Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days?

RAMA · August 20 2008, 08:20 PM

Back in the old days..say from the 50s to the mid 1990s, you could count on some low to medium budget SF movies to complement the more well known ones. These days that rarely happens. I did notice that Babylon AD and the remake of all things Death Race 2000 called Death Race are coming out in the very near future. Of course "low budget" today probably means under $50 million...

RAMA

captcalhoun · August 20 2008, 08:31 PM

um, i think you've got the wrong word there. doesn't 'plethora' mean 'a lot'? if there's very few, it's a 'dearth' isn't it?

Neroon · August 20 2008, 08:34 PM

Or perhaps a "paucity" ... which I guess is the same as "dearth".

RAMA, I don't know if this meets your qualifications but perhaps such films have found a new home on cable TV and direct-to-video, as opposed to the theater. Lord knows the Sci-Fi Channel fits that bill. Well, at least with B-grade horror flicks, as opposed to regular sci-fi

Spaceman Spiff · August 20 2008, 08:43 PM

Yeah, it seems like the direct-to-DVD/cable market has taken over in that regard. It's unfortunate, because those movies are almost always terrible or cheap knock-offs of larger ones.

Lots of B-movies used to actually be good, they just didn't have A-list stars or large budgets.

It's unfortunate that at least an entire generation has grown up with the notion that B-movies are garbage.

Greg Cox · August 20 2008, 08:44 PM

Agreed. I think that direct-to-video flicks are the new b-movies. (Or c-movies, in some cases!)

Temis the Vorta · August 21 2008, 03:51 AM

There's just a boatload of sf/f in general - big-budget and lower-budget both - probably because people are abandoning the theater to get movies on DVD so the smart strategy is to make movies that are "wait-proof" - if you want to see WALL*E, The Dark Knight, The Mummy, etc., you'll be more likely to get to a theater to see them, versus the less visual/visceral type of movie like some Woody Allen flick. What's the point of bothering with that before the DVD comes out?

But the really cheap stuff doesn't fit the strategy. You've got to hit a minimum standard before it's worth going to the theater to see.

RAMA · August 25 2008, 03:59 PM

captcalhoun wrote:

um, i think you've got the wrong word there. doesn't 'plethora' mean 'a lot'? if there's very few, it's a 'dearth' isn't it?

No I DID mean there are a lot lately. The ones I mentioned were some of the higher profile ones.

I did consider that "b" movies are now the province of direct-to-dvd but Deathrace might be considered one of the medium budget movies I mentioned.

RAMA

August 20 2008, 08:20 PM	#1
RAMA Vice Admiral Location: NJ, USA	Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? Back in the old days..say from the 50s to the mid 1990s, you could count on some low to medium budget SF movies to complement the more well known ones. These days that rarely happens. I did notice that Babylon AD and the remake of all things Death Race 2000 called Death Race are coming out in the very near future. Of course "low budget" today probably means under $50 million... RAMA __________________ “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”—Stephen R. Covey

August 20 2008, 08:31 PM	#2
captcalhoun Admiral Location: gone	Re: Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? um, i think you've got the wrong word there. doesn't 'plethora' mean 'a lot'? if there's very few, it's a 'dearth' isn't it?

August 20 2008, 08:34 PM	#3
Neroon Memory and awareness Location: On my ship the Rocinante, wheeling thru the galaxy	Re: Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? Or perhaps a "paucity" ... which I guess is the same as "dearth". RAMA, I don't know if this meets your qualifications but perhaps such films have found a new home on cable TV and direct-to-video, as opposed to the theater. Lord knows the Sci-Fi Channel fits that bill. Well, at least with B-grade horror flicks, as opposed to regular sci-fi __________________ “You break through the veil whenever you strap on a sword or chant the ancient verses. You escape when you write a poem or a tale that brings beauty into the world. You are set free whenever you love—even those who believe you’re crazy." ~ Jef Murray, 'Seer: A Wizard's Journal'

August 20 2008, 08:43 PM	#4
Spaceman Spiff Intrepid Explorer	Re: Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? Yeah, it seems like the direct-to-DVD/cable market has taken over in that regard. It's unfortunate, because those movies are almost always terrible or cheap knock-offs of larger ones. Lots of B-movies used to actually be good, they just didn't have A-list stars or large budgets. It's unfortunate that at least an entire generation has grown up with the notion that B-movies are garbage. __________________ "Love means never having to say you're ugly." - Dr. Phibes

August 20 2008, 08:44 PM	#5
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? Agreed. I think that direct-to-video flicks are the new b-movies. (Or c-movies, in some cases!) __________________ www.gregcox-author.com

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August 21 2008, 03:51 AM	#6
Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Location: Tatoinne	Re: Anyone notice the plethora of SF "B-Movies" coming out these days? There's just a boatload of sf/f in general - big-budget and lower-budget both - probably because people are abandoning the theater to get movies on DVD so the smart strategy is to make movies that are "wait-proof" - if you want to see WALLE, The Dark Knight, The Mummy, etc., you'll be more likely to get to a theater to see them, versus the less visual/visceral type of movie like some Woody Allen flick. What's the point of bothering with that* before the DVD comes out? But the really cheap stuff doesn't fit the strategy. You've got to hit a minimum standard before it's worth going to the theater to see.