Have you ever wondered why certain movies or television shows capture the minds of viewers easier than others? Why is it that people trampled each other to get a seat at the first screening of Star Wars: Episode III but could care less about renting Battle for Terra? Fan boys and families alike piled into theaters for each installment of Harry Potter but wouldn’t touch Golden Compass with a twenty foot pole. The answer is both simple and complicated. If you analyze any successful movie franchise, especially those in the realm of fantasy and science fiction, you’ll find similar trends. Not only do they all share a similar story arch, but they mirror the personalities of the filmmakers that created them. There are those that say that personality can get you far. And there’s no other place that exemplifies this saying than the world of movie making.
Before we dive into the reasons behind the success of certain franchises, there’s something that we must get out in the open. This could hurt some people, especially those that constantly scream for originality in entertainment: There is no original thought in entertainment storytelling. Every cinematic or theatrical idea has been laid out centuries before remakes and sequels flooded movie screens. The basis for all modern storytelling was etched long before Shakespeare ever put pen to paper. To expect writers and filmmakers to strike originality when there is none is asking too much. A more realistic request is a more dynamic take on the age old stories we all know inside and out. This is where personality becomes paramount.
It is safe to say that if a movie is boring or one dimensional, the person that made it is boring or one dimensional. Certain filmmakers that made their names off of a certain concept have quickly found themselves feeling left out in the cold by audiences because of their inability to show anything new. M. Night Shyamalan is a perfect example of one dimensionalism. The Sixth Sense is revered as one of the more original and exciting films of the late 90’s. That same formula captured audiences in follow-up films like Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village. The problem emerges as soon as audiences know what the trick is and when it’s coming. Some of the more famous filmmakers have been able to vary their concepts under different devices. Unfortunately for Mr. Shyamalan, too many of his films such as Lady in the Water and The Happening, bear too similar resemblance to the film that sparked initial interest. There is nothing more annoying to audiences than watching an entertainer’s lack of development.
Like success in other fields, money-making films leave a trail to prosperity. Whether or not anyone notices it is another issue. Most of the time, producers believe that copying is the way to guarantee success. To a certain extent they are absolutely correct. Where they fail is in the areas that they decide to mimic. We tend to see the special effects, cinematography and actors repeat. Unfortunately we rarely see the results reproduced on a high level. For every Star Wars there are twenty Battlefield Earth’s. So what exactly is it that’s missing from the failures? Let’s go into more detail:
1. Personalization
While every major story may have already been written, personal storytelling is the only area that can never run dry. The most successful movies are those that are given a personal touch by the filmmaker. In a way, they are reflections of those that worked on them. This is why an interesting past can lead to an interesting artistic career. More than in any other field, it is the intangible element of the personal story that creates the illusion of originality. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix and Harry Potter all share similar thematic elements. They are all about the little man battling the evils of the world. It is about the success of the little man and living up to high hopes despite desolate surroundings (The Greek story of Theseus). Where each one differs is in the perspective and treatment of characters. Each film is different even though they share almost an exact plot.
2. Perspective
Illusion of originality can also be achieved by simply changing the perspective. In the case of the original Star Wars, we see the world through the eyes of the peasants. You may think I mean Luke Skywalker. However, it is very easy to forget that the looking glass is being held by the two droids that have become the poster children for the entire franchise. C3PO and R2-D2 are the everyman in which we see the galaxy changing events transpire. With Harry Potter, we see the world through the eyes of a growing child. Events are confusing and sometimes overwhelming. The entire story doesn’t reveal itself until the end. Even then we are left with questions that only time can answer. Simply detailing the progression of events isn’t enough to keep interest. Perspective is essential when retelling a story for the one millionth time.
These are only a few of the differences between the success and failures in Hollywood. Most of them revolve around these two themes. Life experiences provide the most interesting story. If the filmmaker or writer doesn’t have it, the film suffers greatly. This is why there is a belief that the age of the filmmaker creates a more interesting artist. However, life experiences are not necessarily dictated by age. And thus, good filmmaking is not always dictated by simple story progression.
The economy is down the drain, we’re all taking pay cuts, but video games prices have sky rocketed into orbit faster than Bono’s ego. This is why I’ve decided to forgo my love of HD graphics and fluid gameplay in exchange for 16 bit carnage. The easiest place to find it is on Sega Genesis. Remember that thing? It was that sexy black video game console that made your Nintendo look like an antique from mid 80’s… that’s because it was an antique from the mid 80’s. Anyway, nothing screamed: “I’m totally ready for violent video game nerdity” like a three button black controller with the words “Genesis” inscribed just to the right of an enormous D-pad. Genesis offered it all, bigger buttons, a D-pad that had 8 directions, and an intimidating size that screamed “Back up or I’ll whack you with this evil black brick!” If you were one of the souls that purchased the system before they invented Mario’s Olympic rival, Sonic, you were treated to one of the hardest, annoyingly difficult, yet violently fulfilling games of all time: Altered Beast!
Mila Jovavich blasts her way onto the big screen yet again, reprising her role as Alice in latest installment of the critically panned Resident Evil franchise. This time, Resident Evil: Afterlife had the good fortune of opening unopposed one week after a typically slow holiday weekend. The film opened with a strong 26.7 million dollar showing domestically and nearly 70 million worldwide. This success continues the resurgence of action movies on the big screen. Of course most of this success is attributed to the higher than average ticket prices associated with 3D releases. In fact Resident Evil: Afterlife saw a significant dip in attendance compared to the previous films. Part of this might have been due to the marketing plan that was geared heavily toward franchise followers and 3D cinema fanatics. Either way, the impressive showing almost guarantees a fifth installment somewhere down the road.
If slow and steady wins the race, George Clooney is at least a league ahead of the competition. His latest film The American opened to an estimated 16.4 million over the holiday weekend. This may not sound like much, especially for such a big star in a James Bond-ish action film, but it is definitely an improvement over last year’s holiday showings. At that time, The Final Destination took the top spot with 15 million. The film had already been in theaters for two weeks and had seen the significant drop off that most horror films see in the ensuing weeks, more on this later. While The American is not a runaway hit, it kept George Clooney on pace for his usual box office numbers. On average his films open at 14 million in their opening weekend of release. Subsequent weeks will show if Clooney’s new action/espionage film will have legs for a franchise. If there is an American actor that could play such a role, George Clooney would be it.