10 Films About Filmmaking Every Filmmaker Should See
Tue, 09/25/2007 - 14:45 — Waldo
Since "top 10" lists seem to be all the rage, I decided to put together a list of my favorite post-1990 "meta-films"-- that is, films about filmmaking. This list isn't about movies that just take place in a Hollywood-ish world ("Hollywoodland", "Sunset Blvd.", "Get Shorty", "Aviator", "Boogie Nights", etc.) where filmmaking is the backdrop, but films that are primarily about the filmmaking process itself, specifically where the protagonists are filmmakers.
To qualify for this list, the films had to be (1) made after 1990 (so no "Sullivan's Travels" or "8 1/2"for example), and (2) primarily narrative. That last one rules out great non-narrative documentaries like "Visions of Light", but without such restrictions, the list easily gets too long and I had to cut it off at ten.
I've decided to split the movie into two sections-- five films about the "development" (including writing) process, and five about film production. If anyone knows any good films about post-production ("This Film Is Not Yet Rated" maybe?), post them in the comments below.
Do yourself a favor and check these out. Okay, so here goes...
Development
Call these the "lifestyle" movies-- the films about the world of Hollywood and the development process. Writers, executives, agents-- the folks behind the scenes that write the films and choose and develop the stories that ultimately make it to the big screen. There are a lot of contenders, but these are the five I like the best:
In compiling the list below, I've noticed a thread that kind of goes through these movies about production. They all seem to be about the blend of naivety, drive, and desperation that push filmmakers in their quest to make a movie.
Here's the list:
That list is not exhaustive of course. Here are some others in the genre I recommend:
"Hollywood Shuffle" (Robert Townsend's comedic look at the life of an actor who's relegated to crappy stereotyped hood parts), "Man Bites Dog" (a psychotic killer is followed around by a documentary crew as he murders people), Gods and Monsters (Ian McKellen as gay filmmaker James Whale shooting his Frankenstein movie), The Kid Stays In The Picture - an amusing documentary about Robert Evans, head of Paramount in the 1970s, narrated comically by... Robert Evans (and based on his book).
A friend recommends "New Suit" (2002) (A writer says he has a "hot script" and everyone starts bidding on it, even though it hasn't actually been written). Also check out The Front (1976), a Woody Allen comedy about the Writer's blacklist of the 1950s.
Obviously there are many, many more movies that fit the "films about filmmaking" genre, but these are my favorites of the ones I've seen. Be sure to also check out Berkeley's list and Moviemail's list for more recommendations.
W
To qualify for this list, the films had to be (1) made after 1990 (so no "Sullivan's Travels" or "8 1/2"for example), and (2) primarily narrative. That last one rules out great non-narrative documentaries like "Visions of Light", but without such restrictions, the list easily gets too long and I had to cut it off at ten.
I've decided to split the movie into two sections-- five films about the "development" (including writing) process, and five about film production. If anyone knows any good films about post-production ("This Film Is Not Yet Rated" maybe?), post them in the comments below.
Do yourself a favor and check these out. Okay, so here goes...
Development
Call these the "lifestyle" movies-- the films about the world of Hollywood and the development process. Writers, executives, agents-- the folks behind the scenes that write the films and choose and develop the stories that ultimately make it to the big screen. There are a lot of contenders, but these are the five I like the best:
- The Big Picture (1989) - Christopher Guest's (of Spinal Tap)'s comedy about a film school graduate who's vision for his ultimate dream project runs smack into the reality of Hollywood filmmaking. A good primer for anyone thinking of moving to Hollywood and pursuing his or her creative dreams on the kinds of practical realities one might encounter...
- Swimming With Sharks (1994) - Best remembered for Kevin Spacey's totally whacked-out development executive Buddy Ackerman, this film about an assistant's shitty job for a producer turns to a kind of ultra-dark "9 to 5" when he decides enough is enough. I've heard the movies' famous "blue/pink" sugar substitute scene was based on real life too.
- Adaptation (2002) - I was a little iffy on including this surreal self-referential movie-within-a-movie, but enough people seem to really like it that I guess it's one of those you should probably see. I won't even get into the story, except to say it stars Nicolas Cage as Charlie Kaufman, the real-life writer who was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay.
- Barton Fink - (1991) Easily one of the best Coen Brothers movies. If you haven't seen this movie yet, go rent it now. When I first saw it in college, it took me like 3 days to realize that the "wrestlin' picture" genre was entirely made up. While Barton Fink himself may not teach you too much about how to write, the Coen Brothers certainly do. So...go get that Barton Fink feeling!
- The Player (1992) It's another of Robert Altman's epic "talky" movies, this time about the behind-the-scenes world of filmmaking. Many "as Himself" and "As Herself" cameos (like Buck Henry, author of "The Graduate" pitching a sequel), but also a fairly full portrait of the Hollywood development system. Surely more than one writer has learned to pitch from watching Richard E. Grant try to sell Tim Robbins the worst story in the world.
In compiling the list below, I've noticed a thread that kind of goes through these movies about production. They all seem to be about the blend of naivety, drive, and desperation that push filmmakers in their quest to make a movie.
Here's the list:
- The Making of "...And God Spoke" (1993) - This one was a hit in film school. This little-seen gem embraces every low budget filmmaking cliche from the overambitious director who tries to shoot the entire bible in one film to the strange foreign cinematographer with his "special filters". I don't know why this mockumentary didn't get more attention when it came out. Maybe because of all the "inside" jokes. But it's definitely one I recommend to my friends.
- Living In Oblivion (1995) - Join director Steve Buscemi as he battles the forces of ego and circumstance to make his indie film. This is probably the gold standard in "filmmaker struggles to make a movie" movies by which all others are compared. Featuring lines like, "Have you ever had a dream with a dwarf in it? Do you know ANYONE who's had a dream with a dwarf in it? No! *I* don't even have dreams with dwarves in them!"
- Ed Wood (1994) - Between teaching kids not to do drugs in "21 Jump Street" and swaggering around in the "Pirates of the Caribbeans" films, Johnny Depp starred in this movie about Ed Wood the worst director in the world and his quest to complete his epic piece of crap, "Plan Nine from Outer Space". Martin Landau, known best for "Mission Impossible" (the TV series), Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors", and his image on my "Space: 1999" lunch box, won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as an over-the-hill Bela Legosi. Directed by Tim Burton. If only YouTube had existed back then, Ed Wood could have been today's Chris Crocker.
- Bowfinger (1999) - Another great movie that captures the desperate tone of run & gun independent filmmaking., this movie, directed by Frank Oz and starring Steve Martin, tells the story of a director who is determined to make a film with a BIG movie star-- Eddie Murphy-- whether he knows it or not. Nice to see these talented guys actually being funny again... Mindhead. Hah!
- American Movie (1999)- The same year as Bowfinger, a festival darling documentary that, like "Bowfinger", "Ed Wood" and "...And God Spoke", told the story of a desperate filmmaker who is determined to make his movie (in this case a horror film called "Coven") at all costs, no matter how much the world doesn't seem to want it to happen. The real star of the movie isn't the director Mark Borchardt but his best friend Mike Schank whose mild understated personality is absolutely entertaining. Rent it.
That list is not exhaustive of course. Here are some others in the genre I recommend:
"Hollywood Shuffle" (Robert Townsend's comedic look at the life of an actor who's relegated to crappy stereotyped hood parts), "Man Bites Dog" (a psychotic killer is followed around by a documentary crew as he murders people), Gods and Monsters (Ian McKellen as gay filmmaker James Whale shooting his Frankenstein movie), The Kid Stays In The Picture - an amusing documentary about Robert Evans, head of Paramount in the 1970s, narrated comically by... Robert Evans (and based on his book).
A friend recommends "New Suit" (2002) (A writer says he has a "hot script" and everyone starts bidding on it, even though it hasn't actually been written). Also check out The Front (1976), a Woody Allen comedy about the Writer's blacklist of the 1950s.
Obviously there are many, many more movies that fit the "films about filmmaking" genre, but these are my favorites of the ones I've seen. Be sure to also check out Berkeley's list and Moviemail's list for more recommendations.
W
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Comments
Great list! I would add ....
Crooked Features
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0466740/
UHF
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0098546/
Volere volare
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0103223/
The Wizard of Speed and Time
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0081766/
reply
Hi
interesting list
natural born killers, born
Great list it is. But I was
"-Liam
Good list
the trailer on you tube looks pretty good.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1603324/combined
Good List
EJ