It was a 1990 theatrical release that bombed so badly in theaters that it was pulled after less than a week. It is a laughably bad screed against conservatives and religion pretending to be science fiction. It is hateful, heavy-handed, and horribly written. That said, I think it should be available to all students of bad writing and juvenile propaganda.
Box Office Mojo: The Handmaid's Tale Cinc Week of March 9, 1990 Gross sales: $738,578 - ranking: 117 - Per Theater: $6,312 (Its first and last week it made $738,000 gross)
It's worth 99 cents at a flea market, a six pack, and a few hours to laugh at one of the worst feminist rants in the past 25 years.
That movie was horrible! A genuine travesty. Made by a German director who didn't get the lyricism of the text at all. He's previously vulgarized The Tin Drum.
Saw it on video. Thought it was good, actually - just really dark & unpleasant, hardly "entertainment" (no wonder it didn't last long in theaters).