Favorite Independet Films

[FLMKR4EB]

There was a debate about Indi Films in another thread, lets move the discussion here and mention some of those incredible Indi films.

My faves are:

Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
In the Company of Men
Clerks
Chasing Amy
George Washington (not a true fave, but a damn good one)
more to come...

[ReaperFett]

I dont know how to fully class one, so I wont

[FLMKR4EB]

Shoe String Budget, normally back by private investors or the filmmaker. Miramax picks up many Indi films, it comes down to how involved the studio is, generally very little.

For instance,

Clerks was funded by Smith alone. He sold his comic book collection for store credit, which he sold at a discounted price to his friends, maxed out several credit cards, and asked for a matching investment in the film from his parents based on the budget of his sister's wedding. He then directed it on 16mm.

Austin Powers is technically an indi film, and even Star Wars has been called an indi film. So gernally its a basis of opinion, but in reality it has to do with the level of financial involvemtn of the studio and the over all shadow the studio has. Many studios just pick up indi films for distribution.

OH, another great Indi film is Swingers. That was a huge deal. I'm going to tap my "ego" here, but I met the Line Producer/Producer of Swingers who told me all about the experince of meeting Jon Favreu in the back yard of some party, and how they got talking about this script he wrote and wanted to direct, and he was originally slated to direct it, until they actually did go into production when it became neccessary to please an investor and they hired a true director, which Jon fought and would hurt production with Jon a bit, but it still came through. She told me about Vince Vaughn sleeping on her couch for months and stuff, she was neat. great advice.

[ReaperFett]

El Mariachi. Rodriguez became a human guinea pig to make the $7,000 :)

Then stick in some Woo, Tarantino and Braindead :)

[Marcus Telcontar]

Meet the Feebles

[FLMKR4EB]

Meet the Feebles, Awsome.

And El Mariachi was not made for 7 Grand. Read Spike Mike Slackers and Dikes, it'l tell you the truth, but its still a great Indi film.

[ReaperFett]

So Robert Rodriguez book about the making of the film for 7k is a lie are you saying?

[FLMKR4EB]

I'm saying that my research reports that he didn't. Here is a bigger budget version StarShip Troopers is reported to have cost like 140 mil, or arounnd there, I have it in good faith that the film cost over 180. It just depends on what you report.

[Shawn]

Requiem for a Dream; Pi; Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch; Chasing Amy; Dogma; Clerks; Mulholland Drive; The Lost Highway; Memento; Princess Mononoke; Perfect Blue; Pulp Fiction; How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog

Most of that is currently occupying the shelf right next to me (ie, my favorite movies).

[JonathanLB]

He didn't lie. The film cost $7,000.

It's like Time and Newsweek trying to say that The Blair With Project cost $100,000. NO, it didn't. The filmmakers said it cost like $40,000, so that's what it cost. Time wouldn't know. Newsweek wouldn't know. They weren't on set, they didn't make the movie, they would not know anything about the movie. If the filmmakers said it cost $40,000, that's what it cost. Not $100K.

Nobody says that Star Wars is an independent film. It's ESB, ROTJ, TPM, and AOTC that could be called independent because they were not made by traditional large studios, but funded entirely by the filmmaker. The first SW movie, ANH, was very much a studio film. 20th Century Fox owned it and financed it all with a budget of like $3 million that became $11M after costly delays and unexpected effects work, etc.

But yeah, some people wouldn't consider AOTC an independent film, but it really is. It's just the most expensive independent movie ever made, that's all ;)

Reservoir Dogs is a great movie, I agree with you there.

Donnie Darko is one of the best independent films ever made I think. Among the ones I've seen.

I love Cube too.

How is Snatch independent? I was not under the impression that it's an independent film. I mean, yeah I realize the same people who made that made that idiotic and retarded Lock, Stock, and Stupidity, but Snatch was a studio film... I really like it.

[Shawn]

Well, Snatch was put out by Screen Gems... hardly a big-name studio. I considered it independant, but feel free to exclude it. I did, however, leave off both the ones you mentioned: Donnie Darko and Cube. Both excellent movies.

[JonathanLB]

I guess Snatch is an indie, I dunno, not saying it isn't, but I was under the impression it was like a $35 million movie or something. Anyways, it's a classic for my best friend and I. Even though I still only give it 3.5 stars, him and I quote it constantly and it's quite a good movie :)

[FLMKR4EB]

It not just what a filmaker says. It depends on what they report. I'd love to make a film like El Mariachi for 7 grand, but my god, the film stock alone costs more than that. I'm not saying he lied, I'm just tell you what I've been told and what I've read. I'm sure a bulk of the film fell into the category of 7 grand, but there are always other monies that don't get reported. Happens on every film. I'll post a quote from Spike Mike tonight. Right now, I gotta fly to work.

[Oriadin]

Never, ever dis Lock stock while im about. The film is shear brilliance. I prefer snatch it had to be said but Lock stock is quite simply, class.

Just so you know, acording to IMDB the budget for snatch was $10m. Not sure if that classes as independant or not.

[JMK]

I'm a huge fan of Kevin Smith movies, so he gets my vote!
I like Snatch a helluva lot too. As well as the classic Tarantino movies...

[Darth23]

Two Hands
Lock, Stock
Knightriders
Dark Star

probably a few more I can't think of at the moment.

[Oriadin]

Shallow grave is pretty good.

[ReaperFett]

but my god, the film stock alone costs more than that
He used one loaned camera, IIRC. He did the camerawork. In fact, 99% of the cast were free locals.

[FLMKR4EB]

I did some more research on the subject, and I wasn't right, but I wasn't totally wrong. El Mariachi WAS shot for 7,000. It was then cut on video and sold as a $7,000 movie. I wanted to ge the actual El Mariachi budget reports, but supposedly they are incoherent as to what was what. The film we all saw after it was bought was a little different and cost reportedly around 2 mil to create from the existing "7,000" film.

My conclusion. El Mariachi is a damn good movie for a 2 mil video cut, and its even better when I think of what can be done for 7 grand. Did he lie, I never said he did, and I just like the idea of a 7 grand movie more than it actually costing more.

[JMK]

Most adult films probably qualify as independant, but I don't think they count, do they? ;)

[BUFFJEDI]

SKB : best indie film ever, well the first 5 Minute's anyway.;) Although it has yet to be released at theater's or even video:cry :cry :cry

[JMK]

I take it SKB was the movie you were in? During the first 5 minutes?
I saw that you were the newest reply, and after what you said about the camcorder and Bea, if you had mentioned anything about that being the best indie film, I swear I was shutting down the thread! :lol

[BUFFJEDI]

:lol :lol

well I thought about it, but I didn't want you to shut this place down :D How can you not love BEA:huh



yeah that be the one :(

you know I don't understand why the delay on it. It's been TWO years now. sure the plot was stupid.Sure the filming was shakey at best. Sure it was a low budget indie horror.(700'000 tops)sure they had only done shorts before. BUT I'm in it!!!!!!!!! SHIRTLESS and in underwear!!!!(although I did drop 20 pounds for the role) That should be good enough foratleast making 3 times what they spent????I just don't get it???:grumble

[Mu Satach]

Running Time, Resevoir Dogs, El Mariachi, Evil Dead, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Memento, Pi, Blood Simple, Smoke Signals,

oh and if I kept thinking about it I could go on and on...

[Jedieb]

I haven't really watched many indie films but I do love The Brothers McMullen. She's The One was made for only $3M, and it's one of my favorite all time comedies. What can I say, I'm a big Edward Burns fan. I even have The Sidewalks of New York on DVD.