Why are “Bad” Movies so Good?
Brittany Palmer
I’m not sure whether Tommy Wiseau understood when he made the film, The Room in 2003, just how relished it would become in cinema. I don’t mean a standing ovation at the Oscars, but rather a gold mine of memes found on the likes of Reddit and YouTube. A cult classic with a multitude of meet and greets and viewing parties in theaters. A movie so fixated by the public, they created a blockbuster retelling starring Hollywood superstars James Franco, Dave Franco, and Seth Rogan. The Room, unlike many other films, is stuck in a rare sector of subversive art. Its horrible script and irreverent stylistic choices created an otherworldly, memorable piece of media.
However, The Room isn’t an anomaly either. There’s a plethora of cringe-inducing films that have a massive following: Sharknado, Birdemic, and Reefer Madness to name a few. Major Hollywood studios have recreated the sensationalized genre with the likes of Cocaine Bear (and unironically, Morbius). The juxtaposition of professional cinematography interposed with starchy acting and a lucid plot makes these films comedic enterprises. A large factor for successful humor is surprise ; if a script forcefully tries to be funny– the joke disappears. Seasoned actor Bryan Cranston perfectly surmised it, “If the character realizes something’s funny, it takes the onus off the audience to laugh.” This is one reason why spoof movies are so poorly received. While they are unanimously bad films, you can sense the awkward period where the audience is designated to laugh. It also doesn’t help that the jokes become so inane and grotesque, the humor transforms into disgust.
In a sense, bad movies are participatory art. As the hilarity even extends past the source material. The jarring acting, dialogue, and editing draws the viewer in, rather than revolting them. It unintentionally adds depth and layers to the humor. To watch an actor earnestly believe they’re in outer space using a cheap green screen is funny. To visualize that same man painstakingly editing himself, lacking the self-awareness of how atrocious it looks, makes the scene that much funnier.
But in my humble opinion, the reason many people enjoy atrocious films is because they’re made with passion. Professional directors, actors, writers, and producers know how to make a good film. These days, poorly received cinema stems from budgetary constraints, lack of collaboration or pure laziness. However, when you’re an amateur filmmaker, you’re learning the basics on a non-existent budget. The only driving force behind making a movie is an innate desire. This leads to some overly ambitious directors trying to achieve their vision within a non-existent budget. Creating a visual experience I love to watch and critique by my lonesome, or share with a friend and a bucket of popcorn.
