The Best James Karen Movies, Ranked
58 credits from 1965 to 2021, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Cynthia (2018) comes out on top with a score of 81. The biggest box office hit is Up Close & Personal (1996) with $101M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Biggest James Karen Box Office Hits
James Karen's films have made $166M worldwide in total. Up Close & Personal (1996) is the biggest hit at $101M, ahead of Take This Job and Shove It (1981) ($17.6M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Up Close & Personal 1996 · Romance $101M $51.1M dom. - 2
Take This Job and Shove It 1981 · Romance $17.6M $17.6M dom. - 3
Kiss Me Goodbye 1982 · Fantasy $15.8M $15.8M dom. - 4
The Return of the Living Dead 1985 · Sci-Fi $14.2M $14.2M dom. - 5
Return of the Living Dead II 1988 · Sci-Fi $9.21M $9.21M dom. - 6
Invaders from Mars 1986 · Sci-Fi $4.88M $4.88M dom. - 7
Vital Signs 1990 · Romance $1.22M $1.22M dom. - 8
The Unborn 1991 · Horror $1.16M $1.16M dom. - 9
Bender 2016 · History $687K - 10
Cynthia 2018 · Horror $58.2K $58.2K dom.
The Best James Karen Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre James Karen has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Horror leads with 6 films, and Cynthia (2018) is the pick of them.
The Best James Karen Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of James Karen's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1980s to 2010s.
The Latest James Karen Movies
The most recent films James Karen is credited on, newest first — starting with Cynthia (2018). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Cynthia 2018 · Frank Teague
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Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk 2017 · Interviewee #1 - Bender 2016 · Old Man Bender
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America’s Most Haunted 2013 · Ralph George -
The Butterfly Room 2012 · Sales Clerk -
Drew Peterson: Untouchable 2012 · Pastor Tom Keller -
Jack and the Beanstalk 2009 · Saddius -
Dark and Stormy Night 2009 · Seyton Ethelquake -
Trail of the Screaming Forehead 2007 · Reverend Beaks -
Mulholland Dr. 1999 · Wally Brown (uncredited) -
Girl 1998 · Dad -
Freedom Strike 1998 · President Mitchell
The Best James Karen Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest James Karen films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best James Karen movie?
Cynthia (2018) is the best-rated James Karen film, with a Movie Echo Score of 81. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Cynthia: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing James Karen movie?
Up Close & Personal (1996) made the most at the box office, with $101M worldwide, followed by Take This Job and Shove It (1981) with $17.6M. Together, James Karen's films with box office figures have made $166M.
What is the best James Karen horror movie?
Cynthia (2018) is the best-rated of James Karen's horror films, with a score of 81. In other genres: The Return of the Living Dead (sci-fi), Up Close & Personal (romance) and Bender (history).
What is the newest James Karen movie?
The newest film on James Karen's filmography is Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! (2021), with James Karen as Self.
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