Final Draft

Low-Budget: The New Mark of Quality

By Oliver Warne

I remember about a year ago, I was watching YouTube when a video in the recommended feed caught my eye. It was a trailer for the new film Cats.  I decided to give it a watch out of sheer curiosity and oh boy, was that a mistake. After an excruciating two and a half minutes, I sat for a while and reflected on the abomination that I had just witnessed. I quickly went down into the comment section to see how others had responded and I was glad to see that I was not alone in my hatred for this furry monstrosity. In the following weeks, Cats was all over the media due to how much hate it was garnering, with many asking “who thought this was a good idea?” The film was eventually released into theatres and was met with a very negative reception, to nobody’s surprise. Public reaction was so negative in fact, that Universal decided to pull the film in order to reanimate and fix its most glaring issue, the horrendous CGI. Although the specific costs of reanimating have never been released, the second cut of the film made for a total budget of $90-100 million USD and went on to gross only $75 million USD worldwide, making for the biggest flop of the year. As Luke Parker of Screenrantpoints out “the idea of a re-release sets a terrible precedent for future filmmakers.”, as it shows Hollywood that they can tamper with their films after release to pander to audiences that may not have given the response that they were hoping for. 

Cats is a textbook example of how throwing more money at a film does not necessarily make for good cinema. This is a mistake that Hollywood has made again and again, and despite their many financial failures, their successes are enough to keep them coming back for more. In recent years, Hollywood has fallen desperately far from the heights it once soared during its “Golden Age”. The influx of generic, big budget blockbusters has flooded the market with big profits, and even bigger egos. The industry has become nothing more than a machine, hellbent on lining the pockets of greedy producers and air-headed actors, pushing aside those who wish to make genuine art and express themselves in the only way they can. In many cases, these lower-budget independent films are the ones that stand the test of time, as the focus is not on making money, but art. These hidden gems, such as Guy Ritchie’s Snatch and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, utilize unique story-telling and visuals to convey genuine messages and original experiences. Sadly, they are often left by the wayside and don’t make as big a splash upon release as a franchise such as The Avengers, but the good ones are strong enough to still be talked about and appreciated to this day. 

To date, the most expensive film ever made was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, costing a whopping $410 million USD when adjusted for inflation. The fourth installment in the series, it went on to make an estimated $1.04 billion despite its abysmal rating of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although the film probably hasn’t been spoken of since it was released in 2011, the sweet smell of that $1 billion lingered in the air long enough for executives to churn out the even worse Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge a whole 6 years later. The film underperformed and failed to hit the $1 billion mark, making only $794.9 million USD at the box office. Most people would be quite content making such a profit, but once Disney had hit $1 billion with their previous installment, they wouldn’t settle for anything less. This franchise is just one of dozens that will continue to beat a long-dead horse just to squeeze out the last few drops of cash before moving on to their next operation. This is quite worrying, as it shows that Hollywood execs are people “for whom enough is never enough” (Pevere), and they are more than content with pumping out forgettable films that serve no other purpose than to make them richer. 

Although it may seem as such, I’m not saying that it’s bad to shut your brain off and enjoy a fun big-budget film, but it could become a problem when we no longer desire to consume anything else. Powerhouse franchises such as The Avengers and Harry Potter use a formula of storytelling that forces fans and their wallets to always come back and find out what happened to their favourite on-screen heroes. Although this is not bad in and of itself, it can lead to a vicious cycle of lazily written cash-grab films, as the producers know that fans will flock in the thousands to come and watch regardless. 

Independent films don’t have this privilege, forcing them to put all of their efforts into making a piece of art that will speak for itself. A smaller budget will often lead to greater creativity and more genuine intentions when it comes to spreading a message or idea. For example, CGI is an expense that most low-budget films simply can’t afford, so they will resort to using practical effects and other creative techniques which are often far more memorable then some flashy, obnoxious special effects. This boosted creativity leads to a film that holds more artistic merit than your average Hollywood blockbuster, and one will still be discussed and examined for decades to come.  I think that as fans of cinema, it is our duty to encourage independent films and help them get the recognition that they deserve. If we continue to support only what Hollywood spits out, we will just be encouraging them to continue their efforts and showing filmmakers everywhere that making formulaic blockbusters is the only way to survive in the industry. 

One of the many delusions held by Hollywood bigwigs is that the more money they rake in, the happier they will be. This has been shown time and time again through various studies to be far from the truth. Although a larger salary and the acquisition of material wealth may provide short-term happiness, it is not a viable solution to life’s many woes.  Humans have a great tendency to adapt to their surroundings, which can cause us to become numb to the pleasures of everyday life, creating a desire to seek more and acquire more. This creates an almost paradoxical cycle in which “the more you make, the more you want. The more you have, the less effective it is at bringing you joy.” (Futrelle) Studies have also shown that higher rates of success and wealth can be more likely to cause depression and addiction due to the great deal of stress and isolation that they bring with them. So, how does one acquire happiness then? 

Sadly, there is no definitive answer, as everyone is different, but there are ways that have been proven to increase happiness among members of the general public. Putting time, effort and creativity into creating a piece of art, whether it be a film, painting or otherwise, and being proud of the finished product is far more rewarding in the grand scheme of things than taking the easy route and exploiting the market for the sake of money. This is a lesson that Hollywood will hopefully realize in time, but until then, we must look to those who continue to pour their love and care into the industry so that they may shine on for years to come.