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AUSTRALIA'S BOX OFFICE HITS

The sad truth is, Australian films do not make a lot of money. Less than 10% of films assisted by the FFC (which therefore excludes many other really small, micro or no-budget films that have even less chance of commercial success) since 1988 have actually made a profit. In essence, film in Australia remains a government subsidised industry. Realistically, the best case scenario for an Australian fim is to recoup its budget (ie break even) so that everyone has been at least paid for their work, and they can go onto make more films. This is acheived via the black art of distribution, where the marketing of Australian films to overseas cinema and DVD audiences provides vital additional revenue to the often meagre local cinema income.

The problem (of low local cinema box office) is certainly not about Australian's lack of cinema attendance - we are actually amongst the biggest cinema-goers in the world. Nor is is necessarily about an 'invasion' of Hollywood films which swamp the multiplexes and kill off interest in local films. It is a problem of lack of investment in script development, which unfortunately means that many Australian feature films simply lack the right story ingredients to succeed. If they are 'indie' style, they are often not as smart and edgy as international indie films. Or, if they seek the mainstream audience, they are not as fully realised in narrative as their (largely American) competition. It's certainly NOT about acting or other creative talent, we have plenty of that, or technical ability, which we also have plenty of and indeed hire out to many large overseas productions that have been produced in Australia (Matrix trilogy, Mission Impossible 2, Superman Returns, Star Wars 2&3).

AUSTRALIAN Box Office

A list of Australian films at the Australian Box Office since 1966.

Rank
Title
Year
 $AUD
1
 CROCODILE DUNDEE
(1986)
  $47,707,045
2
 BABE
(1995)
  $36,776,544
3
 MOULIN ROUGE
(2001)
  $27,711,638
4
 CROCODILE DUNDEE II
(1988)
  $24,916,805
5
 HAPPY FEET
(2006)
  $24,300,000
6
 STRICTLY BALLROOM
(1992)
  $21,760,400
7
 THE DISH
(2000)
  $17,990,148
8
 THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER
(1982)
  $17,228,160
9
 THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT
(1994)
  $16,459,245
10
 MURIEL'S WEDDING
(1994)
  $15,765,571
11
 YOUNG EINSTEIN
(1988)
  $13,383,377
12
 LANTANA
(2001)
  $12,286,683
13
 GALLIPOLI
(1981)
  $11,740,000
14
 THE WOG BOY
(2000)
  $11,449,599
15
 THE PIANO
(1993)
  $11,240,484
16
 MAD MAX II
(1981)
  $10,847,491
17
 GREEN CARD
(1991)
  $10,585,960
18
 THE CASTLE
(1997)
  $10,326,428
19
 SHINE
(1996)
  $10,167,416
20
 PHAR LAP
(1983)
  $9,258,884
21
 CRACKERJACK
(2002)
  $8,616,216
22
 THE MAN WHO SUED GOD
(2001)
  $8,546,867
23
 NED KELLY
(2003)
  $8,364,811
24
 LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI
(2000)
  $8,300,454
25
 KENNY
(2006)
  $7,778,177
26
 BABE: PIG IN THE CITY
(1998)
  $7,771,751
27
 CROCODILE DUNDEE IN LA
(2001)
  $7,759,103
28
 RABBIT PROOF FENCE
(2002)
  $7,510,545
29
 THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER II
(1988)
  $7,415,000
30
 LIGHTNING JACK
(1994)
  $6,439,819
31
 WOLF CREEK
(2005)
  $6,080,928
32
 CHOPPER
(2000)
  $5,790,583
33
 TWO HANDS
(1999)
  $5,452,726
34
 RECKLESS KELLY
(1993)
  $5,444,534
35
 MAD MAX
(1979)
  $5,355,490
36
 THE QUIET AMERICAN
(2003)
  $5,339,542
37
 JINDABYNE
(2006)
  $5,302,912
38
 THE CRAIC
(1999)
  $5,265,935
39
 PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
(1975)
  $5,134,300
40
 DIRTY DEEDS
(2002)
  $5,063,452
41
 THE PHANTOM
(1996)
  $4,988,665
42
 STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
(2004)
  $4,816,495
43
 BREAKER MORANT
(1980)
  $4,735,000
44
 ALVIN PURPLE
(1973)
  $4,720,000
45
 THE JUNGLE BOOK 2
(2003)
  $4,684,173
46
 JAPANESE STORY
(2003)
  $4,520,000
47
 FOOTROT FLATS: THE DOG'S TALE
(1987)
  $4,317,000
48
 MAD MAX, BEYOND THUNDERDOME
(1985)
  $4,272,802
49
 CHARLOTTE GRAY
(2002)
  $4,187,336
50
 THE POWER OF ONE
(1992)
  $4,140,956
51
 PUBERTY BLUES
(1981)
  $3,918,000
52
 CROCODILE HUNTER: COLLISION COURSE
(2002)
  $3,872,222
53
 LITTLE FISH
(2005)
  $3,660,513
54
 FAT PIZZA
(2003)
  $3,651,320
55
 ANTARCTICA
(1996)
  $3,616,150
56
 AFRICA'S ELEPHANT KINGDOM
(1998)
  $3,491,757
57
 MALCOLM
(1986)
  $3,483,139
58
 FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST
(1992)
  $3,459,949
59
 THE DELINQUENTS
(1989)
  $3,370,650
60
 DARK CITY
(1998)
  $3,348,994
61
 THE SUM OF US
(1994)
  $3,327,456
62
 TEN CANOES
(2006)
  $3,271,928
63
 QUEEN OF THE DAMNED
(2002)
  $3,204,388
64
 ROMPER STOMPER
(1992)
  $3,165,034
65
 KOKODA
(2006)
  $3,138,501
66
 BOYTOWN
(2006)
  $3,135,972
67
 WE OF THE NEVER NEVER
(1982)
  $3,112,000
68
 MY BRILLIANT CAREER
(1979)
  $3,052,000
69
 EVIL ANGELS
(1988)
  $3,006,964
70
 PARADISE ROAD
(1997)
  $2,970,653
71
 PITCH BLACK
(2000)
  $2,945,185
72
 THE HARD WORD
(2002)
  $2,935,457
73
 COSI
(1996)
  $2,896,980
74
 FORTRESS
(1993)
  $2,855,154
75
 CADDIE
(1976)
  $2,847,000
76
 SIRENS
(1994)
  $2,780,639
77
 RETURN TO NEVERLAND
(2002)
  $2,759,933
78
 DEATH IN BRUNSWICK
(1991)
  $2,725,169
79
 BOOTMEN
(2000)
  $2,718,967
80
 MY, MYSELF, I
(2000)
  $2,698,330
81
 THE WIGGLES
(1997)
  $2,678,486
82
 LOOK BOTH WAYS
(2005)
  $2,671,651
83
 THE HEARTBREAK KID
(1993)
  $2,658,819
84
 STORM BOY
(1976)
  $2,645,000
85
 DATING THE ENEMY
(1996)
  $2,620,325
86
 HOSTAGE: THE CHRISTINE MARESCH STORY
(1983)
  $2,455,000
87
 THE BANK
(2001)
  $2,451,648
88
 DEAD CALM
(1989)
  $2,444,407
89
 ROMULUS, MY FATHER
(2007)
  $2,436,888
90
 CAREFUL HE MIGHT HEAR YOU
(1983)
  $2,431,126
91
 THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB
(1966)
  $2,417,000
92
 THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY
(1982)
  $2,393,000
93
 THE BIG STEAL
(1990)
  $2,351,628
94
 BAD EGGS
(2003)
  $2,318,089
95
 GHOST SHIP
(2002)
  $2,232,932
96
 GETTIN' SQUARE
(2003)
  $2,292,587
97
 OYSTER FARMER
(2005)
  $2,249,528
98
 PROOF
(1991)
  $2,163,958
99
 SOMERSAULT
(2004)
  $2,156,574
100
 THE PROPOSITION
(2005)
  $2,084,683
101
 NAPOLEON
(1996)
  $2,051,855
102
 BLACK ROBE
(1992)
  $2,036,056
103
 FAR EAST
(1982)
  $1,972,000
104
 THREE TO TANGO
(1999)
  $1,940,552
105
 THE NUGGET
(2002)
  $1,920,993
106
 BLINKY BILL
(1992)
  $1,903,659
107
 ALVIN RIDES AGAIN
(1974)
  $1,880,000
108
 HATING ALLISON ASHLEY
(2005)
  $1,869,069
109
 JOEY
(1997)
  $1,855,557
110
 AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE
(1990)
  $1,790,577
111
 HEAD ON
(1998)
  $1,788,613
112
 OSCAR AND LUCINDA
(1998)
  $1,768,946
113
 BRA BOYS
(2007)
  $1,678,459
114
 ELIZA FRASER
(1976)
  $1,672,000
115
 IN THE CUT
(2003)
  $1,666,830
116
 FLIRTING
(1991)
  $1,655,044
117
 LOVE AND OTHER CATASTROPHES
(1996)
  $1,637,929
118
 CANDY
(2006)
  $1,620,166
119
 THE LIGHTHORSEMEN
(1987)
  $1,617,288
120
 MR. ACCIDENT
(2000)
  $1,611,350
121
 NEWSFRONT
(1978)
  $1,576,000
122
 STONE
(1974)
  $1,572,000
123
 BURKE AND WILLS
(1985)
  $1,567,000
124
 RAZZLE DAZZLE – A JOURNEY INTO DANCE
(2007)
  $1,567,818
125
 STARSTRUCK
(1982)
  $1,541,000
126
 THE SILVER BRUMBY
(1993)
  $1,532,649
127
 THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE
(1987)
  $1,513,000
128
 THE MAGIC RIDDLE
(1991)
  $1,510,536
129
 SPOTSWOOD
(1992)
  $1,505,684
130
 TRAVELLING NORTH
(1987)
  $1,464,000
131
 BLURRED
(2002)
  $1,453,078
132
 BARRY MCKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN
(1971)
  $1,407,000
133
 HOLY SMOKE
(1999)
  $1,378,546
134
 THREE DOLLARS
(2005)
  $1,371,447
135
 PAPERBACK HERO
(1999)
  $1,369,280
136
 THE COOLANGATTA GOLD
(1984)
  $1,365,000
137
 PETERSEN
(1974)
  $1,363,000
138
 SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY
(1975)
  $1,356,000
139
 CLUBLAND
(2007)
  $1,351,125
140
 DISTURBING BEHAVIOR
(1999)
  $1,346,874
141
 GARAGE DAYS
(2002)
  $1,328,769
142
 SALLY MARSHALL IS NOT AN ALIEN
(1999)
  $1,291,802
143
 THE LAST WAVE
(1977)
  $1,258,000
144
 CRACKERS
(1998)
  $1,255,623
145
 THE WANNABES
(2003)
  $1,227,588
146
 DAD AND DAVE ON OUR SELECTION
(1995)
  $1,222,051
147
 RUNNING ON EMPTY
(1982)
  $1,218,000
148
 HOTEL SORRENTO
(1995)
  $1,215,478
149
 MULLET
(2001)
  $1,157,161
150
 ONE PERFECT DAY
(2004)
  $1,152,011
151
 BLISS
(1985)
  $1,144,863
152
 BLACKROCK
(1997)
  $1,136,983
153
 BETTER THAN SEX
(2000)
  $1,128,872
154
 RIKKY AND PETE
(1988)
  $1,071,375
155
 ANGEL BABY
(1995)
  $1,070,726
156
 THE MAN FROM HONG KONG
(1975)
  $1,066,000
157
 FATTY FINN
(1980)
  $1,064,000
158
 INNOCENCE
(2000)
  $1,063,539
159
 RED PLANET
(2000)
  $1,063,454
160
 THE MAGIC PUDDING
(2000)
  $1,054,893
161
 DANNY DECKCHAIR
(2003)
  $1,049,723
162
 THE MANGO TREE
(1977)
  $1,028,000
163
 THE LAST DAYS OF CHEZ NOUS
(1992)
  $1,018,866
164
 THE PIRATE MOVIE
(1982)
  $1,013,000
165
 DARKNESS FALLS
(2003)
  $1,010,132
166
 Ginger Meggs
(1982)
  $990,000
167
 The Getting Of Wisdom
(1977)
  $982,000
168
 Love'S Brother
(2004)
  $977,106
169
 Children Of The Revolution
(1996)
  $969,444
170
 Winter Of Our Dreams
(1981)
  $959,000
171
 Ride A Wild Pony
(1975)
  $949,000
172
 Hotel De Love
(1996)
  $943,903
173
 End Play
(1997)
  $941,000
174
 Take Away
(2003)
  $926,796
175
 Occasional Coarse Language
(1998)
  $909,475
176
 Thunderstruck
(2004)
  $908,294
177
 Kiss Or Kill
(1997)
  $901,871
178
 Swimming Upstream
(2003)
  $896,735
179
 Rebel
(1985)
  $886,769
180
 Metal Skin
(1995)
  $883,521
181
 Don'S Party
(1976)
  $871,000
182
 The Odd Angry Shot
(1979)
  $866,000
183
 Spider And Rose
(1994)
  $856,095
184
 White Fang
(1991)
  $852,366
185
 Alexandra'S Project
(2003)
  $844,494
186
 The Cup
(2000)
  $839,344
187
 Idiot Box
(1997)
  $837,639
188
 All Men Are Liars
(1995)
  $836,606
189
 Love Serenade
(1996)
  $836,110
190
 Road To Nhill
(1997)
  $834,949
191
 Dusty
(1983)
  $810,000
192
 Noise
(2007)
  $809,634
193
 Tim
(1979)
  $809,000
194
 Bad Boy Bubby
(1994)
  $808,789
195
 Ned Kelly
(1970)
  $808,000
196
 Razorback
(1984)
  $801,000
197
 The Chain Reaction
(1980)
  $796,000
198
 The Tracker
(2002)
  $791,143
199
 Molokai: The Story Of Father Damien
(2002)
  $763,524
200
 Melvin, Son Of Alvin
(1984)
  $751,143
201
 The Extra
(2005)
  $749,118
202
 The Real Macaw
(1998)
  $741,576
203
 Street Hero
(1984)
  $729,344
204
 The F.J. Holden
(1977)
  $710,000
205
 The Boys
(1998)
  $709,038
206
 Blood Oath
(1990)
  $707,194
207
 Blue Fin
(1978)
  $703,000
208
 You And Your Stupid Mate
(2005)
  $688,491
209
 Police Rescue
(1994)
  $658,814
210
 Siam Sunset
(1999)
  $657,185
211
 Yolngu Boy
(2001)
  $645,700
212
 Les Patterson Saves The World
(1987)
  $626,000
213
 The Irishman
(1978)
  $622,000
214
 Doing Time For Patsy Cline
(1997)
  $609,180
215
 Amy
(1998)
  $599,724
216
 Soft Fruit
(1999)
  $596,704
217
 Praise
(1999)
  $576,792
218
 Australian Rules
(2002)
  $567,333
219
 The Picture Show Man
(1977)
  $566,014
220
 Thank God He Met Lizzie
(1997)
  $565,747
221
 Footy Legends
(2006)
  $557,331
222
 Beneath Clouds
(2002)
  $541,357
223
 Map Of The Human Heart
(1993)
  $539,000
224
 Felicity
(1979)
  $532,000
225
 Lilian'S Story
(1996)
  $524,526
226
 True Love And Chaos
(1997)
  $519,573
227
 Dead Heart
(1996)
  $518,203
228
 The Interview
(1998)
  $516,058
229
 The Sound Of One Hand Clapping
(1998)
  $512,264
230
 The Night We Called It A Day
(2003)
  $501,833
231
 The Little Convict
(1979)
  $495,000
232
 Welcome To Woop Woop
(1998)
  $489,725
233
 The Rage In Placid Lake
(2003)
  $482,793
234
 The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey
(1988)
  $480,344
235
 Cut
(2000)
  $464,852
236
 Russian Doll
(2001)
  $464,065
237
 Stork
(1971)
  $463,000
238
 Risk
(2001)
  $460,760
239
 The Caterpillar Wish
(2006)
  $456,018
240
 Paws
(1997)
  $455,171
241
 Monkey Grip
(1982)
  $451,000
242
 2:37
(2006)
  $447,390
243
 La Spagnola
(2001)
  $441,880
244
 Gross Misconduct
(1993)
  $439,598
245
 Eye Of The Beholder
(2000)
  $435,471
246
 Unfolding Florence
(2006)
  $429,243
247
 Bloodmoon
(1990)
  $419,769
248
 Midnite Spares
(1983)
  $417,000
249
 The Clinic
(1983)
  $414,000
250
 My First Wife
(1984)
  $413,199
251
 Radiance
(1998)
  $408,165
252
 Peaches
(2005)
  $406,604
253
 Pacific Banana
(1981)
  $404,000
254
 Quigley Down Under
(1991)
  $399,617
255
 Man Of Flowers
(1983)
  $396,041
256
 The Well
(1997)
  $393,920
257
 Strange Planet
(1999)
  $377,615
258
 Selkie
(2000)
  $371,198
259
 Dogs In Space
(1987)
  $367,351
260
 Tarzan And The Lost City
(1998)
  $365,033
261
 Harlequin
(1980)
  $364,000
262
 Country Life
(1994)
  $360,957
263
 Turtle Beach
(1992)
  $359,381
264
 Feeling Sexy
(1999)
  $356,363
265
 God On My Side
(2006)
  $355,120
266
 Irresistible
(2006)
  $351,992
267
 Suburban Mayhem
(2006)
  $342,600
268
 Walking On Water
(2002)
  $339,690
269
 Sweetie
(1989)
  $337,680
270
 The Devil'S Playground
(1976)
  $334,000
271
 The Money Movers
(1979)
  $330,000
272
 Hercules Returns
(1993)
  $318,788
273
 In A Savage Land
(1999)
  $314,549
274
 My Mother Frank
(2000)
  $307,381
275
 Passion
(1999)
  $302,818
276
 Vincent -The Life & Death Of Vincent Van Gogh
(1987)
  $301,205
277
 Twelfth Night
(1997)
  $295,762
278
 Heatwave
(1982)
  $267,000
279
 Mr. Reliable
(1997)
  $266,329
280
 Dead Letter Office
(1998)
  $265,478
281
 Dear Claudia
(1999)
  $265,464
282
 You Can'T Stop The Murders
(2003)
  $254,371
283
 Tom White
(2004)
  $252,191
284
 One Night The Moon
(2001)
  $251,776
285
 Lucky Miles
(2007)
  $251,440
286
 The Nostradamus Kid
(1993)
  $242,800
287
 Moving Out
(1983)
  $235,261
288
 Let'S Get Skase
(2001)
  $228,186
289
 The Slim Dusty Movie
(1984)
  $225,000
290
 Secrets
(1992)
  $215,188
291
 The Crop
(2004)
  $208,739
292
 High Tide
(1987)
  $206,185
293
 Diana And Me
(1997)
  $205,783
294
 Dust Off The Wings
(1997)
  $202,099
295
 Rats In The Ranks
(1996)
  $200,000
296
 Brilliant Lies
(1996)
  $199,329
297
 Year Of The Dogs
(1997)
  $199,191
298
 Silver City
(1984)
  $197,639
299
 Lucky Break
(1994)
  $197,540
300
 48 Shades
(2006)
  $193,330
301
 For Love Alone
(1986)
  $193,000
302
 Emerald City
(1989)
  $192,831
303
 Waiting
(1991)