Badmovies.org Forum

I was watching (or trying to watch) MAnos the other day and I got to thinking.  I have always wanted to make a movie.  I even started making one in 1999 but it fdell apart when we had creative differences with some of the "actors" (friends were too busy and what not).  So it was shelved.  Overall I thought the script was decent, when I wrote it in 99 but now it's missing something so I put it off.  However i have come to the conclusion after watching Manos that I should Purposefully make a movie So bad, So horrible that it makes Manos look like Citizen Kane (or at least Doom House)  What are your guys opinions on this.  ANd if I were to do it what would you think the studios would say (laugh me out of the building.)  Who knows maybe the ad campaigns could say "The worst movie ever made, seriously."  or something like that.  Well any thoughts would be appreciated.

Perk

I think that bad movies are better when the filmmakers intended to make a good movie.  "Forcing" a movie to be bad probably won't work out very well.  Your best bet is to try to make a good movie.  If it ends up being good, then you have succeeded!  You made a hit!  If it ends up being bad, you have also succeeded!  You made a bad movie that may end up being considered a cult classic!  The only thing you need to worry about is if it ends up being mediocre . . .

Not sure about that. The chief appeal of a movie like Manos is that that the people involved were trying to make something good. I've never seen that duplicated intentionally. Then again, if your aim is to make it unwatchable, most movies that try to be intentionally cheesy certainly come close.

I have often sat in front of the TV watching some horrible crap and been annoyed at the fact that somebody was able to release a movie that bad. I have all kinds of ideas for movies and have no clue as to how to go about getting something done.  How is it that some of these movies get made and worse yet, released to the general public? Some day I hope to be able to have my dream movie realized..."Thanksgiving" with the tagline: The turkey isn't the only thing that gets carved!
Think about it, it could be so bad it's good. Seriously, anyone ever see Blood Gnome or The Screaming Dead (2003)? How did movies like that happen?

The one time I have seen "unintentional funniness" accurately duplicated intentionally is Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. In that one, Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert wrote the most over-the-top soap opera parody they could think of. However, Meyer directed it with a completely straight face, so the actors thought he was serious and played the whole thing straight. The result could easily pass for unintentional badness, at least until the last half hour, when it goes completely insane.

I think the film makers have to take the movie seriously for it to be truly bad.  In fact, the more serious, the better.  Like somebody mentioned the other day, the maker of the original Godzilla movie was disappointed because his movie didn't bring an end to the nuclear arms race.  THAT seriously.  Anyone with even a tenuous grip on reality need not apply.  The whole point of so-bad-they're-good movies is that the audience has to laugh AT the film makers, not with them.

I dont' think an intentionally bad movie would be as good as it could seem. It comes off more of a parody or satire. (see the recent Lost Skeleton of Cadavra).  While it can be intersitng, it would probably be obvious it was intentionally bad, thus negating the whole idea.

As some of the others have said, intentionally trying to make a bad film doesn't really work. Anyway, the reason why Manos is such a bad film is because it's boring. Good or bad, your movie should at least be entertaining.

Just make an indie film. The more original it is (whether it's any good or not), the better. I'm just guessing here, but maybe the reason you feel something is wrong with your script is that it's inhibited about something. One of the biggest advantages B-movies have over their more reputable counterparts is that you don't need any social conscience whatsoever to make one and there are no moralists looking over your shoulder. Try experiments in doing things you're not supposed to do in films, and see what happens.

At worst, you'll make another film we B-movie enthusiasts can all laugh about, and at best, you might surprise yourself by making something really good or at least very marketable. "Robot Monster" and "Eegah" were both really bad films that nevertheless made a lot of money, and we've all heard of what happened with "The Blair Witch Project." Give it a shot. Making movies on a shoe-string budget is easier than ever, and you might even make a little money.

Movies can be entertaining if the moviemaker realizes "look, I don't have much budget and the plot's kinda stupid so let's just have some fun"

Back when Cube was first aired on SciFi and I was disappointed by the ending and lack of explanation, I read some posts on one message board praising the ending. So I posted that I had an idea for a movie they'd love; Box. The entire movie follows one character as they go to pick up a package, run some errands and take it home. You never find out who the character is, or what's in the box. In fact, you never even find out if the star is male or female. Right as they arrive home and are about to open the box, it ends, without ever answering ANY of the questions people would have.

I actually had people voice their support for this idea. A couple were even speculating on what could be in the box...