Showing posts with label B-rated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B-rated. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Atomic Kaiju Films (Big Lizard / Big Bug Flicks)
After WWII, there was a slew of 1950s B-movies that included Big Lizards and/or Big Bugs, almost all of which were the result of atomic radiation and/or being subjected to immoral research conducted by Mad Scientists without a care as to what their experiments cost humanity (or the clueless doctor, so wrapped-up in helping humanity that he falls blind to the more destructive of his efforts). Most usually, the American or Russian military had set off atomic bombs in the areas in which the kaiju slept, reawakening them. These monsters could be either a threat to all mankind or friend to humanity, depending on the movie.
While Big Bug movies captivated American audiences in the 1950s, Big Lizard - or kaiju, which means "strange creature" - films would captivate Japanese audiences a decade later. Kaiju's popularity was rejuvenated in the 1970s when the movies were employed as afternoon and late-night TV fare, often hosted by local favorites such as Sir Cecil Creape and Elvira. A resurgence in popularity ensued in the 1990s with the advent of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Still, the Big Bug / Big Lizard kaiju flicks of the 1950s and '60s grew directly from the Atomic Age. As Stephen King posited in his Danse Macabre, horror - especially in the mainstream - tends to be cyclical and focused on whatever is going on at the time, and this was true for the Atomic Age kaiju, many of which later found homes in comic books. Many creators in the horror and B-movie fields tend to agree with him, as well.
Mad Scientists and Science, in general, were often blamed for these strange creatures and, directly or indirectly, all the trouble they caused. In this sense, some of these films could be considered propaganda for anti-Science causes but they were actually just going by the news tropes of the day. This was prior to 24-hour news stations and the technology we enjoy. Still, some of these B-movies were backed by religious institutions that may have had an interest in diminishing scientific progress. With movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space, they fared poorly.
The Cold War and the aftershock of WWII were the greatest proponents in the kaiju filmmaking trend, not to mention the advent of the drive-in theater in America. In fact, most of the Big Bug / Big Lizard films would find their largest audiences at the drive-in prior to reruns on 1970s UHF TV. Many artists, creators, and filmmakers would later credit their ideas and success to these movies, claiming to have found inspiration in the cheesy special effects and simple plot devices. These filmmakers would later bring us such special effects extravaganzas as Aliens, The Terminator, and more.
The recent fascination with kaiju is due to their inclusion in many manga and anime franchises and the origins of the strange creatures tend to be tied to even more recent scientific developments, such as distant planets and solar systems, unknown dimensions, and the like. Kaiju pictures are still being made and lean heavily on Science Fiction tropes. But, at their most primal, these kaiju are still Big Bug / Big Lizard antagonists that hearken back to their cinematic ancestors.
© The Weirding, 2014-2015
While Big Bug movies captivated American audiences in the 1950s, Big Lizard - or kaiju, which means "strange creature" - films would captivate Japanese audiences a decade later. Kaiju's popularity was rejuvenated in the 1970s when the movies were employed as afternoon and late-night TV fare, often hosted by local favorites such as Sir Cecil Creape and Elvira. A resurgence in popularity ensued in the 1990s with the advent of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Still, the Big Bug / Big Lizard kaiju flicks of the 1950s and '60s grew directly from the Atomic Age. As Stephen King posited in his Danse Macabre, horror - especially in the mainstream - tends to be cyclical and focused on whatever is going on at the time, and this was true for the Atomic Age kaiju, many of which later found homes in comic books. Many creators in the horror and B-movie fields tend to agree with him, as well.
Mad Scientists and Science, in general, were often blamed for these strange creatures and, directly or indirectly, all the trouble they caused. In this sense, some of these films could be considered propaganda for anti-Science causes but they were actually just going by the news tropes of the day. This was prior to 24-hour news stations and the technology we enjoy. Still, some of these B-movies were backed by religious institutions that may have had an interest in diminishing scientific progress. With movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space, they fared poorly.
The Cold War and the aftershock of WWII were the greatest proponents in the kaiju filmmaking trend, not to mention the advent of the drive-in theater in America. In fact, most of the Big Bug / Big Lizard films would find their largest audiences at the drive-in prior to reruns on 1970s UHF TV. Many artists, creators, and filmmakers would later credit their ideas and success to these movies, claiming to have found inspiration in the cheesy special effects and simple plot devices. These filmmakers would later bring us such special effects extravaganzas as Aliens, The Terminator, and more.
The recent fascination with kaiju is due to their inclusion in many manga and anime franchises and the origins of the strange creatures tend to be tied to even more recent scientific developments, such as distant planets and solar systems, unknown dimensions, and the like. Kaiju pictures are still being made and lean heavily on Science Fiction tropes. But, at their most primal, these kaiju are still Big Bug / Big Lizard antagonists that hearken back to their cinematic ancestors.
© The Weirding, 2014-2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Cult Film Star, Robert Z'dar Passes
However, Z'Dar had roles in over 100 films as well as roles on such TV shows as Growing Pains. He even worked as a Chippendale's dancer at one point. He was set to star in a sequel to his movie, Samurai Cop 2, following his appearance at PensaCon. Z'Dar was 64.
© The Weirding, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Monday, February 16, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
Monday, September 29, 2014
The Difference Between Cult and Exploitation Movies
The B-Raters view all manner of content with few exceptions but we most often find ourselves watching Cult and Exploitation films - and, all too often, real B-rated trash.
Cult movies are often lumped-in with Exploitation and B-movies but they are neither, necessarily. "Cult" movies refer to films that have become perennially popular amongst an audience. This audience rarely holds any political, religious, or other views as a group; they simply love a particular movie. Over the years, these movies began to develop a certain nature and revel in particular subject matters, and films with these traits have come to be labeled Cult movies. To be sure, Cult movies can be manufactured and qualify as a genre, but the fans really choose which movies become Cult films, and these are not always Independent, dark, or quirky.
Exploitation films are generally believed to have been most popular, and most often made, in the 1970s but exploitative movies have been made since the dawn of the motion picture. In some sense, all movies made today can be considered exploitative but the term, "Exploitation movies," refers to a specific genre of films and filmmaking most prevalent in the 1970s. To this we would add the "Roughies" of the 1950s and '60s and, yes, Pornography falls into this category as well (formerly referred to as "Blue" or "Stag" films). In fact, many of the earliest photographs and cave drawings would be considered "pornographic" by today's prudish standards. A handful of movies from other decades are also relevant, most notably Tod Brown's Freaks and Mom & Pop - a sleazy flick which was released as an educational film regarding the birds and bees.
While there has been a recent wave of new Exploitation flicks, the most popular sub-genres were established by American movies from the 1970s. These include Blaxploitation, Sexploitation, Rapesploitation (Revenge flicks), Grindhouse, Brucesploitation ("Bruce Lee" films starring everyone except Bruce Lee), and a handful of others. Some rather newer categories of Exploitation include Nazisploitation, Nunsploitation, Ozploitation, and Religiousploitation. Sometimes the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s and Slasher flicks of the 1980s, as well as a specific type of documentary (called Mondo or "Shockumentary"), are included in this overall genre. While the Slasher film deserves special consideration, only the documentaries from the list above are actually Exploitation Movies. "Exploitation" refers as much to a Movement in filmmaking as it does a style or genre.
Exploitation Movies were made outside the Hollywood system by the first true, commercial, Independent Filmmakers. That deserves capitalization these days as Independent Film has become a cottage Hollywood industry in and of itself. In its infancy though, it usually referred to B-rated movies churned out by shady types who weren't necessarily "filmmakers" by trade. Many of these were, intentionally or not, sleazy and exploitative. This includes Pornographic movies, which briefly achieved mainstream success with the theatrical wide-release of Deepthroat in 1974.
While any asshole with an iPhone can be called an "Independent Filmmaker," Exploitation movies were made possible by the popularity of the American Drive-In and their makers were driven solely by commercial desire. This movement was heavily propelled and defined by the success of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, which is why many of these movies belong in the Horror genre or have Horror overtones. Most horror film historians and experts agree that the political climate of that Era is most responsible for the movement and, often times, the material is in too poor of taste for Hollywood standards of the period.
While some of these movies aspire to, and even fewer actually achieve, some higher purpose, most Exploitation and Drive-In movies were created to make money. They did so by featuring taboo subjects in a lurid and sensationalistic manner and with little budget. This is known as a lowest common denominator approach which had already been perfected by daytime TV. The low budget resulted in few sets and even fewer permits, rushed takes, and poor quality equipment. Thus, cinema-veritae cinematography and cheap film resulted in grainy shots and shaky camerawork that became hallmarks of the movement, lending these movies that "Gritty" atmosphere.
Blaxploitation movies were originally poorly produced by white men who saw a lucrative market, for example. However, they provide a far more realistic portrayal of black American life in those times than most Hollywood movies made during the same period despite the fact that they rely on exploitative situations and stereotypes. Most of these movies found their most lasting audience members at the Drive-In, thus the overlap in Cult, Exploitation, Drive-In, and B-movies.
But not all horror movies, or Drive-In films, can be considered Cult or Exploitation.
Cult movies are often lumped-in with Exploitation and B-movies but they are neither, necessarily. "Cult" movies refer to films that have become perennially popular amongst an audience. This audience rarely holds any political, religious, or other views as a group; they simply love a particular movie. Over the years, these movies began to develop a certain nature and revel in particular subject matters, and films with these traits have come to be labeled Cult movies. To be sure, Cult movies can be manufactured and qualify as a genre, but the fans really choose which movies become Cult films, and these are not always Independent, dark, or quirky.
Exploitation films are generally believed to have been most popular, and most often made, in the 1970s but exploitative movies have been made since the dawn of the motion picture. In some sense, all movies made today can be considered exploitative but the term, "Exploitation movies," refers to a specific genre of films and filmmaking most prevalent in the 1970s. To this we would add the "Roughies" of the 1950s and '60s and, yes, Pornography falls into this category as well (formerly referred to as "Blue" or "Stag" films). In fact, many of the earliest photographs and cave drawings would be considered "pornographic" by today's prudish standards. A handful of movies from other decades are also relevant, most notably Tod Brown's Freaks and Mom & Pop - a sleazy flick which was released as an educational film regarding the birds and bees.
While there has been a recent wave of new Exploitation flicks, the most popular sub-genres were established by American movies from the 1970s. These include Blaxploitation, Sexploitation, Rapesploitation (Revenge flicks), Grindhouse, Brucesploitation ("Bruce Lee" films starring everyone except Bruce Lee), and a handful of others. Some rather newer categories of Exploitation include Nazisploitation, Nunsploitation, Ozploitation, and Religiousploitation. Sometimes the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s and Slasher flicks of the 1980s, as well as a specific type of documentary (called Mondo or "Shockumentary"), are included in this overall genre. While the Slasher film deserves special consideration, only the documentaries from the list above are actually Exploitation Movies. "Exploitation" refers as much to a Movement in filmmaking as it does a style or genre.
Exploitation Movies were made outside the Hollywood system by the first true, commercial, Independent Filmmakers. That deserves capitalization these days as Independent Film has become a cottage Hollywood industry in and of itself. In its infancy though, it usually referred to B-rated movies churned out by shady types who weren't necessarily "filmmakers" by trade. Many of these were, intentionally or not, sleazy and exploitative. This includes Pornographic movies, which briefly achieved mainstream success with the theatrical wide-release of Deepthroat in 1974.
While any asshole with an iPhone can be called an "Independent Filmmaker," Exploitation movies were made possible by the popularity of the American Drive-In and their makers were driven solely by commercial desire. This movement was heavily propelled and defined by the success of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, which is why many of these movies belong in the Horror genre or have Horror overtones. Most horror film historians and experts agree that the political climate of that Era is most responsible for the movement and, often times, the material is in too poor of taste for Hollywood standards of the period.
While some of these movies aspire to, and even fewer actually achieve, some higher purpose, most Exploitation and Drive-In movies were created to make money. They did so by featuring taboo subjects in a lurid and sensationalistic manner and with little budget. This is known as a lowest common denominator approach which had already been perfected by daytime TV. The low budget resulted in few sets and even fewer permits, rushed takes, and poor quality equipment. Thus, cinema-veritae cinematography and cheap film resulted in grainy shots and shaky camerawork that became hallmarks of the movement, lending these movies that "Gritty" atmosphere.
Blaxploitation movies were originally poorly produced by white men who saw a lucrative market, for example. However, they provide a far more realistic portrayal of black American life in those times than most Hollywood movies made during the same period despite the fact that they rely on exploitative situations and stereotypes. Most of these movies found their most lasting audience members at the Drive-In, thus the overlap in Cult, Exploitation, Drive-In, and B-movies.
But not all horror movies, or Drive-In films, can be considered Cult or Exploitation.
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