

D'Alessandro, Anthony. "‘Avengers: Endgame’ To Near Rare Breakeven Point With $1.1B Global Opening." Deadline, Apr 17, 2019. https://deadline.com/2019/04/avengers-endgame-breakeven-profit-after-opening-weekend-box-office-marvel-1202603237/ 

Joe Russo admitting Avengers movies cost "500 million plus" each

Fleming Jr, Mike. "From Slamdance Walkouts To ‘Avengers: Endgame’ & Choosing Which Marvel Superheroes To Kill Off: A Conversation With Joe Russo At Sands International Film Festival." Deadline, Mar 30, 2022. 36:40. https://deadline.com/video/joe-russo-avengers-endgame-sands-international-film-festival-st-andrews-scotland/

Public UK filings of Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, under the alias Assembled Productions III. Expenses for 2017 to 2022 add up to $1.2 billion. Full breakdown here

"ASSEMBLED PRODUCTIONS III UK LIMITED." Companies House, Accessed Dec 12, 2024. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10068015/filing-history 

Kevin Fiege denying Avengers cost 1 billion

Pierrette, Maximilien. Sardet, Yoann. "Avengers 3: 68 super-héros ? Budget record ? Kevin Feige fait le point." Allocine, Jun 13, 2017. https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18664894.html 

Avengers movies having 3,000 VFX shots

McMillan, Graeme. "‘Avengers 4’ Runtime Is Currently 3 Hours." The Hollywood Reporter, Nov 8, 2018. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avengers-4-runtime-is-3-hours-making-it-longest-marvel-movie-ever-1159618/ 

Avengers having a lot of reshoots and edits because of spoilers

Hullfish, Steve. ART OF THE CUT with Jeffrey Ford, ACE, of “Avengers: Endgame”." Pro Video Voalition, May 9, 2019. https://www.provideocoalition.com/aotc-endgame/ 

Robert Downey Jr being compared to Johnny Depp

Carr, David. "Been Up, Been Down. Now? Super." The New York Times, Apr 20, 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/movies/20carr.html?_r=1&ref=movies&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin 

Robert Downey Jr’s payment for each Avengers film

Guerrasio, Jason. "Robert Downey Jr. made around $435 million playing Marvel's Iron Man — here's how he makes and spends his money." Business Insider, Accessed Dec 12, 2024. https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-downey-jr-worth-millions-how-he-makes-spends-money?op=1 

RDJs contract for the new Avengers film

Siegel, Tatiana. "Behind Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo Brothers’ Mega ‘Avengers’ Paydays." Variety, Jul 29, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/film/news/robert-downey-jr-doctor-doom-avengers-pay-salary-russo-brothers-1236089512/ 

Buchwald v Paramount story and settlement

Welkos, Robert W. Pristin, Terry. "Buchwald, Partner Win $900,000 From Studio." Los Angeles Times, Mar 17, 1992. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-17-me-3895-story.html 

Coming to America story and Paramount’s profit shenanigans

McDougal, Dennis. "Murphy Movie Made Millions But Stayed in Red, Studio Ledgers Say." Los Angeles Times, Feb 4, 1990. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-04-mn-537-story.html 

Order of the Phoenix income statement leak

Masnick, Mike. "'Hollywood Accounting' Losing In The Courts." Tech Dirt, Jul 8, 2010. https://www.techdirt.com/2010/07/08/hollywood-accounting-losing-courts/ 

Lord of the Rings budget info

"'Rings' lures German investors." The New Zealand Herald, Nov 13, 2000. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/rings-lures-german-investors/KNUDRBFGRTZIJAHRNYZE44X2AM

Lord of the Rings using subsidies, and Peter Jackson suing them

"The Hollywood shell game." The New Zealand Herald, Dec 12, 2010. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/companies/media-marketing/the-hollywood-shell-game/5XC3CBBH3B6AJZLZJTYOOAFTI4/

LOTR Trilogy box office earnings

"Franchise: The Lord of the Rings." Box Office Mojo, Accessed Dec 12, 2024. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr2689044229/ 

JRR Tolkien's estate making nothing from LOTR movies and suing

Pierce, Andrew. "JRR Tolkien's estate to sue Lord of the Rings filmmakers New Line Cinema over profits." The Telegraph, Feb 12, 2008. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1578442/JRR-Tolkiens-estate-to-sue-Lord-of-the-Rings-filmmakers-New-Line-Cinema-over-profits.html 

TSG entertainment suing Disney over accounting

Whitten, Sara. "Disney accused of withholding hundreds of millions of dollars from 'Avatar' sequel financier." NBC News, Aug 15, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/disney-accused-withholding-hundreds-millions-dollars-avatar-sequel-fin-rcna100094

TSG Entertainment and Disney settle for undisclosed amount

Cho, Winston. "Disney Settles Breach of Contract Suit From Film Financier TSG Over Accusations of “Hollywood Accounting”." The Hollywood Reporter, Jan 16, 2024. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-tsg-settlement-1235789656/ 

Tangled budget info

Chmielewski, Dawn C. Eller, Claudia. "Disney Animation is closing the book on fairy tales." Los Angeles Times, Nov 21, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101125090854/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/21/entertainment/la-et-1121-tangled-20101121/3 

Disney redoing their pipeline for 3D with Chicken Little and Tangled

Desowitz, Bill. "Chicken Little' & Beyond: Disney Rediscovers its Legacy Through 3D Animation." Animation World Network, Nov 4, 2005. http://www.awn.com/animationworld/chicken-little-beyond-disney-rediscovers-its-legacy-through-3d-animation 

How Tangled spent years developing technology

"Roundtable Interview with Glen Keane." DAPs Magic, Mar 17, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120921063943/http://www.dapsmagic.com/geekscorner/geek-links/daps-magic-interviews/roundtable-interview-with-glen-keane-march-17-2011/ 

The Lion King 2019 budget info

Giardina, Carolyn. "‘The Lion King’ “Virtual Production” Could Be a Game-Changer for Filmmaking." The Hollywood Reporter, Jul 19, 2019. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/lion-king-virtual-production-could-be-a-game-changer-filmmaking-1224990/ 

Avatar VFX workers unionizing

Moreau, Jordan. "‘Avatar’ VFX Artists Vote to Unionize With IATSE." Variety, Jan 31, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/avatar-vfx-artists-union-iatse-1235893193/ 

RRR production info and how it shot for 270 days

Aguilar, Carlos. "These ‘difficult actors’ said ‘RRR’ couldn’t be done. Their director proved them wrong." Los Angeles Times, Jan 16, 2023. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-01-16/rrr-stars-ram-charan-ntr-jr 

One scene in RRR costing 45-crore, or 5 million USD

Singh, Deepali. "Rs 45-crore action sequence for SS Rajamouli's RRR! Details out." DNA India, Jun 7, 2019. https://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-rs-45-crore-action-sequence-for-ss-rajamouli-s-rrr-details-out-2757982 

The Battle of Lake Changjin production info

Witte, Carice. "‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ and China’s New View of War." Oct 14, 2021. https://thediplomat.com/2021/10/the-battle-at-lake-changjin-and-chinas-new-view-of-war/ 

Ran budget info, and it being snubbed at the Oscars

Mathews, Jack. "SNUB AND BE SNUBBED AS ‘RAN’ MISSES OSCAR BID." Los Angeles Times, Dec 11, 1985. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-11-ca-1016-story.html 

Challengers budget info

Rubin, Rebecca. "Zendaya’s Tennis Drama ‘Challengers’ Aims to Lead Sluggish Box Office With $15 Million Debut." Variety, Apr 24, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/film/news/zendaya-challengers-box-office-opening-weekend-projections-1235979979/ 

Ran cost $12 million. Median monthly salary for a Japanese worker in 1985 was 317,091 yen, or $1219 (the exchange rate in 1985 was 260 yen per dollar). Median yearly salary in Japan in 1985 was $14,634. Ran cost 820 yearly salaries

"Article 7." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Accessed Dec 13, 2024. https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/human/econo_rep2/article7.html 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit cost $50 million. Median salary for a US worker in 1988 was $27,230. Roger Rabbit cost 1836 yearly salaries

"Current Population Reports: Consumer Income." U.S Department of Commerce, Mar 1989. https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/1989/demographics/p60-166.pdf 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens cost $639 million. Median salary for a US worker in 2015 was $42,068. The Force Awakens cost 15,189 yearly salaries

"Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey." U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed Dec 13, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/cps/aa2015/cpsaat39.htm 

Ran production info

"Film Notes: Ran." New York State Writers Institute, Accessed Dec 13, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20070312000702/http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/fns98n7.html 

Real castle and costumes cost in Ran, as well as 1400 extras and 200 horses number

Galbraith, Stuart. "The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune." Faber and Faber, 2002. p. 575-580. https://archive.org/details/emperorwolf00galb 

Virus costing 13 million

Lewis, David. "Virus." Cinefantastique Magazine, 1970. vol. 11, p.12. https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2011%20No%203%20%28Sept%201981%29/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater 

Virus distributed by Toho

Galbraith, Stuart. "The Toho Studios Story." Scarecrow Press, 2008. p. 323. https://books.google.ca/books?id=f7o8pq6G_dYC&pg=PA323#v=onepage&q&f=false 

David Lynch and Coppola not getting money for their films

Echarri, Miquel. "No money for David Lynch and no distributor for Francis Ford Coppola: Hollywood is no country for old men." El Pais, Jun 3, 2024. https://english.elpais.com/culture/2024-06-03/no-money-for-david-lynch-and-no-distributor-for-francis-ford-coppola-hollywood-is-no-country-for-old-men.html 

James Cameron's "filmmaking is war" quote

Tatna, Mcher. "Forgotten Hollywood: The Making of “Titanic”." Golden Globes, Apr 7, 2023. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/forgotten-hollywood-the-making-of-titanic/ 

FURTHER READING

Morning Brew video on Hollywood Accounting

https://youtu.be/W-l2oFKZNak