Deserted Island

Edward Jay Epstein writes on how the film industry really works (hint: it's all about money) for Slate. Sometimes the dollar signs in his eyes make him miss the big picture, but he can also be a useful corrective.

There are a lot of people who claim Hollywood has forgotten how to make films the public wants to see, but Epstein helps show how there's only so much you can do with shrinking audience and climbing costs.

One big question is originality. Its lack is what movie critics bemoan, but too much "originality" is dangerous, according to Epstein.

Case in point, The Island (2005). This was a big-budget film ($122.5 million) and, therefore, expected to make big money. Smaller films may have a chance to find their audience, but big films must open big or they're thrown on the scrap heap.

Under such conditions, it's understandable why a studio wants to play it safe. You won't get a large opening weekend if the audience isn't aware of your film. What helps awareness? A well-known property (comics, TV, videogame, books), a sequel to a hit, a big star and, perhaps, a major director. Even then, the studio must spend tens of millions on promotion to raise awareness.

The Island had an intriguing (if confusing) science fiction premise (clones raised for their organs to be harvested escape into the real world), but was not based on a famous property. Nor were its stars--though respected--the kind who would "open" a major film. It had a hot director, Michael Bay, but not necessarily a saleable one. So the film had to count on its marketing. It failed. It got weak reviews and flopped immediately.

In truth, the film wasn't that bad. It just had nothing going for it. Thus, Hollywood would rather play it safe than try to be original, especially when a major studio film costs so much.

But...

There are dangers in playing it safe, as well. Audiences will tire of the sameness. A lot of hits come from unexpected areas. Look at all the billions George Lucas (and others) have made on the Star Wars films. Sure, that's a lot of sequels, but it all started with one filmmaker who wanted to try something a little different (at the time) and had trouble getting the financing. Look at something as relatively innocent as Pirates Of The Caribbean. Yes, it was based on a property Disney owned--a ride--but this was hardly a Harry Potter. In fact, at the time, pirate films were considered death at the box office. And what's the biggest hit of the modern age? Titanic, a film without huge stars based on an old event that wasn't precisely on anyone's mind at the time.

All sorts of movies, unheralded when going into production, became surprise hits: The Matrix, There's Something About Mary, Elf, America Pie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Independence Day, Animal House, Meet The Parents, Toy Story, Wedding Crashers, Men In Black, The Sixth Sense, Ghost, Back To The Future, Austin Powers and many others. Hollywood understandably wants to play it safe. But part of playing it safe means occasionally taking a chance.