Post Three

This post will show two films that have either converted or subverted from Hollywood / Mainstream filmmaking standards and techniques.

Independent vs. Hollywood Film Making

Independent or 'indie' films can be distinguished by their content and style an in the way in which the film makers own artistic vision is realised, whereas the Hollywood 'blockbuster' is based on the size of production and narrative it has.

Donnie Darko (2001) is the film that raised the bar which changed the way the independent thinking and the teen genre for the Millennium may never have reached the big screen. Due to the main character Donnie either being schizophrenic or a supernatural avatar, writer and director Richard Kelly found the majority of the distributors were unsure how to market the film to the masses. Unwilling to compromise his original vision for studio palates Kelly was under the impression he would have to launch his debut on cable TV.

In 2004 after doing its time on the underground scene Kelly's film finally got picked up and received its directors-cut theatrical re-release. Darko the troubled teenager who is plagued by visions, ad is told about the end of the world from his six foot talking rabbit friend Frank, was played by a remarkable performance by Jake Gyllenhall a virtual unknown at the time who went on to stardom>

Among with the mental illness story line the film has the number 8 running prominent throughout the film. The story takes place in 1988, Frank tells Donnie the world will end in 28 days, 06 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds which all add up to 88, Donnie's dog in the film died when he was 8, he jokes about the film Back To The Future in which the DeLoren had a speed of 88MPH. Finally the film was shot in 28 days and the director's cut has 28 scenes.

With a budget of $4,500,000 the film only grossed $727,833 which shows that Donnie Darko was not a success compared to the Hollywood blockbusters of today. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 had a budget of $125,000 and grossed worldwide an estimated $1,328,111,219.

The latest instalment of the Harry Potter franchise continues with the Hollywood style filmmaking with this larger than life production. Not only with the large budget of special effects but the film was bigger than better and never sounding better too. This was thanks to the big names that were used in Cinematography, Production Design and the music score.

The massive narrative is thrilling, powerful and dazzling to watch which brings the franchise to a magic end. The all-star Hollywood cast returns in the form of Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes and Helen Bonhma Carter. They worked alongside the well loved Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint to star in the highest grossing film of 2011 which also claimed opening weekend records. Finally no expenses were spared as this was the only Harry Potter film to be released in its entirety in 3D, along with 2D and IMAX.

Unfortunately with the entire large Hollywood budget spent on this Harry Potter it still failed to win an Oscar and it made history that none of the franchise won a prestigious award.

Sources:

www.donniedarkofilm.com

www.empireonline.com

www.imdb.com

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com

www.movieweb.com

www.rottentomatoes.com