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Malcolm X

1992 · directed by Spike Lee · 202 min
25,871 feet · Prominence
268th of 24,106 films scored
Not coveredNo Rewatchables episode on file.

How this film scores

Draw55

Lifetime worldwide gross $48m, re-releases included; about $113m in 2026 money.

Rank2,693 of 11,051In 199234 of 166

How Draw works

Inflation-adjusted worldwide box office, on one global curve, and nothing else. It does not know whether a film was good.

Praise84

Awards claim half the headroom above the critics' score.

Critics81 baseAwards32 signal → +3 lift

Oscars2 nominated Actor, Costume Design
Golden Globes1 nominated Lead acting
How Praise works

Critics set the score; a tiered award record, Picture and Directing carrying the most weight, claims half the headroom above it. Praise is the verdict at the time; Legacy is the verdict since.

Legacy75

Judged directly: Registry and Criterion; Denzel's defining role.

Verdict75 of 100IMDb7.7 from 110kWikipedia33k views a monthAge34 years

On the listsNational Film RegistryCriterion Collectionevidence, not an input to the score
Scored beside it · 201 of 4,039 films judged

If it does not belong in this company, the number is wrong.

How Legacy works

Legacy is a judgment, not a formula. A film can be adored by critics and culturally quiet, or lightly reviewed and permanently lodged in the culture, and no arithmetic over IMDb numbers tells the difference. Every signal behind it keeps updating.

draw 55 praise 84 legacy 75averages 71, placing it at25,871 ft
How the three become one number

Added, not multiplied, so a film transcendent on one pillar and weak on another is not zeroed out. A compression curve then squeezes the top, because the seven greatest films ever made should not be four thousand feet apart.

In these careers — elevation for this film

Denzel Washington20,323 ftSpike Lee18,894 ftAngela Bassett18,853 ftDelroy Lindo18,592 ftAlbert Hall18,244 ftAl Freeman Jr.18,095 ftTheresa Randle17,793 ftChristopher Plummer17,661 ftJohn David Washington17,658 ftKaren Allen17,657 ftPeter Boyle17,654 ftGiancarlo Esposito17,650 ftOssie Davis17,642 ftDavid Patrick Kelly17,635 ftMichael Imperioli17,631 ft