Not every movie has the luxury of being appreciated on day one. Yes, even ones that are now regarded as some of the best of all time.

With that in mind, we figured it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and see what movies, which critics now unanimously agree are some of the best films of all time, didn’t receive that praise on release. In fact, they took decades to be fully appreciated for what they are.

For this list, we’re comparing the original response from critics, audiences, or in some cases both, of the following movies and comparing them to their reputation and status today.

Citizen Kane

While some contemporary reviews, such as the Washington Post, dubbed Citizen Kane as “one of the most important films in…history,” others were less enthusiastic.

Orson Welles’ 1941 film had an infamously mixed response from most critics, including a lukewarm reaction from moviegoers as well.

The Shawshank Redemption

While The Shawshank Redemption didn’t struggle from poor reviews on release, it was a notorious box office flop.

Maybe it was the title. Or it could have been stiff competition at the box office while also infamously omitting Stephen King’s name from advertising. Whatever the case, it took a while for moviegoers to discover how good this film is.

Reefer Madness

Where to begin with Refer Madness?

What started as a low-budget exploitation film about the dangers of drug use has, since its “rediscovery” in the 1970s, become a cult classic, albeit for all the wrong reasons. It’s still not a great movie, but one that’s so bad, it’s become good.

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The Wizard of Oz

Sometimes a film that’s viewed today as a cultural phenomenon is due to its popularity from television reruns.

That’s the case with The Wizard of Oz, a film that, while groundbreaking in 1939, didn’t captivate critics or audiences until the 1950s. That’s when CBS was airing the movie on television, helping it find an audience that appreciated the movie.

Harold and Maude

On the one hand, I get it. Asking critics and audiences to buy into a story about the romance between a 79-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man is a tough sell.

As tastes changed over time, however, more people began to appreciate the film for what it is. Sometimes, it’s important to go against the grain, and as offbeat comedies grew in popularity, Harold and Maude became more appreciated. You could say that it was released at the wrong time.

Big Trouble in Little China

Speaking of being released at the wrong time, Big Trouble in Little China was, believe it or not, a complete flop in 1986.

Some critics appreciated the charm of its inspiration from kung fu B-movies, but audiences wouldn’t come around for quite some time.

Vertigo

It seems silly to think of any Alfred Hitchcock movie being a dud with critics, but that’s the case with Vertigo, with many complaining that the film took too long to get moving.

Over time, critics have come around, as notably demonstrated by the British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound magazine list of the ten best movies of all time. Despite not appearing on the list in 1962 or 1972, Vertigo has since catapulted all the way to first place in 2012.

Idiocracy

Mike Judge is a household name thanks to his success with shows like Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill, as well as the 1999 comedy Office Space.

Another Mike Judge comedy, 2006’s Idiocracy, has become more appreciated over time as the film becomes less of a work of fiction and more like a documentary that predicted the future.

The Iron Giant

I remember growing up as a kid in the ’90s. In the world of animated films, there was Walt Disney, and then there was everybody else. If you were an animated film targeted at adults, forget about it.

It’s the biggest reason why The Iron Giant flopped with audiences on its release despite rave reviews. Over time, as people have gotten over the stigma of animated films being strictly for kids, The Iron Giant has become recognized as a classic.

Last Action Hero

Arnold Schwarzenegger in a satire of action movies? Where do we sign up?

Well, it turns out…nowhere. The movie saw mixed reviews on release, and audiences didn’t show up, but there’s a big reason for that second part: it was released a week after Jurassic Park and couldn’t escape that T. rex-sized shadow.

Arnold refers to the film as his most underrated role.

It’s A Wonderful Life

That’s right. The Christmas classic you and your family watch every year lost money at the box office and was met with tepid reviews.

So how did it become a holiday staple? The same formula as The Wizard of Oz: television airings introduced the movie to a new audience, one that saw the movie in a different light compared to those in the 1940s.

A Christmas Story

Speaking of Christmas movies, let’s talk about A Christmas Story.

This one may be a result of its constant 24-hour marathons on Christmas Day, forcing us to like the movie, but I’d argue that as we became more exposed to the film, we began to appreciate its witty humor more and more.

The Shining

On the one hand, Stephen King agrees with the early reviews of The Shining. Yes, Jack Nicholson is iconic, but even Siskel and Ebert weren’t impressed with the film.

Over time, a critical reevaluation had begun, with a Rolling Stone interview with Stanley Kubrick acknowledging this in 1987. The film is now viewed as one of the best horror films ever made.

Casablanca

To Casablanca‘s credit, it was a highly successful movie on release, winning over audiences and even taking home Best Picture in 1944.

As time went on, though, it remained popular with audiences thanks to its continued screenings and frequent broadcasts on television. While black and white films were becoming increasingly forgotten, Casablanca was cementing its legacy.

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Once upon a time, the Spaghetti Western wasn’t a respected genre of film. At the time of release, many people looked down on the genre as being inferior.

Even Roger Ebert looked down on the film, citing general prejudice against the genre. He’d later admit that he was wrong and that The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly was indeed a four-star movie.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is a perfect movie from start to finish. It’s impossible to find a single fault in the film, and its consistent airing on cable television helped cement its status.

One thing that helped The Princess Bride find its audience is how quotable the film is. This is a possible explanation for why it flopped at the theaters. On the surface, it looks like a ho-hum generic fantasy movie. Under the surface, however, it’s incredibly clever and quite funny.

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