Point Blank Budget
Updated
Synopsis
Mal Reese is in a real bind--owing a good deal of money to his organized crime bosses--and gets his friend Walker to join him in a heist. It goes off without a hitch, but when Reese realizes the take isn't as large as he had hoped, he kills Walker--or so he thinks. Some time later, Walker decides it's time to get his share of the money and starts with his ex-wife Lynne, who took up with Reese after the shooting. That leads him on a trail--to his wife's sister Chris, to Reese himself, then onto Big Stegman, then Frederick Carter, then up the line of gangsters in an effort to get money from people who simply won't acknowledge that they owe him anything.
What is the budget of Point Blank?
"Point Blank," a crime released in 1967, was directed by John Boorman and stars Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson. The production budget was $2,500,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for crime productions of the 1960s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a crime production like this include:
- Talent & Director Compensation: Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.
- Cinematography & Location Photography: Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages , surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.
- Editorial & Sound Post-Production: Precision editing , controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals , requires extended post-production schedules.
- Production: It was the second film produced by Irwin Winkler who had just made Double Trouble at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
What were the major cost factors in Point Blank?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Point Blank."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
How Does Point Blank's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $2,500,000, Point Blank sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Paper Moon (1973): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $30,900,000
- An Elephant Sitting Still (2018): Budget $2,500,000
- Wings of Desire (1987): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $3,548,590
- Before Sunrise (1995): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $5,987,386
- Play Dirty (2025): Budget $2,500,000
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Point Blank Box Office Performance
"Point Blank" earned $9,000,000 domestically and $3,200,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $2,500,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Point Blank," that break-even threshold was roughly $5,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $3,200,000, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $2,500,000
- Worldwide Gross: $3,200,000
- Net Return: $700,000
- ROI: approximately 28%
At 28%, "Point Blank" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
1 win total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Point Blank (1967)?
The production budget was $2,500,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $1,250,000 - $2,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $3,750,000 - $4,500,000.
How much did Point Blank (1967) earn at the box office?
Point Blank grossed $9,000,000 domestic, $-5,800,000 international, totaling $3,200,000 worldwide.
Was Point Blank (1967) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $3,200,000 against an estimated $6,250,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Point Blank?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Point Blank's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $2,500,000, Point Blank is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Paper Moon (1973, $2,500,000); An Elephant Sitting Still (2018, $2,500,000); Wings of Desire (1987, $2,500,000).
Did Point Blank (1967) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Point Blank?
The theatrical ROI was 28.0%, calculated as ($3,200,000 − $2,500,000) ÷ $2,500,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Point Blank (1967) win?
1 win total.
Who directed Point Blank and who were the key crew members?
Directed by John Boorman, written by Alexander Jacobs, Rafe Newhouse, David Newhouse, shot by Philip H. Lathrop, with music by Johnny Mandel, edited by Henry Berman.
Where was Point Blank filmed?
Point Blank was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Point Blank
Official Trailer
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